Slovenian Cuisine
In every corner of Slovenia, visitors are pleasantly surprised by new and different culinary delicacies and by the autochthonous wines along the numerous Slovenia Wine Roads that crisscross its three winegrowing regions. Slovene wines are popularly served with homemade sausage specialties, karst prsut (prosciutto) dried in the bora wind, and other original Slovene dishes.
Brda cherries
Cherry is so important and respected in Goriška Brda, Slovenia that it even has its own all-day festival. There, cherries have the longest tradition of cultivation in Slovenia and cherry trees were often planted simply among the grapevines. Diversification and density of cherry plantations all over the country prove that cherries hold a special place in Slovenia. Wherever one looks around in May and June, there is a wide selection of cherries with shades ranging from light and dark red to the sweetest black sorts.
"Žganci"
Žganci can be found all over the country but is prepared differently in each region: Koroška, Gorenjska, Dolenjska in Štajerska . The essence of žganci, however, stays the same. It is rich in energy giving carbohydrates. It is one of the essential ingredients of traditional cuisine that in its time corresponded to people's possibilities and needs.
Žganci is prepared from buckwheat, corn, wheat or barley flour, sometimes also from groats or potatoes. Wheat grits, cornmeal and potatoes can be added. It somewhat resembles polenta but is prepared with finely ground flour.
"Štruklji"
This is one of the most characteristic dishes, known all over Slovenia. Štruklji are made from different kinds of dough and can have a wide range of fillings; they can be baked or cooked, sweet or savory. Until around the 1930's they used to be prepared at holidays and festivities and to celebrate the end of major farm work. The most special kind of štruklji, especially during spring and summer, is prepared with tarragon filling. Other widely known varieties are those with cottage cheese filling, walnut, apple and poppy seed štruklji, along with many others.
"Jota"
Jota is a hearty hot pot or a thick soup made from pickled turnip stripes or sauerkraut and potatoes. The traditional dish jota is only made from sauerkraut and beans. It is served with white or yellow polenta, as a main course and in many other ways.
"Potica"
Potica is a typical Slovenian festive dish known all around the world. It used to be baked in special baking dishes which reflect the local folk's genuine creativity. Potica cake pans are usually round, with a cylinder in the centre of the dish. Baked potica comes in the shape of a ring or circular loaf.
There are at least fifty recognised variants, which differ according to the filling: originally, the filling was made of walnuts, hazelnuts, honey, peppermint, cottage cheese, sour cream, cracklings, bacon or dried fruit. Cocoa, chocolate or carob are later additions. Potica was usually not sweetened. A typical dough is made of wheat flour, which is rolled out flat, over which the filling is then spread; and finally, the wrapped potica is placed in a cake pan. The ends are neatly cut and the trimmed bits then shaped into small buns or dumplings.
"Žlikrofi"
Idrija is also home to a gastronomic speciality. The town and the surrounding area have been famous since the mid-19th century for idrijski žlikrofi. Idrijski žlikrofi are a national dish of Slovenia made from dough with a potato filling and a characteristic shape. Idrijski žlikrofi are served by some restaurants and farm tourism establishments. These can be identified by a distinctive yellow-and-brown signs with the inscription 'Traditional Food Served' and the logo of the Society for the Promotion and Protection of the Traditional Dishes of Idrija. Frozen idrijski žlikrofi can be found in supermarket freezers.
"Slovenian žegen" - Easter dishes
No other holiday boasts such a variety of popular traditional dishes, including dishes covered by the famous žegen (the blessing of Easter baskets - a custom that differs slightly from one place to another), various Easter buns, potica (rolled yeast dough with filling), flat cakes, štruklji (rolled dumplings), Easter eggs, meat dishes and the like, and dishes served for Easter Sunday lunch, traditionally enriched with interesting and unique Easter specialities.
Easter has in Slovenia many colourful traditions and customs dating centuries into the past. It has been important feast for the people of Slovenia. The biggest Slovenian Christian feast brought about the end of a long fast, which started on Ash Wednesday, and at Easter the table of the average inhabitant of this country was laden as on no other occasion. The essential ham, bread, horseradish and a special Slovenian cake, potica, are at this time of the year accompanied by colourful decorated eggs, in Slovenia called pirhi, pisanice, pisanke, remenice or remenke.
"Blejska kremšnita"
Almost as famous as the lake Bled island is the slovenian cream cake called Kremsnita. This famous slovenian Bled cream cake was invented by a hungarian, Istvan Lukacevic head chef of the hotel Park in 1953, and the recipe stayed the same till the current day. In 2009 they sold the 10th million cream cake.
The original Bled cream cake can be ordered, and mostly eaten, in cafe Park, Park Hotel Bled, Slovenia.
The Karst Prosciutto Ham
The many-century-long tradition of salting and drying pork, especially pork legs, in the Karst wind known as 'burja', is the godparent of this top-quality product that is protected as a geographical indication.
"Prekmurska gibanica"
This excellent, juicy and most widespread Slovenian dessert from Prekmurje is stuffed with poppy seeds, cottage cheese, walnuts and apples. It is trademarked as a foodstuff with an indication of traditional reputation and therefore can only be made under this name if the original protected recipe is respected in full.
Source: Slovenia
