Springtime brings fresh herbs to our forests and meadows. Many of them are edible and we not only use them to flavour food, but also cleanse our bodies and boost our immune systems after winter. Wild garlic, or bear garlic (medvedí cesnak), as we call it in Slovak, appears in our latitudes towards the end … Continue reading Millet Stir-Fry with Walnuts and Bear Garlic
It's been a while since I last posted here, but the reasons were sound and many. First, I've been working on the third book of A Taste of Slovakia series and wanted to get the first chapter ready for Jana - the graphic designer. I'm planning to publish the Winter Book towards the end of … Continue reading Natasha’s Borscht
In the Winter Book of A Taste of Slovakia series, which I'm planning to publish later this year, there will be a chapter on Slovak wedding and our most popular wedding cakes. To bring you the best from the field, I joined forces with Jana, a skilled baker who creates all sorts of cakes and … Continue reading Punch-Soaked Sponge Slices
I'm sure you've noticed it. As you approach someone's home, whether it's a house or a flat, you feel a smell, or more precisely a mix of smells that only belong to that particular place. Plants have their specific aromas and so do animals. We, humans, are not different. Our home is a melange of … Continue reading Smells of our homes
I'm busy working on the third book of A Taste of Slovakia series, which will include lots of Christmas recipes and traditions linked to my country's winter season. It's going to be a very rich volume packed with fascinating photos, folk tales and, of course, timeless dishes - like opekance. Opekance (pronounced as opekantze) are … Continue reading Opekantze with Ground Poppy Seeds and Honey
While working on the Winter Book of A Taste of Slovakia series, I went to document the art of medovníky baking at a small workshop near Žilina. It is where Andrea from Adina medovníky creates her delectable, exquisitely crafted honey dough pieces. Med (pronounced the same way as red, bed, fed, etc.) is the Slovak … Continue reading Slovak medovniky bakers are getting ready for Christmas
The last weekend in October is all about remembering the dead. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, All Saints' Day or All Souls Day (Dušičky in Slovak) was the busiest time for travel in Slovakia, with people crossing the country to visit cemeteries, bring flowers and light candles on the graves of their deceased relatives. Back from … Continue reading Comforting Carrot and Yellow Pea Soup
On my last visit to the Tekov region in the south of Slovakia, I went to see my late grandparents' house. It is now the home of my widowed aunt, and my cousins live close by with their families, so it was a good opportunity to meet them all after a long time. It was … Continue reading What kitchens of our grandmas looked like
Summer is coming to a close, and with the temperatures dropping down we are more likely to think of a bowl of warm soup than a salad. Our gardens still provide enough fresh ingredients for that nourishing bowl, and there are many more to be found in our forests. With its damp, foggy mornings and … Continue reading Autumn Soup with Wild Chanterelles
Patizón - the Slovak word for summer pattypan squash - is probably derived from the French pâtisson. The vegetable has become quite popular among Slovaks, who like to coat and fry it like these Fried Zucchini Rings. However, there are a few recipes on Slovak cooking websites that use the unpeeled and hollowed out patizón as a … Continue reading Stuffed Pattypan Squash
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