June is observed as the month of hunter's guild and nature conservation in Slovakia. However strange it may sound to some ears, the two things are not mutually exclusive. It all depends on what sort of hunters we are talking about, and what we see as nature conservation. As a girl growing up in the … Continue reading Hunters Days
When you are bottling apricots, it's best to use fruit that is ripe but firm. If you find a few softer pieces or even bruised ones, put them aside. Remove the blemished parts, and either make a jam or prepare these yummy apricot balls sprinkled with hot chocolate. That's exactly what I did a few … Continue reading Apricot Filled Cheese Balls
Halushki - traditional Slovak pasta - have already been mentioned in a recipe for Strapatchki. A slightly different version of halushki was used to accompany rabbit thighs in this recipe. Halushki are sometimes used in soups instead of noodles, but the most important role of these small, gnocchi-like dumplings is for our national dish, where … Continue reading Halushki with Bryndza Cheese
First things first. When I started researching material for the first book about Slovak cuisine in English, the first source I reached for was The First Cookbook in the Slovak Language by Ján Babilon. Despite the obvious contradiction, the reason was, in fact, very simple. I was curious what the first Slovak recipes looked like. … Continue reading What the first Slovak recipes looked like
This recipe is a reminder of the summers we spent at our grandparents' house in the south of Slovakia - a warm, sunny region with rich soil and a long history of farming. There was a farmyard in between the house and a large back garden, where we could watch and help care for pigs, … Continue reading Braised Rabbit Thighs with Bear Garlic and Halushki
This is one of the vegetarian recipes that's still in my cooking repertoire. I first tried it years ago when, right after the Fall of Communism in my country, we were exposed to new, alternative ways of cooking. Even though my family didn't always share my excitement over new food, this particular dish has always … Continue reading Oatflake Patties with Mashed Potatoes
Whenever I happen to be in Levoča, I feel like I've entered a different world. It opens up after crossing the ancient walls surrounding Levoča's historical centre through one of the town's three gates. A short uphill walk or even a shorter drive takes you to the very heart of Levoča's Old Town - a medieval square skirted by … Continue reading What’s cooking in Levoča
What comes in your mind when you hear the word Tatratea? A hot drink? A party with friends? Or the High Tatras - Slovakia's most dramatic mountains? Well, all images are relevant to Tatratea, the Slovak alcoholic drink with many faces and flavours. I first got a taste of 'tatranský čaj' on my hiking tours with … Continue reading Wolfpack – a taste of Tatratea
Bábovka, babka, bundt cake or fluted cake - this classic cake can be found in many European cuisines and has quite a few variations around the world as well. What all these cakes have in common is the fluted ring shape with a hollow space in the centre. To make a Slovak bábovka, I use an … Continue reading Fountain Cake
Včela is the Slovak word for a bee and Včelovina is a drink made by fermentation of honey. We don't like to call it honey wine, because Včelovina has nothing to do with grapes, although the fermentation process might be similar to that in wine making. Mead is a more acceptable English name here, and it's also … Continue reading Pancakes with Včelovina
