I first heard about spravovník two years ago, when I was shooting Christmas wafers for the Winter Book at a country house in Mačov. It was one of the few abandoned houses in the village that had been turned into a museum of traditional folk culture. While I was documenting the wafer baking, we chatted … Continue reading Cheese and Potato Bread Cake from Mačov
Have you heard about witches' days and do you know what happens at this time of year in Slovakia? Have you tasted the beautifully crafted medovníky and would you like to know how these honey cookies are made? Or do you want to see what our Christmas dinner looks like? This and much more is … Continue reading Winter tastes of Slovakia are coming to bookshops
Putting together a cookbook during a global pandemic wasn't as easy as you might think. True, I had enough time for writing and testing recipes. I spent hours in the kitchen, and I didn't complain. Quite the oppostite, it was relaxing, sort of therapeautic. Doing online research was less fun, because we were all overloaded … Continue reading The Winter Book is already at the printers
First things first - you wouldn't hear about a starter or a dessert a hundred years ago, when kashas were part of each and every Slovak wedding. There was no wedding menu as we know it today, neither was there a written seating plan or candles or confetti. Yet there were quite a few norms, … Continue reading An old-style Slovak wedding kasha – was it a starter or a dessert?
In the third book of A Taste of Slovakia series, which I'm planning to publish towards the end of September, there will be a chapter on Slovak weddings. When researching online sources and numerous books of Slovak folklorists and ethnologists, I came across recipes and ancient photos of cakes that you won't see on wedding … Continue reading What it takes to make an old-style Slovak wedding cake
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 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
Metrový koláč is a classic Slovak dessert we like to make at Easter time. The exact translation into English would make it a One-Metre-Long Cake, and although the cake is not quite as long as the name suggests, it does provide enough goodness for a big family, as well as plenty of guests. This Easter, … Continue reading Long Cake
This is another old recipe from my mum. She makes Medové rezy for Christmas, Easter and whenever she wants to please my family, especially my two daughters. They love these mellow honey dough slices filled with buttercream and covered in chocolate icing. I made them on a couple of occasions when Mum couldn't visit, as … Continue reading Honey Dough Slices
Apart from various sweet pastries and cakes, the most typical ingredients on Slovak Easter menu are eggs, ham, sausages and bread. Of course, some Slovaks will go for healthier choices these days, but those who prefer good old classics might choose Veľkonočná baba (Easter Baba) - a dish that incorporates all the above-mentioned ingredients. Unlike … Continue reading Easter Petchka
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