Notoriously linked to the infamous Blood Countess, the village of Čachtice is now building a more appetizing reputation

May 26, 2023May 27, 2023 ~ jarmilascooking ~ Leave a comment

Known as Čachtická pani (Čachtice Lady) to Slovaks, Alžbeta Báthory was a powerful 16th-century Hungarian noblewoman (1560 - 1614) who owned a large swath of land in the Csejte region of Upper Hungary (now Čachtice in Slovakia). Though never tried for her crimes, Alžbeta Báthory (referred to as Elizabeth Báthory in English) is said to … Continue reading Notoriously linked to the infamous Blood Countess, the village of Čachtice is now building a more appetizing reputation

In search of Slovakia’s sweet and savoury delicacies

March 16, 2023March 19, 2023 ~ jarmilascooking ~ 2 Comments

Spring is in the air! As the winter is going - slowly but surely - and nature is waking up after a long sleep, I feel ready for new adventures. I've set off for another culinary journey recently, collecting material for the last volume of A Taste of Slovakia series - the Spring Book. My … Continue reading In search of Slovakia’s sweet and savoury delicacies

Cheese and Potato Bread Cake from Mačov

February 25, 2023February 26, 2023 ~ jarmilascooking ~ 2 Comments

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

Minced Pork Potato Balls on Sauerkraut

December 29, 2022December 30, 2022 ~ jarmilascooking ~ Leave a comment

Smoked pork is an essential part of Slovak Christmas. Often in the form of rolled pork shoulder or pork neck, it is cooked in kapustnica (Christmas sauerkraut soup) together with sausages. We also serve slices of smoked pork alongside the potato salad. Mäsové guľky na kyslej kapuste - as this dish would be called in … Continue reading Minced Pork Potato Balls on Sauerkraut

Where to buy A Taste of Slovakia books

November 24, 2022January 12, 2023 ~ jarmilascooking ~ 3 Comments

Three volumes of A Taste of Slovakia series have been published to this date. The Summer Book, which came out at the end of 2016, is already sold out. The Autumn/Fall Book followed three years later and the new Winter Book has just come out. If you want to know where the books can be … Continue reading Where to buy A Taste of Slovakia books

Winter tastes of Slovakia are coming to bookshops

October 30, 2022November 1, 2022 ~ jarmilascooking ~ 4 Comments

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

The season of cabbage festivals has begun

October 19, 2022 ~ jarmilascooking ~ 1 Comment

It's between September and November when the main cabbage harvest takes place in Slovakia. Although we grow spring and midsummer varieties that are harvested earlier in the year, autumn is the prime season for collecting firm storage cultivars and those that go in sauerkraut. It is also the best time to visit Slovakia if you … Continue reading The season of cabbage festivals has begun

The Winter Book is already at the printers

September 25, 2022September 25, 2022 ~ jarmilascooking ~ 2 Comments

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

An old-style Slovak wedding kasha – was it a starter or a dessert?

August 27, 2022August 27, 2022 ~ jarmilascooking ~ 2 Comments

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?

What it takes to make an old-style Slovak wedding cake

June 19, 2022 ~ jarmilascooking ~ Leave a comment

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