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Overview of Slovak Cuisine History[]
Traditional Christmas sauerkraut soup "kapustnica"
Slovakia has a long history. The first settlers that occupied the territory of this country in the 5th century had Slavic origins. Before this, Germanic and Celtic tribes occupied the territory. Through the centuries, Slovakia made contact with the Ottoman Empire and with the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In 1918, Bohemia, Moravia and Slovakia united, and this is how Czechoslovakia appeared. The Velvet Revolution from 1989 represented the moment when the country divided in two: Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
The Slovak cuisine is not a cuisine that is world wide known, as are the Chinese or the Italian cuisine. It has mostly been affected by the Austrian and Hungarian cuisines. Although the cooking style is described as a poor one, there are unique dishes that give identity to the Slovak cuisine. The ingredients that are used in most of the Slovak dishes are: wheat flour, cabbage, potatoes, garlic, onions and cow or sheep cheese. rice is not cropped in Slovakia. However, it is imported from other countries and used in a large number of traditional recipes. Lentils, corn and beans are also used frequently. Fruits, no matter if they are local or exotic, are an important part of the diet.
Slovaks also use in their dishes various meats, such as Pork, Beef, fish and Chicken. The less popular meats are Lamb, Duck, venison and Goose.
One essential element that makes the Slovak cuisine special is the bread. This food has so many variations that it is said that every bakery has its own version of this indispensable food. It is mostly consumed with the breakfast and lately, with the dinner. The most important meal in Slovakia was the lunch, until recently, when due to the work program people have made the dinner the main meal of the day. The main dishes, which will be mentioned as being traditional by most of the Slovaks, are: Bryndzove halusky, Parenica, ostiepok, korbacik and Treska. The ingredients of Bryndzove halusky are Potato dough, sheep cheese and Bacon. The next three names are a few types of cheese. Slovaks often consume smoked cheese, and many varieties are prepared this way. Treska is a salad that contains codfish, mayonnaise and various vegetables.
Cuisines of Slovakia[]
Map of Slovakia- Click to enlarge
The Slovak cuisine displays few differences from one region to another, although the national cuisines has been influenced by many nations. Austria, Hungary and France are only some of the countries that affected the Slovak cooking styles, but not as much to determine regional cuisines over the country.
Preparation Methods for Slovak Cooking[]
The Slovak cooking methods are mostly simmilar to the ones that are used across Europe. However, each recipe includes indications to how the ingredients should be prepared and the order in which they are added. Both the meat and the vegetables may undergo one or more of the following preparation techniques: boiling, deep frying, steaming, cooking under pressure, seasoning and salting. Of course, there are more other ways to prepare the food, but these are used more frequently.
Special Equipment for Slovak Cooking[]
Most Slovak dishes don’t require you to purchase any special tools. However, having a coffee grinder helps with roasting and grinding spices and maximizes their volatile oils, which, in turn, provides your food with more flavor.
People in Slovakia do not use any special equipment when preparing traditional dishes. The tools that are to be found in a Slovak kitchen are used in the most countries from Europe and Northern America. Most likely, the equipment that is used for cooking, serving and storing foods consists of tablespoons, teaspoons, knives, forks, scoops, graters, mills for the spices, egg beaters and egg rings, food scales and devices for measuring the temperatures of the ovens. The scales are used to prevent using inaccurate quantities of certain ingredients, while the thermometers prevent overcooking and help to bake the foods at the temperatures that are specified in the recipes.
Slovak Food Traditions and Festivals[]
Slovaks do not hesitate to organize festivals, in order to celebrate their national dishes and their traditions. Burciak is one of the most famous Slovak varieties of wine and each year, in September, festivals that promote this wine are planned in Pezinok and Modra.
Festivals that expose the Slovak foods are also organized outside the borders of the country, wherever Slovak diaspora exists. Also, in Slovakia there are events planned for displaying the minority nations that live along with the Slovaks. The Slovak Romany Festival is an opportunity for the Roma people to show the most popular dishes.are you i