The Czech Republic is not only a beautiful and unique country. This is also an original, tasty, and most importantly hearty cuisine. Czechs love to eat well. In cafes and restaurants, portions are huge, you can safely order one plate for two. Be sure to read (or better yet, print).
There are a lot of original Czech dishes, and I really want to try everything. And, of course, do not forget to taste some of the famous beers. From this European country, tourists take away not only souvenirs and positive emotions, but also a lot of gastronomic impressions and a few extra pounds. So what does Czech Republic taste like?
Various soups are prepared in the country, the most favorite among them is garlic. The preparation methods differ slightly from region to region. Somewhere they put cheese in it, somewhere potatoes and smoked meats. Czechs are especially hungry for garlic with the onset of cold weather. It is a good antimicrobial agent.
Garlic is served in a loaf of round rye bread with the pulp removed. The lid of this saucepan is also edible, bread. Initially, only goulash soup was served in this way. Now onion, garlic with cheese and smoked meats, potato are poured into a loaf. The main thing is that the soup is not too runny and does not leak out of the bread.
By the way, the soup in a loaf is not on the menu of all establishments. It is offered mainly in restaurants. In their daily life, Czechs eat soups from ordinary bowls.
In Czech cuisine, dumplings are often used as a substitute for bread. They are made from plain or potato flour. It is strictly steamed, then sliced and served as a side dish. Dumplings well complement meat dishes with a thick sauce, they are dipped in it, and then eaten.
There are many recipes for dumplings, often they add filling, for example, liver, onion, meat or even cabbage. Fruits are put in sweets, sprinkled with cheese and sugar on top.
Under this intricate name, ordinary potato cakes are hidden, they are somewhat reminiscent of our potato pancakes. Marjoram is a must-have ingredient here. Brambraki is eaten as a separate dish or served as a side dish for meat.
By the way, recently a survey was conducted in the Czech Republic for the title of the most national dish. It was the bramboraks who won.
Czechs prefer pork to any meat. The secret of such love is simple and easy to explain. From time immemorial in the Czech Republic, this meat is considered the cheapest, it costs much less than the same beef.
Is a Czech brand. The drumstick is first soaked in a beer marinade, then boiled, and smoked over the fire just before serving. Knuckle is a very satisfying dish and it is usually beyond the power of one person to eat it. In cafes and restaurants, they usually indicate how many people it is designed for. Best of all, pork knee goes well with Czech beer.
The Czechs themselves consider the knuckle to be quite fat and rarely eat it.
Pieces of loin or shoulder blade are sprinkled with spices, fried in a pan. Then pouring water or broth on top is sent to the oven.
Braised cabbage is the second most popular side dish after dumplings. And the combination of cabbage and dumplings is on the list of Czechs' favorite gastronomic preferences.
They are baked under a delicious, crispy honey crust. Served with several types of sauces. Tasty and as always a lot. Therefore, before ordering, it is better to clarify the weight and calculate your strength.
This dish is for those who do not like pork. It is based on veal or beef tenderloin. It is served immediately under two sauces - sour cream and lingonberry. In addition, a slice of lemon and, of course, dumplings are placed on the plate.
This dish has many recipes. And a good Czech housewife always has her own secret of making svichkov with sour cream.
It is prepared from both pork and beef. The meat is cut into cubes, then cumin, garlic and pepper are sent to it. All this is stewed over low heat. When the meat is almost ready, flour and tomato paste are added to the sauce. All this languishes for a few more minutes. An invariable attribute of goulash is dumplings, they are dipped in a fragrant sauce.
Drowned (and this is how the name of the dish is translated) in the Czech Republic is called pickled sausages with pepper and onions. This is the most favorite beer snack. Moreover, it is practically impossible to eat a drowned man without drinking a foamy drink. It is very greasy and contains a lot of vinegar. Beer greatly enhances the taste.
In general, various sausages, wieners, sausages are very popular in the Czech Republic. Locals love to eat them hot and certainly with mustard.
Cheese is very fond of in the Czech Republic, especially fried one. A local variety is well suited for this, it is soft and fat. Small pieces are rolled in breadcrumbs and sent to the pan. The cheese is served hot with a sauce of your choice.
The cheese goes well with cranberry or lingonberry sauces. Hearty, high-calorie and very tasty!
Round, crispy and thin. Karlovy Vary is famous not only for its mineral water, but also for its waffles. They have been produced since 1780. At first there were only two varieties: chocolate and nut, now there are 15 of them. There are lemon, apple, tiramisu and local liqueur "".
By the way, it is believed that these waffles can only be prepared in Karlovy Vary, since the recipe contains water from mineral springs, but you can also find it in Prague.
Here you just want to try everything. Tourists are better off combining food with hiking and sightseeing. Then only positive memories and not an ounce of excess weight will remain from this European country.
Czech cuisine has always been famous for its dense and memorable dishes. But, the only drawback is that for the most part it is quite heavy. Because of this, not only guests of the country, but also the Czechs themselves always take with them something that helps digestion.
We are used to the fact that lunch should consist of at least three courses. But this does not apply to the Czech Republic. Here you should choose the dishes one at a time. It is not a fact that you will be able to eat even three times the dish. The portions are large enough. For the second courses, it is customary to serve not one side dish, but two or several types of sauce.
In Czech cuisine, dominance is held by meat dishes, rather fatty dishes. The pork here is the top, with which no one stands next. Sausages and snacks (fried or pickled) also come first. Although it is fatty and heavy, it is infinitely tasty.
But first things first. Any Czech soup is called a vole and has its own name attached to it. For example Vole "Trencin". ... The soup menu is usually served separately at the start of the meal. The soups are thick, almost like a sauce. The thickening of soups is achieved by adding semolina or puréed vegetables. Sometimes butter and chicken egg yolk are used. Approximately 2/3 of the first courses of Czech cuisine are just mashed. In terms of popularity, the championship is held by:
- Garlic bent.
- Onion bent.
- Sauerkraut sauerkraut bent.
- Pollevica with smoked foods and mushrooms.
- Blackberry bent from puréed vegetables.
- Soup - goulash with cheeses.
Soups are served both in regular bowls and in bread.
Of the second courses, the indisputable first place is, and will be, the world famous Boar Knee. Speaking in Russian, this is a pork knuckle. Boar Knee is baked in dark beer. It is served with three types of sauce as standard, and with more at the request of guests. In various restaurants, everything is different: in some, Veprevo Koleno is also served with sauerkraut, in others without. The shank, in the main, when finished, weighs 800 grams. Minus bone - 700. Some restaurants order smaller raw materials so that one person could eat it whole. Boar Knee is sold in restaurants and even on the street. Moreover, you can not take it entirely, but ask for as much as you need.
Second place should be given to honey pork ribs. They are baked until crisp. This is usually done in a combi steamer or on the grill. The ribs are served in the same way as the shank, with three or more types of sauce and pickled vegetables. The dish will weigh at least 700 grams neat. You can feed three.
Next in popularity is Svichkova with sour cream. This is, as an exception, a beef dish. Svichkova is served with dumplings, also a national Czech invention - small sticks of boiled potato dough. ... Lemon wedges, whipped cream and lingonberry sauce are also served with the dish.
Goulash in the Czech Republic is no less popular than in Hungary. There is certainly a difference. Moreover, there are hundreds of recipes for goulash in the country. Beef, pork, rabbit, liver, assorted - whatever. But the leader is still beef goulash. Caraway seeds, garlic, pepper are usually added to it. The dish is served again with dumplings, which is not surprising - dumplings are served with almost all hot dishes and soups. Sauerkraut is also served with goulash.
Another dish that cannot be ignored is baked duck. Usually it is cooked whole with spices. Served with boiled potatoes, and again with three or more types of sauces.
Czechs do not neglect fish either. The inhabitants of the Czech Republic are very fond of carp. It is served either baked, or in the form of chops, or it is made from it. A traditional Christmas dish is carp baked in sour cream with potato salad.
Traditional side dishes in Czech cuisine are dumplings and sauerkraut. Dumplings can be ordered as a separate dish with sauces. Bacon will be served with them. Boiled potatoes are served as a side dish, also with fried raw smoked bacon and three types of sauce. Well, and Sauerkraut stew, porridge and potato balls, which are deep-fried.
Among the appetizers, Czechs prefer a cheese platter, fried cheese breaded in breadcrumbs. Use their Hermelin cheese. Serve with sauces and cabbage. Another of the popular snacks of Utopenets. These are marinated sausages or bacon cooked with fried onions and peppers.
Fruit dumplings are popular desserts; plums, apricots and strawberries are added to them. Czechs also love strudel. There is another national dish Trdlo. Trdlo for sale on all streets, on every corner. It is prepared from dough, fried on a grill on skewers in the form of a cylinder, sprinkled with sugar. ...
Czech national cuisine is not very diverse. But the listed dishes are worth trying.
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Date of publication:
2015-04-22
“A piece of toasted ham, lying in brine, and with potato dumplings, sprinkled with cracklings, and with cabbage! Real jam! After that, the beer is drunk with pleasure! ... What else does a person need? "
"The Adventures of the Gallant Soldier Schweik", Jaroslav Hasek
The annual pilgrimage to the Czech Republic of millions of tourists from all over the world is associated not only with a rich historical heritage and unique ancient architecture. The national cuisine can be called a full-fledged attraction of this country.
Brief description of Czech cuisine
The geographical location of the Czech Republic predetermined its culinary traditions. For centuries, Czechs have been influenced by their neighbors - German-Austrian cuisine in the west, Hungarian in the south and Slavic in the east. Western neighbors have enriched Czech cuisine with all kinds of sausages and various types of cabbage, from southern ones - they got thick rich soups, goulash and the tradition of generously seasoning dishes with spices, and the eastern contribution can be considered porridge, dishes made from meat offal and pastry.
At first glance, Czech cuisine is quite simple and straightforward. It is based on dishes from meat and poultry, potatoes and flour products, ideally combined with the main Czech drink - beer. But the devil, as they say, is in the details. On closer inspection, you can see that the success of Czech cuisine is based on the use of selected meats and other products of the highest quality, their skillful cooking and a generous selection of various sauces, spices and seasonings.
The Czechs themselves like to say that their national cuisine is based on the trinity: “meat-dumplings-beer”.
It is difficult to call the Czech Republic a paradise for discerning gourmets (after all, it does not have such exquisite dishes as, for example, in French or Italian cuisine), but for lovers of hearty, tasty and, importantly, inexpensive food the possibilities are simply endless. The portions in the Czech Republic are huge (and the farther from the tourist centers, the more), the prices are moderate, and you can have a glass of freshly brewed beer with a traditional set of snacks in any institution literally at every step - from a simple formank to a popular restaurant.
Czech cuisine will delight meat eaters - most of its dishes are based on the use of meat (mainly pork) and poultry (duck, turkey). You can find fish in the Czech Republic, but rarely. Czechs mainly eat freshwater fish. The main Czech fish is carp. Baked in sour cream and garlic sauce, it is a traditional Christmas dish.
Soups and, of course, dumplings - cooked or steamed flour products that vaguely resemble wet bread - occupy an important place in Czech national cuisine. Plentifully drizzled with sauce, they are served with various dishes as a side dish.
Traditional Czech soups
Soups, or in Czech polévky, occupy an important place in Czech cuisine. Czechs prefer thick, aromatic soups based on meat broth and pureed soups with an interesting sweet and sour flavor range (sauerkraut, sour milk or apples are usually added to soups for "sourness"). Chefs do not skimp on seasonings, adding large quantities of caraway seeds, marjoram, thyme, ginger, bay leaf, pepper, paprika and fresh herbs - dill, parsley. For density, egg yolks, semolina, flour, mashed vegetables, cream, butter are added to them. Due to their thick consistency, many Czech soups can be easily confused with sauces.
Tourists coming to the Czech Republic are always delighted with soups in bread... The soup is served in special bread "pots", inside of which the crumb has been removed. Top of the crispy pot is covered with a pre-cut bread lid. Such serving is typical for meat goulash soup, mushroom puree soup, thick potato, onion and many other soups. As a rule, each Czech restaurant has its own special recipe for soup in bread. And it is so delicious that you yourself will not notice how to eat not only the contents, but also the crispy pot itself, soaked in thick meat tastes and aromas!
Meat and chicken broths seasoned with garlic, cheese and croutons are most often found as light first courses.
Traditional Czech soups include:
bramborová polévka or bramboračka - thick potato soup with smoked meats and / or mushrooms according to an old Bohemian recipe. Dressed with sour cream mixed with flour. Often served in bread.
gulášová polévka- goulash soup. Popular thick soup based on pork, beef, poultry or rabbit meat. In addition to meat, offal, chicken and duck giblets can be added to it. Thickened with flour, semolina or mashed potatoes fried in butter or lard. Serving in bread is also traditional for him.
česneková polévka or česnečka - garlic soup with potatoes and smoked meats, can be cooked quite thick (then beaten eggs are added to it), or thinner. Often served with croutons.
koprová polévka- dill soup with sour milk according to an old recipe. Generously flavored with sour cream and fresh herbs. And although the head hurts after Czech beer is extremely rare, but if you mixed it the night before with absinthe, liqueur, plum brandy or becherovka, this is the best hangover cure.
cibulová polévka or cibulačka - onion soup with croutons and cheese. Prepared in meat or bone broth. The onions are fried in lard. It has a rich, pungent taste.
hovězí polévka s játrovými knedlíčky- beef soup with liver dumplings. The "highlight" of this soup is dumplings, kneaded from pieces of bread and minced liver soaked in milk.
kulajda- kulaida or South Bohemian potato-mushroom soup - an old recipe for the first course from southern Bohemia. It is rightfully considered one of the masterpieces of Czech cuisine. Prepared with milk or cream. Differs in thick consistency, white color and rich mushroom aroma.
zelná polévka- sauerkraut soup. We can say that this is the cabbage soup of Czech cuisine. It is prepared simple or with the addition of milk (cream) and thickened flour fried in butter.
dršťková polévka- tripe soup. Thick, rich pork tripe soup, a traditional dish of Czech farmers. Generously seasoned with paprika, garlic and other spices (marjoram, caraway seeds, pepper).
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Main (second) dishes of Czech cuisine
As the second course (hlavní chod), Czechs prefer meat dishes with side dishes. The first place in popularity is held by pork, followed by chicken, and in third place - by beef. Duck, turkey, goose, and pheasant dishes are also widespread. Fish is much less popular, although in large restaurants you will always find several dishes of trout, carp or cod. It is usually fried, baked in the oven, or grilled. The traditional Christmas dish is oven baked carp... It is baked with garlic sour cream or garlic cheese sauce.
Since the Czechs are meat-eaters, they cook meat dishes excellently. The meat is pre-marinated, often in everyone's favorite Czech beer. The main methods of preparing second courses are stewing, frying and baking, including grilling (charcoal). Czechs prefer meat that is cut in large pieces, whole (such as baked duck or pork knuckle) or in smaller pieces for goulash. Minced meat dishes are not typical for Czech cuisine, with the exception of sausages and sausages (drowned sausages), which the Czechs themselves attribute rather not to main dishes, but to beer snacks.
When preparing main courses, they generously use condiments and spices- onion, garlic, mustard, horseradish, marjoram, paprika, cumin, ginger, thyme, sage, coriander, cardamom, basil, dill.
Sauces, or omáčky, occupy a special place in Czech cuisine. They are served with main courses, appetizers, side dishes and dumplings. Czech sauces are mostly thick, with rich flavors and aromas. The traditions of their consumption date back to the Middle Ages. The basis for the preparation of ancient sauces was the frying of flour in fat, diluted, depending on the eaters' belonging to a particular class, with water, meat or vegetable broth, wine, milk, cream and even beer. Spices, roots and herbs were added to them. Since that time, the technology of making sauces has changed little.
Sauces traditional for Czech cuisine are: garlic, tomato, cucumber, dill, onion, mushroom, creamy, lingonberry, cranberry, blackberry. To improve the taste properties, butter, cream, milk, sour cream are added to them.
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Main second courses
Baked pork knee (Pečené vepřové koleno)
A dish with which most tourists associate the Czech Republic. The main dish of Czech cuisine is made from fresh pork shank, from the middle of the drumstick to the middle of the thigh. The shank can be baked in different ways. The conceptual difference of most recipes is in the absence or presence of a boiling stage. According to the traditional recipe, the shank is first boiled in broth or beer with the addition of various roots (celery, carrots), onions, garlic and spices, and then grilled. Served with sauerkraut or stewed cabbage, potatoes, pickled cucumbers, garlic and herbs.
Baked pork ribs in honey (Pečená vepřová žebírka v medu)
The highlight of this recipe is a special honey-based marinade. Before baking, the ribs are marinated for a long time, and then baked for a long time over low heat, which is why they practically melt in the mouth;
Vepřo-knedlo-zelo
Another old Czech dish made from baked pork, dumplings (a special Czech "bread" side dish, but more about them later) and stewed sauerkraut. According to the glorious Czech tradition, it is poured abundantly with thick gravy.
Svíčková na smetaně
Stew of young beef or veal tenderloin with sauce. For this dish, the meat is selected especially carefully, and before cooking it is marinated in spices for 1-2 days. Sauce plays a key role in the taste of the finished dish. It is prepared on the basis of vegetables stewed in meat broth, which are then whipped until puree. For taste, add milk, cream or sour cream to the sauce. The addition of berry sauces or even jam from sour berries - cranberry, lingonberry, blackberry, gives a special piquancy to the dish. Well, a few slices of dumplings served with the dish will help you to soak all the sauce.
The rest of the second courses
vepřový řízek - breaded fried pork chop... It is a Czech variety of schnitzel or escalope. The dish got into the national Czech cuisine under the influence of the close proximity to Germany and Austria-Hungary.
pečená vepřová játra - baked pork liver... It is prepared very quickly so that the inside of the liver remains soft pink. Served with fried onions and thick flour sauce.
Goulash with dumplings
hovězí guláš s knedlíkem - beef goulash with dumplings... A traditional recipe for a stew in a thick gravy. "Migrated" to Czech cuisine from Hungarian neighbors. And so that not a single drop of aromatic meat gravy is wasted, several pieces of potato or flour dumplings are attached to the dish. There are a great many recipes for making “correct” Czech goulash, the invariable ingredients in them are only pieces of juicy meat, onions and tomatoes (tomato paste). Everything else (garlic, pepper, paprika, ginger, coriander and other spices) is at the discretion of the cook.
Duck with dumplings
pečené kachna - roast duck or goose... Belongs to the category of festive Czech cuisine. Whole baked poultry is served with sauerkraut and dumplings. To obtain a crispy, aromatic crust, poultry can be smeared with honey or a specially prepared honey mixture with salt and spices.
Lamb with rosemary
jehněčí na rozmarýnu - lamb baked with rosemary... A delicious dish of mutton, rare on the Czech table. Fresh sprigs of rosemary add spice to the dish. For baking, various pieces of lamb can be taken - the vertebral part (hřbetu), ribs (žebírka), neck (krk) and leg (kýta). Various variations of the recipe allow for the use of garlic, olive oil, lemon, and even marmalade. Sour berries (lingonberries, cranberries) sauce are often served with the dish. Another variety of lamb dishes is bohemian meat... To prepare the dish, soft lamb is cut into rectangular pieces, fried and stewed with onions and potatoes.
tradiční smažený kapr - baked carp... One of the few fish dishes in Czech cuisine, which can be called the main Christmas dish of the country. Traditionally served at the festive table at Christmas. Karpov for this occasion are fattened up special - large and fat. The fish is baked with sour cream-beer sauce, with onions and lemon. The belly can start with sautéed onions, carrots, mushrooms. Before cooking, experienced housewives soak carp in beer for 1-2 days (always in dark beer). It is customary to carry Christmas carp scales in your wallet all year round - they are believed to attract money and wealth.
pečený pstruh - baked trout... Another of the few fish dishes in Czech cuisine. The fish is baked with lemon and spices - rosemary, thyme, garlic, pepper. Fish is baked in various ways - on the grill, on coals, in foil.
Czech side dishes
Describing Czech side dishes(přílohy), the story can be divided into two parts - about dumplings and about everything else.
Indeed, almost no country in the world has a dish that even remotely resembles Czech dumplings(knedlík). He stands on a special step between bread and side dishes, replacing both the Czechs themselves at the same time. Although, if you make a small excursion into history, you may be surprised to find that dumplings are not an invention of Czech chefs. They came to the Czech Republic from Germany and Austria. And the very name of the dish has quite a German roots and comes from the German "knödel". However, knodels used in southern Germany and Tyrol and being siblings (or, more precisely, great-great-grandfathers) of Czech dumplings, failed to develop to the status of a "brand", and remained an unnoticeable phenomenon of regional significance on the culinary map of these countries. Czech dumplings received the official status of one of the main national symbols of the country, and every self-respecting Czech housewife knows at least three recipes for the most "correct" homemade dumplings: potato, flour (bread) and sweet.
So what is a classic Czech dumpling? This is where the biggest problem arises. There is absolutely no way to classify dumplings into "correct" and "wrong" - there are many options for their preparation, in each region (and what a region - in every family!) The recipe for dumplings is different and, of course, the most authentic and delicious.
All dumplings have one thing in common - steaming or in boiling water of a dough-like mass mixed from a variety of ingredients. The "dough" may include raw or boiled potato puree, flour, starch, an egg, pieces of stale bread or rolls soaked in milk. A variety of products can be added to this base: cottage cheese, corn or semolina, liver, bacon, cheese, vegetables, mushrooms, herbs. When sugar, fruits and berries are added to the dough, sweet dumplings are obtained, which are used in Czech cuisine as a dessert. They can be served with sweet sauces, ice cream, fruits, poppy seeds, nuts, and chocolate.
Depending on the recipe, the dumpling dough can be yeast-free or yeast-free.
The beauty of dumplings lies in the fact that, having an indistinct taste in itself, due to their consistency, they perfectly absorb all the flavors of the main dish. Therefore, they are perfect with thick soups and a variety of sauces for which Czech cuisine is famous.
From traditional side dishes in Czech cuisine one can distinguish:
- bramborová kaše- mashed potatoes. Perfect with meat dishes with thick sauces and fish;
- bramborové hranolky- classic French fries. The Czechs are generally very fond of potato side dishes, so you can find potatoes in a variety of varieties on the menu. - boiled, baked, with fried bacon, garlic, dill, etc.;
- krokety - croquettes... Deep-fried mashed potato balls. They can be in the form of small sticks, roses and others;
- dušené zelí(stewed cabbage) and dušené kysané zelí(stewed sauerkraut) - made from sauerkraut. Another popular Czech side dish. Served both independently with main courses, and as part of complex side dishes. Ideally combined with pork knuckle, drowned fish, baked ribs and other traditional Czech dishes. It can be prepared from white and red cabbage, with the addition of bay leaves, caraway seeds, cranberries, lingonberries, carrots, apples;
- fazolové lusky- boiled or stewed green beans.
Beer snacks
A story about Czech cuisine would be incomplete without mentioning traditional beer snacks. The consumption of beer in the Czech Republic is a centuries-old national tradition, which is supported by millions of tourists who come to the country with pleasure. In every drinking establishment you will find an impressive list of snacks that can quickly kill the hungry worm and, from the best side, emphasize the taste advantages of numerous types of beer - dark, semi-dark, ruby, light, bitter, sour, smoked, wheat and many, many others.
Any correct beer snack has two purposes: to emphasize the unique taste of the foamy drink and to induce thirst, leading to the order of the next glass. Considering the second, the bulk of Czech beer snacks are distinguished by an abundance of salt and all kinds of spices.
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Main snack dishes
Pickled hermelin (nakládaný hermelín)
Translated from Czech, Hermelín means "ermine". This is the name of a variety of soft fatty cheese made from cow's milk, with a white mold on the surface. Hermelin is similar in taste to French Camembert. Served as an appetizer for white wine. Served pickled as a beer snack. To do this, the cheese is soaked for two weeks in a special marinade based on vegetable (rapeseed) oil with the addition of spices - onions, garlic, allspice and black pepper, chili, bay leaves, thyme and pickled hot pepper "feferonky" (pálivé feferonky).
As a hot appetizer, hermeline is served fried in deep-fried bread crumbs ( smažený hermelín) or grilled ( grilovaný hermelín). When cooked, all facets of the taste and aroma of cheese are revealed. Outside, the cheese is covered with a delicious crispy crust, and inside it has a delicate flowing content that literally melts in your mouth. Served with garlic, cucumber-dill, cranberry or lingonberry sauce.
Drowned (utopenci)
Drowned men - translated from Czech as "drowned men". Fatty meat sausages (marinated in a sour marinade for about two weeks) with an original serving - each sausage is cut lengthwise, slices of tomato, pickled onion, sweet pepper, pickled cucumber, pickled peppers, etc. are inserted into the cut. Sprinkled generously with fresh herbs on top.
Beef tartare with toasted bread (hovězý tatarák s topinkami)
Tartar with crispbread
It is a variant of the famous Tatar snack made from raw ground beef with egg yolk. Served with crispy bread and spices - red and black peppers, garlic, pickled onions, olives and various sauces. It is better to try tartare in proven places, with guaranteed meat quality. Remember that minced meat is raw and not cooked.
Olomouc cheeses (olomoucké tvarůžky)
A kind of Czech appetizer "for an amateur". It is a kind of ripening curd cheese. They have a pungent specific smell and taste. Recommended to be served with butter toast. Those who dare to try this old "delicacy" of Czech peasants from the village of Loshtice, in the vicinity of Olomouc (they began to produce it there as early as the 15th century), say that if you ignore the smell, then the taste and delicate consistency of cheese is something It resembles a smoked halibut.
Classic snack dishes which you will surely find in any Czech pub or restaurant:
- tlačenka - tlachenka... This name hides the well-known brawn from pork shank and meat offal. Served with pickled onions, horseradish, mustard and white sauces;
- grilované klobásky - grilled sausages... Delicious grilled meat sausages with a crispy crust. Served with various hot sauces and mustard. For a crispier crust, they can be cut crosswise on one or both sides;
- tatarský biftek z lososa - raw salmon tartare... Served on a lettuce salad with toasted toast, lemon, pepper and salt;
- pivni sýr obložený - beer cheese... Bread with an original snack made from beer cheese, salted sprat, onions, butter and a drop of beer.
Taking into account the culture of mass consumption of beer, in every drinking establishment you will be offered fried toast(topinky) with various fillings (minced meat or fish, cheese, anchovies, bacon, garlic, onions), and meat(masové prkénko) or cheesy(sýrové prkénko) assorted.
Salads
Despite their love for hearty meat and potato dishes, Czechs don't forget about lighter snacks. Although, also with a touch of local culinary flavor. For example, one of the most popular Czech salads is potato - bramborový salát... In addition to boiled potatoes, it includes carrots, celery and parsley root, red onions, pickled cucumbers, bacon cracklings and other ingredients of the hostess's choice. This salad is often served on the Christmas table. The "poorer" option includes, in addition to potatoes, onions, herbs and mustard dressing with vinegar or wine (served warm). Another vivid example of Czech gastronomic addictions is Vlash salad ( vlašský salát) from potatoes, green peas and a set of meat ingredients - sausage, ham, veal, tongue, etc. (a Czech analogue of Olivier salad). A kind of echo of the common history with Austria-Hungary is a salad of sweet pickled peppers, onions, celery root and smoked meats.
Desserts, pies
As a rule, travelers returning from the Czech Republic rarely mention local desserts. And completely in vain! Of course, this is largely due to the fact that the bulk of tourists, absorbed in tasting varieties and brands of Czech beer, lean on beer snacks. Naturally, in this situation, the majority is no longer up to desserts. However, sweet lovers will discover a striking variety of Czech desserts and pastries, which have a distinctly Austrian flavor and distinct Slavic roots.
We will not dwell on the popular international desserts that can be found in any country in the world - tiramisu, cheesecake, napoleon or brownie. In the Czech Republic, they also know how to cook, and the degree of this skill depends on the particular institution. We will talk about unique Czech desserts, which you are unlikely to be able to find outside the country.
- acquaintance with the history and traditions of Czech brewing, visiting a traditional brewery with its own brewery - 3 hours, 40 euros
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Trdelnik, trdlo
The most common street baked goods in the Czech Republic. Trdelnik tents can be found on every corner, and you can accurately determine their location by the breathtaking smell of cinnamon, vanilla and fresh baking that spreads throughout the area. They are hollow tubes made of butter yeast dough rolled on a rolling pin, sprinkled with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon, sometimes with crushed nuts, poppy seeds or coconut flakes, coated with honey, chocolate or hot caramel. They are baked over an open fire. Without trdelniks, it is impossible to imagine any festivities, fair or street festivities in the Czech Republic.
It is interesting that the Slovak village of Skalica (and the cook of the Hungarian writer Josef Gwadani, who worked there in the 18th century) and the old Cesky Krumlov are arguing for the right to be called the creators of the most popular Czech delicacy. Supporters of the latest version claim that trdelniki was invented by a city baker who decided to sell his products at a large fair. In those years, by tradition, every merchant or artisan, in order to draw attention to the product, put pretty girls-relatives behind the counter. The baker's daughter was not particularly beautiful, but she perfectly spun. To draw attention to his product, the baker decided to put the girl to bake the dough tubes, winding them on a wooden spindle and sprinkling them with sugar and cinnamon right in front of the admiring customers. Considering the fate of the new delicacy, we can say that the baker's idea was a resounding success, and his marketing move turned out to be extremely successful. By the way, trdlo translated from Czech means "blockhead" or "fool".
We have already described the dumplings in detail in the section about. Sweet dumplings are distinguished by a richer dough, cottage cheese, soft cheese, vanillin, cinnamon, lemon and orange peel, candied fruits, nuts, fruits and berries are added to them. Served with sour cream, butter or custard cream, sprinkled with butter, chocolate, jam or jam. A popular variety of sweet dumplings are szilvás gombóc(Hungarian) or knedlíky se švestkami - dumplings with plums... They are round balls of potato or curd dough stuffed with plums or other sweet and sour fruits. They are boiled in boiling water and then rolled in breadcrumbs, powdered sugar, coconut, poppy seeds or crushed nuts.
Bakery based on yeast dough of various shapes with fillings of fruits, berries, nuts, raisins, dried apricots or cream cheese. Examples include: kalach(koláč) - a small round bun and vanochka(vánočka) - elongated braid.
Závin - Czech strudel... It is practically a copy of the Austrian strudel. It is baked in the form of a roll of thin puff pastry stuffed with apples, berries, cottage cheese, poppy seeds, chocolate. Czech confectioners serve strudel with whipped cream, ice cream, chocolate or vanilla sauce, garnished with berries and young leaves of mint or lemon balm.
Věneček- a small choux pastry in the form of a ring. Is the Czech equivalent eclairs... Its larger "brother" - vetrnik... Starts with whipped cream, custard, butter or protein cream, poured over with glaze, garnished with whipped cream, nuts or berries. Another of its varieties is an oblong eclair, which seems to be named by a lover of black humor. "Rakvička" - coffin.
Palačinky- sweet thin pancakes... Czech pastry chefs turn out to be especially delicate and delicate. Served with ice cream, whipped cream, marmalade, syrup, jam or melted chocolate. Sprinkle with berries, almonds, powdered sugar.
Oplatky- thin round waffles with filling... Derived from the word "poplatek" - payment. This name was most likely due to the external similarity with coins. They are baked with a relief pattern on the surface and have a pleasant golden yellowish color. Fill with chocolate, nougat, whipped cream, pieces of fruit. The taste is reminiscent of the famous Viennese waffles. Karlovy Vary, where they appeared on the tables of local housewives as early as the end of the 18th century, is the birthplace of paychecks.
Perník - gingerbread... They are baked according to old recipes in various regions of the Czech Republic. The most famous - Pardubice gingerbread(Pardubický perník) in the shape of a heart and Štramber ears(Štramberské uši), baked in the form of thin gingerbread dough.
Street food and Czech fast food
Prague, like almost all of the Czech Republic, is a place actively visited by tourists from all over the world. Therefore, she cannot do without brisk street trading. In addition to the already described trdelnikov, popular street food in the Czech Republic is hot dogs (párek), fried sausages with cauldron garnishes - potatoes with pasta and stewed cabbage. A kind of Czech shawarma is bramborák - ham, bacon, salami with herbs and vegetables wrapped in a potato pancake. In the central squares, spits with the famous boar knee and even a whole carcass of piglets tease with their seductive aromas. The unusual appearance attracts hungry (and even not so) buyers of a spiral of deep-fried potatoes, strung on wooden mini-skewers - such a kind of chips. Well, the undisputed leader in the maddening aroma - smoked Prosciutto di Praga(famous old Prague ham). In terms of its taste, it is in no way inferior to Italian prosciutto or Balkan prosciutto. The smell of fried cheese (grease) and langos (from the Hungarian lángos - fiery) - fried crispy flatbread with cheese, garlic sauce or sour cream tries to compete with him.
Fast food in the Czech Republic also has its own national flavor. In addition to traditional McDonald's, Burger King and KFC, it is represented by the well-known European brand Nordsee (perhaps the best fast food with seafood dishes), national counterparts of McDonald's Fasty's, Bageterie Boulevard and Express Sandwich (Czech analogue of Subway). The menu of international chains takes into account Czechs have a keen interest in meat, which is why you can find dishes with a national flavor there.For example, in McDonald's, visitors are offered a Maestro Bohemia burger made from Czech beef and a large portion of bacon. Local eateries offer a wide variety of choices Khlebichkov- Czech version of sandwiches, the most popular of which are breads with ham, cheese, various smoked meats and salmon. For taste, lettuce leaves, herbs, beer cheese, mayonnaise sauce, butter are often added to the bread.
Seeing Prague at Christmas is like feeling the spirit and plunging into the magic of the holiday itself. Temples with night illumination, trees and institutions in luminous garlands of iridescent lights. The main forest beauty of the city flaunts on the Old Town Square. Nativity scenes are arranged under the numerous firs - scenes with biblical stories about the birth of the baby Jesus. Street musicians dance Christmas songs. Passers-by and tourists are happy to take the fun relay and dance heartily right on the sidewalk.
Numerous fairgrounds grow on the city squares. Their fabulous chambers invite you to buy souvenirs in memory of Prague or taste delicious treats. The aroma of rich soups, stews, goulash is such that it is simply beyond all forces to pass by. Perhaps only the magical aroma of fresh baked goods can overcome their fragrant appeal. Honey gingerbread, vanilla bagels, cookies with nuts in honey, the famous strudels with apples ... And, of course, the Czech trdelnik, the recipe of which has always been passed on in families by word of mouth. The famous festive dessert is a twisted tube made of sweet pastry baked over an open fire.
Butter straw with a special meaning
Although Hungarians and Romanians also claim to be trdelnik, by the way, you will not taste such a crunchy delicious delicacy anywhere else except in the Czech Republic.
Trdelniks are an obligatory attribute of almost all Czech holidays. And these aren't just sweet buns for a snack. The process of their preparation is filled with special meaning. Christmas table and Christmas Eve are never complete without them. They are given "for good luck" to children at baptism and to young women who have experienced the happiness of motherhood. And the twisted, spiral shape of the product itself symbolizes the victory of George the Victorious in the battle with the Serpent.
Trdlo Is another name for this sugar tube. Exactly how the Czechs call the baking dish itself, and at the same time the naughty, mobile children like a spindle.
Trdlo can be served with a variety of fillings - chocolate paste, fruit jam or whipped cream, jam or honey. And if you fill the trdlo with cold ice cream, you will get just a delicious treat for a warm summer day or evening. They eat twisted tubes and are just empty. But they do not become less tasty because of this, because the secret of the success of the famous trdlo lies in the dough itself - tender, melting in the mouth and very tasty.
Cooking traditions
Trdelniks are traditionally baked on a large spit - wooden from noble beech or, more often, metal, in the shape of a cylinder. A spit roller is quickly wrapped with an overlap with thin strands of yeast dough in a spiral and constantly twisted over the coals to form a golden brown crust. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, crushed nuts, cinnamon, hot caramel or honey. The entire ritual must be performed by beautiful female hands. And this is also a tradition. Usually, during the preparation, a lot of people gather around to watch the sacred action taking place. And, of course, beautiful girls - bakers in national costumes. The sight, however, is worth it.
You can buy trdelnik in Prague not only on the days of fairs and festivals. It can also be enjoyed on ordinary days - near Charles Bridge, on Wenceslas Square or Old Town Square - wherever there are tourist markets. The guests of the city are very fond of this crunchy sweetness.
Trdelnik and Trdlofest
Well, if you suddenly want a holiday in the middle of weekdays, you can go to Trdlofest and enjoy the world's longest sweet pipe. Of course, for this you will have to visit neighboring Slovakia - the birthplace of the original annual festival. But it's not very far, in a town right on the border with the Czech Republic. Trdlofest is a celebration of wine, music, ancient traditions and, of course, the Skalice Trdelnik. The length of the "maxitdelnik" on one of the holidays reached more than two meters. And this is not the limit - they confidently declare in Skalitsa. And they are eagerly preparing the next festival.
The Czechs themselves also traditionally compete every year. But already in the size of the baked dessert. And the biggest trdelnik always proudly flaunts on the Old Town Square to the delight of tourists and residents of the city.
How to touch ancient traditions
But what to do if a trip to Prague is not expected in the near future, but you really want to eat? There is an exit. Prepare a fragrant trdelnik yourself, a recipe at home, because in its essence now it differs little from the street version. And it turns out no worse.
Ingredients for making Czech trdlo - recipe at home:
2 eggs;
butter - 4 tbsp. spoons - 80 gr.;
an incomplete glass of warmed milk - 250 ml;
yeast (preferably dry) - 1 tbsp. a spoon with a low slide - 12 gr.;
flour - about 2 glasses - 350 gr.;
sugar - a little more than 2 tbsp. spoons - 50 gr.;
salt - about a third of a teaspoon, a pinch,
vegetable oil for lubrication (about 4 teaspoons);
100 - 200 gr. any nuts (optional);
a little cinnamon (for sprinkling);
filling (jam, melted chocolate, whipped cream or something else), in our case - chocolate Nutella.
So, step by step cooking
1. The whites of the two eggs should be separated from the yolks. The yolks will be needed to make the dough, and the proteins will be needed to lubricate it.
2. Put the dough. To do this, pour yeast into a bowl (tbsp. Spoon), add sugar (tbsp. Spoon - half the norm), yolks, pour an incomplete glass of slightly warmed milk. Place in a warm place for literally 10 minutes to rise, so that the yeast becomes active. The top can be covered with an additional cloth or thin cling film.
3. Dissolve the butter in a water bath or low heat. It is imperative to let the oil cool down; under no circumstances should it be used hot.
4. When the dough comes up and the yeast rises to the surface in the form of a cap, carefully pour in the liquid butter. Mix everything well.
5. Sift the flour, enrich it with oxygen, give it lightness and airiness. Throw a pinch of salt into it. In the Czech Republic, coarse flour is used to bake trdelniks. To approach the ideal in our conditions, it can be replaced with semolina. But even from ordinary wheat flour (the highest grade), a rich Czech tube turns out to be no less tasty.
6. Slowly add the flour to the yeast dough, stirring constantly to avoid clumping. Knead the dough so that it becomes soft, elastic and no longer sticky.
7. Place the kneaded dough in a warm, draft-free place for about forty-five minutes. Cover the dish with the dough with a clean cotton towel. It should be well spaced and grow in volume by one and a half to two times.
8. While the dough is growing and gaining strength, do not waste time. You need to prepare the nuts, grind them or grind them in a blender. Then add the remaining sugar to them and, if desired, cinnamon. In general, additives can be very diverse: vanilla, almonds, walnuts, coconut and others. It all depends only on the personal preferences and imagination of the pastry chef.
9. Prepare the molds - the basis for baking sweet tubules. To do this, you will need cylinders - wooden blanks or, best of all, confectionery metal cones. If nothing suitable is found at all, you can adapt cardboard tubes from paper towels. But the cardboard will need to be wrapped in foil before baking. Then grease the cylinders with butter (or vegetable) oil. So that after cooking it is easier to remove them, and the finished product has a pleasant creamy aftertaste.
10. Finally, the dough came up. It should be crumpled and rolled into thin strips, about one and a half centimeters in the circumference - flagella. Wrap the resulting strips of dough around our improvised molds - trdlo - in a spiral, with a slight overlap.
11. Lightly beat the whites separated from the yolks and brush the dough on the cylinders with them. Roll the blank in sweet breading - a mixture of nut crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. To make it convenient to roll, you can simply sprinkle the sugar mixture on the table.
12. Well, that's half done. It remains to install the dough pieces, for example, on the sides of a large baking dish and send them to the preheated oven.
13. It is better to bake trdelniki at a temperature of no more than 180 degrees. The tubes must be placed slightly at a distance from each other so that they do not stick together. Their tender dough should not dry out. And the surface should be covered with a uniform blush and acquire a crispy crust. At least once you need to turn the tins in another barrel - about 10 minutes from the beginning of baking. Then bake for another 10 or 15 minutes - you need to look at the size of the product. It usually takes no more than fifteen minutes to cook small whites in total.
14. Carefully remove the browned straws from the base. Sprinkle generously with powdered sugar on top. In the Czech Republic, they must be eaten hot, in the heat of the heat. We, too, will not break long-standing traditions. Let's just bring a little zest from ourselves: we will additionally lubricate the slightly cooled trdelniks from the inside with softened chocolate Nutella.
15. Our deliciously aromatic, chocolatey crunchy Czech dessert is ready. You can serve it with coffee, always strong and tasty, like in Prague, or with tea. Or you can specially prepare a hot wine drink with spices and honey, and it is as if you are right at the Prague fair. Bon Appetit!
… You can endlessly admire the evening Prague and its lights. Wander around the squares, have a leisurely conversation, eating a trdelnik melting in your mouth, a photo of which, as well as photos of wonderful moments, will always remind you of your meeting with Prague. And then go to a cafe for a short while to taste delicious ice cream with raspberry syrup, drink mulled wine and again go for a walk along the magical streets of the city. Whoever has visited Prague at least once will make a wish to come back here again.
5th place
Cremrole - a delicious straw
In Czech “Kremrole” (Kremrole) or in Slovak “Trubička” (Trubichka).
This is a puff pastry tube filled with butter cream. The main thing is not to confuse kremrole and trdelnik, they are different desserts. Cremrole is baked from puff pastry, and trdelnik is made from yeast. Cremrole is stuffed only with cream, and in trdelnik there can be almost any sweet filling inside.
Cremrole is very similar to our popular cream rolls. The main difference is that our tubes are made in the shape of a cone so that the cream does not flow out from the opposite side, while in the Czech Republic the tube is really a tube. To be honest, the shape of the cone is still more convenient, and Czech cremroles should be eaten carefully so that the filling does not fall out.
A similar dessert is popular in neighboring Germany, Austria, Poland. Now it is no longer possible to find out who, when and how invented the cremrole. However, the Czechs consider it national. Famous Czech writer and food critic Vladimir Poshtulka argues that Czech cremroles are an adapted copy of the French dish “cornets d'amour” (cones of love).
The price of kremrole in cafes and on trays is 10-20 CZK per item. Bringing them home is unlikely to work, since the cream quickly deteriorates, and the dough becomes tough. The shelf life is only 24 hours.
However, in Czech shops you can buy culinary toppers for dough and use them to cook cremrole at home. Price for 30 cylinders - 100-120 CZK.
4th place
Windmill is the most delicious purchase in France
In Czech “Větrník” (Windmill).
The Czechs borrowed this dessert from French cuisine, but in a slightly modified form. Probably for this reason, in the Czech Republic, windmill is considered a national dish.
A windmill is made from choux pastry, a cavity forms inside the bun. A wavy surface forms on top, hence the name of the dessert. The word "windmill" from Czech is translated as "weathervane" or "windmill", there is such a children's toy. The bun is usually about 15 centimeters in diameter.
After baking, the bun is cut in half, and the filling is placed in the center. The classic windmill has a two-layer filling. Bottom layer of buttercream with vanilla and rum. Top of whipped cream with added coffee or caramel. Top the bun is covered with chocolate or caramel.
The dessert turns out to be very tasty, but very high in calories. Keep in mind that a choux pastry bun hardens quickly, and after a couple of hours the windmill becomes tough and tasteless.
The price in a cafe or in the culinary department of stores is 10-20 CZK per item. Expiration date - 24 hours.
In stores you can buy factory wind turbines, usually 3 pieces per pack, the price is 12-16 CZK per 100 grams. The shelf life is already higher - up to 7 days, but they should be stored in the refrigerator. If you buy completely fresh ones on the last day of your vacation, they will survive the flight to Russia.