- very satisfying and tasty. It is based on a large amount of meat with the addition of various sauces; dumplings are very popular here, as well as sweet dough desserts. Czech culinary traditions come from a mixture of traditional local dishes and those borrowed from the neighbors. Slovakia, Austria, Hungary had a great influence on the local cuisine.
National dishes and drinks of the Czech Republic
How is the cuisine of the Czech Republic and Slovakia similar?
Food in Slovakia is considered to be simpler and unpretentious than Czech food, while they have a lot in common. The main dishes are traditional for both countries, especially soups. Slovaks, like Czechs, love thick, rich soups with garlic, spices, and smoked meats. And both mushroom and garlic soup are generally considered their national dish. The same applies to meat: in Slovakia, on the menu, you will definitely find boar knee, schnitzels from Austria, and Hungarian goulash. Unlike the Czech Republic, here fish is more often found on the table, especially river and lake trout, which Slovaks know how to cook deliciously.
The dumplings loved by Czechs are also popular among Slovaks; they are loved here in salty and sweet versions, with or without fillings.
Traditional food from the regions of the Czech Republic
National dishes in certain cities of the Czech Republic can often be used not only as food, but also as souvenirs:
- Karlovy Vary waffles- thin and tender, with many sweet fillings, popular since the 18th century. Previously, they were made in every home, but now they are more often bought ready-made. Factories produce special gift and souvenir packaging for waffles that you can easily take with you.
- Pardubice gingerbread are traditional honey baked goods decorated with glaze. Most often they are baked in the shape of a heart, then they are painted with plot pictures or inscriptions. Previously, they were brought as gifts to families from the fair in, and today they are taken to other countries as.
- - these are tender cookies made of thin gingerbread dough, rolled into a bag resembling the shape of an ear. The delicacy, loved by both adults and children, is produced in Štamberk, which is reflected in its name.
Gastronomic tourism in the Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is justly proud of its cuisine and gladly devotes tourists to it. For lovers of beer, wine, meat, sweets, various routes have been developed, on which you can immerse yourself in the local food.
The most popular tours are pubs. This is not only tasting different types of beer, but also visiting large factories and private breweries, getting acquainted with the traditions of growing hops and participating in the production of a delicious drink.
In southern Moravia, you can go on a wine tour of vineyards and wineries. Here you will find tastings, the history of grape cultivation in the Czech Republic, acquaintance with the peculiarities of local varieties and the opportunity to purchase wine directly from producers.
Perhaps no country in the world preserves its culinary traditions as reverently as the Czech Republic, although they were formed under the influence of German, Hungarian and Austrian cuisine.
Czech food is characterized by solidity and calorie content. Thick soups, various meats, baked poultry and pork ribs - no one will be left hungry in this hospitable country. TOP-10 national Czech dishes will help you decide what to try in the Czech Republic from food during your trip.
Svíčková na smetaně (beef fillet with cream)
A real pride of traditional Czech cuisine. Fragrant meat in the most delicate vegetable sauce melts in your mouth. But for this you need to be able not only to cook it correctly, but also to skillfully choose it, because the taste largely depends on the quality of the beef tenderloin.
Svichkova can be tasted in everyone, but everywhere this national food is prepared according to their own recipe: with mushrooms, lingonberries, celery or turnips. Even homemade recipes in different families are completely different and are carefully passed down from generation to generation. The main thing is to serve svichkov with dumplings.
Knedlíki (dumplings)
A hearty and high-calorie traditional food in the Czech Republic - circles of potato and flour dough, which, in combination with various sauces and gravies, perfectly complement the taste of many national dishes. Knedlíki can also be made from meat, cottage cheese, semolina or sweet dough with fruit or chocolate filling.
If you are in the Czech Republic, you simply will not be able to taste the dumplings. Any housewife prepares them almost daily, in restaurants they serve almost with every order, and in supermarkets you can buy frozen semi-finished products, which are boiled at home in boiling water, like dumplings.
Tlačenka (tlachenka)
Cold snacks in the country are just as hearty and nutritious as the rest of the food. Tlachenka, or spicy brawn, is one of the popular Czech dishes worth trying. It is a pressed product made of different types of meat and offal (pork, bacon, tongue, etc.) in a natural casing, which tastes like jellied meat. In eateries, it is usually served with the Czechs' favorite drink, and eaten along with onions and black bread.
Bramboračka (bramboračka)
Everyone knows that in the Czech Republic they eat a lot of soups, and they don't like liquid, low-fat first courses here. But thick, rich, with a rich taste - that's it. Bramboračka is a traditional Czech potato soup with porcini mushrooms. It is prepared according to a simple village recipe, it turns out fragrant and very satisfying.
In many Czech restaurants, bramborachka is served not in ordinary dishes, but in round bread with a cut out middle. Try this food with unusual presentation you can on average for 49 Kč.Pečená vepřová žebírka v medu (Veprova žebirka)
Juicy, aromatic pork ribs baked in a honey-mustard marinade are delicious traditional Czech food. And although in the Middle Ages it was considered the food of the poor, today a rare thing in the country does without this mouth-watering snack.
It is good to try such ribs in combination with some original sauce: cranberry, lingonberry - and, of course, with beer, without which it is difficult to imagine a feast in the Czech Republic. The portions of grilled meat in restaurants are very large, so you can order one for two.
Pečené vepřové koleno (Boar knee)
The most famous Czech national dish is a large piece of pork shank baked with aromatic spices in an equally aromatic dark beer. Before cooking, the meat soaked in spices and a hoppy drink is marinated in a cool place for almost a whole day and only then is sent to the oven.
You should definitely try with fresh bread, mustard and horseradish - delicious! Just don't be surprised when your order weighing about 1-2 kg is delivered. This amount of meat is incredibly difficult to eat alone, so just ask to put the leftover food with you, or order a serving for two or three at once. In Prague restaurants, pečené vepřové koleno costs an average of 200 Kč.
The boar knee was prepared in Prague in the 11th century, when hunting was a favorite pastime of aristocrats, and after a successful hunt they did not miss the opportunity to feast. The main dish on the table was a marinated, baked wild boar leg.Vepřo-knedlo-zelo (vepro-knedlo-zelo)
Another pork dish that Czechs love so much. These are pieces of baked pork shoulder or loins with a side dish of stewed cabbage. And to try such food, of course, you need to with dumplings. The meat is marinated in spices, fried in a pan, and then baked in the oven, pouring the resulting juice. Pork prepared in this way turns out to be unusually juicy, tender, melting in the mouth. And stewed cabbage is the most common side dish in the Czech Republic, which is served with many dishes.
Bramboráky
This is the name of a Czech dish behind which the familiar pancakes are hidden. They are prepared with the addition of pieces of bacon, marjoram and garlic. All ingredients together create a mind-blowing aroma and taste.
You can try this food not only when visiting restaurants or cafes throughout the Czech Republic. Brambraki are sold at various city fairs, where they are fried and eaten right on the street, washed down with cold beer.
In the north-east of the Czech Republic, brambraki are baked on an open fire without adding oil, they are only called sejkory (seikory). There are other varieties: strouhanec (strouganets) - a flat cake made from potatoes grated on a coarse grater, vošouch (voshoukh) - bramborak with mushrooms, cmunda (tsmunda) - with cracklings.Pečená kachna (pechená kachna)
Baked duck with different fillings is worth eating in Prague. Most often it is also served with cabbage, sauerkraut or stew, and with dumplings. To get a fragrant golden crust, duck is usually smeared with honey.
Kacna baked goods in almost all restaurants are included in the jídelniček (yidelnichek) - a list of traditional Czech food. Also, pečená kachna or pečená husa (baked goose) are a must on the Czech Christmas table.
Makový koláček (poppy seed)
Sweet round, in appearance it resembles a cheesecake, only in the Czech Republic it is baked with jam under a poppy layer, and not with cottage cheese. Sprinkle with coconut or almond slices on top. Usually poppy seeds are small, up to 12 cm in diameter, but in some bakeries you can taste real giants - up to 30 cm.
The cost of poppy seeds is 10-25 CZK. It is believed that in Prague the best of them are baked in Pekárna Kabát (price - 18 Kč).
Czech food is so varied that it is unlikely that you will be able to taste everything in one trip. You should definitely add to the gastronomic list:
- utopenec (drowned) - pickled sausages in sweet and sour sauce, popular;
- fried cheese hermelín (hermelin) with lingonberry jam;
- pardubický perník (pardubicky pernik) - honey gingerbread decorated with ornaments;
- horká láska (weasel weasel) - cold ice cream with hot syrup;
- rolévky (voles) - Czech soups;
- pečený kapr na česneku (baked carp for garlic) - carp baked in garlic sauce.
Hearty, delicious food in the Czech Republic will not leave anyone indifferent. Each dish contains national character people, history of the country. Prepare to be plentiful, as well as beer, so just enjoy this unique gastronomic journey.
A trip to the Czech Republic will give not only an acquaintance with the history of the country and its attractions, but also the opportunity to taste colorful and surprising delicious food Czech cuisine. The unique recipes of Czech chefs, like the history of the state, have a millennium-old age. In this article, we'll talk about the peculiarities of national food in the Czech Republic and about the most interesting local dishes.
The origins of Czech national dishes
For a long time the country was under the rule of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which left an imprint on the national cuisine of the Czechs. Here we will meet Austrian schnitzel, Hungarian goulash, German sauerkraut and fried goose. Some of the Czech dishes are primordially Slavic: soups, cereals, side dishes.
In the photo on the right (click to enlarge) there is a popular Czech dish called "greased rizek". This is the most striking example of the heritage of Austria-Hungary - a copy of the famous one.
But even borrowed dishes in the Czech Republic have acquired their own special taste, and they are prepared in Czech with the addition of their own ingredients. We will not look into cookbooks now, but we will conduct a short excursion on those dishes that can be tasted in Czech restaurants.
Features of Czech cuisine
Czechs love sweets. Even in salads, sauces and gravies, they add sugar, which makes the dishes sweetish. For example, Czech children love sweet noodles with poppy seeds and baked milk.
Among the spices loved by Czechs we will name: cumin, marjoram, poppy seeds, red pepper, ginger, dill. Mustard comes with all meat dishes that are marinated in vinegar. Sweet ketchup is also a favorite sauce of Czechs.
The main national dishes and desserts are very fatty and high-calorie. In addition, the portions in cafes and restaurants are impressive. We urge you not to order many dishes at once, one serving is often enough for two. High calorie content affects the size of the country's citizens, 21% of the population is obese, the Czech Republic ranks 6th in the list of the “fattest” countries in Europe. Perhaps the first thing we do is to abuse food.
Soups - their varieties and features
Czechs call soups "voles", without which it is impossible to imagine Czech cuisine. As in the Russian tradition, soups are given a place at the very beginning of the meal. Czech soups are dense in consistency, often more like sauces. When boiling, semolina or pureed vegetables, butter and egg yolks are added to them.
Depending on the main ingredient, there are: garlic soups, sauerkraut, onion, vegetable, smoked meats, mushrooms, goulash soups, cheese soups, beer soups with caraway seeds, sauerkraut soups with apple, dill soups for sour milk other.
The dish is served in a plate or in bread (such a dish will cost twice as much). Among the popular soups we will name "garlic". It is based on chicken broth with potatoes, in which they put about 10 garlic cloves. They bring it in rye bread. It is an excellent antimicrobial agent. It is clear that you should not go on a date after such a meal, unless you try the dish with your beloved.
For those who love meat, order goulash soup. There is a lot of meat in it, it is mashed and looks like a thick porridge.
Cold beer soup will seem unusual. Grated bread, sugar, raisins, lemon are put into beer. Not every gourmet can withstand such ingredients in one plate. Be careful with this dish.
It is unlikely that where else you will find dill soup with milk. And in the Czech Republic they cook it. It contains milk, sour cream, egg, flour and dill. The taste is unusual and not everyone will like it.
Czech Republic - a paradise for meat eaters
Be sure to taste the main dish of Czech cuisine - knuckle: baked pork knee (Recene veprove koleno, pictured on the right, click on the picture to enlarge). The dish is on the menu in every restaurant and cafe in the Czech Republic.
The meat is soaked in beer for a certain time, then boiled, then smoked. It becomes juicy and tender. Usually sauces, mustard or horseradish are served with it, sauerkraut can also be brought. Czech food is also cooked outside on the grill. Huge shanks are fried, cut off at will, as much as you want.
Old Czech food "boar-dumplings-zelo". This is baked pork with dumplings and stewed sauerkraut. All this is poured abundantly with a thick gravy. Can the stomach "survive" such a meal?
Goulash has always been a traditional food in the Czech Republic. Each restaurant has its own recipe for this food. It can be beef, pork, rabbit, poultry, liver or assorted. Goulash is served with sauces, always with dumplings, sometimes with sauerkraut, seasoned with garlic, caraway seeds.
Meat dishes surprise with their variety and method of preparation. And what are the sauces for them! We did not mention pork necks, hams, schnitzels, baked duck with spices, Czech sausages. Order, taste, enjoy!
Fish lovers will not find variety in Czech cuisine. Traditionally, at Christmas, Czechs fry carp and eat it with potato salad. In restaurants and cafes, the menu includes: fish soup, chops or fried carp. If there is room after the meat in the stomach, set it aside for fish, you will not regret it.
Side dishes for main courses
The main and irreplaceable side dish in the Czech Republic is dumplings. Flour or potato dough is steamed; liver, meat, onion or cabbage are put inside. Dumplings are spread in pieces to dishes, mainly meat. They can be served with sauce and bacon. There are sweet dumplings, they put fruits or cottage cheese and sprinkle with sugar.
Popular side dishes are potato dishes, cabbage, vegetables, croquettes.
Try "bramboraki" - potato cakes (like our pancakes, in the photo on the right, click on the photo to enlarge). They put marjoram (fragrant seasoning from a perennial plant) or meat in them.
Before ordering a side dish, make sure it is not included in the second course.
Salads and snacks for beer
Among the salads we would like to mention "Bramborovy salat". In addition to potatoes, carrots, parsley root, pickled cucumbers, red onions, bacon cracklings and other ingredients as desired by the cook are put in it. Czechs prepare this salad for the Christmas table. The Vlashsky salad will remind you of the familiar Olivier.
Czechs love cheeses and dishes with this product. Camembert is considered to be the national dish - it is cheese fried in breadcrumbs. It is served hot with sauces or cabbage. Another national appetizer is "drowned", these are marinated sausages or small sausages, seasoned with peppers and onions.
Abundance and variety of sauces
The Czechs' sauce is independent exquisite dish... Several centuries ago, the base of the sauce (called yiha) was flour fried in fat. Wine, water or beer, spices and roots of various spices were added to it. It was a separate dish, sometimes it was served with meat.
Nowadays, the basic ingredient in the sauce can be cucumber, horseradish, tomato, garlic, dill, onion, etc. They are called "omachki" (from the word "dip"). Such a juice-based sauce is being prepared fried meat, sour cream or wine. Omachki is served with meat and potato dishes.
Czech desserts
This is a roll of thin dough, inside it there is a filling: fruits, berries, nuts, poppy seeds, chocolate, cottage cheese. Serve with whipped cream, ice cream or chocolate syrup.
Trdelnik - empty tubes, made over an open fire, covered with vanilla, icing or cinnamon. In Russian the word is translated as "fool", a hint that the sweetness is empty inside.
Another interesting cake, especially by its name, is “Rakvicka” (in Russian “coffin”). This is a popular dessert among Czechs. The cake has an oblong shape and contains a lot of sugar and cream.
At the end of lunch, if you can master it, order “butchers” (pancakes). They will be served with ice cream or whipped cream. By the way, the Czechs are very fond of ice cream, it is sold everywhere and in different variations. Among the traditional Czech desserts, we would like to highlight “Hot Love” - vanilla ice cream covered with hot raspberry syrup.
Favorite drinks in the Czech Republic
Of course, beer. Around 70 breweries work for the worldwide fame of Czech beer. Tasting the products of these factories is a favorite pastime of most Russian tourists.
The national herbal liqueur "Becherovka" or tea with lemon will contribute to the excellent digestion process. Czechs love soda water and juices: orange, apple, pear.
Catering service in the Czech Republic
You can eat in the Czech Republic everywhere: on the street from stalls, buying food from vending machines, in snack bars, canteens, pies, in cafes and restaurants. Well, the pubs are simply countless.
If you went to a cafe or restaurant, then be prepared for some of the nuances of Czech service in such establishments. The menu is often displayed in front of the establishment, you can familiarize yourself with it before entering. Neighbors can sit at your table, this is quite normal. Take this philosophically, because there will be a chance to make friends.
Another surprise will be the dog brought by the owner to the place where people eat. Czechs are very fond of dogs, and animals in general. The dog can sniff your table, food and it will be in the order of things.
Do not rush to order several dishes, they are all hearty, portions are large, so fill yourself up gradually, ordering dishes at regular intervals.
Desserts are not eaten in the Czech Republic after main courses: it's a small snack if you catch your hunger by surprise, or lunch is too short.
In the country, it is customary to drink food with a considerable amount of beer, since the food is heavy, fatty, many marinades, smoked meat, salty, sweet. Therefore, do not be surprised by its abundance in cafes and restaurants.
They don't drink beer right after serving, they wait for the foam to settle. Do not order several varieties at the same time. You should also take a snack with beer.
If alcohol isn't your drink, order tea and a slice of Prague cake.
You can dine on weekdays in restaurants offering business lunches (Denny Nabidke). It includes a main course, salad, dessert and drink.
Gratuities may not be included in the bill. If you didn’t like the service and food, then tell me in advance not to round off the bill, and the calculation was made strictly according to the menu. However, you will come across establishments where tips are included in the bill.
Pay attention to the fact that Czechs get up early and go to bed early, so their breakfast starts around 9 am, lunch closer to 12, and dinner ends at 9 pm. After this time, it will be difficult to find a place with a full menu.
Products as a souvenir from the Czech Republic
Tourists try to bring something unusual from the Czech Republic. Often groceries are also bought as a souvenir. The most popular drinks gifts are liqueurs, vodka, beer, Moravian wines.
Sweet tooths take home payments, strudel, Prague cake, gingerbread. Cheese lovers buy "Hermelin" as a souvenir, Olomouc cheese curds.
When taking out products with you, you should take into account their shelf life and storage conditions. We recommend reading our review "".
We wish you to fully enjoy Czech cuisine, and read our interesting articles about the Czech Republic ( links below).
In the Czech Republic, they say that the most accurate clock is the stomach. And the guests there confirm - you walk, it happened, in Prague, and he, my dear, now and then says: "It's time to eat!" And it's impossible to refuse. Because the Czechs are delicious.
Smart people lose weight before going to this country - they have to eat a lot and thoroughly there. However, what does it mean - you have to ?! You go into a restaurant, sniff in the aromas rushing from the kitchen, and immediately agree with your stomach: it's time! You can start with salads (we offer the traditional Vlash salad, the name of which, as they say, comes from the Vlash mint). True or not is not the point. The important thing is that this salad is a true treasure. Hearty, dense, tender. Prepared for one-two-three, eaten just as quickly. You can continue with a fish - however, there is not much of it in Czech cuisine. Carp, soft and fat, like a cartoon bourgeois, is revered as the main thing, but if you wish otherwise, they will serve cod or salmon (both are excellent appetites!). The next one to choose meat dish... Fortunately, they are in complete order in Czech cuisine. The only problem is making a choice. And this, you know, is not so simple - svichkova, pork ribs in honey, goulash, duck with cabbage, boar's knee ... Oh, well-versed meat-eaters, hearing these words, feel at the gates of culinary paradise. Because svichkova is nothing more than soft, surrounded by gravy, lard-stuffed beef tenderloin with sour cream and dumplings. Spicy fiery goulash can be eaten along with the dishes - it is often served in a pot of bread. Ribs are good in all parts of the world, but Czech ones have a special charm: they are juicy, fatty and completely golden. Sweet queen - the duck, accompanied by spicy cabbage, torments eaters with anticipation, but fully justifies it: she is gorgeous! As for the boar of the knee, the first thing that it requires is good company, because it is impossible to overcome it alone.
You can and should drink all this beauty with beer - Czech is considered one of the best in the world (although the Czechs will certainly correct you: "It's the best, sir, the best!"). They drink it a lot and willingly. Saying: "Thirst is good only because beer exists" - and reproaching overly boring teetotalers: "Think about yourself if you don't see beer in front of you!"
Those who could not control themselves and were too carried away foamy drink, will save the hot soup. There are many of them in Czech cuisine - all kinds and different. But garlic soup is considered the best resurrection and revitalizing. Light, burning and easily returning a solid look at the surrounding reality.
Now let's get down to desserts (if, of course, there is room for them in your stomach). There are also a lot of them in Czech cuisine: the most delicate puff strudels, a sweet version of dumplings, rolls with fruits, butchers (sweet pancakes with delicious fillings), trdlo - a delicious puff pastry tube, Hot Love - vanilla ice cream with warmed raspberry syrup, and finally, dumplings. We offer curds, with plums inside - they are prepared simply, they remember for a long time. And this, you see, is the best recommendation.
Boar baked knee
For 4 persons: pork shank - 1.5-2 kg, dark beer - 1 l, onion - 1 pc., Carrots - 1 pc., Bay leaf - 2 pcs., Cloves - 3 pcs., Garlic - 0, 5 heads, sweet peas - 0.5 tsp, cumin - 1 tsp, parsley root - 1 pc., Honey - 1 tbsp. l., mustard - 1 tbsp. l., salt, ground black pepper
Wash the shank, peel it with a knife, dry it with a paper towel. Wash, dry, peel vegetables. Place the shank in a small, deep saucepan. Add coarsely chopped carrots, 4-cut onion, garlic, bay leaf, cloves, peppercorns and pour over the beer so that it covers half of the shank. Pour in a little water, salt well, put on the stove and cook under a lid over low heat for 1 hour. Add parsley root, cumin, turn the shank and cook for another 60 minutes. Mix honey and mustard. Put the boiled knuckle in a baking dish, grease with honey-mustard sauce on all sides, salt and pepper, pour a little broth into the mold. Bake for 50-60 minutes in an oven preheated to 180 ° C, smearing with sauce every 10 minutes. Serve with stewed cabbage and a glass of cold beer.
Vlašski salad
For 4 persons: beef - 100 g, ham - 100 g, pickled cucumbers - 200 g, peeled apples - 100 g, potatoes - 4 pcs., Eggs - 4 pcs., green pea - 1 can, parsley - 2 sprigs, mayonnaise, salt
Boil beef, potatoes. Hard-boiled eggs. Wash the cucumbers. Peel potatoes and eggs. Cut all the ingredients into strips 3x3 mm thick and about 2.5-3 cm long. Wash and chop the parsley. Mix everything, add green peas and mayonnaise, season with salt, form portions and serve.
Czech goulash
For 6 persons: beef - 500 g, onion - 1 pc., Vegetable oil - 50 g, tomato paste - 70 g, beef broth - 1 liter, Borodinsky bread - 1/2 loaf, garlic - 1 head, light beer - 60 ml, marjoram, caraway seeds, paprika, salt, ground black pepper
Finely chop the onion and fry in a saucepan in vegetable oil until golden brown. Chop the meat, send it to the onion and fry for a few minutes. Pour in 30 ml of beer, stir, add tomato paste and fry for 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper, chopped garlic to the meat, mix thoroughly, pour in the broth and put on low heat. Soak the bread in water, squeeze, rub through a colander, pour into boiling goulash and stir again. Add caraway seeds and marjoram, cook without lid for 1-1.5 hours, stirring occasionally. Add another 30 ml of beer 10-15 minutes before the end. Serve with dumplings.
Salmon tartare with avocado
For 3 persons: salmon fillet - 170 g, avocado - 1/4 pcs., Shallots - 2 pcs., Lemons - 1/2 pcs., Red olives - 2 tbsp. l., olive oil, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, tarragon - 3 branches
Put the salmon in the freezer for 15 minutes. Grind tarragon in a mortar with the addition of 1 tbsp. l. oils. Cut the fish into small cubes, mix with chopped shallots and lemon zest, drizzle with 0.5 tsp. olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Put sliced \u200b\u200bavocado in a molding ring for tartar, sprinkle with lemon juice, put chopped olives in the second layer, and salmon in the third layer. Remove ring, garnish with avocado slices and serve with tarragon oil.
Duck with sauerkraut
For 5 persons: duck - 2 kg, cabbage, pickled with beets - 1 kg, onions - 3 pcs., Raisins - 150 g, prunes - 150 g, carrots - 1 pc., Garlic - 3 cloves, thyme - 2 3 sprigs, bay leaf - 2 pcs., Salt, pepper
Cut off fat and skin from the back of the carcass, put the carcass in a saucepan, pour 1 liter of cold water and put on fire. After boiling, reduce heat and cook for about 1 hour. Strain the resulting broth and let it cool. Finely chop the separated skin with fat, fold into a rooster, put on medium heat and melt the fat. Remove the greaves, increase the heat to maximum and put the pieces of duck grated with salt and pepper in hot fat. Cook for 2 minutes, then turn the meat, reduce heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes more. Cut the carrots into circles, crush the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife, cut the onions into rings. Drain all the fat from the rooster, leaving only about 100 ml, transfer the meat to a plate. Add vegetables to the roaster and fry over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Add chopped cabbage and dried fruit. Top with duck pieces, a few thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Pour the broth so that it covers only the cabbage, let it boil, cover with a lid and send to the oven preheated to 180 ° C. Bake for about 2 hours until tender.
Potato dumplings
For 4 persons: raw potatoes - 800 g, milk - 100 ml, boiled potatoes - 400 g, flour - 100 g, eggs - 3 pcs., Arugula - 250 g, cherry tomatoes - 250 g, green onions - 1 bunch, vinegar - 3 tbsp. l., olive oil - 6 tbsp. l., ghee - 2 tbsp. l., bacon - 100 g, salt, freshly ground black pepper
Wash raw potatoes, peel, grate in a cup of water, rinse, squeeze well. Boil the milk, pour over the grated potatoes, allow to cool. Peel the boiled potatoes, mash in mashed potatoes. Add to raw potatoes with flour and egg yolks, salt and pepper, mix until smooth. Form 12 dumplings from the dough. Cook them in a sufficient amount of boiling salted water for about 20 minutes. Remove and cool. Wash arugula, peel, break into small pieces. Wash the tomatoes, peel off the stalks, cut in half. Wash green onions, chop thinly. Mix the vinegar with olive oil until smooth, season with salt and pepper. Cut the bacon into small pieces and fry until crisp. Cut the dumplings into thick slices and fry in ghee on each side until golden brown. Stir arugula with green onions and cherry tomatoes, season with vinegar-oil sauce, put on a plate. Arrange the fried dumplings on top, sprinkle with bacon cubes and serve.
Garlic soup
For 4 persons: chicken broth - 1.5 l, potatoes - 5 pcs., Garlic - 8-9 cloves, ghee - 1 tsp, marjoram - 1 tsp, bay leaf - 2-3 pcs. , white bread - 1 slice, butter - 1 tbsp. l., parsley - 0.5 bunch, grated hard cheese, salt, ground black pepper
Wash the potatoes well, peel and cut into small cubes. Heat melted bacon in a frying pan, pour potatoes there, fry lightly, add bay leaf and garlic chopped into slices. Stir and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a saucepan, pour over the chicken broth, season with salt, pepper and add the marjoram. Cook until potatoes are tender. Cut the bread into cubes, fry on butter until golden brown. Pour the soup into a plate, add toasted pieces of bread, flavored with finely chopped parsley and, if desired, sprinkled with cheese.
Gombovtsy
For 4 persons: plums - 12 pcs., Cottage cheese - 600 g, semolina - 100 g, eggs - 2 pcs., Salt - 1 tsp., Butter - 150 g, white stale bread - 100 g, cinnamon, sugar
Mix cottage cheese, eggs, salt, 1 tbsp in a blender. l. sugar and semolina until smooth. Put in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 30-40 minutes. Wash the plums, cut them, remove seeds and add 1/3 teaspoon to each fruit. Sahara. Dry the bread, grate and fry in melted butter until golden brown. Remove the mass from the refrigerator, divide into 12 pieces, form cakes from them. Put in the middle of each plum, wrap it in dough, form balls, dip in boiling salted water (Gombovtsy should be completely covered with water) and cook for 3-4 minutes at moderate boil. Remove the ready-made Gombovts with a slotted spoon, put on a plate, pour with melted butter and fried breadcrumbs, sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon and serve immediately.
One of the first questions a tourist asks when heading to the Czech Republic is what gastronomic features of the country await him and where to find good placesto enjoy the local cuisine. And, I must say, it is very diverse and tasty. It is not without reason that chefs in the Czech Republic are highly respected and bring home awards received in culinary competitions.
Features of Czech cuisine
With food in the Czech Republic, everything is simple. People eat everywhere. On the streets and in public transport, in parks and in catering establishments. Fortunately, on every street of every city - a huge number of stalls, vending machines, snack bars, pies, canteens, cafes, restaurants and pubs favors this. In turn, restaurants are divided into fashionable with very high prices (Restaurant) and more budgetary (Restaurace). Moreover, the quality of food does not depend on the price. Pay attention to food in hotels, which usually offer either a light breakfast or nothing at all.
It is worth paying attention to traditions related directly to food intake and etiquette. :
- Do not be surprised if they sit down at your table in a cafe, it is quite normal practice to share a table and make new friends.
- Also, do not rush to order the first, second, third, dessert and compote. Czech cuisine is very hearty, and the portions are of unprecedented size, so you just physically cannot taste several dishes at once.
- The traditional cuisine of the Czech Republic (Česká kuchyně) is considered heavy, with a predominance of fatty, flour, salty and sweet foods, smoked meats and marinades. In addition, it is customary to drink a lot of beer with food. However, you can also find less high-calorie foods on the menu, for example, lean meats, low-fat fish and vegetables.
- In the Czech Republic, it is customary to get up early and go to bed early. Due to this daily routine, breakfast starts around 9 am, lunch is served after half past eleven, and dinner is from 7 pm to 9 pm. After this time, it is already more difficult to find an institution that will offer a full menu to visitors.
- Tipping is usually not included in the bill and is left only if the service is liked. You can financially thank the waiter (5-15% of the order amount) both at the very beginning and after the meal. If you do not wish to do this, please let us know that the final check is not rounded up and that the calculation be made strictly according to the menu. However, there are establishments where a ten percent tip is already included in the bill.
Please note that in the cheapest beer halls, meat can be replaced with a bouillon cube, so it is better not to risk it in order to avoid getting a low-quality dish. But fortunately, menus are usually posted in front of the entrance to the establishment and you can easily determine whether or not to dine there.
Popular Czech dishes
Most Czech cuisine recipes have been preserved since the Middle Ages. And not trying one of them is a real omission.
Czech soups
Czech soups are somewhat unusual in appearance. Most of them are served grated, and the consistency is so thick that in the literal sense of the word, a spoon is worth it. The flavor of soups is usually sweet and sour, it contains flour, semolina, egg yolks, butter, grated vegetables and herbs, meat, fish products (or offal) or poultry. Often a small amount of vinegar and yeast fried in oil are added to the soup. Flour can simply be boiled in broth, milk ("ishka") or pre-fried in a pan (dark "ishka").
The traditional Czech soup called polevka is a thin mashed potato and vegetable with the addition of pieces of meat, offal or meatballs. In addition to him, in the Czech Republic they prepare a good borscht, very similar to ours, but they serve it not with sour cream, but with a whole cap of whipped cream. Such first courses as cabbage soup with smoked meat, garlic soup with potatoes, sauerkraut soup with caraway seeds, onions and apples, soup with liver meatballs, vegetable soup with dumplings, onion chowder "tsibulyachka" (or garlic), chicken or beef broth with liver dumplings and homemade noodles. Specialty of the house - fish soup from carp, which is traditionally present on the Christmas festive table. And that's not all. In addition to soups, meat broths (vyvar) are served as the first course. As you can see, during the whole vacation you can enjoy different soups and never repeat it.
In the Czech Republic, it is customary to serve dumplings (dumplings) or croutons with soups and side dishes. These are dough products that look like dumplings or wet white bread. Dumplings are baked from potatoes, wheat with cheese and lard (or bacon). Often, dumplings are served with sugar, plums and jam, with poppy seeds, vanilla and almonds. Each region has its own special recipe and way of serving.
Meat and fish dishes in the Czech Republic
Fish dishes are undoubtedly present in traditional Czech cuisine, but less popular than the meat menu. The fish usually comes with a marinade or sauce. At Christmas carp is baked (either in flour, or with spices and filling).
All Czechs love meat. If you are no exception, be sure to try pork, beef or game dishes. The most popular meat dishes:
- fried goose with dumplings;
- stuffed zrazy;
- roast calf;
- stuffed roe schnitzel;
- pork with cheese, ham and asparagus;
- various goulash;
- beef rolls spanelske ptachki;
- svichkova on sour cream - beef tenderloin marinated in a creamy sauce with dumplings and whipped cream;
- boar's knee - tender leg of a pig with horseradish and mustard, baked in beer. The knee weighs at least a kilogram.
Cold meats “go well” with beer: fatty pickled sausages utopenci; an appetizer similar to sliced \u200b\u200bsausage with onions, vinegar and pepper - tlacenka; fried sausages (from liver, blood, wine, traditionally meat and others) klobasa. Sausages are served with mustard (plnotucna or more spicy kremzska) and eaten directly with your hands.
No decent dish is complete without a flavorful sauce. They are prepared from the usual and most unimaginable products (meat, horseradish, tomatoes, cucumbers, garlic and onions, herbs, wine and beer, roots, sour cream, flour, etc.). Sauces add a special flavor to Czech dishes. Sometimes the sauce acts as a separate dish.
As a side dish for meat and fish dishes sauerkraut, dumplings, rice and potatoes are traditionally served.
Salads
Czech salads are huge portions of vegetables and herbs seasoned with mayonnaise or sauce. Some salads are served with sugar. Sometimes one serving is enough to leave the establishment well-fed and satisfied.
Czech cheeses
Cheese occupies a special place of honor in Czech cuisine. The most favorite, but very high-calorie dish is fried Dutch cheese. The second most popular cheese is "French type" with mold. They are served with white wine, added to salads or fried in breadcrumbs. And the most unusual Czech cheese with a specific aroma is Olomouc curds. It is served with beer with onions and black bread. Cheese often comes with potato slices.
desserts
Sweet aromatic Czech pastries are beyond praise. Apple strudel with cinnamon, small fluffy pancakes with and without filling, rolls with cinnamon or nut powder - trdlo, Karlovskie waffles, vanilla bagels, Christmas cookies are very popular and incredibly tasty. Coffee or tea with rum and a sweet dessert for Czechs is not just a treat or a snack, but a whole ritual of enjoying the taste.
Czech drinks
Beer is a truly national drink. There are so many varieties of it that not a single person in the Czech Republic can name the exact number. Each of the Czech breweries brews their own beer traditional recipes... Some brewers produce beer with cherry, strawberry and even chocolate flavors. Czech beer is loved and appreciated all over the world, as well as wines, which have been produced in the country for more than one thousand years. White and red wines have a variety of production technologies and ages.
The trademark of the Karlovy Vary spa is the Becherovka liqueur infused with forty-two herbs. Its strength is 38 degrees, and its taste is beyond praise. No less famous and pleasant to the taste is the herbal liqueur Fernet, which is produced in three variations. Another popular traditional Czech drink is plum brandy. In its manufacture, fermented plum juice is used. With a single distillation, the strength of the drink is 45 degrees, and with a double distillation, it is already 75. Similar production technology for other fruit spirits - "merunkovitsa" and "thrash".
From non-alcoholic drinks that perfectly quench thirst on a trip, fruit drinks from various berries, lemonade, hot chocolate and thick cocoa are common in the Czech Republic.
Traveling around the Czech Republic, you will definitely not be left hungry or dissatisfied with food. However, in pursuit of gastronomic delights, do not forget about the calorie content of food, so that upon returning home you do not have to shop, looking for outfits several sizes larger than usual.
