AUDIO SCRIPT

What is characteristic of Slovenian cuisine?

In my opinion, the main distinguishing feature of Slovenian cuisine is its splendid diversity which is a logical consequence of the great variety of terrain, climate, and history. Slovenia is a meeting point of many totally diverse land formations. On a bit more than 20,000 km2, one can admire the flat Pannonian plain, the hilly Dolenjska and Štajerska regions, the high-Alpine mountain range, the windy Karst, the Mediterranean coastline, and the Barje marshes. Each region added a taste of its own to Slovenian culinary tradition because people used foodstuffs and natural resources that were in abundance in their region. For example, the Panonnian region prides itself with nourishing pumpkin oil, the hills of the Dolenjska and Štajerska regions are perfect for wine growing, and the harsh wind of Karst is necessary for dry-cured ham. Slovenia also borders on four countries, and the Slovenes borrowed something from each of these national cuisines and adapted them according to their needs.


How have contemporary chefs customized traditional match for modern people?

Traditional Slovenian dishes are plain because in the past technology of cooking was undeveloped and the choice of ingredients, herbs, and spices was more or less limited to the products that grew around the home. For instance, some traditional herbs of Slovene kitchen are thyme, marjoram, mint, tarragon, sage, and bay leaf. Lemons or lemon juice, for example, were practically non-existent and were not on the list of basic ingredients. But nowadays you won’t find a potica recipe without lemon juice in it. Furthermore, many Slovenian traditional dishes are very calorific and heavy to digest because their base is animal fat, beans, eggs, and flour. They are rather unhealthy from today’s point of view, but that wasn’t such a problem in the past when farmers needed energy to do heavy work in the field or forest. Contemporary cooks and housewives often adapt traditional recipes because they wish to come closer to what we now call a well-balanced diet. They use vegetable oil instead of lard, rice milk instead of milk, and so on.


Have forests, which cover more than half of Slovenia’s territory, in any way influenced Slovenian cuisine?

Yes, of course, they have. In times of famine, people ate whatever was edible and could be found in the vicinity of their home. They ate all sorts of forest fruits that were a rich source of vitamins - hazelnuts, and chestnuts were just as delicious and valued as walnuts and when the times were really rough, our ancestors even ate acorns. Mushrooms have always been popular with Slovenes, many of us enjoy picking them and then use them for soups or side dishes.

What was the relation between vegetables and meat in the traditional Slovenian diet?

Meat was not on the everyday menu of an ordinary Slovene family. In December or January, pig slaughtering called ‘koline’ was for many a family the high point of the year. Nothing was put to waste, they made meat products from all parts of the meat. It was the same with vegetables, everything was put to use, and even dry turnip peels which were used for a dish called ‘aleluja’. Vegetables were used for everyday soups like ‘jota,’ ‘ričet,’ or ‘šara’, and if they were lucky a piece of smoked or dried meat was added to improve the taste of the dish.