Czech Republic Czech cuisine. Czech cuisine

A trip to the Czech Republic will give not only an acquaintance with the history of the country and its sights, but also the opportunity to taste the colorful and surprisingly delicious dishes of Czech cuisine. Unique Recipes Czech culinary specialists, like the history of the state, have a thousand-year exposure. In this article, we will talk about the features national food in the Czech Republic and about the most interesting dishes local cuisine.

The origins of the national dishes of the Czechs

For a long time the country was under the rule of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which left its mark on the national cuisine of the Czechs. Here we will meet Austrian schnitzel, Hungarian goulash, German sauerkraut and roast goose. Part Czech dishes primordially Slavic: soups, cereals, side dishes.

In the photo on the right (click to enlarge) is a popular Czech dish called "smeared rizek". This is the most striking example of the heritage of Austria-Hungary - a copy of the famous.

But even borrowed dishes in the Czech Republic have acquired their own special taste qualities, and they are prepared in Czech with the addition of their ingredients. We will not look into cookbooks now, but will spend small digression for those dishes that you can try 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 the Czechs, we will name: cumin, marjoram, poppy, red pepper, ginger, dill. Mustard is attached to all meat dishes that are marinated in vinegar. sweet ketchup- also a favorite sauce of the Czechs.

The main national dishes and desserts are very fatty and high-calorie. In addition, 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 - is to abuse food.

Soups - their varieties and features

Czechs call soups “voles”, without them 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 texture, often more like sauces. When cooking, semolina or mashed vegetables, butter and egg yolks are added to them.

Depending on the main ingredient, there are: garlic soups, sauerkraut soups, onion, vegetable, smoked meats, mushrooms, goulash soups, cheese, beer soups with cumin, soups from sauerkraut with an apple, dill soups with sour milk and others.

The dish is served on a plate or in bread (such a dish will cost twice as much). Among popular soups Let's call it "garlic". It is based on chicken broth with potatoes, in which about 10 cloves of garlic are placed. 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 lover.

If you like meat, order goulash soup. It has a lot of meat, it is mashed and looks like thick porridge.

It will seem unusual cold soup on beer. Grated bread, sugar, raisins, lemon are put in beer. Not every gourmet can withstand such ingredients in one plate. Be careful with this dish.

It is unlikely that you will find dill soup with milk anywhere else. And in the Czech Republic it is cooked. It contains milk, sour cream, egg, flour and dill. The taste is unique and not for everyone.

The Czech Republic is a paradise for meat eaters

Be sure to taste main course Czech cuisine - knuckle: baked pork knee(Recene veprove koleno, in the photo on the right, click on the photo to enlarge). The dish is on the menu in every restaurant and cafe in the Czech Republic.

The meat is soaked for a certain time in beer, then boiled, then smoked. It becomes juicy and tender. It is usually served with sauces, mustard or horseradish, and sauerkraut can also be brought. Czech food is also prepared on the street on the grill. Huge shank are fried, optionally cut off as much as you want.

An old Czech dish “vepro-knedlo-zelo”. This is baked pork with dumplings and stewed sauerkraut. All this is poured abundantly with thick gravy. Can the stomach "survive" such a dish?

Goulash has always been a traditional food in the Czech Republic. Each restaurant has its own recipe for this dish. It can be beef, pork, rabbit, poultry, liver or assorted. Goulash is served with sauces, always with dumplings, sometimes with sauerkraut, seasoned with garlic, cumin.

Meat dishes surprise with their variety and method of preparation. And what are the sauces for them! We didn't talk about pork necks, hams, schnitzels, roasted duck with spices, Czech sausages. Order, try, enjoy!

Fish lovers will not see diversity in Czech cuisine. Czechs traditionally roast carp at Christmas and eat it with potato salad. In restaurants and cafes on the menu there are: fish soup from carp, chops or fried carp. If after meat there is room in the stomach, take it for fish, you will not regret it.

Side dishes for main dishes

The main and indispensable side dish in the Czech Republic is dumplings. flour or potato dough steamed, put the liver, meat, onions or cabbage inside. Dumplings are laid out in slices for dishes, mainly meat. They can be served with sauce and bacon. There are sweet dumplings, they put fruit or cottage cheese and sprinkle with sugar.

Potato dishes, cabbage, vegetables, and croquettes are also popular side dishes.

Try ”bramboraki” - potato pancakes (like our potato pancakes, in the photo on the right, click on the photo to enlarge). They put marjoram ( fragrant seasoning from a perennial plant) or meat.

Before ordering a side dish, make sure that it is not included in the second course.

Salads and beer snacks

Among the salads, we note “Bramborovy salat”. In addition to potatoes, they put carrots, parsley root, pickled cucumbers, red onions, bacon cracklings and other ingredients at the request of the cook. Czechs prepare this salad for the Christmas table. Salad "Vlashsky" will remind you of the usual "Olivier".

Czechs love cheeses and dishes with this product. The national dish is considered to be "camembert" - a cheese fried in breading. It is served hot with sauces or cabbage. One more national snack are "drowners", these are pickled sausages or sausages seasoned with pepper and onions.

Abundance and variety of sauces

Czech sauce - independent gourmet dish. Several centuries ago, the basis of the sauce (it was called yiha) was flour fried in fat. Wine, water or beer, spices and roots were added to it. different spices. It was independent dish, sometimes it was served with meat.

Nowadays, cucumber, horseradish, tomato, garlic, dill, onion, etc. can be a fundamental ingredient in the sauce. They are called “omachki” (from the word “dunk”). Preparing such a sauce based on juice 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. Served with whipped cream, ice cream or chocolate syrup.

Trdelnik - empty tubes, made on open fire covered with vanilla sugar icing or cinnamon. In Russian, the word is translated as "fool", A hint that the sweetness is empty inside.

Another interesting cake, especially with its name, is “Rakvicka” (in Russian “coffin”). This popular dessert among Czechs. The cake has an oblong shape, it has a lot of sugar and cream.

At the end of the dinner, if you can, order “palachinki” (pancakes). They will be served with ice cream or whipped cream. By the way, Czechs are very fond of ice cream, it is sold everywhere and in different variations. Among the traditional Czech desserts, we highlight “Hot Love” - vanilla ice cream filled with hot raspberry syrup.

Favorite drinks in the Czech Republic

Of course, beer. About 70 breweries work for the benefit of the world fame of Czech beer. Tasting the products of these factories is a favorite pastime of most Russian tourists.

An excellent process of digestion will contribute to the national herbal liquor "Becherovka" or tea with lemon. Czechs love soda water and juices: orange, apple, pear.

Catering service in the Czech Republic

You can eat everywhere in the Czech Republic: on the street from stalls, buying food from vending machines, in snack bars, canteens, patties, cafes and restaurants. Well, pubs are simply innumerable.

If you go to a cafe or a 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 may sit down at your table, this is quite normal. Take it philosophically, because there will be a chance to make friends.

Another surprise will be the dog that the owner brought 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 satisfying, the portions are large, so get full gradually, ordering dishes at regular intervals.

Desserts are not eaten in the Czech Republic after the main courses: it is a small snack if you caught hunger by surprise, or the lunch is too short.

It is customary in the country to drink a lot of beer with food, because the food is heavy, fatty, there are a lot of marinades, smoked meat, salty, sweet. Therefore, do not be surprised by its abundance in cafes and restaurants.

Beer is not drunk immediately after serving, waiting for the foam to settle. Do not order several varieties at the same time. Snacks should also be taken along with the beer.

If alcohol is not your drink, then order tea and a piece of Prague cake.

dine at weekdays you can in restaurants offering business lunches (danny cape). It includes a main course, salad, dessert and a drink.

Tips may not be included in the bill. If you did not like the service and food, then tell in advance so that the bill is not rounded up, but the calculation is made strictly according to the menu. However, you will find establishments where tips are included in the bill.

Pay attention to the fact that the Czechs get up early and go to bed early, so they start breakfast around 9 am, lunch close to noon, and dinner runs until 9 pm. After this time, it will be difficult to find an institution with a full menu.

Products as a souvenir from the Czech Republic

Tourists try to bring something unusual from the Czech Republic. Often, products are also bought as a souvenir. The most demanded gifts from drinks are liqueurs, vodka, beer, Moravian wines.

Sweet tooth take with them payments, strudel, Prague cake, gingerbread. Cheese lovers buy Germelin, Olomouc curds as a souvenir.

When taking products with you, you should take into account their expiration date 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 those who stayed there confirm that you used to walk around Prague, and he, my dear, now and then says: “It's time to refresh yourself!” And it's impossible to refuse. Because the Czechs feed deliciously.

Smart people lose weight before traveling 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 the aromas rushing from the kitchen with your nose, and immediately agree with your stomach: it's time! You can start with salads (we offer the traditional Vlachian, whose name is said to have come from the Vlach mint). Whether this is true or not is not the point. The important thing is that this salad is a true treasure. Rich, dense, tender. Prepared for one-two-three, eaten just as quickly. You can continue with fish - however, there are not so many of them in Czech cuisine. Carp is revered as the main thing, soft and fat, like a caricatured bourgeois, but if you wish otherwise, they will serve cod or salmon (both of which are great to whet your appetite!). The next is to choose a meat dish. Good with them in Czech cuisine full order. The only problem is making a choice. And this, you know, is not so simple - Svichkova, rack of pork ribs in honey, goulash, duck with cabbage, boar knee ... Oh, knowledgeable meat-eaters, having heard these words, feel at the gate culinary paradise. Because svichkova is nothing more than soft, surrounded by gravy, stuffed with lard beef tenderloin with sour cream and dumplings. Spicy fiery goulash can be eaten with dishes - it is often served in a pot of bread. Ribs are good in all parts of the world, but Czech ribs have a special charm: they are juicy, fatty and completely golden. Sweet queen - duck accompanied spicy cabbage torments consumers with expectation, but fully justifies it: it is magnificent! As for the knee of the boar, the first thing it requires is good company, for 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 is the best, sir, the best!”). Drink it a lot and willingly. Saying: “Thirst is good only because there is beer” - 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 got too carried away with a foamy drink will be saved by hot soup. There are many of them in Czech cuisine - all sorts and different. But garlic soup is considered the best resurrecting and revitalizing. Light, burning and easily returning a hard look at the surrounding reality.
Well, now let's get down to desserts (unless, of course, there is room for them in your stomach). There are also many of them in Czech cuisine: the most delicate puff strudel, sweet option dumplings, fruit rolls, palachinki (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 cottage cheese, with plums inside - they are prepared simply, they are remembered for a long time. And this, you see, is the best recommendation.

Liver boar knee

For 4 persons: pork knuckle - 1.5-2 kg, dark beer - 1 l, onion - 1 pc., carrot - 1 pc., bay leaf - 2 pcs., cloves - 3 pcs., garlic - 0, 5 heads, allspice 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, clean with a knife, dry paper towel. Wash, dry and peel vegetables. Put the shank in a small deep saucepan. Add coarsely chopped carrots, onion divided into 4 parts, garlic, bay leaf, cloves, peppercorns and pour beer so that it covers the shank halfway. Pour a little water, salt well, put on the stove and cook under the lid over low heat for 1 hour. Add parsley root, cumin, turn the shank over and cook for another 60 minutes. Mix honey and mustard. Put the boiled shank in a baking dish, grease on all sides honey mustard sauce, salt, pepper, pour a little broth into the mold. Bake for 50-60 minutes in an oven preheated to 180 ° C, brushing with sauce every 10 minutes. Serve with stewed cabbage and a glass of cold beer.

Vlach 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 jar, parsley - 2 sprigs, mayonnaise, salt


Boil beef, potatoes. Hard boil eggs. Wash 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, 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, Borodino bread - 1/2 loaf, garlic - 1 head, light beer - 60 ml, marjoram, cumin, paprika, salt, ground black pepper


Finely chop the onion and fry in a pan for vegetable oil before golden brown. Cut the meat, send 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, finely chopped garlic to the meat, mix thoroughly, pour in the broth and put on slow fire. Soak the bread in water, wring out, rub through a colander, pour into boiling goulash and mix again. Add cumin and marjoram, cook uncovered for 1-1.5 hours, stirring occasionally. 10-15 minutes before the end, add another 30 ml of beer. 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 sprigs


Place 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, sprinkle with 0.5 tsp. olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Place the sliced ​​avocado into the tartare ring, drizzle lemon juice, put chopped olives in the second layer, salmon in the third. Remove ring, garnish tartare with avocado slices and serve with tarragon oil.

Duck with sauerkraut

For 5 persons: duck - 2 kg, sauerkraut with beets - 1 kg, onion - 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 cold water and put on fire. After boiling, reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour. Strain the resulting broth and let it cool. Finely chop the separated skin with fat, put it in a roaster, put it on medium fire and melt the fat. Take out the cracklings, increase the fire to maximum and put the pieces of duck grated with salt and pepper into the hot fat. Cook for 2 minutes, then turn the meat over, reduce the heat to medium and fry for about 5 more minutes. Cut the carrots into circles, crush the garlic cloves with the flat side of the knife, cut the onion into rings. Drain all the fat from the ducklings, 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 fruits. Arrange duck pieces, a few sprigs of thyme and bay leaves on top. Pour in the broth so that it covers only the cabbage, let it boil, cover with a lid and send to the oven, heated to 180 ° C. Bake for about 2 hours until done.

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., melted butter - 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, let cool. Peel boiled potatoes, mash into puree. Add to raw potatoes along with flour and egg yolks, salt and pepper, mix until smooth. Form 12 dumplings from the dough. Cook them in enough boiling salted water for about 20 minutes. Pull out, let cool. Wash the arugula, peel, tear into small pieces. Wash the tomatoes, peel the stalks, cut in half. green onion wash, thinly slice. Mix vinegar with olive oil until smooth, salt and pepper. bacon cut in small pieces, fry until crispy. Cut the dumplings into thick circles and fry in melted butter on each side until golden brown. Mix arugula with green onion and cherry tomatoes, season with vinegar-oil sauce, put on a plate. Arrange fried dumplings on top, sprinkle with diced bacon and serve.

garlic soup

For 4 persons: chicken broth - 1.5 l, potatoes - 5 pcs., garlic - 8-9 cloves, melted fat - 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 potatoes well, peel and cut into small cubes. Heat up in a frying pan melted lard, pour potatoes there, lightly fry, add bay leaf and chopped garlic. Stir and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes. Transfer potatoes to a bowl chicken broth, salt, pepper and add marjoram. Cook until potatoes are ready. Bread cut into cubes, fry in butter until golden brown. Pour the soup into a bowl, add toasted slices of bread flavored with finely chopped parsley and sprinkled with cheese if desired.

Gombovtsy

For 4 persons: plums - 12 pcs., cottage cheese - 600 g, semolina - 100 g, eggs - 2 pcs., salt - 1 tsp, butter - 150 g, stale white bread - 100 g, cinnamon, sugar


Mix in a blender cottage cheese, eggs, salt, 1 tbsp. l. sugar and semolina until smooth. Place in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 30-40 minutes. Wash the plums, cut them, remove the pits and pour 1/3 tsp into each fruit. Sahara. Bread dry, grate and fry in melted butter until golden color. Remove the mass from the refrigerator, divide into 12 pieces, form them into cakes. Put in the middle of each plum, wrap it with dough, form balls, dip in boiling salted water (gombovtsy should be completely covered with water) and cook for 3-4 minutes at a moderate boil. Take out the finished gombovtsy with a slotted spoon, put on a plate, pour melted butter with fried breadcrumbs sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and serve immediately.

The Czech Republic is attractive for tourists at any time of the year. Both in January and in June, you can relax here in a variety of ways, ranging from walking along the beautiful streets and visiting many castles to medical visits to resorts. Karlovy Vary, Lake Makhovo, Prague Zoo, ski resorts - this is only a small part of the local attractions. From the point of view of gastronomic tourism, this state is also popular. Czech cuisine is distinguished by simplicity and originality, and most importantly, that it is tasty and satisfying. Traditional dishes are still prepared according to the old recipe, passing their features from one generation to another.

History of Czech cuisine

The culinary habits of the Czechs have evolved over hundreds of years. Big influence Austrian, German and hungarian cuisine. The Slavic peoples also contributed. All this is due to the geographical location of the country - it is located in the central part of Europe, at the so-called crossroads.
The development of traditional Czech cuisine, like that of most nationalities, took place along with the formation of the nation. The main place in the Old Bohemian cuisine was occupied by bread and meat, and cereals were also preferred. They were cooked from oats, millet, buckwheat and even from hemp. The meat was boiled, fried and stewed. The main seasonings for these dishes were hemp and sage.
A wide meat addiction has also passed into new dishes, this product forms the basis of all modern culinary delights at the Czechs. The first recipes writing, as well as books began to appear in the 15th century. The next century becomes a period of coming to Czech chefs of dishes from England, Italy, Spain and France. At the same time, cooking began to differ in the use of all kinds of seasonings.
In the 17th century, pies made from turkey, partridge, crayfish and snails began to play a special role. Among noble nobles, the first place still belonged to meat, among the poor - plant foods. In the same century, the well-known and still considered the highlight of Czech cuisine, knedlik, appeared. It is a dumpling made from wheat or potato flour. They are formed into balls, boiled in water, and cut into slices when served.
The subsequent development of national cuisine greatly simplifies it, now you can find soups, side dishes and meat products prepared in the Russian or Ukrainian manner on the menu. However, they all have a completely different taste due to the seasonings and sauces used.

Features of Czech cuisine

Traditional Czech dishes are very satisfying, that is, quite high-calorie. In a way, this is fatty food. An addition is that most dishes are served with flour products. Portions are quite large, you need to take this into account when ordering in a restaurant or cafe. Those who are used to eating a little can simply not cope with such sizes. In addition to the tradition of eating meat, Czechs are very fond of fried sausages and sauerkraut. All these are classic dishes of Czech cuisine.
Chicken, duck and goose can be distinguished from poultry meat, trout and carp are popular among fish. The last one is prepared by the most in a variety of ways. They also love sweets here, not a single feast can do without them. Here they even make a dessert out of vermicelli, mixing it with sugar and butter. The use of sauces allows for the rapid assimilation of traditionally large portions, and without seasonings, the Czechs do not understand at all good lunch or dinner. Cumin, marjoram, ginger, mustard, dill - all this is in demand among cooks and consumers.
Among the drinks, beer occupies a dominant position, of course. Czech breweries have long been world famous. The variety of foamy drink is amazing - it can even be prepared using coffee or chocolate. And some soups are distinguished by the fact that the recipe is based on beer.
The price of products in the republic is generally low. The cost of an average check for lunch in an ordinary cafe is 100-120 kroons, which is about 230-300 rubles. For a full dinner in a restaurant for two, you will need to pay 500-600 CZK. The tip is usually 10% of the value of the check, but this is optional. If the service did not suit you for any reason, it is quite possible to do without a bonus.

Snacks

It is quite interesting that in the Czech Republic bread is called differently - bread and bread. The difference is that the first option is a coarse dark bread, usually with additives. And the second is a white bagel, loaf, bun.
Among appetizers, the palm belongs to salads. The most famous among them is popular far beyond the borders of the country, called Prague. However, it is far from the usual understanding of salad as a light snack - it is a hearty dish containing a lot of meat and vegetables. The traditional Czech recipe includes veal and pork, they must be cut into strips and fried. Other ingredients are onion, apple and cucumbers, which are added to the finished chilled meat. Before serving, it must be poured with lemon juice and mayonnaise or sour cream is added.
Another hearty salad- Vlachsky - also consists of fried veal. Second meat ingredient- it's ham. Meat, ham, apple, boiled potatoes and green peas are mixed and seasoned with mayonnaise. Decorate such a dish green salad and parsley.
Czechs love cabbage. Do not bypass such a variety as kohlrabi. The vegetable is cut into circles, fried, and then poured with sour cream sauce with paprika and stewed. It turns out quite an unusual and tasty dish.
Simple but original version Czech omelette includes, in addition to eggs, horseradish. First, the eggs should be fried in a pan, as usual, then add the loaf cut into pieces and grated horseradish. Such an appetizer is served with absolutely any drink - both coffee and beer.
Since the most common and favorite drink in the Czech Republic is beer, most of the snacks on the menu of any restaurant are served with it. Such a variety of beer treats can no longer be found in any country! One of the favorite dishes of local residents is "drowned", which literally means "drowned". So the Czechs call sausages or sausages, pre-marinated for two weeks. It is said that this name came from the history of a hundred years ago. A miller named Shamanek Beroun owned, in addition to the mill, own brewery. It was he who came up with the idea of ​​marinating sausages for better preservation, adding onions and other spices to the marinade. Therefore, his pub became a very popular institution. Beroun himself drowned while repairing the wheel at the mill, which is why the sausages began to be called that. The serving of this dish is interesting - the sausage is cut in the center along, where vegetables are put - tomato, onion, pepper. Sometimes they can be served with cabbage or with hot pepper. They are sprinkled with herbs on top. Remember that this is a rather fatty dish, so it goes best with beer.
Habitual for the Slavic people, brawn in the Czech Republic is called tlachenka. It is made from pork knuckle and meat offal. Served with horseradish, mustard and pickled onions. The Czechs are also known for their sausages, which came to national cuisine from Germany. It's very tasty meat product, which is grilled until crispy.
Cheese has a special place in Czech cuisine. Many tourists are advised to try Olomouc curds. It should be noted that they are distinguished by a very sharp specific smell, not everyone can withstand it. But those who still decide to try it say that the taste of such delights is very delicate. They are made from sour curd, which is mixed with salt, stuffed with the resulting mass of the container and left to ripen. You can not only taste them in a cafe, but also buy them in almost any Czech store. Cheese lovers recommend keeping them warm first, and then using them - this way they become more tender and tastier.
Hermelin is served as another type of cheese as a beer snack. It is a pickled product made from cow's milk. It is distinguished by the presence of mold. The secret of eating lies in the right marinade consisting of black pepper, onion, bay leaf, chili pepper, garlic and cumin. In this mixture, it is about two weeks. It is often fried in breadcrumbs and served as a hot appetizer.

First meal

As in most countries, traditionally the first course is soup. It is cooked here in diverse versions, one of the favorites of local residents is garlic broth, or garlic. Its main ingredient is garlic - they put a whole head here. The dish is prepared on the basis of smoked meats, which are pre-boiled. Then add chopped potatoes small pieces garlic, cumin, marjoram and black pepper. Czech chefs recommend not adding all the garlic at once, but in portions during cooking. So the soup will be more flavorful. It is often served on a plate of bread. Then one beaten egg is added there. It turns out thicker and does not flow out of the bread. The egg must be added before readiness, pouring in a thin stream and stirring. It shouldn't curl up in big chunks.
Another soup served in bread is thick potato bramboraka. It is prepared on the basis dried mushrooms. First, the mushrooms are poured with water and allowed to swell. Then mixed in water with flour-fried onions and potatoes. Seasonings are cumin and black pepper, sprinkled with chopped parsley before serving.
When studying Czech cuisine, you can find many recipes for making soup with beer. One of these is ginger broth. At first beef composition bring to a boil with beer, and then add to it a mass made from mashed sour cream, eggs and butter. Before cooking, it is seasoned with grated ginger. Served with parsley and lemon slices.
Zelna vole is a sauerkraut soup, simply put, cabbage soup. The difference in the Czech recipe is that cream is added to it. They are first fried in a pan with flour. It is usually seasoned with ground red Bell pepper, clove, wig and allspice. Sausage is often added to such a soup - then it will be called a tourochka.
Since the Czechs are famous for their love of meat, goulash soup is their favorite soup. The game for him is used very different - and beef, and chicken, and rabbit. Of course, beef goulash soup is in the greatest demand. First on meat bones boil the broth. At this time, beef, cut into small pieces, is fried separately in a pan. Then diced potatoes are added to it and stewed with garlic, cumin and marjoram. This goulash is then poured into the broth. It gets pretty thick. rich first dish. Czech chefs often add organ meats to it.
A soup based on dill and sour milk is called a copra vole. Mix in a saucepan meat broth, Milk, Potato And Onion Fried With Flour. All this is generously covered with chopped dill. The spice is usually cumin. They try to give such a dish a slightly sour taste with the help of vinegar or lemon juice.
Another favorite of the Czechs meat soup prepared from meat broth and dumplings from the liver. They are the main component of this first course. For their preparation White bread soaked in milk and mixed with twisted liver. Then this mass is boiled in water, cut into slices and added to beef broth with potatoes.
Czechs also cook borscht, its basis, like ours, is beets. The recipe for regular execution includes all the same ingredients as the Ukrainian counterpart. But present in Czech menu and Prague borsch - this is when beets are chopped on a grater and poured with bread kvass. Add to the boiling mass butter and sprinkle with dill and parsley.
It can be seen that Czech soups are often cooked with the addition of flour, which makes them thicker, because the favorite serving of first courses is in a loaf of bread. Thick soup will not soften the bread and will not leak from the plate!

Main courses

As second courses, the Czechs focus on meat with a side dish. A real brand in the gastronomic diversity of this country can be called a dish, referred to as a boar's knee. Approximate weight such a knee is from one to one and a half kilograms - consider this when ordering. The delicacy is best consumed in big company. In fact, this is a baked pig leg, which is pre-marinated in beer. In the right marinade lies the whole secret of its preparation. The meat is rubbed with garlic, cumin and other spices. Then cut into pieces ginger, which is placed on the bottom of the dish. Posted on it pork leg and sliced ​​apples. All this is filled with beer. The meat should be marinated for about a day, therefore, it is better to start cooking it in the morning in order to fry the leg the next morning. Before sending for frying, it is recommended to boil the meat in this marinade for an hour. At home, the pickled leg is wrapped in foil and sent to the oven for a couple of hours. Cooking time depends on its size. Restaurants often do it on the grill or skewer. It is served with pickles, stewed cabbage and, of course, beer.
Other national second Svichkova on sour cream is considered a dish - beef tenderloin stewed in sour cream sauce. Before frying the beef, it must be stuffed with thin pieces of bacon and rubbed with cumin and pepper. Then you should fry the meat piece in a pan and send it to the oven for half an hour. Special attention deserves the preparation of the sauce. First, vegetables are fried - onions, celery and carrots. They add meat broth or water, nutmeg, cinnamon, and then cream or sour cream. This sauce is stewed until the vegetables are ready. Before serving, the meat is cut into pieces and poured with this sauce or stewed in the sauce. It is customary to serve food with cranberry or lingonberry jam. Despite the strange combination, it turns out to be delicious. Every chef has his own recipe proper cooking svichkovy. The most eminent among them have the knowledge of an old recipe passed down from a previous generation. Basically it's a holiday meal. No less famous dumplings serve as a garnish for it.
It is worth mentioning them in more detail. Dumplings are difficult to attribute to any dish, because they can be both with meat and with sweet stuffing. They are also just a side dish. In general, this is a traditional Czech dish, the first to be remembered at the mention of the Czech Republic. The basis of dumplings is potatoes. It is boiled in uniform, cooled and rubbed on a grater. An egg, flour, salt are added to the resulting mass and sausages are molded from it. Then they are boiled in water. After cooling the dumpling, it is cut into slices. And then the fantasy of cooks and cooks is already working. As a filling, you can use minced meat, put in the middle and jam, just sprinkle with grated cheese until it melts. There are no restrictions in giving food a special taste. The second popular side dish after dumplings is cabbage, mostly stewed.
Thanks to the influence of Hungarian cuisine, goulash took root in the Czech Republic and became one of the favorite second courses - juicy meat stewed with caraway seeds or garlic in tomato paste. The prepared gravy is tasty, as a result, goulash is usually served with dumplings, which are convenient to smear it. In any restaurant, it is easy to do this calmly, it is customary for local residents and they treat it absolutely normally. The meat in the dish is beef or, even better, veal. Some chefs add paprika, marjoram and other spices to goulash to add spice.
Czechs like to add honey to some dishes. One of the most delicious national dishes are considered pork ribs baked in honey. In the local language, it sounds like baked veprsh's foal in honey. festive treat roasted goose or duck are considered. They are also lubricated with honey to give a crispy and fragrant crust.
Czechs love not only game meat, but also their offal, preference is given to the liver. Here it is prepared so that it remains pink inside. A whole beef liver is divided into two parts, rubbed with spices and fried for a short time, but over high heat. Red wine mixed with soy sauce is added as a gravy during frying. Before readiness, the dish is supplemented with almonds and onions fried in flour. Dumplings or rice usually serve as a side dish.
Schnitzel is also in demand here. Of course, this dish is not of Czech origin, but it is so revered that it has long been perceived as local. The main ingredient is beef, veal or chicken. Pieces of meat are beaten off, dipped in batter and fried in a pan. The batter can be both breadcrumbs or flour mixed with pepper, and a beaten egg. The most common side dish for schnitzel is mashed potatoes.
According to many tourists, one of the most delicious Czech dishes is katuv shlech in potato pancakes. First, it is worth mentioning what a potato pancake is - this is a potato pancake familiar to Ukrainians, here it is also called bamborak. Its recipe is similar to the preparation of potato pancakes, but only local chefs marjoram is added to the dough. And katuv shlyakh is pork cut into small pieces, stewed with vegetables. As vegetables, onions, carrots and peppers are usually taken. They are not rubbed, but cut. Peppers - straws, carrots and onions - half rings. When the meat is ready, it is laid out on one half of the bamborak and covered with the second. It should be noted that here potato pancakes are baked large, distributing them over the entire size of the pan. Local bamboraki in the survey for the most popular dish in the Czech Republic, even dumplings were ahead.

Sweets and pastries

Baked products are revered by the Czech people. Local cuisine includes many traditional sweet recipes, which are close to beer snacks in quantity. Not much attention is paid to sweets by tourists, after all, beer and the dishes offered for it are a priority here. But the Czechs themselves love them, dessert is included in the mandatory menu after lunch or dinner.
No national holiday can be imagined without trdlo or trdelnik. It may seem that this is a typo, but no, that is what the hollow cylindrical tubes of sweets are called. yeast dough. The dough is wrapped around wooden or metal sticks and baked by twisting such nozzles. After the tubes are dipped in a mixture of sugar and cinnamon and sprinkled with vanilla, coconut flakes or nuts. Later, they began to cook trdlo stuffed with condensed milk, whipped cream, mushrooms or cheese, but traditionally this is an empty tube. Czech mothers sometimes call restless children trdlo. The word itself can be translated as "fool", that is, empty inside. In general, a trdlo is the stick on which the dough for baking is wound. You can buy such a delicacy literally at every step, it is sold not only in cafes and bakeries, but also in street tents. Interestingly, in the Slovak city of Skalica, located on the border with the Czech Republic, an annual festival called "Trdlofest" takes place. There, chefs compete in baking the longest and most delicious tube.
The Czech people are known for their humorous attitude to everything that happens. The kitchen was no exception. Local dessert rakvitsa literally translates as coffin. It's essentially an eclair topped with whipped cream. They simply fashion cakes roughly, in the form of small coffins. And the eclairs themselves are sugar whipped with egg yolk with the addition of flour, a tender delicacy that melts in your mouth.
The Czechs owe the appearance of strudel in the kitchen to the Austrians and Germans - it is still unknown who first invented it. It is incredible delicious roll from thin dough various fillings. Usually, berries or fruits are taken for the filling - pear, strawberry, cherry, but the most popular strudel in the Czech Republic is apple, watered vanilla syrup. The locals, who love to eat hearty, could not help but experiment and began to make a delicacy with more hearty fillings. In the country, you can try it with cottage cheese, potatoes, fish or meat. Fortunately, the density of the dough allows you to do such experiments. The recipe of the original Czech strudel includes light varieties of beer. A feature of the preparation is that the dough should be thinly rolled out and, interspersed with fillings, put in layers on top of each other.
In the menu of many cafes in the dessert section, you can find palanchi. They belong to the classics of Czech sweets - these are delicate pancakes prepared with various fillings. There is nothing unusual in the recipe - flour, salt, egg and milk. Real palanchiki should be ruddy in color. Inside the pancake can be cheeses, jams, preserves or honey. All this also goes well with pieces of fruit.

Beverages

Opponents Czech beer the country simply does not have it - it is the most beloved drink by both locals and guests. Brewers are held in high esteem here, as are doctors, teachers or priests. Real beer in the Czech Republic is produced in wide variety, it is simply impossible to count all its varieties. It is drunk easily and quickly, as it is less strong than that used in Russia or Ukraine. Accompanying the evening with six glasses of a foamy drink is the usual norm, while the state will be far from intoxication. Only high spirits guaranteed!
Brewing originated in the Czech Republic in the 11th century, and its spread was promoted by monks who drank beer during long fasts to maintain a starving body. The German brewer Josef Groll, who was invited to create new varieties, brought great benefits to the beer chela. He owns the Pilsner variety, which appeared in the middle of the 19th century. Today there are 49 breweries in the state, among which are famous brands, like "Staropramen", "Krushovice", "Budvar", "Velkopopovitsky goat". Interesting beer "Staropramen" brands "Velvet" and "Celt". When pouring, the glass is completely filled with foam, rushing up. However, when the bubbles settle, it remains completely filled with beer.
Among other alcoholic beverages, Czechs especially revere Becherovka. After beer, it ranks second in terms of consumption in the country. They call her calling card wine list Czech restaurants. She represents herbal liqueur with considerable strength medicinal properties, because it was originally created as a medicine. Becherovka helps to relax the muscle tissue of the gastrointestinal tract, the secretion of juice in the stomach. The composition of the drink includes anise and cloves, cinnamon and cardamom, orange peel and pepper. The recipe for its preparation was indulged by the Becher generation by word of mouth, exact recipe is kept a closely guarded secret to this day.
You can also highlight fruit and berry brandy, slivovitz, rum and absinthe. The Czech Republic ignored the ban on the production of the latter; about ten of its varieties are produced here. Especially for ladies, absinthe is made with 35% alcohol content instead of the usual 70%. An excellent souvenir brought from the country will be a bottle of "Becherovka" or gift set absinthe different varieties. It is sold from special spoon for burning sugar. It is believed that drinking this the strongest drink correctly so: in a spoon, set fire to a piece of sugar and hold the spoon over a glass so that burnt sweetness drips there. Then mix everything and drink. From non-alcoholic drinks, Czechs choose tea and coffee.

Czech cuisine is a real paradise for lovers of meat, beer and sweets. Taking away impressions of sights from here, one of those will be memories of delicious and satisfying local cuisine. Many of the recipes are quite simple, they can be prepared at home, surprising guests. unusual dishes!

- very rich and tasty. It is based on in large numbers meat with the addition of various sauces, dumplings are very popular here, as well as sweet pastry desserts. Czech culinary traditions originated from a mixture of traditional local dishes and borrowed from 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?

Slovakian food is considered simpler and more 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, smoked meats. And mushroom and garlic soup both of them generally consider it their national dish. The same applies to meat: in Slovakia, on the menu you will definitely find boar knee, schnitzels that came from Austria, and Hungarian goulash. Unlike the Czech Republic, fish is more often found on the table here, especially river and lake trout, which Slovaks know how to cook deliciously.

Dumplings, beloved by Czechs, are also popular among Slovaks, they are loved here in salty and sweet versions, with and without fillings.

Traditional food of Czech regions

National dishes in some cities of the Czech Republic can often be used not only as food, but also as souvenirs:

1. 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 packages of wafers that you can easily take with you.
2. Pardubice gingerbread belong to the traditional honey cake decorated with icing. 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 family from the fair in, but today they are taken to other countries as.
3. - This tender cookies from thin gingerbread dough, folded 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 rightfully proud of its cuisine and gladly introduces 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 more deeply.

Beer tours are considered the most popular tours. This is not only tasting different types of beer, but also visiting large factories and private breweries, getting to know the traditions of growing hops and participating in the production of a delicious drink.

In southern Moravia, you can go to wine tour vineyards and wineries. Here you will find tastings, the history of grape cultivation in the Czech Republic, acquaintance with the characteristics of local varieties and the opportunity to purchase wine directly from producers.

Czech cuisine has always been famous for dense and memorable dishes. But, the only negative is that it is for the most part quite heavy. Because of this, not only guests of the country, but also the Czechs themselves always take something with them 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 dishes one by one. It is not a fact that you will be able to eat even a three-course meal. Portion sizes are large enough. It is customary to serve main dishes with not one side dish, but two or several types of sauce.

In Czech cuisine, meat dishes hold the primacy, enough fatty meals. Pork here is the top that no one stands next to. Sausages and snacks (they are fried or pickled) are also in the first place. Although greasy and heavy, but incredibly tasty.

But first things first. Any Czech soup is called a vole and has its own name attached to it. For example, Vole "Trenchin". . The soup menu is usually served separately, at the start of the meal. Soups are thick, almost like a sauce. The density of soups is achieved due to the fact that they add semolina or pureed vegetables. Butter and egg yolk are sometimes used. Approximately 2/3 of the first courses of Czech cuisine are pureed. In terms of popularity, the championship is held by:

1. Garlic field.
2. Onion field.
3. Sauerkraut bent sauerkraut.
4. Polevitsa with smoked products and mushrooms.
5. Potato from puréed vegetables.
6. 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 occupied by the world-famous Veprevo Knee. Speaking in Russian, this is pork knuckle. Veprevo Knee baked in dark beer. It is served with three types of sauce as standard, and with big amount at the request of the guests. In different restaurants, everything is different: in some Veprevo Knee is also served with sauerkraut, in others without. Knuckle, mainly in ready-made weighs 800 grams. Minus the bone - 700. Some restaurants order smaller raw materials so that one person can eat it whole. Veprevo 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 crispy. This is usually done in a combi steamer or on the grill. The ribs are served in the same way as the knuckle, with three or more types of sauce and pickled vegetables. The dish will weigh in its pure form at least 700 grams. You can feed three people.

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 slices, 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 definitely a difference. Moreover, there are hundreds of goulash recipes in the country. Beef, pork, rabbit, liver, assorted - whatever. But the leader is still beef goulash. Cumin, 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 one of the dishes that can not be said about is the baked duck. Usually it is cooked whole with spices. Served with boiled potatoes, and again with three or more kinds of sauces.

Do not neglect the Czechs and fish. The inhabitants of the Czech Republic are very fond of carp. It is served either baked, or in the form of chops, or prepared from it as an ear. A traditional dish for Christmas - 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 braised cabbage Sauerkraut, porridge and potato balls that are deep fried.

Among snacks, Czechs prefer cheese plate, fried breaded cheese. They use their own Germelin cheese. Serving - with sauces and cabbage. Another one of popular snacks Drowners. These are pickled sausages or skewers cooked with fried onions and pepper.

Of the desserts, fruit dumplings are popular; plums, apricots and strawberries are added to them. Czechs also love strudel. There is one more National dish Trdlo. Trdlo is for sale on all streets, on every corner. It is prepared from dough, grilled on skewers in the form of a cylinder, sprinkled with sugar. .

Czech national cuisine cannot be called highly diverse. But the listed dishes are worth a try.

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