Slovak food has a lot in common with its neighbour the Czech Republic, though Slovak food does has some distinct touches of its own – such as bryndzove halusky. My brother Martin described bryndzove halusky as the most unappetising food he has ever seen – though he still managed to eat two plates of it. Have a look at some Slovak food that I have encountered on my travels.
Talk of the devil, a plate of bryndzove halusky, served up with some spicy salami and a generous dollop of sour cream. Rumours that it is in fact wallpaper paste, are, of course, completely unfounded.
A lot of Slovak food is covered with grated eidam. Not easy to tell what is under this pile. It could be pieces of chicken or pork. Increasingly, the salad provided is fresh, rather than coming out of a jar.Marks for presentation? A tasty though undoubtedly unhealthy Slovak sausage, served up with a feferoni and some sour cream.The mother of all sausages? The slang name for this monster is a ‘hurka’ sausage, also known as jaternice.What do you mean, it looks like it’s been down once already? Bryndzove halusky is actually quite tasty. They are potato-based noodles with a sour sheep’s cheese.
Chicken kiev Slovak style. Well cooked at a high temperature, the kiev was crisp and not fatty. The ‘American potatoes’ are deep fried or roasted in their skins, often with a basting of garlic paste.Those ‘roast’ potatoes look suspiciously oily – together with a kebab like mix of meat and salad.Pancakes are a popular dessert in Slovakia, filled with chocolate cream or pieces of sterilised fruit; often served with a ball or two of ice cream.Just in case you haven’t had a heart attack yet, chocolate pudding with a ball of ice cream and a squidge of cream on top.