Slovenian houses are still shaking from all the tidying up and baking of traditional sweet goods before the Christmas holiday season. One of the oldest customs is the preparation of “poprtnik” or Christmas bread, which is believed to have been preserved since pagan times when the arrival of light during the winter solstice was celebrated. This sweet and decorated milk bread made with white flour symbolised the wish for health and abundance in the new year.
In the past, Christmas bread was associated with special powers for a good harvest, so a few pieces of it were also fed to livestock or buried along the edges of fields.
According to the old Slovenian tradition, the table should be so full of goods on Christmas Day that it is impossible to find space for glasses. In the past, right after midnight, it was good to eat at least some sausage, either made at home or at the neighbour’s “koline” (pig slaughter). Even today, preparing and processing meat at home is most intense before Christmas.
The Slovenian poet and linguist Valentin Vodnik mentioned a few ways to prepare a capon in the first cook book in the Slovenian language, the 1799 title “Kuharske Bukve”.
Side dishes go great with meat. Some of them melt in the mouth, others bring us well-being and drive off the guilty conscience that emerges because of all the delicious holiday indulgences.
The oldest recorded Slovenian recipe for roasted potatoes can be found in “Slovenska Kuharica”, which was published in Ljubljana in 1868.
During the holiday season, roasted potatoes are the most common side dish. Cooked potatoes, roasted on onions and fat, are particularly tasty when prepared in a cast-iron skillet. It creates a crunchy crust at the bottom, which melts in the mouth. To enrich the flavour of roasted potatoes, housewives like to add cracklings.
Pickled turnip and sauerkraut are tasty and healthy side dishes for holiday dinners. They say that sauerkraut and pickled turnip contribute to one’s well-being, establish a healthy ratio of micro-organisms in the body, and enhance digestion. This is excellent for enhancing the immune system in the cold days of the holiday season.
Despite the loaded table and delicious dishes, there is always room in our stomachs for something sweet after the holiday dinner.
You won’t know unless you try! Potica is the queen of the holiday-laden table and a favourite Slovenian dessert! By preparing Potica, you will bring a piece of Slovenia back into your home. To make your baking challenge a bit easier, see our recipe for the most widespread, walnut, Potica.
Bon appetite and happy holidays!
Try the Slovenian culinary delights for holidays! Even if the traditional holiday feast is not completely to your taste, you can still add something Slovenian.
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