Taste Ljubljana: Long for its dishes Ljubljanas been known

Excellent boiled beef tongue, eggs A la Ljubljana, sautéed potatoes, chives sauce and fried chicken drumsticks and wings that were popular among workers in the city port at the Ljubljanica river in the 17th century, and Ljubljana cottage cheese pancakes with tarragon for dessert! These are only a few of the delicacies that can be found in the culinary guide Taste Ljubljana.

The project was developed in collaboration of the Ljubljana Tourism and the renowned Slovenian ethnologist Dr Janez Bogataj. With the Taste Ljubljana brand, the official guide to Ljubljana and the Central Slovenia region Visit Ljubljana wants to draw attention to the typical dishes of Ljubljana and present their modern preparation. The authors` aim is to prevent the traditional dishes of Ljubljana from disappearing from the everyday and festive menus of locals and visitors.

After the presentation of the dishes from the cookbook Taste Ljubljana in June, compiled by the renowned Slovenian chefs Janez Bratovž (JB Restaurant), Igor Jagodic (Strelec Restaurant), and Andrej Kuhar (Maxim Restaurant), the project was joined by 60 of Ljubljana`s restaurants and markets that offer dishes under the Taste Ljubljana brand. The majority of these dishes can be tasted at the unique open food market Open kitchen, organised every Friday at Pogačarjev trg. Taste Ljubljana will also mark the Slovenian Wine Regions in the City of Wine on 20 September and 1 October, Ljubljana Wine Route on 8 and 15 November and Wine Festival on 20 and 21 November.

Last June saw the publication of the culinary guide Flavours of Central Slovenia: In the Middle of the Table. It was created with the participation of all municipalities of the Central Slovenia region under the auspices of the Ljubljana Tourism. The publication, which contains more than 80 dishes with geographical origin, is practically designed, since the dishes featured in the guide can actually be ordered in a restaurant located in the dish`s "place of origin". This idea is also followed by Taste Ljubljana guide, subtitled Long for its dishes Ljubljana`s been known. The book traces the history of cuisine in Ljubljana and its surrounding areas, stories of individual dishes, and their recipes. It includes a list of restaurants that offer these culinary delights. Slovenian capital wants to increase the visibility of traditional Ljubljana dishes and return them to the menus of restaurants, bringing the noble flavours of Ljubljana closer to the visitors.

When we are talking about the food, we should also mention the culinary Oscars which were awarded to the ethnologists Janez Bogataj and Božidar Jezernik at the largest World Cookbook Fair. The prizes have been awarded since 1995 and the two connoisseurs have won awards for their books Potice iz Slovenije (Poticas of Slovenia) and Kava - čarobni napoj (Coffee - the magic potion). Potica is a traditional cake and for many the best Slovenian dessert, made from rolled dough with a filling. Janez Bogataj, a big fan and supporter of the cake, received the culinary Oscar already two years ago for his monograph Mojstrovine s kranjsko klobaso (Kranjska Sausage Masterpieces from Slovenia). In this year`s literary work he presents the path of cake from the earliest records to the present. The book includes 28 recipes for the preparation of sweet and 12 recipes for the preparation of salty varieties from all regions of Slovenia. Kava - čarobni napoj is no less interesting. With a collection of more than 250 photographs, postcards, drawings, advertisements, and texts Božidar Jezernik tackled this study of coffee, which was drank in Western Europe, the Balkans, Yemen, Ethiopia, Ottoman Empire and Brazil.

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