Rustic charm
It’s pastries, big old bangers and rich crumbly cakes that make up much of Slovenia’s most traditional food. The influences of Germanic cuisine are clear to see, but with some twists brought in from Italy and the wider Mediterranean.
That influence is felt perhaps most strongly in the Karst region, which extends from the southwest of Slovenia into the northeast of Italy. A grand fusion of flavours can be found here, felt most markedly in the smoked hams and cured meats that this region produces. The rich flavours are the result of patient preparation and treatments refined over generations.
A hearty soup is also the order of the day on many a Slovenian dining table. To many Slovenians, the national soup is prezganka, which is made of flour, caraway seeds and eggs. It has a rich brown colour and tastes a little different from north to south, where different family twists on the recipe have emerged.