Things to eat in the Czech Republic Specialities from Vltava
Although the first dish that comes to your mind when you think about Czech cuisine is surely knedlíky, the country's menu has many more delicacies to offer. The more so, as it a region where various cultures intermingled and made their contributions also on the culinary front. Since the food there is full-bodied and rather calorific, you can throw strict diets out the window before coming to the Czech Republic!
Knedlíky - a must-have dish!
You must start your culinary tour of the Czech Republic from the aforementioned knedlíky. A type of dumplings, they are made from dough based on cooked potatoes or wheat flour and yeasts. When properly kneaded, the dough is left to rise, then formed into a cylinder, and finally cooked in salted water for some 20 minutes. When cooked, it is cut into slices and served on a plate right away. Knedlíky are served with goulash or a piece of roast – and when topped gravy, the dish acquires some additional culinary values. Czechs are not great fans of vegetables, but a cabbage salad will certainly do here. If you happen to see "vepro-knedlo-zelo" on the menu, be advised that it means a pork roast with knedlíky and cabbage (either white or red).
Polévka is good for any occasion
Now that you have tasted the most classic of Czech specialities, you can move on to some other dishes. You like soups? Excellent! Czech do as well! The range of polévkas is quite impressive. A garlic polévka is the most popular one (and it is indeed excellent!), but you can easily find some cabbage, pea, onion, potato, mushroom or goulash variants, and even tripe. They are so nourishing that they can be a standalone dish and satiate quite a big hunger. The full-bodies and hot soup will prove its worth in just about any situation, particularly during sightseeing tours in autumn or winter.
Meat, meat and even more meat
There is no denying – Czech cuisine is rather not a vegetarian paradise. Restaurant menus are ruled by various meats: pork, beef, poultry, lamb, and quite a lot of venison. There are roasts, goulash stews, grilled meats etc. You must have classic beef sirloin in cream sauce, we well as a pork knucke with sauerkraut! Those who do not eat meat will be saved by smažený sýr, a breaded and fried slice of cheese that resembles a cutlet. You can have it with chips and tartar sauce, and you can chuck some salads on the side.
The world's best %
Nothing goes better with most Czech dishes than a mug of good beer. The choice is truly vast, and Czechs are real fans of this beverage. It tastes best in a traditional inn or beer house. If you pop in for a beer in the evening, take a typical beer snack with it. The ideal choice for that purpose will be Olomouc cheese with a characteristic and strong aroma, and marinaded hermelin – cheese that resembles Camembert, which is immersed in oil with an addition of onion, garlic, herbs and paprika. You must also try utopence, i.e. marinaded hot dogs! They are kept in marinade for 7-14 days, and then served cold with bread. It is a Czech delicacy which you can buy in a jar and take home with you. Among Czech alcohols that are gaining on popularity is Becherovka , a herbal bitter, and burčak, a by-product from fermentation of grapevine pulp. Also, ensure that you try excellent Moravian white wine, which is becoming increasingly popular these day. If don't feel like drinking alcohol, place your order yourself kofolę, a Czech equivalent of coca-cola.
Sweet Czech life
It's dessert time now! When in the Czech Republic, try medovnik, a honey and nut cake with delicate custard. A delicious combination! Have also various wafers (today, they are produced by Horalky, among others), wafer rolls biscuits with jam. Don't forget to bring with you a few bars of Studentska chocolate - such an amount of raisins and nuts as in this confectionery product is not a frequent occurrence!
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