I offer you a convenient list of Czech cuisine. Just print it out and carry it with you to Czech restaurants.

The fact that Czech beer is one of the best in the world is undeniable. But the Czech people are not rich in beer alone. The national cuisine of the Czech Republic can surprise even the most distinguished gourmet with its diversity. You can taste the most popular national dishes in any Czech restaurant or pub (popularly called “hospoda”).

The first thing you should do when you cross the threshold, gentlemen, is say hello. This way you will not only show your good manners and goodwill, but will also attract the attention of the waiter, who will kindly lead you to an empty table.

Those who often travel to the Czech Republic probably know that some local restaurants charge a fee for improved service, so if you find a basket of sauces (couvert) or bread on your table, be prepared for additional costs. To avoid unnecessary expenses, choose an establishment without a paid service. Of course, you can refuse the cover, but this would be a sign of bad taste.

Before you start choosing dishes from Jídelní lístek, order a glass of beer of your choice. Typically, most Czech restaurants offer their visitors several types of draft beer (točené pivo) from the same brewer.

While drinking a coveted mug of your favorite beer, you can begin to study the menu. In any Czech restaurant or restaurant, the waiter will bring you:

• jídelniček (yidelniček) – food menu
• pitníček (pithouse) - menu with drinks.

So, what do Czech chefs offer us to try?

The first section of any holiday program is Něco na zčátek

Něco na začátek – literally translated into Russian – for starters. In this section you will find a large assortment of light snacks to go with beer:

• Masové prkénko (cold meat) – neatly chopped bacon, ham, sausage, and pickled cucumber and pickled pepper added for piquancy.
• Sýrové prkénko (assorted cheese) – a selection of cheese varieties of your choice. Most often it is Niva, Romadur, Eden or Hermelin.
• Рivni sýr obložený – bread spread with an original snack made from beer cheese, sprat, onions, butter and with the addition of a drop of beer.
• Topinky s křupavou slaninou a česnekem – toast with crispy bacon and garlic.
• Tatarský biftek z lososa na salátovém lůžku s opečenou bagetkou – raw minced salmon with a toasted loaf. Served on a lettuce leaf.
• Hovězí tatarák s topinkami – fried bread with raw minced beef.
• Vltavský utopenec – delicious pickled sausage.
• Tlačenka s cibulí a octem – spicy brawn with onion and vinegar.
• Grilované klobásky s křenem a hořice – delicious meat sausages, grilled until crispy. Served with horseradish and spicy mustard.

Hot snacks for beer

In the “Hot snacks for beer” section you can find the following:

• Smažený hermelín – hermelin cheese, fried breaded on all sides and decorated with lingonberry sauce. Despite the unusual combination of ingredients, the taste of fried hermelin is a real pleasure.
• Grilovaný hermelín is a variation of the previous dish. The difference is that the cheese is grilled. As a rule, it is served with vegetables and sweet and sour sauce.
• Houbové (zeleninové) rizoto – mushroom (vegetable) risotto.
• Zapečené smetanové brambory s listovým špenátem – boiled potatoes with spinach in a fluffy sour cream sauce.

From appetizers we will smoothly move on to main courses.

Soups – Polevky

Drštková (Drshtkova)

Soups – Polévky – occupy a special place in Czech cuisine. Any restaurant will offer a huge variety of “voles” to choose from. Here are just a few of the most popular ones:

• Drštková (drštkova) - this soup made from tripe is the national pride of the Czechs. Once upon a time, “drshtkova” was the most common food among the poor.
• Zelňačka – sauerkraut soup.
• Česnečka (garlic) – a spicy garlic soup. The special aroma of “garlic” is given by the smoked foods added to it.
• Cibulačka (tsibulachka) - onion soup with pieces of cheese and crispy croutons.
• Bramboračka is a familiar potato and mushroom soup, often served in an unusual bread bowl.
• Jihočeská kulajda (jigocheska kulajda) - almost the same as bramborachka, only with sour cream.
• Gulášová polévka (gulash vole) – goulash soup.
• Zeleninová polévka (Zelenin's vole) - under such a funny name - "Zelenin's vole" - lies nothing more than a vegetable soup.
• Pivní polévka (pivni vole) – Czechs love beer so much that they even use it to make soup. In any restaurant you will be offered to try Pivní polévka - beer soup with the addition of cheese croutons.

Second courses

As for the main courses, their list takes up most of the “Yidelnichka”. Czechs have a great respect for meat, so the menu includes a lot of hearty dishes made from pork (vepřovo maso), beef (hovězí maso) and lamb (Skopové or jehněčí maso).

Pork

• Vepřo-knedlo-zelo is the most common pork dish in Czech cuisine. This is oven-baked pork with dumplings and stewed cabbage. Before serving, “veprsho-knedlo-zelo” is generously poured with gravy.
• Pečené vepřové koleno (HIT!) – pork knuckle baked in the oven with horseradish and mustard. If you order “boar's knee liver” at a restaurant, be prepared for the fact that it is simply impossible to eat it alone. The dish is very popular!
• Pečený vepřový bok – prepared similarly to the previous dish, only from pork side.
• Pečená vepřová žebírka v medu – a dish that combines the unusual taste of baked pork ribs and sweet bee honey. There are a lot of ribs in one serving. By the way, “boar’s gill baked in honey” was once considered the food of the poor. Yes, the poor Czechs lived well!
• Staročeská Bašta is a difficult to prepare dish of cold cuts. It consists of baked pork, baked duck meat, smoked neck and baked sausages. Vegetables include stewed white and red cabbage, as well as potato cakes and bread dumplings. One portion of “old man’s bashta” is enough to feed several hungry men.
• Vepřová panenka s houbovou omáčkou – the word panenka in the context of the name of the dish means “doll”. This is what the Czechs call meatloaf, generously sprinkled with mushroom sauce.
• Přírodní vepřový řízek na pepři – grilled pork. As a rule, the meat is well seasoned with a mixture of ground peppers.
• Vepřová kotleta v omáčce – despite the fact that the name of the dish contains the word kotleta, this dish is prepared from a whole piece of pork, which, as you might guess, is poured with sauce.
• Vepřový guláš – delicious pork goulash. Veprsov goulash is served with bread or potato dumplings.
• Královský meč – this is the majestic name given by the Czechs to meat kebab, strung on a sword-shaped skewer. Often in restaurants they offer to try shish kebab from not one, but several types of meat at once. Standard set - pork, beef, lamb plus vegetables.
• Pečená vepřová játra is nothing more than oven-cooked pork liver.
• Moravský vrabec – this somewhat unusual name – “Moravian sparrow” – hides baked pieces of pork.

As you can see, Czech national cuisine dishes made from meat are very diverse and original. But the restaurant menu also includes quite familiar steaks (Vepřový steak) and schnitzels (Vepřový řízek) made from pork.

Beef

Here are the most interesting Czech beef dishes:

• Svíčková na smetaně – deliciously cooked beef tenderloin, swimming in an amazing sour cream sauce. “Svichkova with sour cream” is served with a slice of lemon, soft cream, berry jam (usually lingonberry) and dumplings.
• Biftek naložený v barevném pepři s omáčkou – this dish consists of biftek and a side dish, neatly laid out on a plate with colorful peppers.
• Pivovarský guláš is my favorite dish, goulash made from beef meat. Served with dumplings and gravy.
• Rumpsteak s bylinkovým máslem - beef rumpsteak in butter and spices.
• Čertovy roštěnky (damn roast beef) – this is an interesting name for spicy roast beef in the Czech Republic.
• The Czechs call beef meat baked in a pot Moravský hrnec, and beef steak Hovězí steak.

Mutton

Jehněčí kýta pečená na česneku a majoránce – leg of lamb baked in garlic and marjoram

Czechs also love lamb dishes. But the main thing here is not that they love them, but that they know how to cook them.

• Dušená jehněčí kýta – stewed leg of lamb.
• Jehněčí s jáhlovou kaší – young lamb meat. As a side dish - millet porridge.
• Cikánská skopová kotleta is a cooked whole piece of lamb meat seasoned with spicy seasonings.
• Skopové plátky na majoránce – lamb loin cooked with marjoram.
• Jehněčí plec s citrónem – lamb shoulder with lemon juice.
• Jehněčí na fazolkách – lamb with beans.

Game

There are a lot of game dishes (Zvěřina) on the menus of Czech restaurants.

• Bažant na víně – pheasant (bažant) with a light wine sauce.
• Bažantí prsa s hruškami – pheasant breasts baked with pears.
• Divočák na pivě se zelím – wild boar cooked in beer with crispy cabbage.
• Polada s divočáka – wild boar meat roll.
• Dančí guláš – goulash made from fallow deer meat.
• Jelení guláš – deer goulash.
• Pečená koroptev – partridges baked until crispy.
• Pečená srnčí kýta – baked chamois leg.
• Kanec na česneku – wild boar meat baked with a lot of garlic.
• Jelení řízky na víně – deer steak with wine sauce.
• Zaječí Paštika – hare meat pate.

Bird (Drůbež)

The yidelnichek section called Drůbež has a lot of delicious poultry dishes.

• Francouzská paštika z kachních jater is the most famous delicacy of this section. The famous foie gras pate, made from duck liver, is highly valued by gourmets around the world.

The following dishes are no less delicious:

• Kachna s ořechy po čínsku – duck with nuts, cooked in Chinese.
• Kachní prsa s mangem – duck breasts baked with exotic mango.
• Pečená kachna s pomerančem a jablky – duck baked according to a traditional recipe with apples and oranges.
• Kuřecí křidélka – crispy chicken wings. A wide variety of sauces are served with “kuržeči křidełka”.
• Pečená kachna – duck cooked in the oven. In the Czech Republic, “pechen kahna” is traditionally served with dumplings.
• Krůtí steak – turkey steak.
• Kuřecí plátek, steak, medailonky, řízečky – fillet, steak or slices of chicken meat.
• Pečená husa s ovocem – goose baked in the oven with fruit.

Fish

In the best restaurants in the Czech Republic you can find a wide range of dishes from river and sea fish. So, what tasty things can you expect from the “Ryba” section?

• Pečený pstruh – a classic of the genre, baked trout.
• Tradiční smažený kapr – an equally traditional dish – fried carp.
• Pečený kapr na česneku – carp baked with garlic.
• Grilovaný platýs – grilled flounder.
• Uzený kapr s křenovou omáčkou – smoked carp. It comes with horseradish sauce.
• Smažená treska v pivním těstíčku – fried cod in batter. By the way, beer is added to the batter.
• Pečený candát s houbovou omáčkou – pike perch cooked in the oven with mushroom sauce
• Pečený candát se sýrovou omáčkou – the same pike perch, only with cheese sauce.
• Grilovaný mořský jazyk na másle – sole, grilled with butter.
• Pečený tuňák – baked tuna.
• Pečený losos na smetaně a česneku – salmon in sour cream and garlic sauce.
• Kalamari na česneku – squid meat with garlic.
• Pečený úhoř podávaný se šalvějovým máslem – a delicacy dish of baked eel. Served with sage butter.
• Grilovaná štika s bylinkovým máslem – grilled pike with spices.

Side dishes

Meat, game, fish - it's all good. What about the side dishes? So, what can you find in the “Side Dishes” (Přílohy) section. The list of side dishes offered by Czech chefs is very large:

• Krokety are deep-fried balls made from potato dough.
• Kari plátky - potatoes with curry seasoning, cut into slices and deep fried.
• Hranolky – deep-fried potato figurines.
• Rösti is a mixture of potatoes and parmesan, deep fried until golden brown.
• Vařeny brambor – well, everything here is very banal – it’s boiled potatoes.
• Americké brambory – potatoes boiled in their jackets, cut into large pieces and deep-fried.
• Kořeněné americké brambory – the same as the previous dish, only with spices.
• Pečený brambor v alobalu – potatoes baked in foil.
• Bramborová kaše – traditional puree.
• Šťouchané brambory se slaninou – potatoes stuffed with lard.
• Bramboráčky – Bramborové placky – fried potato cakes. Prepared from grated raw potatoes.
• Vařena zelenina – a variety of boiled vegetables.
• Dušená rýže – boiled rice.
• Máslová brokolice – broccoli in oil.
• Fazolové lusky na slanině – beans fried with cracklings.
• Topinky, tousty – crispy toast and croutons.

As you can see, Czech restaurants have dishes to suit every taste and budget. But they just don’t take 5 minutes to cook.

What if time is running out? For example, you only have half an hour to have lunch. In this case, choose dishes from the “Ready meals” section (Hotova jídla). Here you can find several types of first, second and side dishes.

Desserts

Zmrzlinový pohár s čerstvým ovocem – ice cream with fruit

After having a hearty lunch, it’s no sin to treat yourself to dessert. Moreover, Czech Dezerty is something amazing!

• Horká láska is a dessert with the passionate name “hot love”, this is cold ice cream topped with hot raspberry syrup.
• Domácí tiramisy zdobený čerstvým ovocem – tiramisu with fresh fruit.
• Zmrzlinový pohár s čerstvým ovocem is not a dessert, but a real work of art. It is based on ice cream cubes. A variety of fruits, sweet sauces, waffles, chocolate, etc. are added here.
• Zmrzlinové palačinky s horkými malinami a šlehačkou – sweet pancakes filled with ice cream and drizzled with raspberry syrup. Decorated with whipped cream.
• Čokoládové palačinky s marmeládou a ovocem – chocolate pancakes with nuts, fruits, marmalade.
• Jablečný závin – a delicious roll stuffed with apples.
• Tvarohový dort s pomerančovou omáčkou – airy curd cake stuffed with oranges.
• Čokoládové fondue s čerstvým ovocem – fresh fruit and chocolate fondue.

But don’t think that Czechs only eat in restaurants. They, like representatives of any other nation, are not at all alien to eating on the street.

And even more so on holidays. Massive folk festivals turn the lovely Czech streets and central squares into huge, cheerful bazaars. And what’s not here! Oh, how delicious a piece of pig on a spit or Wenceslas sausages with beer, eaten in the fresh air, seems.

That's what trdelniks do

You can also try a wide variety of delicacies here: Czech Oplatky - thin waffles with filling inside, roasted almonds and chestnuts, baked apples and, of course, the famous Trdlo. Fool - this is how this national delicacy is translated into Russian. Trdelnik is a piece of vanilla pastry wrapped around a hot metal tube and thoroughly fried. The finished “fool” is coated in ground almonds, cinnamon and sugar. Why fool? Yes, because inside this delicacy is empty, it seems like they “fooled” the people.

The most popular drink among Czechs (after beer, of course) is svařák. The drink “svarzak” is a hot wine with spices, to which it is customary to add a piece of orange or a slice of lemon.

Young people also like to drink Kofola, the local equivalent of Coca-Cola.

Publication date: 2015-04-22

“A piece of fried ham, soaked in brine, with potato dumplings sprinkled with cracklings, and with cabbage! Real jam! After that, you drink beer with pleasure!... What more does a person need?”

“The Adventures of the Good Soldier Schweik”, Jaroslav Hasek

The annual pilgrimage to the Czech Republic of millions of tourists from all over the world is associated not only with the rich historical heritage and unique ancient architecture. The national cuisine can be called a full-fledged attraction of this country.

Brief description of Czech cuisine

The geographical location of the Czech Republic predetermined its culinary traditions. For many centuries, the gastronomic habits of the Czechs were influenced by their neighbors - German-Austrian cuisine in the west, Hungarian in the south and Slavic in the east. Western neighbors enriched Czech cuisine with all kinds of sausages and various types of cabbage, from the south they inherited thick, rich soups, goulash and the tradition of generously seasoning dishes with spices, and the contribution of the east can be considered porridges, dishes made from meat by-products and pastries.

At first glance, Czech cuisine is quite simple and uncomplicated. It is based on dishes of meat and poultry, potatoes and flour products, ideally combined with the main Czech drink - beer. But the devil, as they say, is in the details. Upon closer examination, you will notice that the success of Czech cuisine is based on the use of selected meats and other products of the highest quality, their skillful culinary processing and a generous range of various sauces, spices and seasonings.

The Czechs themselves like to say that their national cuisine is based on the trinity: “meat-dumpling-beer”.

It is difficult to call the Czech Republic a paradise for discerning gourmets (after all, it does not have such exquisite dishes as, for example, in French or Italian cuisine), but for those who like nourishing, tasty and, most importantly, inexpensive food, the possibilities are simply endless. Portions in the Czech Republic are huge (and the further you are from tourist centers, the larger), prices are moderate, and you can have a glass of freshly brewed beer with a traditional set of snacks in any establishment literally at every step - from a simple uniform to a popular restaurant.

Czech cuisine will give special pleasure to meat-eaters - most of its dishes are based on the use of meat (mainly pork) and poultry (duck, turkey). You can find fish in the Czech Republic, but rarely. Czechs eat mainly freshwater fish. The main Czech fish is carp. Baked in sour cream and garlic sauce, it is a traditional Christmas dish.

An important place in Czech national cuisine is occupied by soups and, of course, dumplings - boiled or steamed flour products that vaguely resemble wet bread. Liberally sprinkled with sauce, they are served with various dishes as a side dish.

Traditional Czech soups

Soups, or in Czech polevky, occupy an important place in Czech cuisine. Czechs prefer thick, aromatic soups with meat broth and puree soups with an interesting sweet and sour flavor (for “sourness”, sauerkraut, sour milk or apples are usually added to soups). The cooks do not skimp on seasonings, adding large quantities of cumin, marjoram, thyme, ginger, bay leaf, pepper, paprika and fresh herbs - dill, parsley. To make them thicker, add egg yolks, semolina, flour, mashed vegetables, cream, and butter. Due to their thick consistency, many Czech soups can easily be confused with sauces.

Tourists coming to the Czech Republic are always delighted soups in bread. The soup is served in special bread “pots”, inside of which the crumb has been removed. The top of the crispy pot is covered with a pre-cut bread lid. This serving is typical for meat goulash soup, pureed mushroom soup, thick potato, onion and many other soups. As a rule, each Czech restaurant has its own signature recipe for soup in bread. And it’s so delicious that you won’t even notice how you’ll eat not only the contents, but also the crispy pot itself, soaked in thick meat flavors and aromas!

Meat and chicken broths seasoned with garlic, cheese and croutons are most often used as light first courses.

Traditional Czech soups include:

bramborova polevka or bramboračka - thick potato soup with smoked meats and/or mushrooms according to an old Czech recipe. Dressed with sour cream mixed with flour. Often served in bread.

gulášova polevka- goulash soup. A popular thick soup based on pork, beef, poultry or rabbit. In addition to meat, offal, chicken and duck giblets can be added to it. Thickened with flour, semolina or potato and vegetable puree fried in butter or lard. It is also traditional for it to be served in bread.

česneková polevka or česnečka - garlic soup with potatoes and smoked meats, can be prepared either quite thick (then beaten eggs are added to it) or more liquid. Often served with croutons.

koprová polevka- dill soup with sour milk according to an old recipe. Generously flavored with sour cream and fresh herbs. And although your head hurts after Czech beer extremely rarely, if you mixed it the night before with absinthe, liqueur, plum brandy or Becherovka, this is the best cure for a hangover.

cibulova polevka or cibulačka - onion soup with croutons and cheese. Prepared with meat or bone broth. Onions are fried in lard. It has a rich, sharp taste.

hovězí polevka s játrovými knedlíčky- beef soup with liver dumplings. The highlight of this soup is the dumplings, made from pieces of bread and minced liver soaked in milk.

kulajda- Kulajda or South Bohemian potato and mushroom soup - an old recipe for the first dish from southern Bohemia. It is rightfully considered one of the masterpieces of Czech cuisine. Prepared on the basis of milk or cream. It has a thick consistency, white color and rich mushroom aroma.

zelná polevka- sauerkraut soup. We can say that this is cabbage soup of Czech cuisine. It is prepared plain or with the addition of milk (cream) and thickened flour fried in butter.

dršťková polevka- tripe soup. Thick, rich pork tripe soup, a traditional dish of Czech peasants. Season generously with paprika, garlic and other spices (marjoram, cumin, pepper).

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Main (second) dishes of Czech cuisine

As second courses (hlavní chod), Czechs prefer meat dishes with side dishes. Pork holds the first place in popularity, followed by chicken, and beef in third place. Dishes from duck, turkey, goose, and pheasant are also common. Fish is much less popular, although in large restaurants you will always find several dishes of trout, carp or cod. It is usually fried, baked or grilled. A traditional Christmas dish is baked in the oven. carp. It is baked with sour cream-garlic or cheese-garlic sauce.

Since Czechs are meat eaters, they cook meat dishes excellently. The meat is pre-marinated, often in everyone's favorite Czech beer. The main methods of preparing second courses are stewing, frying and baking, including grilling (charcoal). Czechs prefer meat cut into large pieces, either whole (such as roast duck or pork knuckle) or into smaller pieces for goulash. Dishes made from minced meat are not typical for Czech cuisine, with the exception of wieners and sausages (utopęci), which the Czechs themselves classify not as main courses, but as beer snacks.

When preparing second courses they are generously used seasonings and spices- onion, garlic, mustard, horseradish, marjoram, paprika, cumin, ginger, thyme, sage, coriander, cardamom, basil, dill.

Sauces, or omáčky, occupy a special place in Czech cuisine. They are served with main courses, appetizers, side dishes and dumplings. Czech sauces are mostly thick, with rich flavors and aromas. The traditions of their consumption date back to the Middle Ages. The basis for the preparation of ancient sauces was the frying of flour in fat, which was diluted, depending on the consumer’s belonging to a particular class, with water, meat or vegetable broth, wine, milk, cream and even beer. Spices, roots and herbs were added to them. Since that time, the technology for making sauces has changed little.

Traditional sauces for Czech cuisine are: garlic, tomato, cucumber, dill, onion, mushroom, cream, lingonberry, cranberry, blackberry. To improve their taste, butter, cream, milk, and sour cream are added.

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Main main courses

Baked pork knee (Pečené vepřové koleno)

A dish with which most tourists associate the Czech Republic. The main dish of Czech cuisine is prepared from fresh pork knuckle - the part from the middle of the shin to the middle of the thigh. The knuckle can be baked in different ways. The conceptual difference between most recipes is the absence or presence of a boiling stage. According to the traditional recipe, the shank is first boiled in broth or beer with the addition of various roots (celery, carrots), onions, garlic and spices, and then baked on the grill. Served with sauerkraut or stewed cabbage, potatoes, pickled cucumbers, garlic and herbs.

Baked pork ribs in honey (Pečená vepřová žebírka v medu)

The highlight of this recipe is a special honey-based marinade. Before baking, the ribs are marinated for a long time and then baked for a long time over low heat, which is why they practically melt in your mouth;

Vepro-knedlo-zelo (Vepřo-knedlo-zelo)

Another old Czech dish of baked pork, dumplings (a special Czech “bread” side dish, but more on them a little later) and stewed sauerkraut. According to the glorious Czech tradition, it is generously poured with thick gravy.

Svičková na smetaně

Stewed young beef or veal tenderloin with sauce. For this dish, the meat is selected especially carefully, and before cooking it is marinated in spices for 1–2 days. The sauce plays a key role in the taste of the finished dish. It is prepared on the basis of vegetables stewed in meat broth, which are then whipped until pureed. For taste, milk, cream or sour cream is added to the sauce. The addition of berry sauces or even jam made from sour berries - cranberry, lingonberry, blackberry - gives the dish a special piquancy. Well, a few slices of dumplings served along with the dish will help you soak up all the sauce.

Other main courses

vepřový řízek - fried breaded pork chop. It is a Czech variety of schnitzel or escalope. The dish entered the national Czech cuisine under the influence of its close proximity to Germany and Austria-Hungary.

rečená vepřová játra - baked pork liver. It cooks very quickly so that the inside of the liver remains soft pink. Served with fried onions and thick flour sauce.

Goulash with dumplings

hovězí guláš s knedlíkem - beef goulash with dumplings. A traditional recipe for stewing meat in a thick gravy. “Migrated” to Czech cuisine from its Hungarian neighbors. And so that not a single drop of aromatic meat gravy goes to waste, the dish is accompanied by several pieces of potato or flour dumplings. There are a great many recipes for preparing “correct” Czech goulash; the only constant ingredients in them are pieces of juicy meat, onions and tomatoes (tomato paste). Everything else (garlic, pepper, paprika, ginger, coriander and other spices) is at the discretion of the cook.

Duck with dumplings

pečene kachna - baked duck or goose. Belongs to the category of festive dishes of Czech cuisine. The whole baked bird is served with sauerkraut and dumplings. To obtain a crispy, aromatic crust, the bird can be smeared with honey or a specially prepared honey mixture with salt and spices.

Lamb with rosemary

jehněčí na rozmarýnu - lamb baked with rosemary. A delicious dish of lamb, rare on the Czech table. Fresh rosemary sprigs add piquancy to the dish. Various pieces of lamb can be used for roasting - backbone (hřbetu), ribs (žebírka), neck (krk) and leg (kýta). Variations of the recipe allow the use of garlic, olive oil, lemon and even marmalade. Often the dish is served with a sauce made from sour berries (lingonberries, cranberries). Another variety of lamb dishes is bohemian meat. To prepare the dish, soft lamb is cut into rectangular pieces, fried and stewed with onions and potatoes.

tradiční smažený kapr - baked carp. One of the few fish dishes in Czech cuisine, which can be called the main Christmas dish of the country. Traditionally served on the festive table at Christmas. For this occasion, special carp are fed - large and fat. The fish is baked in sour cream and beer sauce, with onions and lemon. The belly can be filled with sautéed onions, carrots, and champignons. Before cooking, experienced housewives soak the carp in beer for 1–2 days (necessarily in dark beer). It is customary to carry scales from the Christmas carp in your wallet all year round - they are believed to attract money and wealth.

pečený pstruh - baked trout. Another one of the few fish dishes in Czech cuisine. The fish is baked with lemon and spices - rosemary, thyme, garlic, pepper. Fish is baked in various ways - on the grill, over coals, in foil.

Czech side dishes

Describing Czech side dishes(přílohy), the story can be divided into two parts - about dumplings and about everything else.

Indeed, in almost no country in the world is there a dish even remotely reminiscent of the Czech dumpling(knedlik). It stands on some special level between bread and side dishes, replacing both for the Czechs themselves at the same time. Although, if you take a short excursion into history, you may be surprised to discover that dumplings are not at all an invention of Czech culinary specialists. They came to the Czech Republic from Germany and Austria. And the name of the dish itself has German roots and comes from the German “knödel”. However, knodels, consumed in southern Germany and Tyrol and being siblings (or, to be more precise, great-great-grandfathers) of Czech dumplings, could not achieve the status of a “brand” and remained an inconspicuous phenomenon of regional significance on the culinary map of these countries. Czech dumplings have received the official status of one of the main national symbols of the country, and every self-respecting Czech housewife knows at least three recipes for the most “correct” homemade dumplings: potato, flour (bread) and sweet.

So, what is a classic Czech dumpling? This is where the biggest problem arises. There is absolutely no way to classify dumplings into “correct” and “wrong” - there are many options for preparing them, each region (what a region - every family!) has its own dumpling recipe and, naturally, the most authentic and delicious.

All dumplings have essentially one thing in common - steaming or boiling water to prepare a dough-like mass mixed from a variety of ingredients. The “dough” may include mashed raw or boiled potatoes, flour, starch, egg, pieces of stale bread or bread soaked in milk. A variety of products can be added to this base: cottage cheese, corn or semolina, liver, bacon, cheese, vegetables, mushrooms, herbs. When sugar, fruits and berries are added to the dough, sweet dumplings are obtained, used in Czech cuisine as a dessert. They can be served with sweet sauces, ice cream, fruit, poppy seeds, nuts and chocolate.

Depending on the recipe, dumpling dough can be yeast or yeast-free.

The beauty of dumplings is that, although they have an inexpressive taste in themselves, due to their consistency they perfectly absorb all the flavor shades of the main dish. Therefore, they are perfect for thick soups and various sauces for which Czech cuisine is famous.

From traditional side dishes Czech cuisine includes:

• bramborova kase- mashed potatoes. Perfect with meat dishes with thick sauces and fish;
• bramborové hranolky- classic French fries. Czechs are generally very fond of potato side dishes, so you can find potatoes in a wide variety of options on the menu. - boiled, baked, with fried bacon, garlic, dill, etc.;
• crokety - croquettes. Deep fried mashed potato balls. They can take the form of small sticks, roses and others;
• dušene zelí(stewed cabbage) and dušene kysané zelí(stewed sauerkraut) - made from sauerkraut. Another popular Czech side dish. Served either independently with main courses or as part of complex side dishes. Pairs perfectly with pork knuckle, utopenki, baked ribs and other traditional Czech dishes. Can be prepared from white and red cabbage, with the addition of bay leaves, caraway seeds, cranberries, lingonberries, carrots, apples;
• fazolové lusky- boiled or stewed green beans.

Beer snacks

A story about Czech cuisine would be incomplete without mentioning traditional beer snacks. Beer consumption in the Czech Republic is a centuries-old national tradition, which is happily supported by millions of tourists who come to the country. In every drinking establishment you will find an impressive list of snacks that can quickly kill the hungriest worm and highlight the best taste qualities of numerous types of beer - dark, semi-dark, ruby, light, bitter, sour, smoked, wheat and many, many others.

Any good beer snack has two goals: to emphasize the unique taste of the foamy drink and to arouse thirst, leading to ordering the next glass. Considering the second, the bulk of Czech beer snacks are distinguished by an abundance of salt and all kinds of spices.

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Main appetizer dishes

Pickled hermelin (nakládaný hermelín)

Translated from Czech, Hermelín means “ermine”. This is the name of a variety of soft, fatty cow's milk cheese with white mold on the surface. Hermeline is similar in taste to French Camembert. Served as an appetizer with white wine. Served pickled as a beer snack. To do this, the cheese is soaked for two weeks in a special marinade based on vegetable (rapeseed) oil with the addition of spices - onion, garlic, allspice and black pepper, chili pepper, bay leaf, thyme and pickled hot pepper "feferonky" (pálivé feferonky).

As a hot appetizer, hermelin is served deep-fried in breadcrumbs ( smažený hermelín) or grilled ( grilovany hermelin). Heat treatment reveals all facets of the taste and aroma of the cheese. The outside of the cheese is covered with an appetizing crispy crust, and inside it has soft, flowing contents that literally melt in your mouth. Served with garlic, cucumber-dill, cranberry or lingonberry sauce.

Utopians (utopenci)

Utopentsy - translated from Czech as “drowned people”. Fatty meat sausages (marinated in a sour marinade for about two weeks) with an original presentation - each sausage is cut lengthwise, slices of tomato, pickled onion, sweet pepper, pickled cucumber, pickled pepperoni, etc. are inserted into the cut. Fresh herbs are generously sprinkled on top.

Beef tartare with toasted bread (hovězý tatarák s topinkami)

Tartar with bread

It is a variant of the famous Tatar snack made from raw minced beef with egg yolk. Served with crispy bread and spices - red and black pepper, garlic, pickled onions, olives and various sauces. It is better to try tartare in trusted places with guaranteed meat quality. Remember that minced meat is raw and not cooked.

Olomouc cheesecakes

A kind of Czech appetizer “for everyone.” It is a type of ripening curd cheese. They have a sharp, specific smell and taste. Recommended to be consumed with buttered toast. Those who dare to try this ancient “delicacy” of Czech peasants from the village of Loštice, in the vicinity of Olomouc (where it began to be produced back in the 15th century), say that if you do not pay attention to the smell, the taste and delicate consistency of the cheese is -reminiscent of smoked halibut.

Classic snack dishes, which you will probably find in any Czech pub or restaurant:

• tlačenka - tlachenka. Under this name lies the well-known brawn made from pork knuckle and meat by-products. Served with pickled onions, horseradish, mustard and white sauces;
• grillované klobásky - grilled sausages. Delicious grilled meat sausages with a crispy crust. Served with various hot sauces and mustard. To create a crispier crust, they can be cut crosswise on one or both sides;
• tatarský biftek z lososa - raw salmon tartare. Served on lettuce with toasted toast, lemon, pepper and salt;
• pivni sýr oblozený - beer cheese. Bread with an original snack of beer cheese, salted sprat, onions, butter and a drop of beer.

Considering the culture of mass beer consumption, every drinking establishment will offer you fried toast(topinky) with various fillings (minced meat or fish, cheese, anchovies, bacon, garlic, onions), as well as meat(masové prkenko) or cheese(sýrové prkenko) assorted.

Salads

Despite their love for hearty meat and potato dishes, Czechs do not forget about lighter snacks. Although, also with a touch of local culinary flavor. For example, one of the most popular Czech salads is potato salad - bramborový salad. In addition to boiled potatoes, it includes carrots, celery and parsley roots, red onions, pickled cucumbers, bacon cracklings and other ingredients of the hostess' choice. This salad is often served at the Christmas table. The “poorer” version includes, in addition to potatoes, onions, herbs and a mustard dressing with vinegar or wine (served warm). Another clear example of the gastronomic preferences of the Czechs is the Vlash salad ( vlašský salát) from potatoes, green peas and a set of meat ingredients - sausage, ham, veal, tongue, etc. (a Czech analogue of Olivier salad). A peculiar echo of the common history with Austria-Hungary is a salad of pickled sweet peppers, onions, celery root and smoked meats.

Desserts, pies

As a rule, travelers returning from the Czech Republic rarely mention local desserts. And completely in vain! Of course, this is largely due to the fact that the bulk of tourists, absorbed in tasting varieties and brands of Czech beer, indulge in beer snacks. Naturally, in this situation, most people have no time for desserts. However, those with a sweet tooth will discover an astonishing variety of Czech desserts and baked goods, with distinct Austrian flavors and baked goods with distinctly Slavic roots.

We will not dwell on popular international desserts that can be found in any country in the world - tiramisu, cheesecake, Napoleon or brownie. In the Czech Republic they also know how to cook them, and the degree of this skill depends on the specific establishment. We will talk about unique Czech desserts that you are unlikely to find outside the country.

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Trdelnik, trdlo

The most common street pastry in the Czech Republic. Tents with trdelnik can be found on every corner, and you can unmistakably determine their location by the mind-blowing smell of cinnamon, vanilla and fresh baked goods wafting throughout the area. They are hollow tubes of rich yeast dough rolled onto a rolling pin, sprinkled with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon, sometimes with crushed nuts, poppy seeds or coconut flakes, coated with honey, chocolate or hot caramel. Baked over an open fire. Without trdelniks it is impossible to imagine any folk festival, fair or street festival in the Czech Republic.

It is interesting that the Slovak village of Skalica (and the cook of the Hungarian writer Josef Guadani, who worked there in the 18th century) and the ancient Cesky Krumlov are arguing for the right to be called the creators of the most popular Czech delicacy. Supporters of the latter version claim that trdelniki were invented by a city baker who decided to sell his products at a large fair. In those years, according to tradition, every merchant or artisan, in order to attract attention to the product, placed pretty girl relatives behind the counter. The baker’s daughter was not particularly beautiful, but she was an excellent spinner. To attract attention to his product, the baker decided to have the girl bake tubes of dough, winding them on a wooden spindle and sprinkling them with cinnamon sugar right in front of admiring customers. Considering the fate of the new delicacy, we can say that the baker’s idea was a resounding success, and his marketing move turned out to be extremely successful. By the way, trdlo translated from Czech means “blockhead” or “fool”.

We have already described dumplings in detail in the section about. Sweet dumplings have a richer dough; they contain cottage cheese, soft cheese, vanillin, cinnamon, lemon and orange zest, candied fruits, nuts, fruits and berries. Served with sour cream, butter or custard, topped with butter, chocolate, jam or jam. A popular variety of sweet dumplings are szilvás gombóc(Hung.) or knedlíky se švestkami - dumplings with plums. They are round balls of potato or cottage cheese dough, stuffed with plums or other sweet and sour fruits. Boil in boiling water and then roll in breadcrumbs, powdered sugar, coconut, poppy seeds or crushed nuts.

Bakery based on rich yeast dough of various shapes with fillings of fruits, berries, nuts, raisins, dried apricots or cream cheese. Examples include: kalach(koláč) - a small round bun and bath(vánočka) - elongated braid.

Zavin - Czech strudel. It is almost a copy of the Austrian strudel. Baked in the form of a roll of thin puff pastry with fillings of apples, berries, cottage cheese, poppy seeds, and chocolate. Czech confectioners serve strudel with whipped cream, ice cream, chocolate or vanilla sauce, garnished with berries and young mint or lemon balm leaves.

Věneček- a small custard cake in the shape of a ring. Is the Czech equivalent eclairs. Its larger “brother” is vetrnik. Filled with whipped cream, custard, butter or egg white cream, topped with glaze, decorated with whipped cream, nuts or berries. Another variety of it is an eclair of an oblong shape, named, apparently, by a lover of black humor "rakvička" - coffin.

Palačinky- sweet thin pancakes. Czech confectioners make them especially tender and delicate. Served with ice cream, whipped cream, marmalade, syrup, jam or melted chocolate. Sprinkle with berries, almond chips, powdered sugar.

Oplatky- thin round waffles with filling. Derived from the word “poplatek” - board. They received this name, most likely, due to their external similarity to coins. They are baked with a relief pattern on the surface and have a pleasant golden-yellowish color. They are filled with chocolate, nougat, whipped cream, and pieces of fruit. The taste is reminiscent of the famous Viennese waffles. The birthplace of scarves is Karlovy Vary, where they appeared on the tables of local housewives at the end of the 18th century.

Pernik - gingerbread. They are baked according to ancient recipes in various regions of the Czech Republic. The most famous - Pardubice gingerbread(Pardubický perník) in the shape of a heart and Shtramber ears(Štramberské uši), baked in the form of balls of thin gingerbread dough.

Street food and Czech fast food

Prague, like almost the entire Czech Republic, is a place actively visited by tourists from all over the world. Therefore, it cannot do without brisk street trading. In addition to those already described trdelnikov, a popular street food in the Czech Republic are hot dogs (párek), fried sausages with cauldron side dishes - potatoes with pasta and stewed cabbage. A unique version of Czech shawarma is bramborák - ham, bacon, salami with herbs and vegetables wrapped in a potato pancake. In the central squares, skewers with the famous boar's knee and even a whole carcass of pigs tease with their seductive aromas. Their unusual appearance attracts hungry (and even not so hungry) customers with spirals of deep-fried potatoes strung on wooden mini-skewers - such unique chips. Well, the undisputed leader in terms of maddening aroma is smoked Prosciutto di Praga(famous Old Prague ham). In terms of its taste properties, it is in no way inferior to Italian prosciutto or Balkan prosciutto. The smell of fried cheese (smazak) and lángos (from the Hungarian lángos - fiery) - fried crispy flatbread with cheese, garlic sauce or sour cream - tries to compete with it.

Fast food in the Czech Republic it also has its own national “zest”. In addition to the traditional McDonald's, Burger King and KFC, it is represented by the famous European brand Nordsee (perhaps the best fast food with seafood dishes), national analogues of McDonald's Fasty's, Bageterie Boulevard and Express Sandwich (Czech analogue of Subway). The menu of international chains takes into account Czechs have an increased interest in meat, so you can find dishes with a national flavor. For example, at McDonald's, visitors are offered a Maestro Bohemia burger made from Czech beef and a large portion of bacon. Local eateries offer a wide selection Khlebichkov- a Czech version of sandwiches, the most popular of which are bread with ham, cheese, various smoked meats and salmon. For taste, lettuce leaves, herbs, beer cheese, mayonnaise sauce, and butter are often added to the bread.

The Czech Republic has a very developed street food industry, especially in tourist areas. And everything looks appetizing, and you want to try everything, and some... On this page we will talk about desserts and sweets in. Read our rating of the 11 most delicious and popular.

11th place

Cat tongues - don't worry, they're just chocolates

In Czech “Kočičí jazýčky” (Kočič tongues).

These chocolates received this name due to their shape, which is somewhat reminiscent of a tongue.

The idea of ​​the shape and name of this chocolate is not Czech at all, but Austrian. It was first produced in 1892 by the Austrian company Küfferle (now the Lindt company), the Czechs simply picked up the idea.

“Cat tongues” were included in our list because many tourists see them for the first time in the Czech Republic, although they are produced in Germany, Poland, and even Brazil. The first reaction among tourists is always interesting: “What is this? Chocolate for cats? Cat food?".

The most popular chocolate bars in the Czech Republic are “Kočičí jazýčky” under the ORION brand. We recommend them first. In 2013, the women's Internet portal prozeny.cz published a study of several samples of “cat tongues” from different manufacturers, and ORION won in all respects except price. We hope that the quality has not deteriorated over time. The ORION brand belongs to Nestle.

Price of chocolates: from 25 to 50 Czech crowns per 100 grams. ORION price in stores: from 40 to 45 CZK per 100 grams. For the current exchange rate of the Czech crown, see our article “”.

10th place

Pie frgal – Czech sweet pizza

In Czech “Frgál” (Frgal).

Initially, this was the name given to scraps of dough. To use them somewhere, you simply rolled out the dough, put any available filling on top (usually beets or cabbage) and baked the pie. Over time, such pies began to be called frgal.

The tradition comes from the region of Wallachia, a small part of which (Moravian Wallachia) is now located in the Czech Republic. Technically, Czechs have every right to call this dish their own.

In the Czech Republic, frgal pie is made only with sweet fillings; the most popular are cottage cheese, poppy seeds, pear, and apple. Traditional frgal is made with only one filling, that is, the fillings are not mixed. Typically the diameter of the pie is about 30 centimeters. Outwardly, frgal is very similar to pizza, some tourists even try to call them that, but the Czechs are offended.

Price - 100-120 CZK for a whole pie (price depends on the type of filling), weight of a whole pie - 650-750 grams. If you buy a piece in a deli or cafe, then 15-20 crowns per piece.

9th place

Parisian cake - chocolate classic

In Czech “Pařížský dort” (Parisian dirt).

In the Czech Republic it is also called “harlequin” or “fairy”. This is one of the most popular cakes among Czechs, if not the most popular.

Externally, the Czech “Paris cake” is similar to our “Prague” cake, but only in appearance. In fact, our “Prague” cake has almost nothing to do with the Czech Republic; it was invented by a pastry chef from the “Prague” restaurant, although under the influence of the experience of Czech confectioners who came to the USSR to exchange experiences.

The classic Czech “Paris cake” consists of a sponge base soaked in rum or cognac, chocolate cream on top of the sponge, and the entire cake is covered with chocolate icing. There is no clear standard for its preparation in the Czech Republic, so each confectionery prepares it a little differently.

Factory-made “Pařížský dort” in the store costs 500-600 CZK per kilogram. However, it is problematic to bring home; its shelf life is usually 3-5 days, and it must be stored in the refrigerator. Therefore, without risks, you can only bring home impressions of the “Parisian cake,” but not the cake itself.

8th place

Fruit dumplings – sweet dumplings in Czech style

In Czech “Ovocné knedlíky” (Ovocne dumplings).

Dumplings are national Czech dumplings. If a sweet filling is placed inside the dumplings, the result is “ovocne dumplings,” which translates as “fruit dumplings.” The word "ovce" is translated from Czech as "fruit", although it is more similar to the Russian word "vegetable".

The most popular fillings now are strawberry, apricot, peach, and blueberry. Czechs prepare them with almost any fruit and berries, or with caramel, or with sweet cottage cheese. Fruit dumplings are served sprinkled with powdered sugar or finely grated cottage cheese, less often with melted butter, poppy seeds or cheese.

In taste and shape, Czech fruit dumplings are almost no different from the dumplings with sweet filling we are used to. Czech ones are about 2-3 times larger in size.

Sheep dumplings are sold in stores chilled (not frozen). Price - 80-100 CZK per kilogram. These can be brought home; according to experience, they survive the flight to Russia normally and do not deteriorate.

In cafes and restaurants, 150 gram portions range from 40 to 100 CZK, depending on the level of the establishment.

7th place

Medovnik - a native Slavic dessert

In Czech “Medovník” (Medovnik).

In appearance and taste it is very similar to our popular Honey cake. In the Czech Republic, the name “Medovník” has been registered with the company Vizard S.r.o. since 1997, and only they have the right to produce dessert under this name. Their recipe is kept strictly secret. They make 60,000 large honey pots per month.

Other businesses and bakeries also produce this cake, but under slightly different names. Many Czechs prepare it at home. The cake consists of layers of dough and caramel mixed with honey, in a cake from Vizard S.r.o. 5 layers each.

In Moravia there is a very similar cake called Marlenka. In general, the honey cake is considered common Slavic. Now it is no longer possible to determine where and who invented it.

Recommended retail prices for original Medovník from Vizard S.r.o.: 100 CZK for a 350 gram cake, 250 CZK for an 850 gram cake, 320 CZK for a 1600 gram cake. The shelf life at room temperature is 7 days, so this sweet can be brought home without any problems.

6th place

Palachinki - pancakes with sweet filling

In Czech “Palačinky” (Palačinki) or “Sladké palačinky” (Sweet palačinky).

There is nothing special about this dish for Russians; these are thin (yeast-free) pancakes. A mixture of wheat flour, cow's milk and eggs is fried in a frying pan. Next, a sweet filling is wrapped in the pancake: either fresh fruit, or syrups, or jams, or chocolate spread. Top with caramel, chocolate, whipped cream or grated cottage cheese.

Palacinki are very popular as street food in the Czech Republic; in terms of popularity in street stalls, they are second only to trdelniki among desserts (we will talk about them later in this article). In the Czech Republic they make palačinki with savory fillings - meat or cheese, but this is rare, after all, palačinki are primarily a dessert.

An interesting point is that fast foods, cafes and restaurants serve ready-made (packaged) executioners. But if Czechs cook them at home, then they serve the pancakes separately, the filling separately, and everyone packs their own pancakes.

The price of a 250 gram serving in a cafe or fast food is 30-45 CZK, depending on the level of the establishment and the filling. In a good restaurant the price of a serving is up to 100 CZK.

In stores you can buy frozen palachinki, the price is 100-150 CZK per kilogram, depending on the filling.

5th place

Kremroll - delicious straw

In Czech “Kremrole” (Kremrole) or in Slovak “Trubička” (Tubichka).

This is a puff pastry tube filled with butter cream. The main thing is not to confuse kremroll and trdelnik, these are different desserts. Kremrolle is baked from puff pastry, and trdelnik from yeast dough. Kremrol is filled only with cream, but trdelnik can have almost any sweet filling inside.

Kremroll is very similar to our popular cream tubes. The main difference is that in our country the straws are made in the shape of a cone so that the cream does not flow out from the opposite side, but in the Czech Republic a straw is really a straw. To be honest, the cone shape is still more convenient, and Czech creamrolls need to be eaten carefully so that the filling does not fall out.

A similar dessert is popular in neighboring Germany, Austria, and Poland. Now it is no longer possible to find out who, when and how invented Kremroll. However, Czechs consider it national. The famous Czech writer and food critic Vladimir Postulka claims that Czech cremerolles are an adapted copy of the French dish “cornets d’amour” (love cones).

The price of kremrolle in cafes and on trays is 10-20 CZK per piece. It is unlikely that you will be able to bring them home, since the cream quickly deteriorates and the dough becomes hard. Shelf life is only 24 hours.

However, in Czech stores you can buy culinary dough cylinders and use them to prepare creme roll at home. Price for 30 cylinders – 100-120 CZK.

4th place

Vetrnik - the most delicious purchase from France

In Czech “Větrník” (Vetrnik).

The Czechs borrowed this dessert from French cuisine, but in a slightly modified form. Probably for this reason, in the Czech Republic, veternik is considered a national dish.

Vetrnik is made from choux pastry; a cavity is formed inside the bun. A wavy surface forms on top, hence the name of the dessert. The word “vetrnik” is translated from Czech as “weather vane” or “windmill”; there is such a children’s toy. The bun is usually about 15 centimeters in diameter.

After baking, the bun is cut in half and the filling is placed in the center. The classic windmill has a two-layer filling. The bottom layer is buttercream with vanilla and rum. Top made of whipped cream with added coffee or caramel. The bun is topped with chocolate or caramel.

The dessert turns out very tasty, but very high in calories. Keep in mind that the choux pastry bun hardens quickly, and after just a couple of hours the anemone becomes hard and tasteless.

The price in cafes or in the culinary departments of stores is 10-20 crowns per piece. Shelf life – 24 hours.

In stores you can buy factory-made anemones, usually 3 pieces per package, the price is 12-16 CZK per 100 grams. The shelf life is longer - up to 7 days, but they must be stored in the refrigerator. If you buy completely fresh ones on the last day of your vacation, they will survive the flight to Russia.

3rd place

Strudel – a delicious legacy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire

In Czech, “Štrůdl” (Strudl) or “Jablečný závin” (Apple zavin).

Strudel is a national Austrian dish that the Czechs adopted and loved. In the Czech recipe, the filling is made from apples with the addition of cinnamon, walnuts and raisins, and a sprinkle of powdered sugar on top. Czechs love not only the classic apple strudel, but also its types with cherries, plums, apricots, poppy seeds or raisins.

But the main difference between the Czech recipe is in the dough. Classic Austrian strudel is made from elastic dough, and Czech strudel is made from puff pastry. The taste and impression of Czech strudel are slightly different.

The price of fresh strudel in pastry shops (or with delivery) is 300-400 CZK per kilogram. The shelf life of such strudel is 48 hours, that is, you cannot bring it home.

In a cafe or restaurant, a piece costs 70-100 CZK, depending on the level of the establishment.

2nd place

Poppy kolaček – delicious cheesecake in Czech style

In Czech “Makový koláček” (Poppy Koláček) or “Koláč” (Koláč).

This sweet pastry is very similar to our cheesecake. But the Czechs make it not with cottage cheese, but with poppy seeds. Or rather, with jam, and topped with a layer of poppy seeds. Thin slices of almonds or coconut are added on top. Vanillin or cinnamon can be added to the filling.

The poppy seed is small, usually 10-12 centimeters in diameter and weighing 40-50 grams. Although some Czech bakeries prepare giant specimens up to 30 centimeters. These should definitely be called “kolach” and not “kolachik”.

In February 2018, the online portal vitalia.cz made a test purchase of poppy seeds from ten confectionery shops in Prague. The most important factor that determines taste and price was the amount of poppy seeds. With product prices ranging from 10 to 25 CZK, the best kolachik for 18 CZK was from the bakery Pekárna Kabát. Unfortunately, in the Czech Republic there are no standards that would normalize the amount of poppy. Hence the conclusion: don’t buy cheap poppy seed kolachi, you will eat not a kolachik, but a cheesecake with jam.

The price of a poppy seed (50 grams) is from 10 to 25 CZK. Shelf life is 5 days if you buy a factory-made kolachik in a store. If you buy it in a cafe or bakery, it is better to eat it right away; the very next day the dough becomes dry and the taste is lost.

1st place

Trdelnik is a bestseller among tourists

In Czech “Trdelník” (Trdelnik) or “Staročeské Trdlo” (Staročeske Trdlo).

This is the most popular street food in the Czech Republic, at least in tourist areas for sure.

The yeast dough is cut into strips, wrapped around a metal cylinder and sprinkled with sugar. This cylinder is called a “trdlo”, hence the name “trdelnik”. Coincidentally, the word “trdlo” in Czech everyday language refers to people of not very great intelligence. This is something like how we use the word “club” to call a stupid person. It turns out that the name “trdelnik” can be translated as “fool”.

On these cylinders, the dough is baked over coals, then the almost finished trdelnik is covered with a mixture of sugar, cinnamon and finely grated nuts. The filling is placed inside; the most popular options are ice cream, whipped cream, light cream with additives. It turns out incredibly tasty.

Due to the abundance of trdelniki in street foods in tourist areas, most tourists think that this is an original Czech dessert. But this is not true at all. The homeland of the dish is the Transylvania region of Romania. From there, trdelnik spread to Slovakia, to the city of Skalica, where it is already considered a local dish. The name "Skalický trdelník" (Skalick trdelnik) is now protected by the PGI (European system for the protection of origin of foods).

And already from Slovakia trdelnik “came” to the Czech Republic, and quite recently - in 2010. Trdelniki quickly gained popularity among tourists. Nowadays trdelnik can even be called an important part of the Czech tourism industry.

But the fact remains that trdelnik has nothing to do with Czech cuisine. As the famous Czech journalist Janek Rubes wrote: “Even a hamburger is a more traditional Czech dish.”

What a paradox! In first place in the ranking of Czech desserts was trdelnik, which has nothing to do with Czech cuisine. But trdelniki is already so associated with the Czech Republic and Czechs that we could not place it lower in our ranking.

The price for a trdelnik without filling is 50-60 CZK. It’s a bit expensive for a piece of sugar-covered dough, but here you’re more likely to pay for the “promoted” name, rather than for the dish.

Have good impressions from Czech desserts, and read our articles about Czechs and the Czech Republic ( links below).

It is impossible to fully understand the beauty of the Czech Republic without tasting traditional dishes - the national pride of the country. But when you enter any, even the most modest restaurant, you are overwhelmed by the huge selection of first and second courses, not to mention the variety of beer snacks, which would be enough for a separate menu.

By the way, if you decide to taste all the most delicious and famous dishes of Czech national cuisine, you will have to put up with a couple of extra centimeters on your hips and waist - the food here is very high in calories and filling; Czechs are very fond of meat (poultry, game, pork and beef), prepared in a variety of ways. And the portions in restaurants are so large that you can easily order one dish for two...all that remains is to decide what exactly to order?

We present the TOP 10 most famous and delicious dishes of traditional Czech cuisine, which are definitely worth trying.

Read in this article

Roasted pork knee

The traditional delicious dish (Pečené vepřové koleno) is comparable to spaghetti in Italy or pilaf in Uzbekistan and is a real gastronomic brand. Fragrant, juicy, rosy, pork knee on the bone weighs almost a kilogram when finished and is usually ordered for 2-4 people. It is prepared in every restaurant and pub, but it is served in different ways: with horseradish, tomatoes, garlic and seasonings, not to mention numerous sauces and gravies.

A baked leg with mustard and horseradish with beer will cost 200 CZK. If you order only a knee, its cost will be 150-160 CZK.

Dumplings

Dumplings are the holy of holies of Czech national cuisine. Although, the most interesting thing is that initially this dish belonged to Austrian and German cuisines, but today it has become the national dish of the Czech Republic, its culinary symbol. Essentially, it is a long piece of dough (kneaded with flour or with the addition of potatoes) boiled in a large amount of water or steamed, which is then cut crosswise like a loaf and served as a side dish, for example, with the same baked knee. It is interesting that the dumplings themselves are insignificant and do not have a bright taste, but in combination with meat and sauces they perfectly absorb all the flavors of the main dish.

Well, if you pour the dumplings with sweet berry syrup and decorate them with fruit, you will get a delicious dessert. Dumplings are inexpensive - from 5 to 20 crowns.

Remember! Portions in the Czech Republic are generous, so do not rush to order everything at once; it is better to take second courses at the rate of one for 2-3 people.

Drowned people, klobasy, tlachenki

Beer snacks such as crackers, chips or nuts simply pale in comparison to the real Czech snack – delicious meat sausages! They are usually served grilled with a variety of sauces.

The most popular sausages that you should definitely try in the Czech Republic are:

Drowned meats, which look like utopenci on the menu, are quite vigorous pork chops soaked in a vinegar marinade; due to their bright taste, they are consumed only with beer.

Fried sausages, also known as klobasa, are a product with a less harsh taste; These delicious sausages are good on their own, but when combined with a foamy drink they become simply divine.

Tlachenka (and in Czech - tlacenka) is a meat dish reminiscent of strong jellied meat or brawn, made from pork legs, tongue or offal and eaten with vinegar. When serving, season with pepper, onion and vinegar.

Advice! In pubs and restaurants in the Czech Republic, food is always prepared in the morning and served only freshly prepared. Therefore, if you want to try the most famous dishes, it is better to go for a meal in the morning or closer to lunch, because... By evening, not a trace remains of the local delicacies of the first demand.

Please note: very often sausages are sold right on the streets of Prague. This is an old tradition, so the Czech capital is not at all surprised by the numerous chewing tourists looking at the sights with a sausage in one hand. Among the street assortment, it is worth trying Bavarian, Old Prague, Prague and Wenceslas sausages, the cost of which ranges from 50 to 80 CZK. The price includes dumplings or bread and sauces: mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup.

Vepro-knedlo-zelo

If you decide to taste local delicacies in good faith, you won’t get away with just one pork knee. Be sure to order such a hearty dish at the restaurant as Vepřo-knedlo-zelo, which is fried pork with stewed cabbage, served with dumplings.

Typically, portions of the shoulder or loin are used for cooking, marinated in spices and first fried in a frying pan, and then baked in the oven. During the baking process, the pork is poured with broth and the resulting juice, so that the resulting meat is very tender and juicy, literally melting. Czechs generally love and skillfully cook pork, which is also much cheaper than lamb or beef. Well, stewed cabbage as a side dish is a classic of the genre, just like in Germany.

You can order this legendary dish from the Strahov Monastery for just 140 crowns.

Czech soups

It’s a real crime to be in the Czech Republic and not try the local soups – polevki. The first courses here are very satisfying, rich, and delicious. They can rightfully be considered the property of the country. Liquid transparent soups are not about the Czechs, no. Thick first courses are respected here, and to create the appropriate consistency, vegetable purees, semolina or flour mash are usually added. An unusual ingredient used in soups that adds an interesting flavor is roasted yeast.

Note! Often soups are served in a bread roll - be sure to try it, it’s very beautiful, but most importantly - delicious!

The most popular first courses in the Czech Republic are:

Česnečka – aromatic and incredibly tasty soup with garlic and smoked meats,

Pivní polévka – an original soup with beer, served with cheese croutons,

Bramboračka – famous potato and mushroom soup; by the way, this is what is traditionally served in bread,

Kulajda – thick stew with mushrooms and potatoes, flavored with sour cream, served with a boiled egg.

A serving of Czech soup costs from 40 CZK and above.

Goulash

It would seem, what makes a traditional Hungarian dish on the list of the most popular dishes of Czech cuisine? In fact, the Czechs have long borrowed it for themselves and really love and respect it. In catering establishments you can find a variety of variations of goulash - it is prepared from traditional beef and pork, but also from veal, rabbit, lamb and cold cuts. There are Szegedinsky, rural, hunting, Slovak, Hungarian and other types of goulash. We recommend trying one of its variations in authentic Czech establishments - this is not a tourist dish, so it is easiest to find it in restaurants aimed at local residents.

The cost of 200 grams of, for example, Pilsner beef goulash with dumplings is 100-120 CZK.

Fried carp

Despite the fact that the Czechs are ardent fans of pork in any form, fish is also respected here. It is especially recommended to try fried carp (on the menu - pečený kapr) - this dish is a must-have element of the Christmas festive table. You should also not refuse baked trout - Pečený pstruh.

1 fish costs 110-150 CZK.

Olomouc cheesecakes

Cheese is loved in the Czech Republic, especially as a beer snack. Be sure to try the soft Hermelin cheese, reminiscent of Camembert with its white mold, as well as varieties such as Pivni Syr and Zlata Niva.

But the most important cheese dish to be tasted first is the breaded and fried Olomuki cheeses. Olomuka cheese itself is made only in the Czech Republic and has a specific unpleasant odor, which, however, completely disappears when fried. Olamuk cheese cheeses harmonize especially well with beer and regular rye bread with onions.

A serving of fried cheese (150 g) with Tatar sauce will cost 120-150 CZK.

Trdlo

You can taste trdelnik, or trdlo, also known as “fool,” mainly only on the street. This sweet pastry is made from rich yeast dough, which is rolled onto a metal rolling pin and fried on the grill or in the oven. The finished trdlo is removed from the rolling pin and sprinkled with sugar, poppy seeds, chopped nuts or aromatic coconut flakes.

It is interesting that similar pastries, albeit under different names, are baked and sold on the streets of Hungary and Slovakia.

One Trdlo costs 45-50 CZK, and if you add Nutella to its taste, then 60 CZK.

Strudel

Despite the fact that the Czech Republic has many national desserts (vanochki, kolache, etc.), the leader in taste and demand is the good old German-Austrian strudel, which you can recognize in the menu by the word “závin”.

They prepare it here at the highest level, wrapping a variety of fillings in thinly rolled unleavened dough: fruits, berries, cottage cheese, etc.

A trip to the Czech Republic will give you not only an acquaintance with the history of the country and its attractions, but also the opportunity to try colorful and surprisingly tasty dishes of Czech cuisine. The unique recipes of Czech culinary specialists, like the history of the state, are thousands of years old. In this article we will talk about the features of national food in the Czech Republic and the most interesting dishes of local cuisine.

The origins of Czech national dishes

For a long time the country was under the rule of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which left its mark on the national cuisine of the Czechs. Here we will find Austrian schnitzel, Hungarian goulash, German sauerkraut and roast goose. Some Czech dishes are originally Slavic: soups, cereals, side dishes.

In the photo on the right (click to enlarge) a popular Czech dish called “smeared rizek”. This is the most striking example of the heritage of Austria-Hungary - a copy of the famous.

But even borrowed dishes from the Czech Republic have acquired their own special tastes, and they are prepared in the Czech way with the addition of their own ingredients. We won’t look into cookbooks now, but will take a short excursion into the dishes that you can try in Czech restaurants.

Features of Czech cuisine

Czechs love sweets. They even add sugar to salads, sauces and gravies, which makes the dishes sweetish. For example, Czech children love sweet noodles with poppy seeds and baked milk.

Among the Czechs' favorite spices are: cumin, marjoram, poppy seeds, red pepper, ginger, dill. Mustard is added to all meat dishes that are marinated in vinegar. Sweet ketchup is also a favorite sauce of the Czechs.

The main national dishes and desserts are very fatty and high in calories. In addition, the portions in cafes and restaurants are impressive. We urge you not to order many dishes at once; one serving is often enough for two. High calorie content affects the size of the country's citizens; 21% of the population is obese; the Czech Republic ranks 6th in the list of the fattest countries in Europe. Perhaps the first thing we do is abuse food.

Soups - their varieties and features

Czechs call soups “voles”; it is impossible to imagine Czech cuisine without them. As in the Russian tradition, soups are given a place at the very beginning of the meal. Czech soups are dense in consistency, often more reminiscent of sauces. When cooking, they add semolina or pureed vegetables, butter and egg yolks.

Depending on the main ingredient, there are: garlic soups, sauerkraut soups, onion soups, vegetable soups, with smoked meats, mushrooms, goulash soups, cheese soups, beer soups with cumin, sauerkraut soups with apples, dill soups with sour milk and others .

The dish is served in a plate or in bread (such a dish will cost twice as much). Among the popular soups we will name “garlic”. It is based on chicken broth with potatoes, into which about 10 cloves of garlic are placed. They serve it in rye bread. This is an excellent antimicrobial agent. It is clear that you should not go on a date after such a meal, except to try the dish with your lover.

If you love meat, order the goulash soup. There is a lot of meat in it, it is pureed and looks like a thick porridge.

Cold beer soup will seem unusual. Grated bread, sugar, raisins, and lemon are added to beer. Not every gourmet can handle such ingredients in one plate. Be careful with this dish.

It is unlikely that you will find dill soup with milk anywhere else. And in the Czech Republic they prepare it. It contains milk, sour cream, egg, flour and dill. The taste is unusual and not everyone will like it.

The Czech Republic is a paradise for meat eaters

Be sure to try the main dish of Czech cuisine - knuckle: baked pork knee (Recene veprove koleno, pictured on the right, click on the photo to enlarge). The dish is on the menu in every restaurant and cafe in the Czech Republic.

The meat is soaked in beer for a certain time, then boiled, then smoked. It becomes juicy and tender. It is usually served with sauces, mustard or horseradish; they can also bring sauerkraut. Czech food is also prepared outside on the grill. They fry huge shanks, cut them off as much as you want.

An ancient Czech dish “vepro-knedlo-zelo”. This is baked pork with dumplings and stewed sauerkraut. All this is poured generously with thick gravy. Will the stomach be able to “survive” such a meal?

Goulash has always been a traditional food in the Czech Republic. Each restaurant has its own recipe for this dish. It can be made from beef, pork, rabbit, poultry, liver or assorted. Goulash is served with sauces, always with dumplings, sometimes with sauerkraut, seasoned with garlic and cumin.

Meat dishes surprise with their variety and method of preparation. And what are the sauces for them! We didn't mention pork necks, hams, schnitzels, roast duck with spices, or Czech sausages. Order, try, enjoy!

Fish lovers will not find variety in Czech cuisine. Traditionally, at Christmas, Czechs fry carp and eat it with potato salad. In restaurants and cafes, the menu includes: carp soup, chops or fried carp. If there is still room in your stomach after meat, set it aside for fish, you won’t regret it.

Side dishes for main dishes

The main and indispensable side dish in the Czech Republic is dumplings. Flour or potato dough is steamed, liver, meat, onions or cabbage are placed inside. Dumplings are served in pieces for dishes, mainly meat. They can be served with sauce and bacon. There are sweet dumplings, they contain fruit or cottage cheese and sprinkle with sugar.

Popular side dishes include potato dishes, cabbage, vegetables, and croquettes.

Try “bramboraki” - potato pancakes (like our potato pancakes, pictured on the right, click on the photo to enlarge). They contain marjoram (an aromatic seasoning from a perennial plant) or meat.

Before ordering a side dish, make sure it is not included in the main dish.

Salads and snacks for beer

Among the salads we note “Bramborovy salat”. In addition to potatoes, carrots, parsley root, pickled cucumbers, red onions, bacon cracklings and other ingredients at the request of the cook are placed in it. Czechs prepare this salad for the Christmas table. The “Vlashsky” salad will remind you of the usual “Olivier”.

Czechs love cheeses and dishes with this product. The national dish is “Camembert” - breaded and fried cheese. It is served hot with sauces or cabbage. Another national snack is “utopentsy”, these are marinated sausages or small sausages seasoned with pepper and onions.

Abundance and variety of sauces

Czech sauce is an independent gourmet dish. Several centuries ago, the base of the sauce (it was called yiha) was flour fried in fat. Wine, water or beer, spices and roots of various spices were added to it. It was an independent dish, sometimes it was served with meat.

Nowadays, the main ingredients in the sauce can be cucumber, horseradish, tomato, garlic, dill, onion, etc. They are called “omachki” (from the word “dip”). This sauce is prepared using the juice of fried meat, sour cream or wine. Omachki is served with meat and potato dishes.

Czech desserts

This is a thin dough roll with filling inside it: fruits, berries, nuts, poppy seeds, chocolate, cottage cheese. Serve with whipped cream, ice cream or chocolate syrup.

Trdelnik - empty tubes made over an open fire, covered with vanilla, sugar glaze or cinnamon. The word is translated into Russian as “fool”, a hint that the sweetness inside is empty.

Another interesting cake, especially because of its name, is “Rakvicka” (in Russian “coffin”). This is a popular dessert among Czechs. The cake has an oblong shape and contains a lot of sugar and cream.

At the end of lunch, if you can handle it, order “palachinki” (pancakes). They will be served with ice cream or whipped cream. By the way, Czechs love ice cream very much; it is sold everywhere and in different variations. Among traditional Czech desserts, we highlight “Hot Love” - vanilla ice cream doused with hot raspberry syrup.

Favorite drinks in the Czech Republic

Of course, beer. About 70 breweries work to promote the worldwide fame of Czech beer. Tasting the products of these factories is a favorite pastime of most Russian tourists.

The national herbal liqueur Becherovka or tea with lemon will contribute to an excellent digestion process. Czechs love soda water and juices: orange, apple, pear.

Catering service in the Czech Republic

You can eat everywhere in the Czech Republic: on the street from trays, buying food from vending machines, in snack bars, canteens, pirozhki, cafes and restaurants. Well, there are simply countless pubs.

If you go to a cafe or restaurant, then be prepared for some nuances of Czech service in such establishments. The menu is often displayed in front of the establishment, you can familiarize yourself with it before entering. Neighbors may join you at your table, this is quite normal. Take this philosophically, because there will be a chance to make friends.

Another surprise will be a dog that is brought by its owner to a place where people eat. Czechs love dogs and animals in general. The dog can sniff your table, food and this will be in the order of things.

Don’t rush to order several dishes, they are all hearty, the portions are large, so fill yourself up gradually, ordering dishes at a certain frequency.

Desserts are not eaten in the Czech Republic after main courses: it is a small snack if hunger takes you by surprise, or lunch is too short.

In the country it is customary to wash down food with a considerable amount of beer, since the food is heavy, fatty, a lot of marinades, smoked meat, salty, sweet. Therefore, do not be surprised by its abundance in cafes and restaurants.

Beer is not drunk immediately after serving; they wait until the foam settles. Do not order several varieties at the same time. You should also take a snack with your beer.

If alcohol is not your drink, then order tea and a piece of Prague cake.

You can dine on weekdays at restaurants offering business lunches (denny nabidke). It includes a main course, salad, dessert and drink.

Tips may not be included in the bill. If you did not like the service and food, then tell us in advance not to round up the bill, but to pay strictly according to the menu. However, you will find establishments where tips are included in the bill.

Pay attention to the fact that Czechs get up early and go to bed early, so their breakfast starts around 9 am, lunch is closer to twelve, and dinner lasts until 9 pm. After this time, it will be difficult to find an establishment with a full menu.

Products as souvenirs from the Czech Republic

Tourists try to bring something unusual from the Czech Republic. Often food is also bought as a souvenir. The most popular drinks gifts are liqueurs, vodka, beer, and Moravian wines.

Those with a sweet tooth take home otlatki, strudel, Prague cake, and gingerbread. Cheese lovers buy Hermelin, Olomouc cheesecakes, as a souvenir.

When taking food with you, you should take into account their expiration date and storage conditions. We recommend reading our review "".

We wish you to fully enjoy Czech cuisine, and read our interesting articles about the Czech Republic ( links below).