Going to the Czech Republic, we scoured the Internet for various information, including about various Czech dishes that you need to try in Prague.

Most often, it is advised to taste pork knee, dumplings, thick soups, shank, goulash, ribs, pastries and beer. But, of course, we should not forget that although Czech food is very tasty, it is very difficult for the Russian stomach. Especially it is necessary to be careful for people with sick stomachs, so as not to spoil their vacation.

And I also want to draw your attention when making an order in a restaurant - look not only at the price, but also at the weight, because in the Czech Republic portions of some dishes can be large and only two can overcome them.

Here is a list of Czech dishes that we compiled before our trip to the Czech Republic.

Soups(Polevky)

Czech soups are most often mashed soups. They add butter, egg yolks, smoked meats. Yeast, overcooked in oil, is added to some types of soups, which give a spicy unusual taste.

Soup from sauerkraut– Zelňačka (selnyashka)

Garlic soup - Česnečka (garlic)

Tripe soup - Drštková

Potato soup with mushrooms in a bread bowl - Bramboračka

Soup made with sour milk - K oprovka (koprovka)

Soup with liver meatballs – Нovězí polévka s játrovými knedlíčky

Beer soup with the addition of cheese croutons - Pivní polévka (vole pivni)

Onion soup with croutons and cheese pieces - Cibulačka (cibulachka)

Main dishes

The main course often consists of meat. Restaurants offer schnitzel, pork, goulash, beef in sauce. But be sure to try the popular baked pork knuckle Veprshov knee.

The most popular side dish is dumplings, a boiled dough product with gravy. Therefore, it is not necessary to order bread if you decide to try dumplings, although most likely they will bring bread anyway.

Also popular in the Czech Republic are potatoes (potato salad, mashed potatoes, french fries), rice, stewed vegetables, sauerkraut. We really liked the Czech salads - "Shopsky", "Vlashsky", "Brno".

Hot dishes(Prilohy)

Pork knuckle baked in the oven with horseradish and mustard - Pečené vepřové koleno The weight of the dish is usually about 2.5 kg, so it is advisable to order this dish for several people.

Baked pork with dumplings and stewed cabbage- Vepřo-knedlo-zelo (veprsho-knedlo-zelo).

Baked pork ribs in honey - Pečená vepřová žebírka v medu

Assorted meat dish (pork, duck, smoked neck, sausages) with cabbage, dumplings and flatbread – Staročeská Bašta

Meatloaf, poured mushroom sauce– Vepřová panenka s houbovou omáčkou

Pork goulash with bread or potato dumplings - Vepřový guláš (Vepřový guláš).

Skewers of several types of meat with vegetables - Královský meč (Královský sword).

Baked pork liver - Pečená vepřová játra

Beef cooked in traditional Czech style in sour cream sauce. Served with a slice of lemon, soft cream, berry jam (usually lingonberry) and dumplings - Svíčková na smetaně (Svíčková on sour cream).

Beef goulash with dumplings and gravy - Pivovarský guláš (brewery goulash).

Beef steak in oil and spices - Rumpsteak s bylinkovým máslem (rumpsteak with blade of grass oil).

Stewed leg of ram - Dušená jehněčí kýta (strangled whale's lamb).

Young lamb meat with garnish - Jehněčí s jáhlovou kaší

Duck baked according to a traditional recipe with apples and oranges - Pečená kachna s pomerančem a jablky (kachna baked with orange and apples).

Baked trout - Pečený pstruh (baked pstrug).

Fried carp – Tradiční smažený kapr (traditionally lubricated kapr)

Popular Czech side dishes

Deep-fried potato dough balls - Krokety (croquettes)

Bread dumplings - H ouskové knedlíky (gouskove dumplings)

Potato dumplings – B ramborové knedlíky (Bramborové knedlíky)

Deep Fried Potato Parmesan Mix - Rosti

Boiled potatoes - V ařené brambory

Fry potatoes - O pékané brambory (guardian of the brambora)

Mashed potatoes - B ramborová kaše (Bramborová kaše)

French fries – B ramborové hranolky

Crispy toasts and croutons - Topinky, tousty (topinky, toast)

Dessert(moucniky)

Apple strudel - J ablečný závin (apple zavin)

Blueberry dumplings – B orůvkové knedlíky (boruvkové dumplings)

Sweet bun from vanilla dough in the form of a tube - Trdlo (trdlo)

Hot thin wafers with filling – Oplatky (payments)

Ice cream with fruit, sweet sauce, waffles and chocolate – Zmrzlinový pohár s čerstvým ovocem

Ice cream with hot raspberry syrup - Horka laska

Sweet pancakes with ice cream topped with raspberry syrup – Zmrzlinové palačinky s horkými malinami a šlehačkou

Tiramisu with fruits - Domácí tiramisy zdobený čerstvým ovocem (Domacy tiramisu are made with stale sheep).

From this list, we tried not everything, but we tried not to get better.

But in fact, there are a huge number of national dishes in the Czech Republic, listing their names can take a long time. Nobody will be left hungry!

The Czech Republic is not only a beautiful and unique country. It is also original, tasty, and most importantly hearty cuisine. Czechs love to eat well. In cafes and restaurants, portions are huge, you can safely order one plate for two. Be sure to read (and even better print).

There are many original Czech dishes, and you really want to try everything. And, of course, do not forget to taste several varieties of the famous beer. From this European country, tourists take away not only souvenirs and positive emotions, but also a lot of gastronomic impressions and a few extra pounds. So what does the Czech Republic taste like?

Soups in the country are prepared differently, the most favorite among them is garlic. Methods for its preparation different regions are slightly different. Somewhere they put cheese in it, somewhere potatoes and smoked meats. Czechs especially lean on garlic with the onset of cold weather. It is a good antimicrobial agent.

Garlic is served in a roll of round rye bread with the pulp taken out. The lid of this saucepan is also edible, bread. Initially, only goulash soup was served in this way. Now onion, garlic with cheese and smoked meats, potato are poured into the loaf. The main thing is that the soup is not too liquid and does not flow out of the bread.

By the way, soup in a loaf is on the menu of far from all establishments. It is offered mainly in restaurants. In his Everyday life Czechs eat soups from ordinary plates.

In Czech cuisine, dumplings often replace bread. They are made from ordinary or potato flour. Steamed strictly, then sliced ​​and served as a side dish. Dumplings are a good addition to meat dishes with a thick sauce, they are dipped in it and then eaten.

There are many recipes for dumplings, often they add fillings, for example, liver, onion, meat or even cabbage. Fruits are placed in sweet ones, sprinkled with cheese and sugar on top.

Under this intricate name, ordinary potato cakes are hidden, they are somewhat reminiscent of our potato pancakes. The obligatory ingredient here is marjoram. Bramboraki is eaten as a separate dish or served as a side dish for meat.

By the way, recently in the Czech Republic they conducted a poll for the title of the most national dish. It was the bramboraks who won.

Czechs prefer pork to any meat. The secret of such love is simple and easy to explain. From time immemorial in the Czech Republic, this meat is considered the cheapest, it costs much less than the same beef.

This is a Czech brand. The drumstick is first soaked in a beer marinade, then boiled, and smoked over a fire right before serving. Shank is a very satisfying dish and one person usually cannot eat it. In cafes and restaurants, they usually indicate how many people it is designed for. Pork knee goes best with Czech beer.

The Czechs themselves consider the knuckle to be quite fatty and rarely eat it.

Fried pork with dumplings and cabbage (Czech Vepřo-knedlo-zelo)

Pieces of loin or shoulder blades are sprinkled with spices, fried in a pan. Then watering from above with water or broth is sent to the oven.

Braised cabbage is the second most popular side dish after dumplings. And the combination of cabbage-dumplings is on the list of the most favorite gastronomic preferences of the Czechs.

They are baked under a delicious, crispy honey crust. Served with several types of sauces. Delicious and plentiful as always. Therefore, before ordering, it is better to clarify the weight and calculate your strength.

This dish is for those who do not like pork. The basis is veal or beef tenderloin. It is served immediately with two sauces - sour cream and lingonberry. In addition, a slice of lemon and, of course, dumplings are placed on a plate.

This dish has many recipes. And a good Czech hostess always has her own secret of making svichkov with sour cream.

It is prepared from both pork and beef. The meat is cut into cubes, then cumin, garlic and pepper are sent to it. All this is stewed on low heat. When the meat is almost ready, flour and tomato paste are added to the sauce. All this languishes for a few more minutes. The invariable attribute of goulash is dumplings, they are dipped in a fragrant sauce.

Drowned (namely, this is how the name of the dish is translated) in the Czech Republic is called pickled sausages with peppers and onions. This is my favorite beer snack. Moreover, it is almost impossible to eat a drowned man without drinking a foamy drink. It is very oily and contains a lot of vinegar. Beer greatly enhances the taste.

In general, various sausages, sausages, sausages are very popular in the Czech Republic. Locals love to eat them hot and always with mustard.

Cheese is very popular in the Czech Republic, especially fried cheese. The local variety is well suited for this, it is soft and fatty. Small pieces are rolled in breadcrumbs and sent to the pan. The cheese is served piping hot with a sauce of your choice.

So the dish goes well with cranberry or lingonberry sauces. Hearty, nutritious and very tasty!

Round, crispy and thin. Karlovy Vary is famous not only for its mineral water, but also for its waffles. They have been produced since 1780. At first there were only two varieties: chocolate and nut, now there are 15 of them. There are lemon, apple, with the taste of tiramisu and local liquor "".

By the way, it is believed that these waffles can be cooked only in Karlovy Vary, since the recipe contains water from mineral springs, but you can also find it in Prague.

Czech Republic - a country of taste and aroma

Everything here is what you want to try. It is better for tourists to combine eating with hiking and sightseeing. Then only positive memories and not a single gram of excess weight will remain from this European country.

The sweet-sounding name of the capital of the Czech Republic "Prague" makes the hearts of hundreds of thousands, and maybe millions of people who have been there beat faster. And their mind immediately begins to draw in memory the main sights of the city: Wenceslas Square, Charles Bridge, Old Town Square, Prague Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral, Orloj Astronomical Clock, Old New Synagogue, Old Jewish Cemetery, etc. Well, what happens to their stomach?! Perhaps the most vivid memories of Prague are associated with him, or rather with traditional dishes Czech cuisine!

It's not for nothing that Prague is considered the gastronomic capital of Europe. Even in medieval times, a special feast culture was presented here, which has survived to this day.

Do not believe?! Check out any Prague restaurant (with Czech cuisine, of course)! The successful layout of the city allows you to find a catering company for every taste and budget in every district. However, there is a certain pattern of prices and output of dishes: tourist routes Prices are higher and portions are smaller!

Fine! We decided on the institution, let's look at the menu and find out.

What are the must-try things in Prague? Czech cuisine

Absolutely, all restaurants, bars offer their visitors two types of menus:
1. "Napojovy listek"(napojovylistek): a kind of "beer card", as the emphasis of this menu is directed to a traditional Czech drink;

2. "Jidelni listek"(jidelnylistek): a collection of the most colorful national Czech dishes.

Czech soup "Bramborachka"

As for the bramborachka soup, it has the status of the most unusual Czech dish. For a relatively small price, you will be offered to eat not only potato stew with smoked meats or mushrooms, but also the dishes in which it will be served. Since, the role of a plate for soup will be performed by a fresh loaf of bread.


Yes Yes! This is the same soup in bread - Bramborachka!

Czech soup "Cibulachka"

Such first courses are also in great demand: “cibulachka” (cheese and onion soup);

Czech soup "Zelnyachka"

Also "zelnyachka" (sauerkraut soup),

Czech goulash soup "Gulyashova vole"

And "goulash vole" (meat goulash soup).

Czech soup "Drshtkova" - tripe soup

However, of course, the most famous Czech soup is drstkova. In ancient times, such a dish could save an entire low-income family from starvation. Since "drshtkova" is prepared on the basis of inexpensive meat by-products, namely pork or beef offal and bones. And to give a “appetizing look”, the chefs skillfully season the soup with spices and pepper.

After such a first course, the feeling of satiety will not leave you for a long time!
Recipe for vole "drštková" for Prague presents cultural value. Therefore, not a single holiday in a Czech family is complete without a national soup.

Main course

Do you like meat, as a real Czech loves it?! The butcher shop is the second favorite place of Prague locals after the beer pub. They go there every day, even several times! And this is due to the fact that the Czechs all national hot dishes are prepared from various types of meat (beef, pork, lamb, poultry, etc.).

Meat

Liver boar knee

Probably, in every institution in Prague, the signature dish is the baked shank of a young boar (Baked boar's knee). A standard portion of such a spicy dish with pork knuckle seasoned with mustard will weigh about two kg. Therefore, for a meat tasting, you better invite a few friends or take it home, eat it later!

Baked pork ribs with honey

In addition, you can meet the classic combination of pork ribs with honey by ordering the dish "Pecene veprove zebirka v medu" in the restaurant. Czech chefs give Special attention"zhebirke" in order to make the pork juicy and tender.

Svichkova

Don't like pork?! Try svickova in a creamy sauce! A hot dish of beef tenderloin, previously stewed in sour cream and cream, served with dumplings. Soft "svichkova" just melts in your mouth!

baked duck

Dietary poultry meat is also a favorite on the Czech dinner table. But duck dishes are leading in terms of the number of orders in Prague establishments. For example, "Pecena kachna" (baked duck with fruit or sauerkraut) with dumplings.

A fish

Baked fish

In general, Prague is a river city, so traditional dishes from river fish(carp, trout). Czechs love to experiment with fish when they cook it. different ways. But the most successful culinary experiment: baked carp with garlic and horseradish, as well as baked trout (“Peceny pstruh” - baked pstrug).

side dishes

Any main course needs to be “set off” with an appropriate side dish. Czech cuisine does not ignore this rule. In addition, the menu includes both side dishes familiar all over the world, as well as original Czech ones.

The choice of additions to the hot dish is huge: vegetables, cereals, dumplings, etc. Prague restaurateurs are ready to satisfy the culinary wishes of any gourmet. A creative approach to food preparation turns an ordinary side dish into a practically independent dish. One such example is baked mashed potatoes with lard.

I would like to talk a little about dumplings! Small balls of flour or potatoes with fruit can drastically change the main dish for the better. There is no point in trying them separately, they will seem tasteless to you. But in combination with fish or meat, or with a refined sauce, it's a completely different matter!

Sauces

The final touch in any dish is dressing with sauce or gravy. The Czech name for the sauce is “omachka”, and it is prepared from completely different products (mushrooms, cream, fruits). Therefore, Czech sauces are also sour, sweet, bitter, etc.

Snacks

In most cases, snacks offered in establishments refer to beer. Each type of beer corresponds to a certain type of snack. Thus, the category "snacks" can occupy an impressive part of the menu. After all, what Czech beer is without a good snack?!

Undoubtedly, the hot appetizer "germelin" is ideal for young Czech beer. Fried soft blue cheese is a great replacement for "boring" snacks!

Well, after a piece of peppered brawn with spicy sauce, your hand will reach for a glass of beer by itself!

Dessert

And for dessert in Prague they serve fragrant apple strudel (roll) with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Yes, what kind of pancakes are baked here ?! You can choose absolutely any filling!

Czech cuisine has been formed from numerous borrowings and local culinary tastes. It is distinguished by quite hearty dishes, as well as juicy-sweet desserts.

About what dishes of Czech cuisine are the most popular in our country, we will tell in the presented article. We will also describe their recipes and tell you how they should be presented to the table.

Features of Czech cuisine

The most characteristic dishes of Czech cuisine are baked pork knuckles, soups, dumplings and drowned fish.

It should also be noted that side dishes in the form of potatoes (boiled or fried), stewed cabbage and various cereals are very popular in the Czech Republic. A real delicacy in this country is roast goose with red cabbage.

As for snacks, the most popular among them are hermelins, fried cheese and Olomouc curds.

Like Austrian, Czech national cuisine provides for the frequent use of meat or fish. As a rule, such dishes are served at the table along with sauces, to which cumin must be added.

Of the pastries in the Czech Republic, the most common are buns, kalachi, buns with cheese, poppy seeds and jam. On the streets of this country, you can always see tents in which they bake delicious and high-calorie products, rolled in nuts or sugar.

Czech cuisine dishes: cooking recipes

If you want to make an original dish for the dinner table, then we suggest cooking meatballs in Czech. The combination of a meat product with a sweetish cranberry sauce will surely be appreciated by all members of your family and will ask for more.

So, to make the mentioned dish, we need the following components:

  • minced beef ready - about 500 g;
  • nutmeg - 1/2 dessert spoon;
  • fresh or frozen cranberries - 400 g;
  • soy sauce - 2 large spoons;
  • gray bread - 2 pieces;
  • whole milk - ¼ cup;
  • ground cinnamon - 1/2 a small spoon;
  • light sugar - ½ cup;
  • orange juice (can be lemon) - 1/2 cup;
  • black pepper - 1/2 dessert spoon;
  • table salt - 1/2 dessert spoon;
  • fresh honey - 1.5 large spoons;
  • fresh herbs - apply to taste.

sauce preparation

Czech cuisine has always been famous for its delicious and flavorful sauces. To prepare such a filling for meatballs, cranberries are mixed together with sugar, honey, water (1/4 cup), orange juice, cinnamon, honey and pepper. All ingredients are mixed, put on the stove and brought to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce for about 15 minutes until it thickens slightly.

Making meatballs

While the sauce is cooking, you can start cooking meatballs. Gray bread is soaked in milk and then added to the mixed mince. To him spread greens, nutmeg and table salt. Having mixed all the components, small meatballs are formed from them, and then fried on vegetable oil.

Final stage

After the Czech meatballs are covered with a golden crust, sweet cranberry sauce is added to them and stewed under the lid for about 5-9 minutes.

The finished dish is served to the table with a potato or some other side dish.

Making delicious soup in bread

Czech cuisine is very popular in our country. One of the most famous dishes of this European state is soup in bread. Incredibly satisfying, thick and tasty, it is prepared easily and simply.

To implement this recipe, we need:

  • fresh beef - about 1 kg;
  • garlic cloves - 10 small pieces;
  • onions - 2 heads;
  • juicy carrots - 3 pcs.;
  • tomato paste - 2 large spoons;
  • adjika - 2 small spoons;
  • light flour - 3 small spoons;
  • butter - at least 100 g;
  • medium potatoes - 5 tubers;
  • salami sausage - about 100 g;
  • salt, sweet paprika - to taste;
  • small round rye bread - 4-5 pcs.

soup cooking

Czech cuisine, the recipes of which are presented in this article, is famous for its delicious and hearty soups. To make such a dish at home, put fresh beef meat in a deep saucepan and cook it for about 2 hours, after salting and peppering to taste.

While the broth is being prepared, it is necessary to process the rest of the ingredients. Melt the butter in a frying pan, and then fry finely chopped onion and garlic in it. Carrots are added there and cooked for another 7 minutes.

After the described actions, tomato paste and adjika are laid out in the pan. All ingredients are flavored with paprika and salt, mixed and stewed for about 10 minutes. Also, wheat flour is fried in a separate saucepan and butter is added to it. At the same time, make sure that lumps do not form in the sauce.

After the meat is cooked, it is removed from the broth, potato cubes are added and boiled for about 10 minutes. Next, roast, chopped salami, wheat flour with butter and shredded beef are added to the dishes. In this composition, Czech soup is boiled for about 7 minutes, after which it is poured into rye bread pots and served.

Making a delicious salad for the holiday table

Czech cuisine (photos of dishes are presented in this article) includes many warm salads. If none of them are familiar to you, then we present the famous Prague appetizer with beef, apple, fresh bell peppers and pickles. How exactly to make such a tasty and nutritious salad we'll tell you right now.

For this we need:

  • beef as fresh as possible - about 200 g;
  • pork is not too fatty - 200 g;
  • pickled cucumbers - about 200 g;
  • white onion - 1 pc.;
  • Bulgarian pepper - 1 pc.;
  • green lettuce leaves - 4 pcs.;
  • green apple - 1 pc.;
  • fresh lemon juice - 1 large spoon;
  • medium-calorie mayonnaise - 200 g;
  • vegetable oil - apply to taste (for frying foods).

Preparation of ingredients

To prepare a warm meat salad in Czech, you need to use only fresh and young meat. It is thoroughly washed and all inedible parts are removed. After that, the beef is cut into thin strips and fried in vegetable oil until golden brown and soft. Next, onion half rings are added to the meat and continue to cook for about 5-9 more minutes.

As for the green apple and bell pepper, both ingredients are thoroughly washed, peeled and chopped into strips. Pickled cucumbers are processed in exactly the same way.

Correctly form a delicious Czech salad

After frying the beef with onions, the ingredients are removed from the stove and cooled slightly. Then all excess oil is drained from them, pickles, fresh apple and Bulgarian pepper are added. Products are flavored with lemon juice, salted and seasoned with mayonnaise.

Such a salad is served at the table still warm, along with a piece of dark bread.

Making delicious Czech dumplings

This dish is the hallmark of Czech cuisine. There are many recipes for making such a product. We will consider only one of the simplest options. To do this, we need the following set of ingredients:

  • light wheat flour - about 500 g;
  • whole milk or drinking water - about 250 ml;
  • dry granulated yeast - 4 g;
  • table salt - about 2 dessert spoons;
  • granulated sugar- ½ dessert spoon.

Cooking process

In fact, there is nothing complicated in cooking Czech dumplings. In warm drinking water add sugar and stir until dissolved. After that, add granulated yeast and a dessert spoon of wheat flour to the same bowl. Mix all the ingredients well and leave aside for ¼ hour.

After the lapse of time, add table salt to the dissolved yeast and pour in the remaining wheat flour. After kneading a soft and homogeneous dough, cover it with a towel and leave it warm for 50 minutes.

After the base swells, knead it again and divide it into 4 parts. We form cakes from each product and twist them into a loaf. We do not use flour.

Having formed mini-loaves 15-20 cm long, leave them aside for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, fill a large saucepan with water and put it on the stove. After the liquid boils, carefully put all the formed dumplings into it.

After adding a little salt to the water, cover the dishes with a lid and cook the contents over a very low heat for 10-13 minutes. By the way, the liquid should cover the products so that they float freely in the pan.

After the lapse of time, turn the flour product over with a spatula to the other side and cook for about 5-7 more minutes. To check the readiness of dumplings, they should be cut in half. If the thickness of the product is sticky and sticky, then it is recommended to cook them for a few more minutes.

Summing up

Now you know what Czech cuisine is. Using the described recipes, you are sure to get delicious and nutritious dishes that will saturate you and all your family members.

Publication date: 2015-04-22

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

"Adventures good soldier Schweik, Yaroslav Gashek

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

content:

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 sorts of sausages and various types of cabbage, from the south - she got thick rich soups, goulash and the tradition of generously seasoning dishes with spices, and porridges, dishes from meat offal and pastry can be considered the contribution of the east.

At first glance, Czech cuisine is quite simple and uncomplicated. It is based on dishes from 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, one can see that the success of Czech cuisine is based on the use of selected meats and other products of the highest quality, their skillful preparation and a generous selection of various sauces, spices and seasonings.

The Czechs themselves like to say that their national cuisine is based on the trinity: “meat-dumplings-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 lovers of hearty, tasty and, what is important, inexpensive food options are simply endless. Portions in the Czech Republic are huge (and the farther from the tourist centers - the more), the prices are moderate, and you can skip a glass of freshly brewed beer with a traditional set of snacks in any establishment literally at every step - from a simple bowl to a popular restaurant.

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

important place in Czech national cuisine occupied by soups and, of course, dumplings - boiled or steamed flour products, vaguely reminiscent of wet bread. Plentifully poured 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, fragrant soups with meat broth and mashed soups with an interesting sweet and sour flavor range (sauerkraut, sour milk or apples are usually added to soups for "sourness"). Cooks do not skimp on seasonings, adding caraway seeds, marjoram, thyme, ginger, bay leaf, pepper, paprika and fresh herbs in large quantities - dill, parsley. For density, egg yolks, semolina, flour, mashed vegetables, cream, butter are added to them. Because of their thick consistency, many Czech soups are easily confused with sauces.

Constant delight among tourists coming to the Czech Republic cause soups in bread. The soup is served in special bread "pots", inside of which the crumb has been removed. The crispy pot is topped with a pre-cut bread lid. Such a serving is typical for meat goulash soup, mushroom puree soup, thick potato, onion and many other soups. As a rule, each Czech restaurant has its own recipe for soup in bread. And it is so delicious that you yourself will not notice how you will eat not only the contents, but also the crispy pot itself, soaked in thick meat flavors and aromas!

As light first courses, meat and chicken broths seasoned with garlic, cheese and croutons are most often found.

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.

gulašova polevka- goulash soup. A popular thick soup based on pork, beef, poultry or rabbit meat. In addition to meat, offal, chicken and duck giblets can be added to it. It is thickened with flour fried in butter or lard, semolina or mashed potatoes and vegetables. It is also traditional for him to serve in bread.

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

koprová polevka- dill soup with sour milk according to an old recipe. It is generously flavored with sour cream and fresh herbs. And although the head hurts extremely rarely after Czech beer, but if you interfered with it the night before with absinthe, liquor, slivovitz or Becherovka, this is the best hangover remedy.


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

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

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

zelna 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. A thick rich pork tripe soup, a traditional dish of Czech peasants. Generously seasoned with paprika, garlic and other spices (marjoram, cumin, pepper).

hint: if you want to find an inexpensive hotel in Prague, we recommend that you look at this section of special offers. Usually discounts are 25-35%, but sometimes they reach 40-50%.

Main (second) dishes of Czech cuisine

As second courses (hlavní chod), Czechs prefer meat dishes with side dishes. The first place in popularity is held by pork, followed by chicken, in third place is beef. Duck, turkey, goose, pheasant dishes are also common. Fish is much less popular, although in big restaurants you will always find a few dishes of trout, carp or cod. It is usually fried, baked in the oven or grilled. The traditional Christmas dish is baked in the oven. carp. It is baked with sour cream and garlic or cheese and garlic sauce.

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

In the preparation of second courses 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 second courses, appetizers, side dishes and dumplings. Czech sauces are mostly thick, with rich flavors and aromas. 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, diluted, depending on the belonging of the eaters to one class or another, with water, meat or vegetable broth, wine, milk, cream and even beer. They added spices, roots and herbs. Since that time, the technology for making sauces has changed little.

Sauces traditional for Czech cuisine are: garlic, tomato, cucumber, dill, onion, mushroom, creamy, lingonberry, cranberry, blackberry. To improve the taste properties, butter, cream, milk, sour cream are added to them.

- group tour (up to 10 people) for the first acquaintance with the city and the main attractions - 3 hours, 20 euros

- a walk through the little-known but interesting corners of Prague away from the tourist routes to feel the real spirit of the city - 4 hours, 30 euros

- bus tour for those who want to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the Czech Middle Ages - 8 hours, 30 euros

Main second 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 leg to the middle of the thigh. The shank can be baked in different ways. The conceptual difference between most recipes is the absence or presence of a boil 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 grilled. 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 marinade based on honey. 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 later) and stewed sauerkraut. According to the glorious Czech tradition, it is richly poured with thick gravy.

Svichková on sour cream (Svíčková na smetaně)

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

Other second courses

veprovy rizek - breaded fried pork chop. It is a Czech variety of schnitzel or escalope. The dish got into the national Czech cuisine under the influence of close proximity to Germany and Austria-Hungary.

rečena vepřova 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 gulaš s knedlíkem - beef goulash with dumplings. A traditional recipe for stewed meat in thick gravy. "Migrated" to Czech cuisine from Hungarian neighbors. And so that not a single drop of fragrant meat gravy is wasted, several pieces of potato or flour dumplings are attached to the dish. There are a great many recipes for making the “correct” Czech goulash, the only unchanged 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 - roast duck or goose. Belongs to the category festive dishes Czech cuisine. The whole baked bird is served with sauerkraut and dumplings. To get a crispy fragrant crust, the bird can be smeared with honey or a specially prepared honey mixture with salt and spices.


Lamb with rosemary

jehněčí na rozmarynu - lamb baked with rosemary. delicious dish from lamb, rare on the Czech table. Fresh sprigs of rosemary add piquancy to the dish. For baking, various pieces of lamb can be taken - the vertebral part (hřbetu), ribs (žebírka), neck (krk) and leg (kýta). Various variations of the recipe allow the use of garlic, olive oil, lemon and even marmalade. Often a sauce of sour berries (lingonberries, cranberries) is served with the dish. 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.


traditional smaženy kapr - baked carp. One of the few fish dishes of Czech cuisine, which can be called the main Christmas dish of the country. Traditionally served at the festive table at Christmas. Carps on this occasion are fattened special - large and fat. The fish is baked with sour cream and beer sauce, onion and lemon. The abdomen can be stuffed with browned onions, carrots, champignons. Before cooking, experienced housewives soak carp in beer for 1-2 days (necessarily in the dark). It is customary to wear scales from the Christmas carp in your wallet all year round - it is believed that they 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, on coals, in foil.

Czech side dishes

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


Indeed, in almost no country in the world there is a dish that even remotely resembles Czech knedlik(knedlik). It stands on some special step between bread and side dishes, replacing both for the Czechs themselves. Although, if you make a short digression into history, you may be surprised to find 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 quite German roots and comes from the German “knödel”. However, knodels, used in southern Germany and Tyrol and being siblings (or, to be more precise, great-great-grandfathers) of Czech dumplings, could not be promoted to 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 hostess knows at least three recipes for the most “correct” dumplings own cooking: potato, flour (bread) and sweet.


So, what is a classic Czech dumpling? Here comes the biggest problem. There is absolutely no possibility to classify dumplings into “correct” and “wrong” ones - there are many options for their preparation, in each region (what a region - in every family!) The recipe for dumplings is different and, of course, the most authentic and delicious.

Basically, all dumplings have one thing in common - steaming or boiling a dough-like mass mixed from a variety of ingredients. The composition of the "dough" may include mashed raw or boiled potatoes, flour, starch, an egg, pieces of stale bread or a roll 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, which are 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, the dough for dumplings can be yeast and yeast-free.

The beauty of dumplings lies in the fact that, having an inexpressive taste in itself, due to their consistency, they perfectly absorb all the flavors 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:

  • bramborová kaše- mashed potatoes. Perfect for meat dishes with thick sauces and fish;
  • bramborove hranolky- classic french fries. Czechs are generally very fond of potato side dishes, so you can find potatoes on the menu in the most various options - boiled, baked, with fried bacon, garlic, dill, etc.;
  • krokety - croquettes. Deep fried mashed potato balls. They can take the form of small sticks, roses and others;
  • dusene zeli(stewed cabbage) and dušene kysane zeli(stewed sauerkraut) - prepared from sauerkraut. Another popular Czech side dish. Served both on its own with second courses, and as part of complex side dishes. It pairs perfectly with pork knuckle, drowned fish, baked ribs and other traditional Czech dishes. It can be prepared from white and red cabbage, with the addition of bay leaves, cumin, cranberries, lingonberries, carrots, apples;
  • fazolove lusky- boiled or stewed green beans.

Beer snacks

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

The goals of any proper beer snack are twofold: to emphasize the unique taste of the foamy drink and to create a thirst, leading to the order of the next glass. Given the second, the bulk of Czech beer snacks are distinguished by an abundance of salt and all kinds of spices.

- by completing interactive tasks and finding answers, step by step, you will get to know Prague and its history better - 3 hours, 20 euros

- a trip to the capital of Saxony - a city of arts, exquisite architecture, great museum collections - 11 hours, 35 euros

Main snack dishes

Marinated hermelin (nakládaný hermelín)

Hermelín means "ermine" in Czech. This is the name of a variety of soft fatty cheese from cow's milk, with white mold on the surface. By their own palatability Germelin is similar to French Camembert. Served as an appetizer with white wine. As a beer snack, it is served marinated. 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 marinated hot pepper "feferoni" (pálivé feferonky).


As a hot appetizer, hermelin is served deep fried in breadcrumbs ( smažený hermelín) or grilled ( grilovany hermelín). During heat treatment, all facets of the taste and aroma of cheese are revealed. Outside, the cheese is covered with a delicious crispy crust, and inside it has a gentle fluid content that literally melts in your mouth. Served with garlic, cucumber-dill, cranberry or lingonberry sauce.

Drowned people (utopenci)


Drowned people - translated from Czech as "drowned people". Fatty meat sausages (marinated in a sour marinade for about two weeks) with an original serving - each sausage is cut lengthwise, circles of tomato, pickled onions, sweet peppers, pickled cucumbers, pickled pepperoni peppers, etc. are put into the cut. Sprinkle generously with fresh herbs on top.

Beef tartare with toasted bread (hovězý tatarák s topinkami)


Tartar with bread

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

Olomouc curds (olomoucké tvarůžky)


A kind of Czech snack "for an amateur." It is a kind of ripened curd cheese. They have a sharp specific smell and taste. It is recommended to use with toast with butter. Those who dare to try this old "delicacy" of Czech peasants from the village of Lostice, in the vicinity of Olomouc (they began to produce it there back in the 15th century), say that if you do not pay attention to the smell, then according to your taste and delicate texture, cheese is more than something like smoked halibut.

Classic Snack Dishes, which you will surely find in any Czech pub or restaurant:

  • tlacenka - tlachenka. This name hides the well-known brawn from pork knuckle and meat offal. Served with pickled onions, horseradish, mustard and white sauces;
  • grilovane klobasky - grilled sausages. Delicious grilled meat sausages with a crispy crust. Served with various hot sauces and mustard. To form a more crispy crust, they can be cut crosswise on one or two sides;
  • Tatarský biftek z lososa - raw salmon tartare. Served on lettuce with toasted toast, lemon, pepper and salt;
  • pivni syr oblozeny - beer cheese. Bread with an original snack of beer cheese, salted sprat, onion, oils and drops of beer.

Given the culture of mass consumption of beer, in every drinking establishment you will be offered fried toasts(topinky) with various fillings (minced meat or fish, cheese, anchovies, bacon, garlic, onions), as well as meat(masové prkenko) or cheesy(sýrové prkenko) assorted.

Salads

Despite their love for hearty meat and potato dishes, the 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 - bramborovy salat. In addition to boiled potatoes, it includes carrots, celery root and parsley, red onions, pickled cucumbers, bacon cracklings and other ingredients of the hostess' choice. This salad is often served at the Christmas table. The “poorer” option includes, in addition to potatoes, onions, greens and mustard dressing with vinegar or wine (served warm). One more good example gastronomic passions of Czechs - Vlachsky salad ( vlašsky salát) from potatoes, green peas and a set of meat ingredients - sausages, ham, veal, tongue, etc. (such a Czech analogue of Olivier salad). A peculiar echo of the common history with Austria-Hungary is a salad of sweet pickled peppers, onions, celery root and smoked meats.

Desserts, pies

As a rule, travelers returning from the Czech Republic rarely mention local desserts. And absolutely in vain! Of course, this is largely due to the fact that the majority of tourists, absorbed in tasting varieties and brands of Czech beer, lean on beer snacks. Naturally, in this situation, the majority is no longer up to desserts. However, sweet lovers will discover amazing variety Czech desserts and pastries, in the tastes of which exquisite Austrian notes are clearly traced, and the pastry has very definite 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 particular institution. We will talk about unique Czech desserts, which you are unlikely to find outside the country.

- acquaintance with the history and traditions of Czech brewing, visiting a traditional brewery with its own brewery - 3 hours, 40 euros

- enchanting nature, rich history and the secrets of brewing the famous resort in a picturesque valley - 11 hours, 30 euros

Trdelnik, trdlo (Trdelnik, trdlo)

The most common street pastry in the Czech Republic. Tents with trdelniks can be found on every corner, and you can unmistakably determine their location by the breathtaking smell of cinnamon, vanilla and fresh muffin that spreads throughout the area. They are hollow tubes of butter rolled on a rolling pin. yeast dough sprinkled with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon, sometimes crushed nuts, poppy seeds or coconut flakes, smeared with honey, chocolate or hot caramel. Baked on 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 Gvadani who worked there in the 18th century) and the old Cesky Krumlov argue for the right to be called the creators of the most popular Czech delicacy. Supporters of the latest version argue that trdelniki was invented by a city baker who decided to trade his products at a large fair. In those years, according to tradition, every merchant or artisan, in order to draw attention to the product, put pretty girls-relatives behind the counter. The baker's daughter was not particularly beautiful, but she spun beautifully. To draw attention to his product, the baker decided to have the girl bake dough tubes, winding them on a wooden spindle and sprinkling sugar and cinnamon right in front of delighted 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 in Czech means "idiot" or "fool".

We have already described dumplings in detail in the section on. Sweet dumplings are distinguished by a richer dough; cottage cheese, soft cheese, vanillin, cinnamon, lemon and orange peel, candied fruits, nuts, fruits and berries are added to them. Served with sour cream, butter or custard, poured with butter, chocolate, jam or jam. A popular variety of sweet dumplings are szilvas gomboc(Hungarian) or knedliky se švestkami - dumplings with plums. They are round balls of potato or cottage cheese dough stuffed with plums or other sweet and sour fruits. Boiled in boiling water and then rolled in breadcrumbs, powdered sugar, coconut flakes, poppy seeds or crushed nuts.

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

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

Věnecek- a small custard cake in the form of a ring. It is the Czech equivalent eclairs. Its larger "brother" - windnik. It starts with whipped cream, custard, butter or protein cream, poured with glaze, decorated with whipped cream, nuts or berries. Another variety of it is an oblong-shaped eclair, apparently named by a lover of black humor. "rakvička" - coffin.

Palacinky- sweet thin pancakes. Czech confectioners make them especially delicate and openwork. Served with ice cream, whipped cream, marmalade, syrup, jam or melted chocolate. Sprinkled with berries, almonds, powdered sugar.

Oplatky- thin round stuffed waffles. Derived from the word "poplatek" - payment. This name was most likely due to the external similarity with coins. They are baked with a relief pattern on the surface, have a pleasant golden yellowish color. They start with chocolate, nougat, whipped cream, pieces of fruit. Tastes like famous Viennese waffles. The birthplace of payments 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 old recipes in various regions of the Czech Republic. The most famous - Pardubice gingerbread(Pardubický perník) in the shape of a heart and Stramber ears(Štramberské uši), baked in the form of sacks 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 lively street trading. In addition to those already described trdelnikov, popular street food in the Czech Republic are hot dogs (párek), fried sausages with side dishes from cauldrons - potatoes with pasta and stewed cabbage. A peculiar version of Czech shawarma is bramborák - ham, bacon, salami with herbs and vegetables wrapped in a potato pancake. On central squares skewers with the famous boar knee and even a whole carcass of pigs tease with their seductive aromas. Hungry (and not even so) buyers are attracted by their unusual appearance, spirals of deep-fried potatoes strung on wooden mini-skewers - such peculiar chips. Well, the undisputed leader in terms of the 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. It tries to compete with the smell of fried cheese (smazhak) and langosh (from the Hungarian lángos - fiery) - fried crispy flatbread with cheese, garlic sauce or sour cream.

Fast food in the Czech Republic 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 Fasty's, Bageterie Boulevard and Express Sandwich (the Czech analogue of Subway). The menu of international networks takes into account the increased interest of Czechs in meat, so you can find dishes with national flavor there. For example, at McDonald's visitors are offered a Maestro Bohemia burger made from Czech beef and a large portion of bacon. In local eateries you can find big choice Khlebitchkov- the Czech version of sandwiches, the most popular of which are bread with ham, cheese, various smoked meats and salmon. For taste, lettuce, greens, beer cheese, mayonnaise sauce, and butter are often added to the bread.