Czech cuisine will come as a pleasant surprise to
gourmets. Although the cuisine shows influences from neighbouring countries (Hungary,
Austria and Germany), the greatest inspiration remains traditional old Bohemian
recipes. Typical Czech specialties that should not be missed include potato soup,
sirloin in cream, roast pork with dumplings and cabbage, crepes filled with
fruit and ice cream, apple strudel or fruit dumplings sprinkled with sugar and
curd cheese. Does nothing come to mind with these phrases? This is precisely the
reason why you should come and taste them all for yourself!
Soup Forms the Foundations
The eating habits of those who inhabit the Czech lands differ little from those
in other European countries. Three meals are eaten in the course of the day:
breakfast, lunch and dinner. The main meal of the day for most Czechs is lunch.
Whether at home or in a restaurant, lunch usually consists of three courses:
soup, a main dish and dessert (or salad).
Meat
Meat (maso) is an ever-present on Czech menus. The most common types of meat to
appear on your plate will be pork (veprové), poultry (drubez) and beef (hovezí).
Less common are mutton (skopové), game (zverina) and fish (ryba).
For Vegetarians
There are many meat dishes in the Czech cookbook, but vegetarians also have much
to choose from. Diners can order vegetarian versions of mushy peas, lentil soup
and various sauces (these dishes usually contain meat). Czech vegetarian dishes
include fried cauliflower (smazený kveták), mushroom omelet (smazenice z hub),
egg and dumplings (knedlíky s vejcem) and fried cheese (smazený sýr).
Dumplings or potato fritters?
If we want to identify a phenomenon peculiar to Czech cuisine, somewhat
surprisingly neither meat nor any other special ingredient comes into the
equation. It is a side dish! Dumplings are made in other places other than the
Czech Republic, but the Czech version has the right to be called unique.
Regional Specialties
Regional specialties are one reason to strike out on a gastronomic tour of the
Czech Republic. In Prague there is Prague Ham (prazská sunka); South Bohemia is
the centre of attention around Christmas time thanks to its Carp farms;
Pardubice gingerbread (pardubický perník) is a favorite among children across
the land.
Festival Meals
Christmas dinner wouldn’t be the same without Carp and potato salad. Another
integral part of the Czech yuletide celebrations are Christmas biscuits. Some of
the ever-presents on Czech Christmas tables are honey gingerbread (medové
pernícky) decorated with icing, vanilla rolls, Linz pastry and Christmas loaf (vánocka)
with raisins and almonds.
Beer
Beer is regarded by the Czechs themselves as their national drink – whether dark,
light, mixed, wheat… There are over 470 different types of beer in the Czech
lands. In all Czech restaurants, beer gardens and clubs quality beer is an
essential part of the experience.
Wine
The best wine producing regions can be found in South Moravia. White wines from
the area have won awards at international competitions, and some of the most
popular types are Veltlínské zelené, Müller-Thurgau and Moravian Muscat. Red
wines such as Frankovka and Svatovavrinecké are not far behind.
Becherovka
A bottle of Becherovka makes a great souvenir for visitors to the Czech Republic
to take home. This bitter herb liqueur hails from the famous spa town of
Carlsbad, where thanks to its curative properties, people call it the ‘13th
spring’.
Spa Wafers
Spa wafers have a characteristic shape – thin, round, and with various fillings.
According to various sources, the classic spa wafers, sprinkled with hazel nuts,
sugar and vanilla, have been made at the spas since 1788, though the tradition
reaches as far back as the 16th century. Today you can still taste warm spa
wafers with various types of filling. The origin of the spa wafer is apparently
closely associated with Communion wafers. They are the same shape as today’s spa
wafers and are made of the same unraised flour and water mixture. Spa wafers are
even baked between two hot plates in the same way as Communion wafers. If you
like the taste of spa wafers, as you stroll along the colonnade, you can buy
some boxed and be reminded of the atmosphere of the spa in the comfort of your
own home.
Spa Cups
Special spa cups have been used to drink mineral-rich spring water since time
immemorial – from stone versions to glass to the present-day porcelain types which have become traditional souvenirs from the spas. Spa cups have a special shape – they are flat and the handle also serves as a
kind of straw through which the water can be sipped easily. This also maintains the temperature of the water and its CO2 content.
Spa Food
At Czech spas you can try many different types of food – from classic dishes to
healthy fare to various kinds of diet food. And there’s always the possibility
of trying specialties from other parts of the world – at top hotels you can
sample dishes from several continents under one roof – at the stylish
restaurants menus feature Czech fare as well as dishes from France, Italy, and East Asia. |
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Comfort, relaxation, good food and drink – none of
these experiences will be lacking on your holiday in the Czech Republic. Here you can dine well, and in all price categories. Awaiting you is both traditional Czech cuisine as well as international cuisine. Here you will find information
about some suggestions, where your clients can enjoy good meal or can spend nice evening. If you have any other request or you need something special, please do
not hesitate to contact our reservation department.