S, for Slovenia! 
Our summer 2021 in Slovenia was such an awesome adventure! Shaking off Corona, and conquering the world with a new awareness of deep appreciation and really, THANKFULNESS- for life itself, for shedding fear, for being able to run free again, embracing- literally- oh, that was a special time!
We had dreamed of Slovenia quite some time. DH wanted since years to paddle the famous, amazing, turquoise wild "white waters" of the Soča, (aka the Isonzo, as it is called within the country). So we found a camping place directly besides this little beautiful river, close to a provider who leased gear and guide, in the nice little town of Kobarid. Googling the area, we realized that there was Ana Ros, at that time the "best female chef of the world", having her restaurant: Hiša Franko. So we reserved a spot, for the 18-course tasting menue. Which was our very first time to spend THAT much money, and reserve months ahead, for a gourmet-meal!
We "took our time" and had a wonderful overnight stay in Salzburg, Austria, and stood free on the mountain top in the Austrian Alps, enjoying (indeed!!) a thunderstorm in the night and then waking up to an AMAZING view of seeing the valleys beyond filled with a white thick layer of fog, that cleared up in the sunshine, as we looked outside, stunned and in awe... into Slovenia, ahead of us.
We entered the country and had lunch at Lake Bled. Never before had I seen SUCH amazingly, surreal turquoise water. It looked as it would be artificially colored! We had the yummy Bled-special cream-cake,
Kremšnita, as dessert, but our seafood- platter for 2 people before it was especially AMAZING. All that butter, and garlic, and ohhh... we were stunned!
We didn't stop being stunned on the further trip. We found SUCH a beautifully kept, lovely country! We fell in love with noticing, with how much care and labour the streets were built, hundreds of intricate, artfully set dry walls (all hand work), from field stones to make the smallest backroads safe, spick and span little villages. So NICE!!! And this NATURE!!! We crossed National park Triglav, with it's jaw dropping beautiful pass roads... the best of the best that alpine mountains can provide!
Later in our trip we "climbed" the unbelievably steep dirt road (perfectly kept as well) of mountain Stol and had a wonderfully satisfying picknick with local cheese, air cured ham, bread and grapes on it's peak. We so enjoyed our breakfasts with soo tasty local jams, self cooked dinners with local vegetables, sausages and meet-cuts, we bought little cakes and beautiful cookies. We drove further into the capital Ljubljana... loving each moment in this charming, art-filled city. Further on, to the impressive Caves of Postojna, which I could share, as my wheelchair got strapped onto a car of the small train, that transports people far into the cave. And inside, they- not even asked for- sent a sooo nice man, solely to help my husband push me up and down in the steep roads, through the awesomely beautiful landscape of flowstones...!
Then on our way back, we visited the stud farm of Lipice, where the famous white Lippizaner stallions for Viennas Spanish Riding School are bred. It was a childhoods dream for me, to see the wonderful horses roaming peacefully here, beneath hundreds of Linden-trees (for each new born filly, there gets one small linden planted!). In their original environment, back again, after they hat to flee in WW2! I guess I was with them, then- in that time... as it felt to me that I would know every corner, in this area. So good to see, things went good! Oh... and then, we enjoyed our travel back via Trieste, Italy. But, that is a different story.
I LOVED Slovenia. The people where AMAZING. Soooo friendly, helpful and nice! The nature is stunning. Now... let's dig into the FOOD!
Pogača, Flat bread. Once more, I copy a segment from a food-blog that I liked so very much:
"Similar in sound to foccacia, pogača from the Bela Krajina region (Belokranjska pogača) is one of Slovenia's very special foods and is protected by the EU as a Slovenian specialty food. It’s basically a yeasted flat bread a lot like Italian focaccia but that’s where the similarity ends. We learned that instead of olive oil and herbs, pogača is coated with an egg wash, coarse salt and caraway seeds (what Slovenians refer to as cumin).
The biggest difference however is that it is made to very exact specifications — diameter, thickness, and the size of the squares that are etched into it. It’s best served still warm and broken along those lines."
Štruklji -Strudel, baked with savory or sweet fillings, or, as here, cooked with a tarragon filling, served with roast and mushrooms, are no longer a festive side, but became a staple in the Slowenian cuisine.
Idrija Žlikrofi Pasta are (often with cheese) filled pieces of noodle-dough, fried or- here- served cooked, as a side of a meat-stew.
Seafood is a thing in Slovenia, as it has it's (very small, but beautiful) piece of coast into the Adriatic sea. Here is tuna, served with truffle, parmesan and vegetables.
Čevapčiči, small skinless "sausages" from very spicy ground meat (preferably lamb) are famous all over the Balkan. Each country and maybe each household has their own most beloved recipe of them, but always, there is LOTS of garlic involved! In Slowenia, they often get served within a bun along with raw onion.
Pršut from venison or wild boar, and
Kraški pršut (Karst prosciutto) from pork is delicious ham, air cured, and a speciality of Slovenia. Served with wine, together with other cold cuts and pickles or fresh fruit, it is sheer heaven!
Buckwheat Žganci -a very traditional recipe, prepared from buckwheat- flour. It was once the 3 meals- a- day dish, day in and day out, for poor people in earlier times. Cooked with water as for a porridge, then broken into small pieces. These crumbles get served with grieves/cracknels and hot lard, IF you have them (especially in the past!). But they can also be topped with honey, sour milk, mushroom soup or cabbage.
Prekmurska gibanica, a famous layered cake with poppy seeds, apples, raisins, walnuts, and sweet curd filling. I tried it and must admit, I didn't like it: Much too much is going on within it, all at once- at least in my humble opinion
Skutini štruklji, the same "Strudel" that also gets served with meat and gravy, comes here with sugar, cinnamon and whipped cream.
...Our experiences from the Michelin-Star-Gourmet restaurant, to a quite simple street-restaurant in Ljubljana, in a kiosk for coffee and a bite to eat, to the Terrace on the banks of Lake Bled, "home cooked" at our Camping place with products from the market, or cold delicacies curiously picked from the grocery store and eaten while driving, put together into one picture... I am so THANKFUL to have been there and to have eaten it! THANK YOU, THANK YOU LIFE!
And as you say, sooo many new desires!
And, wouldn't it be nice, to order them in a Café on a road trip with my family...?
I do! And your re-assurement feels so good, also 