The national Bulgarian cuisine has grown out of wealth and culinary traditions, combined skilfully in a way, which is uniquely Bulgarian. The Bulgarian cuisine has its own characteristics and originality. There are a lot of vegetable gardens and orchards in Bulgaria, and the fresh fruits and vegetables are the main ingredients in the great variety of dishes. In the villages, most of the food is organic; it comes straight from the land.
Many of the Bulgarian products and dishes are well known in other parts of the world. Today the yogurt is well known all over the world because of its taste and health giving properties, but may be only a few know, that Bulgaria is the country of the yogurt - the bacterium, on which is based the production of the yogurt - L. Bulgaricus, is cultivated here. In the Bulgarian home yogurt comes on the table every day along with the bread and it is a necessary component in many Bulgarian dishes. The Great Roasted Red Pepper has also become an attraction. Anyone who has tasted a Bulgarian apple already knows why this fruit tempted Eve.
Just come into the cozy atmosphere of the Bulgarian house or restaurant, and you will be tempted by the culinary wonders, created by the Bulgarian chefs. Dinner out in a mehana, a traditional Bulgarian folk-styled restaurant, is also considered a recreational experience.
Usually you start your dinner with Shopska salad.
It is a traditional salad, which is beautiful, tasty and piquant. And such a fine relish needs a good and strong drink. Together with the salad comes the authentic Bulgarian brandy, made of grapes, plums or other fruits it is served always chilled.
The three most common soup varieties are: the spicy bean soup, shkembe chorba - triple soup and tarator - a cold summer soup, prepared with yogurt, cucumbers, garlic and dill.
After that comes the main dish- there is an exceptional variety of them, but two of the most remarkable are kavarma and kapama, both prepared in earthenware over slow fire. This is a typical method of meal preparation for the Bulgarians. Your main dish is always accompanied with a glass of delicious and strong Bulgarian wine - there are plenty of wines to be enjoyed there, some of them are unique, because they are produced only in certain regions of the country. Among the reds we would recommend the full-bodied Cabernet, the heavier Melnik and Gamza, the rich, dark Mavrud and the sweet Pamid, first grown by the Thracians. Among the whites attention deserve the sweet Dimyat, the dry Karlovski and Rilski Misket. The Traminer Chan Krum is definitely one to look for. In wine-growing areas, many taverns offer homemade wine, straight from the cask.
And for dessert you will probably be recommended to try the traditional syrupy baklava or different kinds of fine pastries. A favored dessert is the palachinki - crepe stuffed with chocolate or nuts and honey.
Good appetite, or, as the Bulgarians say "DOBAR APETIT"!
Here is a "glossary" of some traditional dishes:
shopska salad - a tasty mixed vegetable salad / tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and pepper/s, topped with Bulgarian feta cheese and garnished with olives and parsley.
kapama - stew prepared in an earthenware dish, containing different kinds of meat-chicken, pork, beef and sausages, cooked together with sauerkraut.
kavarma - a mouthwatering stew, prepared in an earthenware dish, containing meat /beef or pork/, onions, peppers, tomatoes.
banitza - fillo dough, filled with a mixture of eggs, yogurt and feta cheese.
slavianski gyvetch - stewed meat with rice, peppers and tomatoes.
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