Eastern European Cuisine
The cuisine of Eastern Europe is a blend of hearty peasant dishes-groaning bowls of steaming dumplings, sauerkraut perfuming the air, beet soup striking a colorful pose-alongside elegant gourmet offerings like precious little appetizers and fancy tortes.
In both comfort foods and more complex dishes, the ingredients are always simple. It's the preparation and sauces that set them apart.
Dumplings with Sheep Cheese (Bryndzove Halusky)
This is Slovakia’s national dish – so if you can only try one Slovak food, make it this one! Bryndzové refers to the high-quality, creamy, soft, locally produced sheep cheese that is unique to Slovakia. Although this type of cheese is also produced in neighboring countries, each country has its own special recipe, and Slovaks are especially proud of theirs. The cheese is served on top of halušky, or potato dumplings, very similar to Italian gnocchi. Finally, to create the best possible combination, pieces of smoked bacon and sausage are typically sprinkled on top.
Trdelnik
Funnel cakes are amazing in winter, served warm at a Christmas market with a mug of mulled wine. The sugar and cinnamon melt delicately in your mouth, and the cake gives you energy to spend hours walking in Bratislava’s Old Town. But recently Slovaks have adapted the funnel cake to include a summer variety – one that is served with vanilla ice cream stuffed inside. Now you can enjoy this Slovak traditional dessert year round!
Marinated Sirloin (Svickova)
This popular dish consists of braised beef covered with a thick, creamy sauce of parsley root and carrots. It’s usually served with a side of cranberry sauce and whipped cream.
Roasted Pork (Knedlo Vepro Zelo)
Perhaps the most traditional Czech dish you can ask for at a restaurant, Vepřo knedlo zelo is basically roasted pork served with dumplings and a side of pickled cabbage.
Pelmeni
No one really knows when Russians first started cooking pelmeni, but the dish eventually got right into the heart of the national cuisine. The time consuming dish is usually cooked for special occasions, but if you’re not ready to spend several hours forming tiny dumplings, you can always buy a pack of frozen pelmeni at any grocery store (of course they are never as good as the home-made). Pelmeni are usually stuffed with either lamb, pork or beef or all the three combined, and it’s the thinness of the dough that makes them so special. Pelmeni can be served with or without broth, but always with sour cream.
Borscht
Probably the most famous traditional Russian/Ukrainian dish internationally, borscht is a red beetroot soup, that generally includes some meat, potatoes, carrots, and tomato, although there are so many local variations – trying them all could take you years. Usually served with some dill and sour cream, borscht can be eaten either hot or cold, which makes it a go-to dish for both cold Russian winters and hot summers.