Zelodec Sausage

[Emir Ballard]

Gorenjskiželodec is a traditional Slovenian sausage originating from the Gorenjska region (Upper Carniola). It's usually made with a combination of ground pork, garlic, salt, pepper, and millet gruel. The meat is mixed with garlic, salt, and pepper, and it's then chilled for a few hours. The mixture is kneaded with the gruel and it's then stuffed into pig's stomach. The ends are sewn together or tied with skewers, and the sausage is then smoked before it's slowly cooked in water. Gorenjski želodec is typically served as a cold cut that's paired with bread and vegetables, while larger pieces of the želodec are sometimes served hot with sauerkraut.

Loads of people still do their own sausages. My neighbour still smokes different kinds of meat in a special place in barn-one time my friend thought she had a fire because of all the smoke in a barn and called fire brigade. There came three trucks from sorrounding villages and then the firemen had a good laugh about it when they discovered that my neighbour was only smoking meat.

I was among the judges tasting small slices of the sausages made by four area companies. They were served from vendor booths along a midway next to the dancehall. Many other foods, such as potica, blood sausage and a sausage-based dish called zelodec also were available. A full bar was indoors, along with an area for baked goods.

Valencic, a founder of the Polka Hall of Fame and Museum, explained that Cleveland-style polka was begun after World War II with traditional Slovenian folk tunes modernized with touches of the waltz, jazz, country and other music styles.

Slovenia has diverse customs and traditions, and these are reflected in its abundant gastronomic heritage and the variety of local and traditional agricultural produce and foods. Explore tourist destinations through local cuisine and traditional dishes. Pay particular attention to the foods with protected designation of origin, geographical indication, and traditional speciality guaranteed designations. Protected products include 9 types of cold cuts, 4 cheeses and 3 types of honey. Some 27 dishes and products have been protected in Slovenia.

Tasting produce and foods with the protected designation of origin means having a genuine experience of a certain geographical environment. As they are strictly bound to an area due to the raw material and end-product production, they reflect the quality, tradition and peculiarities of the landscape and places in which they are produced and carry their own unique attractive local story.

This cheese is of a distinctive yellow colour due to its high beta-carotene content, and it has a typical tangy flavour. The cheese has been made on the Nanos Plateau, after which it was named, since...

For 700 years, the salt-makers of the Piran Salt Pans have been manually harvesting this white treasure of the Slovenian coast. It will add a special touch to your dishes with its sea- and sun-kissed...

The oil is made from olives mostly harvested by hand from the different varieties growing in the Slovenian Istria, of which at least one third must be the istrska belica variety. The oil has a high content...

As with the protected designation of origin, the protected geographical indication is also linked to a certain geographical location, but the connection to the area itself is somewhat less strict, which means that at least one production procedure must take place in the relevant geographical area and the raw material can originate from elsewhere.

The queen among cured meats is the Kranjska sausage, which has even travelled into space thanks to Sunita Williams, an astronaut of Slovenian roots. According to a folk tale, it was named by no other than Emperor Franz Joseph himself.

Karst prosciutto is the most well-known Karst cold cut that the locals will be happy to serve you. Its distinctive flavour is the result of coarse sea salt and the typical Karst bora wind. Karst prosciutto takes an average of one year to mature.

This cold cut is made from high-quality pork and bacon in the Savinja River Valley in accordance with a process that has been in use for more than 100 years. In the past, it was a must-have on holidays and at weddings.

Prleška tnka has been known in the Prlekija region for more than 500 years. It is made of minced lard and pork alternately stacked in layers in a container and left to mature for at least 30 days.

The typical Prekmurje pear-shaped cured meat undergoes a traditional process of maturing that requires a great deal of care and patience. Due to its long curing and maturing period, the product is distinguished by a unique smell and flavour.

The exceptional plant diversity in Slovenia provides a great foundation for high-quality Slovenian honey, which must comply with strict requirements and, for example, contain less than 18.6% water. You can choose from acacia, flower, linden, spruce, forest, fir or chestnut honey.

The eggs from below the Kamnik Alps were acclaimed as far back as the late 19th century, when the Kamnik farm women supplied numerous Ljubljana kitchens and the marketplace with this precious foodstuff. Laying hens are fed with flax seeds, resulting in eggs containing at least twice as much omega-3 fatty acid.

If you order beer in Slovenia, this will likely be made from the protected Štajerska hops, which is actually a mixture of several Slovenian hop varieties. Hops give beer its distinctive bitterness and aroma with a touch of herbal, fruity and flowery notes.

Slovenia has a number of exceptionally delicious traditional dishes and four of them are particularly protected under the Traditional Speciality Guaranteed label. The label focuses on the use of traditional raw materials, the production/processing method and the composition of the dish.

If you would like to welcome Slovenian cuisine into your own kitchen, you can order the best delicacies online and have them delivered to your home. If you would like to try gourmet masterpieces, selected Slovenian wines or genuine home-made specialties, you will certainly find something to your liking.

Slovenian cuisine is based on ingredients found in our immediate surroundings. Modern approaches to cuisine combine with elements of culinary tradition. Discover restaurants, recipients of the Slovenia Green Cuisine Label, which put sustainability at the forefront in the creation of their specialities.

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