"Czech Specialities - Food in Prague" Prague Local Custom Tip by JessH

The food from the Czech Republic is no-nonsense, rustic, hearty fair that reminds me very much of the traditional dishes you can find in my native Southern Germany. After all: in a European country that brews beer and experiences some pretty chilly winter weather, you wouldn't want to sustain yourself on lettuce leaves and broth - you need proper food!

Prague is a meat-lover's paradise, with pork and beef featuring heavily on most menus.
Usually served with a strongly flavoured sauce and a side dish, the most common being dumplings ("knedliky") made from either left-over bread or from potatoes.

Pork dishes were heavily advertised outside most restaurants that we passed in Prague, with some even drawing little pictures to avoid any translation errors or misunderstandings (see photo :-)

Chicken, duck, turkey, fish, rabbit and lamb are also used in some very tasty Czech dishes. A good choice can be the goulash ("Gulas"), traditionally a Hungarian dish that has been adopted and adapted in this country.

Another Czech favourite is fried cheese ("smazhenee seer") and interestingly, whereas in many countries we are used to eating cheese as a dessert, in the Czech republic we were often served a selection of cheeses as a starter.

I was thrilled to find one of my very favourite treats in Prague... something that I know and love from Germany as well: pickled herring (my husband absolutely despises the stuff, oh goody: more for me!)

The Czechs also love hearty soups and the most common Czech soups ("polevka") are onion ("Cibulacka", read *tsibulachka*) and garlic soup ("Cesnekova polevka""), but the speciality for Christmas is the fish soup (Rybi polevka) made with Carp.

You couldn't have a proper Czech beer without proper sausages, and you'll find plenty of varieties here from grilled, poached, pickled or smoked.

A favourite side dish is cabbage, typical for most Central and Eastern European cuisine. Here also I found something I know and love from Germany: Sauerkraut. Although the Czechs are definitely more inventive with their cabbage: I tried cabbage cakes (like roesti) for the first time in Prague, and loved them! I'm definitely going to make them at home.

We went to the cafe in the beautiful Obecni Dum (Municipal House) and I had to try a local sweet temptation: Honey Cake (Medovnik). This is a layered cake originating from Russia (but it has now become a firm Czech favourite) and containing - obviously - honey, and also custard, glorious custard! Delicious and *snarf!* is all I have to say :-)

For dessert, I've already written a tip on the lovely doughnutty Trdelnik (see my seperate Restaurant Tip) and another favourite are Czech Pancakes ("Palacinky"). John enjoyed one of these for breakfast (!) one day, filled with whipped cream, jam and fruits... that man just knows how to live, haha!

Website: http://www.food.com/recipes/czech