Sebechleby and Krupina

The morning of our last day in Slovakia was spent chilling in Sebechleby, a quaint little village where Patrick’s mum lives. We were sat in the village square when suddenly a soviet style song was played over loud speakers, followed by an announcement. A few people came out of their homes and headed towards a parked white van. Laura, who had already been to Slovakia a number of times before, told me it was to let people know there was someone passing through the village with goods to sell. It seemed a little bit bizarre at first, but when I thought about it, it actually made perfect sense, as I doubt twitter and facebook are used much by the elderly women of Sebechleby. I couldn’t imagine public announcements going down well in a place like London though. 

War memorial in Sebechleby town square

We headed towards Krupina, the nearest town to do some shopping. On the way we stopped for lunch. Feeling a little bit sniffly, Laura and I opted for the garlic soup. It sorted us right out. 

Garlic soup

Once in Krupina, our first stop was the pharmacy. Not for medicine, but for tea! It seems that if you have an ailment, the first subscription is a wild herb tea. They have over 300 blends in the pharmacy, each for a different ailment. It was really interesting to talk to Vlado, who is a botanist for a herbal tea blending company, about the medicinal qualities of mountain and forest plants. It has definitely made me think more about looking more locally for healing plants. 

Slovakian pharmacy

Tea blends for ailments

We stocked up on tea, then went up to our final viewpoint in Slovakia, where you could see the entire town of Krupina. 

View of Krupina from a watch tower

Knackered and feeling sad that our Slovakian adventure was coming to an end, we retreated back to Patrick’s mum’s house where we were treated to a lovely homemade dinner of stuffed peppers and bread dumplings. 

Stuffed peppers

Patrick had borrowed a book on Slovakian food from a friend that was filled full of quirky illustrations. We made hot toddies and looked through the book. It was a little bit emotional, as it made me realise how much more there was to discover in the country, but how little time we actually had. 

I learn’t a great deal about the Slovakian culture through their cuisine, and realised that often language barriers can be broken through food and drink. I must admit, I was a little apprehensive about traveling to Central Slovakia, as I wasn’t sure how and whether small town Slovakians would receive someone from a non-european background, especially since the government made their views clear on where they stood with regards to taking in migrants so recently. But, all my fears were proved wrong. Not only are Slovakians welcoming and hospitable, they also have a lot of respect for the natural world. Their resourcefulness and appreciation for their environment is admirable and something we could all learn from. From my short time in the country, I will take away a new philosophy: take care of nature and nature will take care of you. 

Slovakian Illustrations

Fork in pig

Slovakian kitchen

Making wine

We hit the sack, to get up early in the morning to make our way to Hungry. 

Pickled

The next day I woke up with a hangover. The best cure for a hangover? Pickles!

We had a simple breakfast of pickles, cured meat, cheese, tomatoes and bread. The day went by slower. We helped with the cleaning, which was a bigger task than we expected. We had a break, and Matush, a professional archer showed us how to use a bow and arrow. We killed a fair bit of time doing this. It was extremely addictive.

Shooting Rainbows

By the end of the day the cottage was looking cleaner, and the outside area had nearly returned to normal.

Patrick's cottage

In the evening we went for a walk up one of the surrounding mountains where there was a large white cross. Although no-one really knew why it was there. The view from the top was outstanding. The walk down in the dark really wasn’t!

View from the white cross

That evening we had Kapusta left over from the festival. It was especially delicious a few days after. To top of an already very tasty soup, Matush sliced up some raw garlic very finely and garnished the hot soup with it. It added a very subtle acidity to the dish, without being overly garlicky. The Slovakian really like their garlic, but unlike the pungent stuff we get in our supermarkets, Slovakian garlic has a far more modest flavour. We played dice outside by the fire and had a reasonably early night. The next day we would be going sightseeing around the mountain towns.

Warming up by the fire

Patrick's Kapusta

Patrick's Kapusta
This is a simple stew that is thickened using skin and bones. Patrick used lamb that had been reared, and and smoked, on Vlado’s farm. The sauerkraut was also homemade.

Ingredients:
Game/red meat of choice with skin and bones
Bay leaf
Whole onion
Good quality sauerkraut
Potatoes chopped
Dried mushrooms, soaked in water overnight, drained than sliced
Sweet paprika
Garlic, thinly sliced
Sour cream to serve

Method:
1. Boil the meat with the skin and bones in water with a few bay leaves on a slow fire for a couple of hours
2. Skim the impurities and remove the skin and bones
3. Add the sauerkraut, potato and mushrooms to the soup
4. Add the smoked paprika and season
5. Leave a couple of days if possible
6. Serve with the garlic and sour cream


Sauerkraut
Every family has their own recipe for sauerkraut. It’s eaten a great deal in Central and Eastern Europe that there are bound to be many variations. Although I have eaten my fair share of sauerkraut, I have never made it. This is Patrick's recipe which is tried and tested.

Ingredients:
White Cabbage
Caraway seeds
Bay Leaf
Salt
Pepper
Sugar

Method:
1. Thinly slice the cabbage
2. Place in a large bowl and salt. Allow to sit for 15-30 mins till it starts to release water.
3. Add the caraway seeds and bay leaf
4. Take the cabbage and place it in a jar, packing it down so that the liquid rises to the top
5. Continue to do this so that all the cabbage is submerged in the liquid. It may take a couple of days
6. Leave to ferment for a few months, or until bubbles stop forming

'Nazis sectretly eat falafel'

'Nazis secretly eat falafel' - Dies Irae, a German political activist posted pro immigration posters around
the small town of Freital: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-33691246

What would British food look like if immigration never happened? If people were restricted by man-made borders, and England, as a lone island had to produce enough food to feed itself?

Well, British food would be boring. As an island of little arable land the British were forced to look further afield to more exotic, warmer climates to find resources with which they could trade. The army, politicians, corporations, the church and the royals were one and the same: land was forcefully grabbed, valuable resources taken, and rich diverse cultures destroyed. It has taken over a hundred years to realise the extent of the destruction, which is still felt to this very day.

Despite this, it was the British who were the first to abolish slavery, and also the first to open up their borders to immigration. Through a series of waves, a variety of cultures, ethnicities, and religions have entered the tiny island, bringing with them new flavours and customary culinary traditions. Over time these flavours have infused through the country, subsequently influencing British food culture and changing the way we think and interact with our food.

The UK is now a melting pot of cultural diversity. Even though this hasn’t been spread evenly throughout the country, it still influences our everyday lives: from drinking a cup of tea in the morning, to tucking into a kebab with bare hands. Britain’s history is clearly reflected in the food we eat, to stop immigration would also naively stop our evolution as a progressively diverse and culturally rich nation.