Prague, March 2010 Lovers of good food and drink will literally savour a stay in the Czech Republic. Come and see for yourself that the Czech Republic truly has something to offer. Try traditional cuisine, have fun at a festival or other celebrations, taste the local beer and wine, or even sign up for a cooking course. Our gastronomic offer will sweep you off your feet.
Traditional cuisine
Anyone who travels to a foreign country should certainly taste the local dishes. Tourists can find their bearings in traditional Czech cuisine very quickly thanks to the project Czech Specials, or Taste the Czech Republic, in which the CzechTourism agency cooperates with the Czech Association of Hotels and Restaurants and the Association of Chefs and Confectioners.
The way it works is quite simple: Got to the website www.czechspecials.com and there you will find a list of restaurants that can boast the prestigious logo Czech Specials. This certificate guarantees that you will find on the menu a national specialty, such as svíčková (sirloin) in cream sauce or pork, dumplings and cabbage, and at least one regional dish. For example, you will enjoy liver and cranberry pâté in Prague, Krkonoše sour soup in the Giant Mountains (or Krkonoše), or perhaps you will try "Moravian sparrow" (roast pork, sauerkraut and potato dumplings) in South Moravia. Simply select what you would like to try and set off for that region. The restaurants, moreover, are located in attractive tourist locations and thus you can always tie your meal in with your exploration of the Czech Republic. Various promotional events also shall take place as part of the Czech Specials project.
Our tip:
The Czech Republic in your own home
On the Czech Specials website you will also find recipes for national and regional dishes so that you can still conjure up the tastes of the Czech Republic in your home kitchen after your return.
Gastronomic festivals
Lovers of good food should already have the last weekend in May marked in their calendars for a trip to Prague. At the Prague Food Festival, people will savour splendid Czech cuisine as well as gastronomic offerings from other countries around the world. The festival is a three-day celebration of food (28-30 May). The organisers always strive to find some unique location to host the festival, and this year they have chosen the Southern Garden of Prague Castle. Visitors will taste dishes from top restaurants and, in addition to the food and drink, will enjoy the breathtaking view of Prague. So what exactly can guests look forward to? They will be able to select delicacies not only from Czech cuisine but also from French, Japanese, Mediterranean, Kosher and Asian cuisines. A rich accompanying programme has been prepared, including the popular cooking shows hosted by chefs. The organisers also have kept children in mind, for whom a special menu will be prepared.
Tips for other festivals:
In spring: Gurmán Festival, (Hradec Králové, 1-2 May)
In autumn: Gastrofest, (České Budějovice, 11-13 November)
Celebrations of good food
And the possibilities for sampling good food and drink in the Czech Republic definitely don't end there. You can enjoy delicacies and rich supporting programmes also at other various celebrations.
At the Asparagus Festival (21-22 May) in Ivančice, not far from Brno, you will taste various dishes made from asparagus as well as wines from local vintners. Historically, Ivančice was an "asparagus superpower", and today the people of this city are striving to cultivate asparagus once again.
You can sate your appetite for fish specialities during the Třeboň Fishing Celebrations (28-29 August. Once the celebrations end, be sure to stick around. You can crown your visit to this south Bohemian city, surrounded by a plethora of fish ponds, with a relaxed cycling trip or a stay at the spas. There are two to choose from right in Třeboň.
In the town of Slup, a short way from Znojmo, the Bread Festival (4 September) will once again take place. Sample fresh bread baked in a modern oven as well as in a military field bakery. During the celebrations, be sure also to have a look at the interesting technical monument, the Slup Water Mill.
Cooking courses
Of course, you can also hone your cooking skills during a visit to the Czech Republic. Simply sign up for a cooking course. You will be instructed by top professionals, and the offer includes courses in both traditional Czech cuisine as well as international and exotic gastronomy. Select a course at www.olakala.cz, www.alcron.cz, www.prakul.cz, http://atelier-culinari.cz.
Furtherinspiration
In the Czech Republic, you also can experience a propermedieval feast with magicians and dancers. Head for Zbiroh Castle (on the way from Prague to Pilsen) or to the Dětenice pub in Bohemian Paradise. The programme at the Botanicus Historical Centre in the Polabí region includes Medieval Cuisine Day (26 June). If you have more of a sweet tooth, however, then come a month earlier (29 May) when everything here will be focused around honey. A chocolate museum is also sure to make your mouth water.
Czech beer and wine
When it comes to gastronomy, we mustn't forget the wonderful Czech beerand wine. The wine-tasting exposition "Wine Salon" in Valtice offers 100 of the best wines from around the Czech Republic for the current season all in one place. There you will be able to choose from a diverse selection of wine-tasting programmes.
In September and October, you can visit wine harvest festivals at a great many places in the Czech Republic, while at Saint Martin's Day celebrations in November in addition to young wine you also will be able to sample St. Martin's goose. Tips for events, a directory of vintners and other information about Czech wine is available at www.czecot.com, www.wineofczechrepublic.cz.
Eva Tajanovská
CzechTourism, tajanovska@czechtourism.cz
Prague Food Festival 2010
