Other foods were a little harder to appreciate. I wasn't a fan of traditional langoš because the ketchup and cheese combination tasted like crunchy bread covered in ketchup. I also didn't enjoy chlebíčky because I found the combination of potato salad, meat, and egg to be too many different textures and flavors. The chocolate-covered banana jelly candy was probably my least favorite. I really disliked its jelly texture and banana flavor!
One food that surprised me was the stinky cheese, called Olomoucké tvarůžky. Its strong smell initially made me hesitant, but I ended up really enjoying it on bread and crackers. I haven't tried the fried version yet, but I would love to! I also enjoyed burčák and was excited to introduce my visiting friends to it when they came to Litovel. Overall, trying unfamiliar foods has taught me that I won't love everything, but being willing to try something new is part of experiencing another culture.
Czech cuisine often features hearty meals, roasted ingredients, baked goods, and fried foods. Traditional meals such as svíčková use roasted root vegetables to create creamy sauces, while soups are commonly served before the main course. Dumplings are another important part of Czech cooking and are often served alongside meat and sauces.
I also noticed how many different ways the same ingredients can be used. Plums, for example, appear in pastries, fruit fillings, and other desserts. Poppy seeds are another common pastry filling. Sweet dough is baked into koláče or roasted around a wooden cylinder to make trdelník.
