Slovak shepherds and farmers working in the mountains needed quick, high-calorie meals after long hours in the cold, and often had few fresh ingredients to choose from. Everyone has their own way of making Bryndzové Halušky, but all you really have to do is form and boil the potato dumplings, pour some bryndza cheese on top, add some cooked bacon and green onions, and you're good to go! My students in Slovakia are very excited to make their own version of Bryndzové Halušky for me sometime soon.
Do any of these foods sound good to you? Why?
Though modern, Slovak grocery stores contain a variety of fruits, vegetables and packaged goods like American grocery stores, traditional Slovak cuisine is heavily connected to shepherd culture and the mountainous farmland in the country. Cold winters and high mountains restricted what Slovak farmers could grow, so potatoes and cabbage are widespread. The mountainous northern regions of the country especially relied on pastoral shepherding since growing food was so difficult, so dairy and meat are major parts of the Slovak diet as a result. Nowadays, Slovaks also import and eat many of the same foods we have in America, like strawberries and pizza, thanks to the connected nature of our modern world.
