Slovakia has large forested and mountainous areas where deer and other game animals are part of that environment. Venison and other game meats also appear in traditional Central European cooking.
That connection felt especially noticeable during this trip because we spent so much of the weekend outdoors. We hiked through the mountains, rafted for several hours and spent most of our time surrounded by forests and nature. Eating venison afterward made the meal feel connected to the place we were visiting in a way I probably would not have thought about otherwise.
The bread dumplings also stood out because I had already seen them served with several meals in both Czechia and Slovakia. They are very different from the sides I usually have with meat dishes at home in Texas, so they have become one of the foods I now associate with being here.
A few weeks ago, if someone had asked whether I would ever eat deer, I probably would have said no immediately. Now I can say I’ve tried it and would probably order venison goulash again.
