Filled potato dumplings are quite popular meal in Czech Republic, and it’s very easy to prepare. The most common filling is smoked meat, which can be enriched with bacon. Interesting alternative can be pork scratching. Potatoes for  dough can be boiled a day before. But once you make the dough, try to work with it immediately. In time it begins to thin and then it would tear up and be sticky.

Saint Nicholas (Svatý Mikuláš) in Czech Republic, as well as in other Christian countries, is a popular fest day. It celebrates figure of Saint Nicholas of Myra, who was born in 280-286 in the city of Patara in Asia Minor province. Later he became a bishop, who was very popular among people for his generosity, charity and justice. During his life he took care of orphans, widows and other persecuted people. Nicholas of Myra died probably on 6th of December between 345-352. On this day people celebrates the Day of St. Nicholas.

St. Nicholas is patron of merchants, archers, lawyers, pharmacists and students. He’s also the protector of bridges against floods and helps in need. He’s patron of wedding and happy marriage and protector of children against sickness.
Cult of St. Nicholas began to spread about 2 centuries after his death. He was popular in Greek Church and later in Slavic countries. Traditions linked with Nicholas are very diverse and regionally and nationally different. Part of most of them is giving gifts to children. In Scandinavia he lets gifts in shoes, which kids place near fireplaces. In Croatia Nicholas is accompanied by devil Krampus. In Germany he walks with groom Ruprecht and in Russia it’s Ded Moroz and Snegurochka. In Holland he’s called Sinte Klaas and in UK and USA Santa Claus, who brings presents at Christmas.

St. Nicholas’s handing of gifts

In Czech Rep. so called “Mikulášská nadílka” (Nicholas’s presents) is celebrated. According to old folklore Nicholas came from sky to ground every year on 5th of December and together with devil and angel he came around houses and gave kids sweets or coal and potatoes depending on kid behaviour.

Part of traditions were Nicholas’s markets, which took place on many places. Merchants sold bakery, marzipan, gingerbread, chocolate and little toys. Popular were little figurines of devils made from dried plums (prunes) and so called “světy”, a big apple standing on three wooden sticks decorated with dried fruits. Bakers made beautiful products, the most common were Nicholas, angel and devil. And a gingerbread alphabet, which helped kids learn and after they could enjoy eating.

In many regions, parades took place. In masquerades were several Nicholas, who were accompanied by devils and angels, but also hussars, dragoons and hajduks. One of the largest parade used to be near Litomysl to the end of 19th century.

Visits of St. Nicholas were regionally different. In poor regions, kids hanged stockings on windows or doors over night and found gifts in the morning. In richer regions Nicholas came to children in person. He was a tall figure with long white beard. He wore long white shirt with red-white cloak quilted with golden thread. He had red or white bishop’s hat with golden cross in the front. In one hand he held a long crutch and in second hand he held a bag with gifts. Devil his companion should scare bad kids. Nicholas asked parents about children’s behaviour and then he tested kid if it can pray. If he was satisfied, he gave kids fruits, nuts and some sweets. But if he wasn’t devil gave the poor kid some coal and potatoes. But really naughty kids were threaten to be thrown into sack and drag in hell.

This traditional conception of this fest persists to this day, mainly in the countryside. But even there changes applied. Kids are not tested from praying anymore, but they are to told some poems and rhymes and songs. Fruits and nuts were replaced by bars and chocolates. But a little of coal and potatoes is still a threat.

Weather lore on St. Nicholas

With Nicholas, some weather lores are connected. For example:

“On St. Nicholas, the whole winter is ours alas.”
“When on St. Nicholas is raining, the winter is gonna be avenging.”
“On St. Nicholas on ice, On St. Stephens on mud.”
“If the bird drinks from rail on St. Nicholas, the horse won’t drink from river for three months.”

Once upon a time

there was a cute town

and it’s people knew

how to have some fun

when st. Martin’s day

finally has come.

In a town surrounded by Beskydy’s mountains, in the town where I grew up we celebrate St. Martin’s day every year. He’s the patron of the town.

Anyway, eating roasted goose and drinking St. Martin’s wine is whole republic tradition. But for us it means whole weekend ritual starting on Friday with something like outdoor alcoholic special drinks market and ending on Sunday with light headache and completely full stomach. But calm down, it’s not just about drinking and eating. Mainly it’s about meeting friends, spending time with family. Maybe this spirit is common for whole nation during St. Martin’s day, but mostly for other people it’s about eating something they don’t usually eat and drinking special occasions kinds of wine.

But for us it’s about meeting on the main and only square, talking to friends you haven’t seen for a long time, trying to walk through the crowd and walking from stall to stall… and drinking vařonka, hot wine and warm mead.

Vařonka is north Moravian history leftover. But it’s awesome. You know – very cold winters, tough work, no money. People needed to warm up somehow. Vařonka is combination of caramel, water, spices like clove, cinnamon (it’s possible to use badian (star anise) or allspice) and a shot of booze for a cup. You may use vodka, but we use režná (it’s made from anise, it has about 35% of alcohol) or rum. In the end you put to the cup just a little bit of butter and perhaps slice of lemon or orange for decoration. It’s very sweet. And you get drunk very fast. There is also a competition who made the best vařonka. And competitors really care about it because it is a big pride to win and they will be well known to whole town. In the end of the evening there is lot of drunk people. But they are still capable to get up early next morning so they can see their patron.

On Saturday square looks like a medieval market with different kinds of food, drink and handmade stuff.

And this day is about best roasted goose competition and St. Martin’s coming. He is supposed to ride on a white horse which means snow. So he’s supposed to bring snow and winter and cover the country with snowy blanket and let it rest to the spring. For the last few years it’s not working. No snow. Or more likely no snow in November. Maybe we are going to be content just with movember. Tom0rrow I’m going to buy some moustache. I’ll be very pretty girl.

Maybe I could compare our roasted goose and our st. Martin’s celebration to thanksgiving turkey or something like that. When it’s really about tradition you just want to be with your closest. This year I loved making goose (ok, it wasn’t really a goose, but it wasn’t a duck, it was a hybrid, something in between – gooseduck. Meat is not so dry as goose use to have and it’s not so tough as duck use to have, it’s tender and juicy) because it was whole family cooperation. My father made goose, my mother made white Czech cabbage and I made savory red cabbage and awesome butter dumplings. And together – lovely tender meat, tasty moist dumplings and bittersweet combination of cabbages – together it was heaven.

So bellow it’s not going to be just one of the meals recipe but recipe for the whole course.

Of course you can make roasted goose on orange and honey or plums, make savory both white and red cabbage or make red cabbage with apples and cranberries and it’s going to be great. But let it be simple and you will know for 100% it’s going to be the best.

Roasted Goose

I know, it takes time but it definitely worth it. And you have time to do rest of it.

Cabbage

The most complicated thing is the Czech cabbage. You can cook this cabbage day ahead so it “sits” and tastes even better. I love the smell when my mother cooks it, it simply smell delicious.

Dumplings

And finally… the best dumplings I’ve ever ate. For now, of course. They are moist, with taste of butter and supper easy to make.

Shopska salad is originally a Bulgarian salad made from tomatoes, cucumber, onion, pepper and feta cheese. It’s popular across Eastern and Central Europe. Shopska salad is easy summer salad recipe, which can be served as main course or a healthy side with meat.

Potatoes are most used vegetable and side in Czech cuisine. If you were to prepare something on a grill, e.g. our recipe for skewers, you may try to make grilled potatoes in tin foil with garlic dip. It goes very well with meat and you can please your vegetarian friends as well. Of course, you don’t have to necessarily grill them, but bake them in oven.

Time of weekend family barbecues is not just pleasure time in US or UK but also in Czech Republic. Although it’s pretty obvious that meals on the menu are quite different. Czech grill parties or bonfires include mainly sausages and selection of meat. Fairly popular among Czechs are “špízy” (meat on a skewers), which can be made in many different ways. Let’s try one of the classic grilled pork skewers today. You can serve them with grilled potatoes and vegetables. And of course don’t forget a cold beer to wash it down.