Geographic position
Bulgaria (Balgarija) is the country in South-Eastern Europe surrounded by Serbia, Macedonia, Greece, Turkey and Romania. It includes the Lower Danube region, Old Mountains or the Balkans, Thracian Valley and the Black Sea littoral. Moderate continental and submediterranean climate is prevalent, with fruitful soil in the North and along the rivers and with the forests in the mountain area.
Bulgarian cuisine prefers long simmering, especially in the lid covered earthenware in the oven.
It takes about 111,000 km2, and has about 7,750,000 inhabitants. The capital is Sofia, and the official language is Bulgarian, although both the Roman and the Turkish languages are used. The main economic branches are the agriculture, especially cultivation of vegetables and fruit; forestry and fishery, but also mining and industry in general. In 2004 Bulgaria became NATO member and in 2007 it entered the European Union.
Historic influence
Slavic tribes inhabited the area of present Bulgaria in the 6th century, and in the year 680 the first Bulgarian state is formed, a part of which falls under the Byzantium in 971, and part under the country of Samuil. After the liberation the second state is formed which in 1393 becomes a part of Turkey. In late 18th ct. the struggle for independence starts, and in 1878 the Great Bulgaria is founded, which is soon divided in two countries, and they are again reuniting in 1885. After the 1st Balkan War Bulgaria defeated Turkey together with Serbia, Greece, Montenegro due to territorial claims, after which it is fighting its allies and Turkey and Romania. After the 2nd World War in 1947 Bulgaria accepts the socialist constitution and in 1955 it joins the Warsaw Pact. Due to unsuccessful economic policy in 1989, the supremacy of the communist party is terminated, and Bulgaria accepts democracy and market economy.
Cuisine
Bulgarian cuisine is authentic and very interesting, despite of the fact that culinary influences of Turkey and Greece are recognized in it, but also some Slavic, Oriental and Mediterranean countries. It is based on numerous traditional, simple, aromatic and tasty meals able to please different tastes. The basis of the original Bulgarian cuisine are natural and fresh victuals that even today, just like in the old times, come from the fruitful fields and grassy pastures, but also gardens, orchards and back yards. Bulgaria can truly be proud of the abundance of vegetables and fruit, meat and milk and its by-products.
The connection between the longevity of Bulgarian peasants and eating yoghurt was studied and proven by the scientist Ilya Metchnikoff, the father of probiotics and the winner of the Nobel prize.
Bulgarian meals are based on good quality vegetables that is exported, potato, egg-plants, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, pickles, cabbage, carrot, onion, beans and baby beans, but also on wheat, barley, rye, corn and rice. Vegetables are so popular that many meals exist in two versions, with and without the meat. Among fruit which is eaten fresh, but also in various desserts and processed in compotes and jams, favourites are apricots, peaches, apples, pears, cherries, strawberries, melons, water-melons and grapes. Although the Bulgarians eat meat as much as two times less than other peoples in the Balkans, the cuisine uses various kinds of meat: pork, lamb, sheep, beef, poultry and game, but also their giblets and other products, and naturally fresh water and sea fish and seafood.
Bulgarians are also big fans of milk and milk products from cows, sheep, buffalo and mixed milk. Apart for drinking, milk is used for the production of various kinds of cheese, butter, cream, yoghurt and kefir, consumed on their own or used as ingredients for numerous traditional meals. Very popular kind of cheese is fetta, soft white cheese made from cow or sheep milk eaten separately or used in other meals, and kashkaval, yellow cheese from sheep milk, also called Balkan cheddar. Bulgarian cuisine uses numerous spices, so there is practically no kitchen without the garlic, onion, ground pepper both sweet and hot, and you can also find parsley, thyme, rosemary, savory, but also rose petals water, aniseed and nutmeg. For many invigorating, greasy and heavy meals apart from the sunflower oil, the oil of walnut and sesame is also used, and along the coast also the olive oil. Apart from coming to the table from the local cultivation, meat, vegetables and fruit are also pickled according to traditional recipes, so the diet is rich in pickled vegetables, marmalades and compotes and various meat products. Bulgarian cuisine prefers long simmering, especially in the lid covered earthenware in the oven, as well as barbecuing of meat and vegetables. The victuals are first shortly barbecued to get a special aroma, but also to keep all of their ingredients and then they are put in a pan and finished on the stove or in the oven.
Traditional Bulgarian meals
Baniza - spirally folded strudel of thin pastry stuffed mostly with crumbled sheep cheese, eggs, sauteed leek or spinach, but also pumpkins, apples and marmalade, coated with plenty of butter.
Banska kavyrma - casserole of various kinds of meat and vegetables prepared in earthenware.
Baklava - a cake of thin pastry sheets with poppy, bread crumbs and almonds, poured with syrup from water, honey and sugar with cinnamon and clove.
Bob tschorba - bean soup.
Dobrudzhanska supa - soup from fresh water fish and clams (from the Danube).
Garasch - cake made with eggs, chocolate, walnut and coconut flour.
Giuvetsch - meal of pork, lamb or baby beef meat with potato, ocra, green beans, tomato, onion, with added sweet pepper and parsley prepared in an earthenware in the oven.
Kavarma - a stew made from meat, liver, mushroom, potato, onion and tomato puree prepared in an earthenware and in an oven.
Kozunak - sweet bread from dough with eggs, butter, raisins and almonds traditionally prepared for holidays, specially Easter.
Kebabtsche - oval fritters from ground beef and pork meat baked on a barbecue, with added cumin.
Kjopolo - fried egg-plant pate with garlic, parsley and ground pepper.
Kjufte - round fritters from mixed minced meat, beef and pork, baked on a barbecue, served with mustard (if kjufte, but also kebabtsche are deep fried, minced meat is mixed with chopped onion, eggs and old bagel soaked in water and spiced with pepper, parsley and savory).
Kringel - triangular bagel from puff pastry.
Lozovi sarmi -vine leaves stuffed with minced meat and rice or sheep cheese and rice.
Ljuteniza - paste of tomatoes and hot peppers.
Lukanka - traditional dried sausage.
Malebi - corn bread cake with milk and sugar sprinkled with rose water, served with ice cream and strawberries.
Melba - ice cream with fruit.
Misch-masch - scrambled eggs with tomato, peppers and cheese.
Mussaka - mussaka of minced meat and potato in earthenware from the oven.
Paleni tschuschki - paprika stuffed with eggs and cheese.
Piperki palneni - paprika stuffed with minced meat and rice or rice with sheep cheese.
Pirogge - pasta with marmalade or cheese.
Rodopsko cheverme - lamb on grill.
Schkembe tschorba - thick tripe soup.
Shopska salat - salad from cucumbers, tomato, hot peppers with plenty of crumbled sheep cheese.
Selevi sarmi - cabbage leaves stuffed with rice and minced meat or sheep cheese and rice.
Sireve po schopski - casserole from sheep cheese, tomatoes and peppers prepared in earthenware in an oven.
Sudschuk - traditional dried sausage.
Sneshanka - salad of strained yoghurt with sliced cucumbers, chopped walnuts and garlic.
Tarator - cold soup of yoghurt and fresh finely chopped cucumbers garnished with chopped dill.
Tikvenik - strudel with pumpkins, ground walnuts and cinnamon.
Turschia - a type of vegetable for the winter, salad made from various kinds of vegetables, carrot, cauliflower, celery marinated in oil and vinegar.