Wine & Gourmet

"Bulgaria is stuffed full of vegetable plots and orchards, and fresh fruit and vegetables are partially the secret of Bulgarian food. In the villages, almost all the food comes straight from the land and is organic or free range, as few people can afford pesticides or chemical fertilizers."

Rough Guide `05

Food

Traditional Bulgarian cuisine excels in vegetable dishes. Most meals feature salads - including fresh roasted red pepper, onions, and tomatoes. Shopska salad, the top of the range, is made from tomatoes, cucumbers, and sirene white cheese. Produce has a rich and excellent taste - it is picked ripe and served fresh.

The Bulgarian Yoghurt culture, Lactobacillus Bulgaricus, cultivates the richest and healthiest yoghurt worldwide.

Tarator is a cold "summer" soup made from chopped cucumber and garlic in salted down yoghurt and fennel.

Guvech is a tasty blend of vegetables - some with meat, some without. The skillful and delicate use of local spices makes a well-prepared Bulgarian dish healthy and memorable. Many dishes are both prepared and cooked in clay pots, and have a savoury, roasted flavour.

Wine

Bulgaria has a 4000 year tradition in wine producing and some of the aged red wines are among the best in the world. Guests can wander from tavern to tavern through traditional villages such as Melnik and sample the local varieties.

The best dry Bulgarian red wines include Cabernet Sauvignon from Svishtov and Oriahovitsa (Stara Zagora region).

Fragrant Pelin from Osmar is made with 29 different herbs.

Merlot from Stambolovo, Mavrud from Brestovitsa (Asenovgrad), and the deep red wines of Melnik are also renowned. Winston Churchill's favorite red wine was the rich red wine from Melnik.

Chardonnay is the finest Bulgarian white wine, particularly that from cellars in Shumen, Veliki Preslav, and The Euxinograd Chateau. The sparkling wines of Liaskovets and Magura cave are also excellent.