Slovakia - The 2010 FIFA World Cup Bites and Boozes

Slovakia

A visit to Slovakia returns Bite and Booze to central Europe for day 10 at the World Cup.  Today they play against Paraguay which also played to a draw in their first game, which makes this match all the more important.  Slovakia is a landlocked country that sits in between Poland, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Ukraine.  Despite their checkered past and previous communist rule the nation has been independent since 1993, is now in a financial rebound with an advanced economy, and has joined onto the Eurozone.  Today we'll look at a couple Slovakian dishes and a wine growing region that used to be part of the Kingdom of Hungary.

Jaternice is a Slovakian sausage that has close ties to the Czech Republic due to the now broken apart Czechoslovakia.  It is also reasonably similar to Cajun boudin in Louisiana.  The sausage uses all parts of the pig, the most popular animal for consumption in Slovakia.  Jaternice mostly contains pork liver, snout, and jowls that are all ground together with spices and grains.  Wild or white rice may be added to the sausage as filler and for flavoring.

Getting a little crazier, Bryndzové Halušky is a Slovakian national dish that roughly translates to potato dumplings with bryndza sheep cheese and bacon.  That doesn't sound so bad!  The boiled lumps of potato dough (similar to gnocchi) are the base for the dish.  The cooked dough is then mixed with the soft sheep cheese and usually topped with sprinkles of bacon or other smoked pork fat.  For the Man vs Food enthusiast in all of us there is a Bryndzové Halušky festival complete with an eating contest every year in the town of Turecka.         

Along the southern border of Slovakia that is shared with Hungary is a very productive wine growing region known as Tokaj.  Tokajsky wine comes from Furmint, Lipovina, and Yellow Muscat grapes to produce a multitude of wine varieties.  The hillsides are made up of volcanic soil and clay where wine production dates back to the 15th century.  Natural cellars are carved into the rock of the hills that provide ideal constant temperatures and humidity for the aging process.

For more information on Slovakian beer, check the BR Beer Scene!

Thanks and Credits:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slovakia
http://www.recipetips.com/glossary-term/t--38631/jaternice-sausage.asp
http://www.hydinakk.sk/produkt-detail/jaternice/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryndzové_halušky
http://peniaze.pravda.sk/sk-pspotrebitel.asp?c=A080717_210826_sk-psporteb_p01
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokaj_(Slovakia)
http://www.hungarian-wines.co.uk/tokaji-aszu.html

Cameroon - The 2010 FIFA World Cup Bites and Boozes

Cameroon

Bite and Booze returns to the host continent of the 2010 FIFA World Cup for a look at the eats and drinks of Cameroon.  This country is sometimes referred to as "Africa in miniature" for its geological and cultural diversity.  The relatively small nation sits on the western edge of central Africa and includes beaches, deserts, mountains, rain forests, and savannas.  Cameroon is also home to over 200 different ethnic and linguistic groups, making it difficult to nail down their most cultural bites and boozes.  Still, as they play their second match of the World Cup today against Denmark, we'll see what they have to offer.

Ndole is generally considered the national dish of Cameroon.  The meal most closely resembles a stew containing nuts and bitter leaves that are native to western Africa.  Some refer to it as a bitterleaf soup.  The leaves are similar to spinach but more acidic, creating a more bitter taste when cooked than spinach.  Peanuts are usually used as well as onions and garlic.  Ndole is typically served with fried plantains, steamed banana leaves, or rice.  The meat of choice is usually a combination of shrimp and smoked fish, though ground beef is sometime used in ndole as well.

Beer is by far the most popular alcoholic beverage in Cameroon, with many people making their own brews from millet or maize.  Many publications are concerned that Cameroonians are now drinking too much alcohol, but I don't buy it.  How can you have too much of a good thing like beer?  However, Susan Diduk points out in her article titled European Alcohol, History, and the State in Cameroon, "Today it is impossible to overlook the significance of bottled alcohol production and consumption in the Republic of Cameroon.  Bars selling bottled beers mark rural commercial centers and proliferate on city streets.  They are so pervasive that it is difficult to imagine city, town, or village without them..."  Unfortunately, most of this bottled beer is imported from Europe and not a product of Cameroon.  The millet and maize beers are produced locally though, as is another popular beverage: palm wine.  Palm wine is made from the fermentation of sap from the palm tree.

For more on beer in Cameroon, check out Eric's post on the BR Beer Scene!

Thanks and Credits:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cameroon
http://www.africapresse.com/recettes/le-ndole/09/04/2010/
http://www.jstor.org/pss/525506

Slovenia - The 2010 FIFA World Cup Bites and Boozes

Slovenia

I could say something nice about Slovenia, but it would feel much better to just simply say GEAUX AMERICA!  That's right!  Today the USA plays Slovenia in their second match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, so what better occasion could we find to eat and drink Slovenian bites and boozes?!  I'm always a fan of eating your opponent, and today should be no different.  Let's take a closer look inside the kitchens of Slovenians where we'll find Prekmurska gibanica and žganje.  

Prekmurska gibanica is a heavy cake like pastry that originated from the Prekmurje region of Slovenia.  The flour-based layers are stuffed with poppy seed, walnut, apple, raisin, and cottage cheese fillings.  The dish has achieved the status as a national specialty of Slovenia.  Prekmurska gibanica has reached the level of being considered a festival and ritualistic dish for the Slovenians.  In face, on Europe Day 2006, Prekmurska gibanica was the sweet chosen to represent Slovenia as the Cafe Europe initiative of the Austrian Presidency of the European Union.   




Slovenia has its own version of a beverage that is common in central and eastern Europe.  They call their's žganje.  It is basically a fruit brandy (like Serbia's rakija) that can be made from many different fruits.  There is a version of it that is sweetened with honey, though most traditional Slovenian žganje is not.  When honey is added they call it medeno žganje.  One day I'll have to make over to that part of the world to try all of this fruit brandy and distilled alcohols.  I've had a few tastes of various drinks, but I think I wouldn't mind getting immersed in it for a while!

For more of Slovenian beer, check out the BR Beer Scene!

Thanks and Credits:
http://www.formitas.si/novice/2009/06/istranova-je-odprla-svoja-vrata
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prekmurska_gibanica
http://wikitravel.org/en/Slovenia
http://www.slovenia.info/?kulinaricno_dozivetje=3425
http://kejzar.com/en/proizvodi2.html

Greece - The 2010 FIFA World Cup Bites and Boozes

Greece

Though they may be in the middle of a financial crisis, Greece certainly has a history and culture that is second to none.  They suffered a 0-2 defeat at the hands of South Korea in their first match of the 2010 World Cup so today they'll be looking to rebound against Nigeria.  As for Bite and Booze, we'll be looking at one of Greece's most renowned agricultural products, olives, and a beverage that Greeks guzzle with glee, ouzo.

Greek Olives come in multiple varieties and are used in many ways.  Most commonly, olives are turned in to olive oil or they are served as table olives, an appetizer and snack that is very popular in Greece.  One of the major types of olives is the Konservolia.  This olive makes up about 80% of the Greek table olive production.  They are usually slightly larger olives that are oval in shape and preserved in brine.  They are known by regional names when they come from different areas of the country, but in general they are the same type of olive.  Another variety is the Nychati of Kalamata, which is a black olive that is also very important to Greek olive industry.  Other popular varieties include the Chalkidiki, Megaritiki, and Kothreiki.

Ouzo traces its roots back to Byzantine (later to be known as Ottoman, then Turkish) origins, dating back to the 1600s. It is usually produced from a pure white alcohol (a lot of it is 100% ethyl alcohol from raisins) that has undergone two distillation processes.  Once the alcohol is distilled, it is then infused with herbs. The most predominant herb is anise, however ouzo can also contain licorice, mint, wintergreen, fennel, and hazelnut. The most popular (and generally considered best) ouzo comes from Lesvos, an island in the East Aegean Sea. Ouzo can be quite strong with alcohol contents reaching as high as 45%.  Still, most people shoot it straight, put a couple cubes of ice in it, or slightly cut it with some water.

For a few notes on Greek beer, check out the BR Beer Scene!

Thanks and Credits:
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/07/26/Taste/The_spirit_of_relaxat.shtml
http://www1.american.edu/TED/ouzo.htm
http://www.greek-islands.us/greek-food/greek-table-olives/

Uruguay - The 2010 FIFA World Cup Bites and Boozes

Uruguay

Sandwiched between Brazil and Argentina, Uruguay is stuck in between two dominant cultures and soccer teams. However, they are able to make a name for themselves with bites and boozes that are 100% Uruguayan. While they square off in the World Cup today against the host nation, South Africa, on the soccer pitch, we'll begin our culinary and indulgent tour with the Uruguayan version of barbeque known as asado. Much like in United States barbeque, asado can be used to mean both the method of cooking and a gathering of people to enjoy the food together. I'm not sure if it can be used as verb as well. Maybe I'll find that out one day when I visit the South American country. After the asado, we'll take a look at a traditional beverage, grappamiel!

Asado, a Uruguayan version of barbeque, is as close as gets to the national dish. Uruguay's meat is rather famous, and for good reason. The conditions for raising cattle are ideal in their part of the world. History says that a Spanish explorer named Hernandarias brought around 100 head of cattle to the land that would later become Uruguay. In a matter of years they had reproduced and become a sustainable source of food for the small population. Natural land and weather conditions turned out to be ideal, as well as the lack of any kind of predators, including human populations. It is said that Uruguay's territory was populated extensively first by cattle, then by humans. Even today the country boasts that their population of cattle is greater than that of their people.

Asados are social activities. Instead of charcoal, the meat is roasted by making a fire from wood, and using the red-hot embers to cook the meat. It's a time consuming process that leaves the meat with a unique flavor and amazing tenderness. While someone is preparing the fire, everyone else gets to eat snacks, and play cards ("truco" typically). It is normal to put some parmesan and provolone cheese on the grill, and to serve hot cheese as an appetizer, along with other snacks. The meat (not limited to beef, just as in barbeque) is placed on a very large grill called a "parrilla,” which is designed to support considerable amount of beef, sausages ("chorizos"), and more. Typically, if the asado turns out to be good, the pit master (el asador), get's an applause from the feasters. Man, I need to cook and eat some of that!

But, what about a tasty beverage to wash all that asado down? In the rural parts of Uruguay a beverage known as grappamiel is consumed often on cold autumn days or during the winter to warm the body. Similar to mead, grappamiel is made from fermented fruit (usually wine leftovers) and honey. It is based on the Italian drink known as a grappa, which is not surprising given the Italian influences in Uruguay and the grapes that are grown for wine in the region. Though the honey makes the alcohol stronger than most wines, grappamiel is still smooth and easy to sip on its own.

 Make sure to check out the BR Beer Scene for his thoughts on Uruguayan Beer!

Thanks and Credits:
http://sienzuf.wordpress.com/2008/08/23/sushi-1-3-asado/
http://thingsthatfizz.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html
http://www.from-uruguay.com/2005/10/food-asado.html
http://articulo.mercadolibre.com.uy/MLU-14184212-grappa-miel-_JM
http://www.elpais.com.uy/Suple/Empresario/09/07/31/