The Foreigner's Guide to Living in Slovakia

There are many traditional Christmas foods that are prepared in Slovakia. Depending on the region, the traditional Christmas dinner varies slightly, but over all it consists of the following listed below. Interpretations also vary. The interpretations are those from my Slovak family in the Nitra region.

Oplátky – a flat wafer-thin waffle coated with a bit of honey and eaten with a small piece of garlic. The honey and garlic symbolize the sweetness and bitterness of life.

Apple and walnuts – an apple is cut horizontally. In the center should be a perfect star. If there are no blemishes in the apple, then this is a symbol that you will be healthy in the coming year. Also, walnuts are cracked and a piece is given to each family member. Each quarter of the walnut represents a quarter of the year. When the walnut is opened, if none of the sections are shriveled, then this is also a symbol of a good year. Walnuts are thrown into each corner of the room. There are many interpretations for this, but often I have heard that this is offering food to your ancestors and thus, paying respect to them.

Kapustnica – saurkraut soup made with mushrooms and plums. The soup is served just before the main course.

Kapor and zemiakový šalát – carp fish and potato salad. This is the main course. Though carp is the traditional fish, many Slovak families opt for another kind of fish. Carp is very troublesome to eat with all of its tiny bones, and the taste isn’t that fantastic to make up for all the work with removing bones. Some in my Slovak family eat pstruh – trout. I remember some young students telling me they preferred fish sticks. Nice!

Christmas cookies – There are tons of variations, but the ones made in my family are medovniky – honey cookies, vanilkový rožky – vanilla rolls, and several others that I couldn’t name.

Since the potato salad is my favorite part of the meal, I’m including the recipe. My husband and I prefer it without the onion.

Zemiakový šalát

• 5 lbs of potatoes (choose a type of potato with a smooth skin. “New” or “golden” potatoes are good.
• 3-4 large carrots peeled and cut into approx. 3 inch chunks
• 6-8 large pickles
• 4 eggs – hard boiled
• 1 small to medium onion
• mustard
• mayonnaise
• black pepper
• salt to taste

Directions: Boil the potatoes whole, with the skin on. When they are cooked, drain the water and let them cool. Make hard-boiled eggs and boil the carrots. When the potatoes are cool to the touch, peel the skin away with a dull knife. Cut the potatoes into small pieces and place in a large bowl. Cube the cooked carrots into small pieces. Also chop the pickles into small pieces. Add the carrots, pickles, onion, and the chopped eggs to the potatoes. Mix in a couple of tablespoons of mustard (whatever kind you prefer) and several tablespoons of mayonnaise (depending on how much you like. I prefer the salad to be a bit more dry). Add salt and pepper to taste.

The difference in making Slovak potato salad is that the potatoes are boiled whole and with the skin on. I really don’t know why it is done this way, but perhaps it keeps in taste. In this salad, you can really taste the potato, and that’s what it’s supposed to be about, isn’t it?

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