Bulgarian Food
Bulgarian cuisine consists of plenty of fresh vegetables, eaten raw, roasted or
stewed with meat in terra-cotta pots, lots of garlic, onions, oil and spices.
Influences of its neighbours, Turkey and Greece are also present in dishes such
as 'sarmi' (stuffed vine leaves), 'moussaka' and 'baklava'. A salad and rakia
(Bulgarian schnapps) are the obligatory start to the meal.
Listed below are traditional Bulgarian Dishes, well worth a try:
SALADS
'shopska salata'- chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and peppers sprinkled with
'sirene' (Bulgarian white cheese); snezhanka'- thick creamy yoghurt with chopped
cucumber or gherkins, walnuts and garlic;
Ttyopolou'- roasted aubergines, peppers, loads of garlic, parsley.
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SOUPS 'bob chorba'- traditional bean soup with plenty of herbs; 'shkembe chorba'- tripe soup with garlic, vinegar and chilli, quite tasty if you can bring yourself to try it; 'tarator'- cold yoghurt and cucumber soup. |
MEAT DISHES
'kavarma'- meat and vegetable stew, usually served in individual pots; 'gyuvetch'-
stewed chunks of vegetables and lamb; 'kyufteta'- spicy meat balls;
'kebaptcheta'- spicy mince meat, sausage shaped, grilled.
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VEGETARIAN DISHES 'kashkayal (or sirene) pane'- fried yellow (or white) cheese; 'chushki byurek'- fried peppers stuffed with egg and cheese; 'sirene po shopski'-white cheese, egg, tomatoes and peppers baked in a pot. |
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DESSERTS Most restaurants offer only pancakes or creme caramel. Cafes usually have a good selection of pastries and cakes. The 'gdfdsh tortd' is the Bulgarian equivalent of the Sacher Torte, made from eggs, walnuts and cocoa. |
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SNACKS Snacks ('zakuska') are available all over town in tiny shops or from stands on
the street. 'banitsa'- fillo dough pastry filled with white cheese; |