Gourmets have long since esteemed the merits of Bulgarian cuisine with the verdict that it is tasty, spicy and varied, appealing to one and all. Indeed, who would not like the abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits, juicy meat, grilled or served with piquant sauces, mouth-watering vegetarian dishes, simmered slowly on low heat, the banitsa ( cheese pie) which simply melts in your mouth, and famous Bulgarian yogurt?
The Bulgarian "culinary" geography abounds in delicious specialties and exotic dishes: Bansko-style kapama (meat and vegetables stewed in an earthenware dish), Rhodope cheverme ( lamb roasted on a spit over an open fire), Thracian katmi ( a special type of pancake) and Dobroudjanska banitsa, Danube fish soup and Sozopol-style mussels. The cosy, typically Bulgarian folk-style restaurants will tempt you with Shopska salad and chilled grape brandy, stuffed vine leaves or peppers, kavarma the Miller's Way, monastery-style hotchpotch, moussaka and kebab. The smell of oven-fresh bread rolls is mixed with the fragrance of savoury. Thinly sliced loukanka (flat dry sausage) from Smyadovo, pastarma, feta and yellow cheese are temptingly arranged on ceramic plates. The delicate white wines Dimyat, Misket and Riesling are followed by full reds such as Merlot, Cabernet and Gamza. Cups of steaming coffee are served with sweet jam, pancakes with honey and walnuts or baklava.

 

Yoghurt is still one of the most common ingredients used in cooking. Herbs as mentioned above and spices such as paprika and cumin whilst often used, are usually done so in a relatively modest way leading to a somewhat more subtle taste. Staples include bread, potatoes, rice, bulgur wheat dried beans and lentils.

 

Another widely eaten ingredient is Bulgarian White Cheese - a brined cheese similar to Feta, which is produced preferably from sheep milk but also cow or goat milk and is and is used as an essential ingredient in many traditional dishes.

 

There is a definite Mediterranean feel to some recipes in the form of the ingredients used such as capsicums (sweet peppers), Aubergines (eggplants) , garlic, Courgettes (zucchini) and olives. Other European foods such as pasta, mayonnaise and cream have also gained popularity.

 

The cooking of foods on a low heat survives from its earliest history with many of the stews or casseroles being cooked and served in a lidded brown crock called a "gyuvech" which literally means "earthenware dish". This method ensures flavoursome, nutritious and tender eating.

 

The Bulgarian way of eating today is similar to that of many other European countries. Breakfast is usually a light meal consisting of cheese, fruit and inevitably, yoghurt. Lunch usually is served at midday and often includes soup or salad, followed by meat or fish accompanied by a hot vegetable. Dinner is usually eaten around 7-8pm and is similar to Lunch, a main course of meat, fish or poultry plus vegetable accompaniments, but more substantial portions. Stewed fruit is very popular for dessert and bread is eaten with all meals.