How am I supposed to be able to say what I feel like eating? I don’t even know what all those culinary words mean. Local dialect and some seemingly strange expressions go hand in hand with this picturesque small village of Hlohovec. It has also maintained its folklore traditions which complement the beauty of the surrounding scenery, local cuisine, outstanding wines, songs and hospitality of Hlohovec people.

Hlohovec is first mentioned in the 13th century when Moravian-Austrian border stretched here. The former village of Bischofswarth perished during the wars of the 15th century. After that, 440 years ago, the area was colonised by the ducal family of Lichtensteins.

At that time, the first Croatian settlers started to arrive here and their descendants still live here today.

Today, the actual border is remembered only by the classicist chateau called Hraniční Zámeček built in the years of 1826-1827 on the shore of Hlohovec Lake according to the plans of Josef Kornhäus and Josef Popellack.

Hlohovec is alive with its own life. Everyday or festive life whose essential part is folklore. A curiosity, unheard of elsewhere in this region, is the organisation of “Hody” (type of a food festival where many people wear their national folk costumes) twice a year. On Sunday, after the St. Jan Nepomucký Day, there is a smaller, similar event called “Hodky”. Traditional Hody is always held in August, on Sunday and Monday after the St. Bartoloměj Day. The reason why there are two such festivals is that the local church was consecrated twice. First to St. Jan Nepomucký and later, after its reconstruction to St. Bartoloměj.

Now I am really tempted to try some food. I shall start with “plesňáky”. They are a type of pancakes made of boiled potatoes and cooked dry straight on the hob, later basted with butter or pork/duck fat. They can be filled with plum jam and sprinkled with poppy seeds and sugar. What about some “fazulnica”? This type of beans soup with noodles is traditionally eaten on Fridays and is so filling that you won’t even need a second course. To be in Hlohovec and not try a delicious potato salad with “šnicla” (Viennese schnitzel) is like being in Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower. This festive dish, eaten at “Hody” or weddings is a Sunday dish whose recipe is treasured for generations. Let’s finish with another sweet dish – sweet “koláčky” (sweet doughy balls filled with cheese, plum jam or walnut stuffing), whose flavour is so delicate they just melt in the mouth.

With full stomach and with more knowledge on local cuisine I set off through Hlohovec. I shall explore the small winding streets with more than 150 wine cellars and I will listen to stories about life and wine told by local elderly people.

The salad of “Lohovec” (10 portions)

2500 grams of boiled potatoes
150 grams of onions
200 grams of gherkins
2 grams of ground black pepper
30 grams of caster sugar
50 grams of vinegar
30 grams of salt
50 grams of oil

Peel the boiled potatoes, slice them and add your chopped onions, sliced gherkins, salt, vinegar, ground pepper, oil, gherkin juice and sugar.

Mix well and leave in a cool place to stand before serving.