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Hamburgers, pizza, Chinese or Japanese restaurants – modern times offer endless options for eating. But how was it in the past? What dishes made up the everyday menu of our ancestors? What we now remember as the traditional flavors of home cooking was often food out of necessity back then.
How did our ancestors cook?
At the beginning everything was prepared over an open fire. The food did absorb smoke, but it provided basic heat treatment. Later an iron griddle placed on the hearth began to be used, which was the predecessor of today’s stoves. The poorest families made do with an earth oven – a pit where meat was surrounded by heated stones and covered with soil.
The kitchen corner was always the domain of the housewife, who was in charge of all dishes. Many foods had a sour taste thanks to popular ingredients such as soured milk, cream, or cabbage. Spices were the basis of every kitchen – caraway, dill, onion, garlic, or rosemary were used most often. Later imported ingredients such as cloves, paprika, or ginger also arrived here.
Basic ingredients
Simple and affordable ingredients dominated the menu:
- Milk and dairy products – not only sweet milk, but also soured milk or žinčica, which was popular for its sustaining quality.
- Vegetables and legumes – potatoes, cabbage, peas, and beans were on the table every day.
- Cereals – wheat, rye, and millet formed the basis of porridges and baked goods. Later rice and corn were added, which expanded the possibilities for preparing simple dishes.
Porridges and halušky as daily fare
Cereal porridges were cheap and quick to prepare. Millet, groats, or corn porridge was served almost every day. Halušky were popular even before the arrival of potatoes – they were made from buckwheat, rye, or millet flour. Bryndza halušky, strapačky (with sauerkraut), or a sweeter variant with quark were popular.
Bread – a gift from God
Baking bread in our territory dates back to the 14th century. It was considered a sacred food and people often made the sign of the cross during its preparation. Bread was baked from various types of flour, and if there was a shortage of it, less traditional ingredients such as tree bark or plant roots were added. Despite modest conditions, bread was an indispensable part of the diet.
Soups, prívarky and simple sweets
In the past, thick and hearty soups were popular, which filled the whole family. Most often prepared were:
- Cabbage soup
- Garlic soup
- Lentil or bean soup
From soups, prívarky later developed – thickened dishes that were served, for example, from beans, pumpkin, or peas.
Among popular sweets were simple strudels, štrúdly and šúľance. Sweets were prepared only on special occasions, for example at Christmas or Easter. Festive pastries included štedrák, bear paws, or gingerbreads.
What did the diet of our ancestors teach us?
The diet of our ancestors was simple, nutritious, and based on natural ingredients. Thanks to limited meat consumption, a high share of vegetables, legumes, and fermented products it was healthier and helped prevent diseases such as diabetes or heart problems.
Today we return to these traditional recipes and discover their taste and health benefits. Get inspired by the diet of our ancestors and include simple but nutritious dishes in your menu.
