Banitsa - A pastry dough filled with a filling of cheese, and eggs. Bakers all over the country are whipping up this delicious dish. On holidays like Christmas, and New Years the tradition is to put money, or special good luck wishes inside. Other fillings can be found like apples, cinnamon with walnuts, pumpkin with spices, meat, and spinach.
Hangover Soup - Dragons breath! This is a Bulgarian mans breakfast in the winter after drinking too much. Also helps when you are sick. It's a stomach soup that tastes so good and is prepared in a special way. Served with hot peppers, garlic, and vinegar on the side.
Lyutenitsa - A red, thick spread relish with tomatoes, peppers, carrots onions, garlic and other spices that make it somewhat hot Usually dipped with meat, spread on sandwiches, or eaten with cheese and a spoon! It's usually sold in small jars in stores close to home. Many Bulgarians still make it at home, the smell from the roasting peppers, and tomatoes can get the whole neighborhoods attention!
Shopska Salad - Our most popular salad most common in Bulgaria. It has tomatoes, cucumbers, onions,salt,olive oil,roasted peppers, feta cheese, and parsley. Served with just about anything
Kebabche - Minced pork dish somewhat like sausage except the preferred spices are cumin, black pepper, and salt. It's more like the shape of a hotdog, always grilled, never baked or fried! Usually Bulgarian men like to order on a hot summer day with a beer on the side and French fries with feta cheese Try our Bulgarian beer to go with it!
Guveche
Veggies, feta cheese, mozzarella cheese slowly roasted in a small individual clay pot topped with an egg. ADD CHICKEN, PORK or NADENITSA.
Tarator - A cold refreshing soup usually eaten in spring or summer. It has yogurt, garlic, cucumbers, dill, olive oil and salt
Kufte is the Bulgarian meatball, but with a little something extra.
Unlike most meatballs that are just meat, kufteta (kufte in the plural form) have a mix of chopped onions, parsley, eggs, and wait for it… soaked bread. The resulting “meatball” is not just a spherical hunk of meat, but a delicious treat that is loved by all Bulgarians.
Another secret ingredient used in the making of kufteta, and most Bulgarian meat dishes, is chubritza. Chubritza is a special herb mix which you can get only in Bulgaria. It has a strong, very distinct smell that you will later dream about.