Culinary closing of (Slado)Lent
Excellent, fantastic, divinely are the most common words describing this year’s Sladolent which turns each night on Lent into a very tasty experience. The best chefs successfully brought a part of our homeland onto the plates and convinced everyone, who loves good food, that Slovenian cuisine is rich and that the modern cooking generations are creative and inventive. If the term “street food” was not frequently used before, it will obviously become an important part of the future local culinary offering. Under the roof of Sladolent many famous names swung their wooden spoons: Janez Bratovž, David Vračko, Tomaž Kavčič and Bine Volčič, and also a number of less known chefs who proudly (and successfully) represented the best restaurants from all over Slovenia.
Each chef tackles this kind of challenge in his/her own way. Some cook with seasonal food, some focus on a geographical region, and others take everyday dishes and turn them into something completely different. "We started with a wish to play with the concept of street food – the main course was a slice of pizza or, how we call it, “Pizza Cut” that is cut with scissors into small, tasty slices suitable for the ambient of the Festival. And for dessert we offered a “no milk shake”, a refreshing milky drink without milk, but with a lot of fresh fruit,” explained Igor Peresson from restaurant Etna from Divača during his the first time on Sladolent.
Ksenija Mahorčič (Restaurant Mahorčič), a more experienced “performer” on Sladolent used the festival atmosphere a bit different: “On Sladolent we try to improve the quality of street food and take the daily street food onto a new level. Personally, I focus on the presentation of the region when choosing the ingredients and dishes – in my case this is Karst and my approach is adjusted to this region.” The gourmets were offered a unique Chicken in corn and an herbal Schmarrn with ice cream made of Karstic goat milk, honey and elder. And how about the feedback? "Each year we get to know more new faces and this year the visitors are interested in the individual ingredients, preparation and recipes. We - the cooks - have always tried to make the people aware of what they are eating, where it is coming from and how it is prepared and this is why I am very happy about this kind of reactions.”
Like the whole festival, Sladolent will soon be closing its tents for this year and is kindly inviting everyone who has not yet tasted its delicacies (and, of course, those who have and are gladly returning) to come and do so during the last evenings of culinary delights. Today one of the best Slovenian female chefs, Ana Roš, is taking over and offering a creative combination of "Mychicken" and "Pizza&Bear", and she will be accompanied with Damjan Fink from Gostilna na gradu from Ljubljana and Marko Pavčnik, chef at the Tabor castle close to Laško. You are very welcome to try the culinary side of the biggest festival in Maribor.
