Finesse of East Bohemian cookbooks

East Bohemian cuisine has been a source of inspiration for the toothsome work of the author of several cookbooks, Magdalena Dobromila Rettigová. Whilst she never had to economise on ingredients, and as is clear from various documents, for more fun she garnished the dish with stuffed partridges, in poorer parts of the region cooking was a great deal more modest.

The character and richness of East Bohemian cuisine is predetermined by its geographical location, the nature of the landscape and the structure of the soil… Housekeepers most often had to deal with the preparation of potatoes, cabbage, apples, honey, carrots and also millet... Despite the simple nature of the ingredients, one of the East Bohemian towns is the cradle of a unique confectionery product. Indeed, genius is not born only of wealth and plenty:

Pepper, persicary....ginger bread!

We must express our gratitude for an absolute phenomenon in the gastronomic heritage of East Bohemia to the Pardubice region. There can be few people who have never bought and experienced the sweet, crunchy taste of gingerbread; Pardubice gingerbread is as famous as Italian mozzarella or Parma ham. The original recipe consists of honey, flour and pepper. And it is from pepper (formerly called peprník in Czech), that the Czech word for gingerbread, Perník, derives its name. Gingerbread keeps for such a long time thanks to its high content of spices, its hardness and dryness.

Gingerbread dough is cut into various shapes, sometimes using various moulds, and is then decorated. Processing of gingerbread has always been governed by fashion, for example in the 16th century "there were" moulds in the shape of hearts, and if a gingerbread maker in the 17th century did not produce gingerbread representing saints and rulers he would immediately go out of business. 100 years later the most popular shapes were motifs of horses and babies.

The tradition of gingerbread production in Pardubice goes back to the 15th century. Sources state that at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries, under the reign of Vojtěch of Pernštejn, there was a street named Perníkářská (Gingerbread street). It can be asserted with a fair degree of certainty that in ancient times, alongside the wafer producers’ guild, there was also a gingerbread makers’ guild. Today their association is working on a request to the European Commission for Pardubice gingerbread to become a protected geographical designation. In Ráby pod Kunětickou you can visit the Gingerbread cottage with the museum of gingerbread and fairytales, and the Gingerbread Celebrations take place in Pardubice in May every year.

Hořice tubes 

Another specific feature of East Bohemian cuisine is Hořice tubes. The recipe originates from a French cook in Napoleon’s army, who divulged the emperor’s favourite delicacy to one of the local burgesses.

Pavlišovák yesterday and today

PThe Pavlišov schnitzel (“Pavlišovák”) is firmly linked with the Nachod region, and is difficult to find anywhere else (outside the wider region). The speciality gained its name from the village of Pavlišov (today a part of Náchod). It is a classic breaded schnitzel (with plenty of lemon juice) served with bread dumplings and sauerkraut or a salad. This irresistible combination for some is available as standard in restaurants, but also at eating competitions.

Plum ritual

Like folk costumes, traditional folk music and dancing serve to represent the owner, but also the entire region of slivovice. According to folk legend, the secret of distilling plums was granted to the local people by God as a reward for their diligence, modesty and faith. Archaeological findings have confirmed that the procedure of producing spirits was known in Neolithic times, whilst historical sources document the use of spirits from the 14th century.

You can see for yourselves how the locals honour God’s gift to them in an age of trendy cocktails every Saturday in October in Biskupice. The famous slivovice festival is held here, where you can see how the locals " understand" plums. Biskupické kaléšek (Biskupice Pitcher) However, this is not only about slivovice tasting. The festival also includes an exhibition of historical bicycles, culminating with a one-mile race in period costumes.

Feast at Hlinecko and other gastronomic events

A traditional event in connection with the consumption of good food and drink is the Feast. Traditionally it takes place to this day in various districts of the Hlinecko region, and there are even endeavours to register this traditional folk celebration in this conception in the UNESCO non-material heritage list. You can experience this genuine East Bohemian feast, have your face painted red and black and taste delicious doughnuts every year in Veselý Kopec , v Hamrech , in Studnice, Vortová and Blatno u Hlinska. In Veselý Kopec a v Nativity scene in Hlinsko you can also visit several similar events during the course of the year.

"Where beer is brewed...

... good cheer is guaranteed," so they say. We consider the several breweries in East Bohemia to be evidence that this is a region of good cheer.

Probably the best known beers which can be found also outside the region include the Nachod Primátor, Pardubický Pernštejn, Hlinecký Rychtář and undoubtedly also beer from the Police brewery . However, anyone who goes to a pub in Hradec Králové, should ask for one of the beers from the local brewery Rambousek or for a Královský lev. Beer has been brewed in the Hradec Kralové region approximately since the Hussite wars. The term "old measure of Hradec" became a familiar term for the entire region, to where Hradec wheat beer or Hradec white was imported. The strong beer from Běleč nad Orlicí Car - is brewed by Josef Balounek. Although the beer is not well known outside the region, his beer "zlatý mok" like the majority of Czech Pilsner type beers, is brewed in accordance with an old law on purity dating from the beginning of the 16th century known as Reinheitsgebot. This regulation permits the brewing of beer only from malt, hops and water. Today the process also requires yeast, which was not known at the time. Beer is brewed according to this norm probably only in the Czech Republic, Germany and possibly Japan, although there they were taught by Czech brewers. If in the area around the town of Rychnov nad Kněžnou you ask for a mug of Dobruška beer Rampušák, you will be considered an expert. We should also not overlook the Medlešice micro-brewery, with a brewing capacity of 10 hl, producing approximately 300 hl of beer per year. Two types of beer are brewed here - Medlešice lager 12° light and dark. The beer is not filtered and its cloudiness shows the presence of refined yeast. Beer is best tasted in the brewery pub next to the brewery.

Whether or not you like beer, you may be interested in technology, history, culture and gastronomy. In all of these cases you will undoubtedly be captivated by a visit to one of the breweries in the Pardubice region. Here you can not only taste beer but also learn a great deal about its history and production, as well as enjoying excellent food and concerts.

The Pernštejn brewery in Pardubice offers visitors an innovative tour of the brewery, taking in a tasting of the Pernštejn and Porter beers in the Old Bohemian brewery restaurant. Visitors are treated to a guided tour of the production of beer, including boiling, storage, filtration and bottling, a tour of the malt house in traditional style, beer tasting at various stages of the brewing process etc. Every year events are held for the wider public in the Pardubice brewery, including the “burning of the witches” and beer festival.

The Rychtář brewery has held a series of cultural events in Hlinsko for several years, entitled Summer with Rychtář. Every other year (thus in 2007) an open day is held here. Visitors have the opportunity to take an excursion through the brewery with the possibility of tasting, and are then able to purchase beer and company souvenirs in the brewery shop.

Žamberk micro-brewery produces draught, special light and dark beer known as Žamberecký kanec, hops-based spirits and the liqueurs Pivka and Pivodečka (38%), Lupulka (18%) and Rozárčin sen (13.5%). The small capacity of the brewery pub means that excursions should book several days in advance. It is also possible to book guided tours with the brewery manager in person.

Beyond the Pardubice region visitors are also offered a tour of the premises of the Primátor brewery in Náchod . During this one-hour tour of the brewery visitors can see the brewery operations and learn all the fundamental facts about the history and production of beer in Náchod. The excursion can be rounded off with beer tasting in the stylish environment of a carriage from the first Czechoslovak Republic, or in a modern visitors’ centre with a capacity of 120 seats, or in an outside area with a capacity of 40 seats. In addition to tasting draught and bottled beer, hot and cold food is also served (following prior arrangement).

Sources:

1. Jaroslav Vašák; Regional dishes from Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia from A (Adamov) to Ž (Ždár); Libri 2001, Professional reviewer PhDr. Magdalena Rychlíková
2. Šárka Kulíšková; Our people’s diet; www.kosteleckehorky.cz/cze/stravovani
3. Kamila Skopová; ...but mother cooked better; Publishing house Marie Mlejnková s.r.o., Pardubice, 2003
4. Jiří Souček, Regional dishes in our cuisine; COT business 2006, no.11, p. 66-67
5. Rambousek brewery, www.rambousek.wz.cz
6. Brochure of Malá Haní Distillery
7. Dislocated workplace of Jan Perner Transport faculty, Česká Třebová, http://ct.upce.cz/ctrebova/jp97/wozvanka.html

Text: Hana Čermáková, supplemented by: Pardubice Region and Vít Pechanec

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