/9789612711948

janez bogataj

kranjska sausage masterpieces from slovenia

Janez Bogataj Kranjska sausage masterpieces — from Slovenia Recipes collected and edited by: Janez Bogataj Translated by: Alamma d. o. o., Beseda, prevajanje in poučevanje, Vesna Sodnik s.p.

Proofread by: Suzy Powling, Norie Quintos Edited by: Maja Šantl Photographs by: Janez Pukšič / Studio 10, d. o. o., Janez Bogataj, National Museum of Contemporary History Illustrations by: Kostja Gatnik For archive photographs from private collections the publisher would like to thank: Janez Bogataj, Miro Slana, Janez Damjan, Zmago Tančič, John Urh, Gostišče pri Žerjavu (Rateče), TMI Košaki (Maribor)

The last of its kind

On its 20th anniversary the Rokus Klett Publishing House bids farewell to the publishing of monographs with the publication of its, perhaps, most ambitious one. The inspiration for this last publishing masterpiece is namely Kranjska sausage. ‘Skeweringly’ good. Our works of art, dear readers, have brought you joy and pleasure in different shapes and forms, ranging from Plečnik’s chalices to hand-crafted products — all masterpieces brought to you by our long-time author, Professor Janez Bogataj.

In all these years an experienced team of editors, photographer Janez Pukšič, designer Žare Kerin and others have created a number of superb publications from the point of view of design and photography. We have received several different awards, including for the best wine guide in the world. Our culinary masterpieces have opened doors to various Slovene visits abroad, not to

Production Director: Klemen Fedran Published by: Založba Rokus Klett, d. o. o.

For the publisher: Maruša Kmet Cover and interior design by: Žare Kerin / Futura DDB, d. o. o.

DTP by: Futura DDB, d. o. o.

Printed by: Gorenjski tisk storitve d. o. o., Kranj 1st edition 1.500 copies (hardcover) 500 copies (bibliophilic edition) Ljubljana 2011

mention several guests of honour, such as President Clinton, who received our bibliophilic editions.

With the publication of the Kranjska sausage monograph and great satisfaction in our hearts, a great era has now come to an end. Coinciding with our 20th jubilee and for the last time (since now we only publish school textbooks), we have created a book that is simply one of a kind. And this has also been our motto for many years. Now, this is truly the last one. The printing company Gorenjski tisk from Kranj, which has been our partner through all the years and ambitious projects, has again outdone itself to produce a superb publication. We are confident it will not leave you indifferent and sincerely

CIP - Kataložni zapis o publikaciji Narodna in univerzitetna knjižnica, Ljubljana

hope that you will also dive into the wealth of recipes and prepare the sausage in a new and innovative way.

637.524(497.4) BOGATAJ, Janez, 1947Kranjska sausage masterpieces from Slovenia / Janez Bogataj ; [recipes collected and edited by Janez Bogataj ; translated by Alamma ... [et al.] ; illustrations by Kostja Gatnik].

- 1st ed. - Ljubljana : Rokus, 2011 ISBN 978-961-271-193-1 (hardcover) ISBN 978-961-271-194-8 (bibliophilic edition) 258584832

With this book we thus conclude our mission of presenting the national heritage, which has been our priority right from the very beginnings in 1991.

And we are proud of it. We hope, our dear readers, that you are also proud of us, at least a little. Let the Slovenian publishing and reading destiny be kind to you also in the coming years. This is the last monograph of its kind, so enjoy it now! Just as you would a ‘skeweringly’ good Kranjska sausage!

The publishers, Rok Kvaternik and Maruša Kmet

s

tent n o c f o e Tabl

8

11

You never forget your first bite!

12

The origins of Kranjska sausage

17 The birth of Kranjska sausage in the second half of

Kranjska sausage — ‘skeweringly’ good from 1896

the nineteenth century and its growth through the turn of the twentieth century

24 The reputation of Kranjska sausage in the first half of the twentieth century

38

The period of decline followed by rebirth at the beginning of the twenty-first century

47 A global and universal sausage from Slovenia

55

Bibliography

57

In the company of Kranjska sausage Dishes based on Kranjska sausage prepared by renowned Slovenian chefs

163 Kranjska sausage tour across Slovenia

165 Certified producers of protected Kranjska sausages and restaurants that also prepare dishes with Kranjska sausages

170

Restaurants

172

Who makes genuine, protected Kranjska sausages?

A list of certified producers of protected Kranjska sausages

173

Index

96

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18

t bite! s r fi r u o y t forge You never In the 1950s, Slovenian education 11

A butcher's stall at a medieval fair. Holy Sunday fresco detail at the Church of the Annunciation at Crngrob near Škofja Loka.

authorities organized yearly trips to reward the top elementary school pupils from the larger cities. The students were taken out on day trips to one of the Slovenian provinces (I was one of those children; if only this was still done today).

The trips were fun and interesting and we were always eager to experience something different from our customary cultural environment. The journeys were demanding, however, since the buses lacked air-conditioning or ventilation systems, and most Slovenian roads were unpaved. The educators tried to keep our spirits up and fed us. Local socialist activists handed out paper bags containing a roll, an apple, and of course a cooked Kranjska sausage. The bus had hardly set off when we tore open our bags.

In moments, the light smoky aroma of Kranjska sausages pervaded the entire bus; it is a scent which no modern aerosol or artificial spray has been able to capture.

The sausages were gone long before we reached the outskirts of Ljubljana, which had two consequences: a few of us began vomiting into our paper bags, while the vast, happy majority began to sing partisan and patriotic songs reflecting the ideals of the time. For those with hardy stomachs, the trip — and our Kranjska sausages — motivated us to continue our stellar performance in school the following year.

These are among my first memories of Kranjska sausage, with its distinctive aroma and irresistible taste. Of course, Kranjska sausages were frequently on the menu at home too. My mother often cut them up into bowls of noodles when she prepared the celebrated Ljubljana šunk–nudels, especially when we had run out of the remains of Easter ham. In the first two decades after the war, the best Kranjska sausages, also called stiške, were considered to be those sold at the delicatessen of the Stična Agricultural Cooperative opposite Ljubljana Cathedral.

In summer, when we went swimming in

the Mali graben stream in the Ljubljana Murgle, the meadows would be crowded with families from Ljubljana, their picnic blankets spread out around them, the air filled with the irresistible aroma of Kranjska sausages and bean salad.

In winter too, we would fuel up our skiing or sledding outings on the slopes of Rožnik with half a Kranjska sausage and a roll at the wonderful restaurant Pri Čadu.

This book tells the story of Kranjska sausage, one of the world's best-known sausages. It originates from Slovenia — a land, a nation and a multicultural setting — where sausages have been among the key cultural ingredients of daily life and special events. Here, people learned how to produce the delicious semi-dry meat sausages that still feature prominently in their diet. A modern citizen of the world may be confused by the product’s geographical designation, as he will not find a region or province called Kranjska in an atlas. This is a consequence of a fading history. One requires a deeper knowledge of regional and local culture and history to understand where Kranjska sausages originate.

The story of Kranjska sausages is part of a larger story of Slovenia's role, significance and development within Europe. Slovenia lies at the creative intersection of the European Alps, Mediterranean Sea, Pannonian lowlands and the Balkans. Tracing the roots of Kranjska sausages reveals the contribution Slovenia has made to the world’s culinary heritage.

INGREDIENTS 17 1/2 oz/500 g wheat flour 4 teaspoons yeast 10 fl oz/3 dl water 1 3/4 fl oz/0,5 dl milk 1 oz/30 g butter a pinch of salt 3 1/2 oz/100 g dry cracklings (crisp roasted fatty pork rind) 1 Kranjska sausage 2 tablespoons mustard with seeds

ngs s in crackli ustard seed m h it w ge sausa Kranjska 1. Knead the bread ingredients into a firm dough and shape into rolls. Let rise.

2. Cook the Kranjska sausage in boiling water for three minutes. Set aside to cool. Cut the sausage into slices and spread with mustard.

3. After the rolls have risen, roll them out, place a slice of sausage on to each and then form rolls again. Let them rise for 15 more minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180째C. Bake the buns in the oven for 20 minutes.

bread 77

INGREDIENTS filo pastry 14 oz/400 g small chanterelles 4 small potatoes 2 hard-boiled eggs chopped chives salad onion, chopped salt and pepper oil vinegar

Chante

relles w ith pot atoe

3 1/2 oz/100 g Kranjska

sausage s, chive flowers and sa utĂŠed s lices of Kranjs 78 1. Use the filo pastry to make and bake cup shapes.

2. Blanch the chanterelles and add thin slices of cooked potatoes and eggs, chopped chives and salad onion, seasoning, oil and vinegar.

3. Cut Kranjska sausage into thin slices, fry them in a pan and add them to the salad in the filo cups.

ka sau sage