"Slovakia, not Czech"We are starting a series by Shogo Masune, the author of . Mr. MasuneHe has lived in Slovakia for a total of seven years and has worked at the Embassy of Japan in Slovakia and the Embassy of Slovakia in Japan. “Slovakia, not Czech” (Pavliv, 2024), and is one of the most knowledgeable people in Slovakia in Japan. Since the number of NOVESTA customers who have become interested in Slovakia due to NOVESTA has increased, we will introduce various topics in a series of articles. Please take a look.
Why Slovaks are early in the morning
Mornings in Slovakia are early.4At this time, trams and city buses started running,6Some factories will start operating at the same time. For office work, in companies that have introduced a flexi system, work is done in the morning.7It is said that many people start working around this time. Students cannot escape the need to wake up early. When I was attending Komensky National University in the capital Bratislava,1The earliest class is7It started at half past.
Why is it so early in the morning? When I asked a friend of mine, he said, ``Slovaks trace their ancestors to3～4If you go back a few generations, you'll find farmers. Farmers get up early in the morning, so Slovaks are encouraged to get up early.DNAIt's engraved on them,'' and ``People who keep poultry like chickens or geese in their gardens have to get up early every day to feed them.'' Another friend said, ``During the socialist era, school start times were brought forward at the government's initiative in order to reduce electricity consumption and allow people to go to bed early.'' All of these answers were incomprehensible and I couldn't tell if they were true or false, but the reality is that Slovaks are definitely early risers.
Starting work early in the morning means finishing work early. beer after work1Apparently it's the same in Slovakia as well, where people go home after grabbing a cup. However, that time is too early.15As time passes, people begin to gather at cafes and bars around town, even on weekdays. In the summer, terrace seats line the streets of each city's old town and are filled with people enjoying the breeze while enjoying a cup of coffee or wine (Photos 1 and 2). What about the children? Elementary, junior high and high schools also8Sometimes school starts,13Time~15Sometimes classes are over, so after that they often participate in extracurricular activities (sports, playing musical instruments, language studies, etc.).
Breakfast and 10 o'clock snack "desiata"
Slovaks are early in the morning, so breakfast time is hectic. In most cases, I end up putting ham, salami, cheese on bread, or spreading jam or butter on it (Photo ③). I get hungry if I eat breakfast early, so at school,desiata(Jessiata:10meaning)10There is a habit of eating ``a snack at the time''.
Lunch is the feast of the day
If you happen to be in Slovakia for lunch on a weekday, be sure to check out one of the local restaurants. Every restaurant should offer a lunch menu. For example, at a restaurant in Trnava, a provincial city in Slovakia,10from time14The lunch menu is available until 3:30, and includes a set of ``soup + main dish + garnish.''8.9Euro (approx.1650yen) (Photo ④). Partly because of the weak yen, eating out feels expensive. However, the portion size is much larger than in Japan, so people with a picky eater may not be able to finish it all. In such cases, you can take it home as long as you pay for the container.
Dinner is modest compared to lunch. Sometimes I just prepare soup (which can be made once and store it for several days) and boil some pasta, and other times I don't make a hot meal and just have a sandwich or baguette instead. It seems that many people just eat dinner and go out drinking.
Traditional Sunday lunch with family
Sunday lunch is the most important meal in traditional Slovak households. In Slovakia, where Catholics account for half of the population, it is a good old-fashioned family tradition to attend church mass on Sunday mornings and then eat lunch together as a family. The standard menu is chicken consommé soup (which also includes finely chopped pasta), potato salad, and pork schnitzel (a cutlet-like dish) (Photos 5 and 6).
Slovakia's national dish "brinzove haluški"
Breakfast and dinner are simple in Slovakia, but the food culture is rich and diverse, influenced by surrounding countries. Among them, the one that is considered the national food is Brynzove Halszki (bryndzové halušky) (Photo ⑦). This is gnocchi made from flour and potatoes, topped with fresh sheep cheese ``brinza'' and topped with crispy bacon. When is the season when Brynzove Halszki is most delicious?5It's the moon. The reason is that cheese made from sheep that eat fresh greenery in spring is1This is because it is the freshest of the year.
Shogo Masune
Born in 1990. He has lived in Slovakia for a total of seven years and has worked at the Embassy of Japan in Slovakia and the Embassy of Slovakia in Japan. Major publications"Slovakia, not Czech"Publib, 2024.
Book “Slovakia, not Czech”
This article is written by Shogo Masune, the author of this article. If you want to know more about Slovakia's history, culture, and lifestyle, please take a look.
