Today the Food Blogger Todor Todorov, will share with us his special list of not so popular Bulgarian products that you should try!
Todor is a local guide and blogger from Varna. His project Varna Food Tours has the aim to portray his home city and its culture through the restaurants, local shops, bars and local produce to whoever crossed roads through the city.
He loves to meet new people from around the globe and is also doing food tours for tourists and guests of the city during the summer season.
Otherwise, during the day you can find him at the Social Teahouse- a local social cafe where youth from sheltered homes are provided with mentorship help and first job opportunity.
1- Bulgarian producers of cashew fermented cheese
To be honest I doubt the idea of making cheese out cashews grew in Bulgaria, however the trend has been set for some time now, especially for the vegan part of the crowd. Cashew cheese is produced by aging and fermenting raw cashew, producing a cheese-like product with unique nutritional and taste character.
Cheese The Queen is the new kid in the block. They are ambitious and their website is packed with gourmet recipes on how to enjoy it at home.
Another established producer is Delishu with its natural fermented cashew cheese and well-established supply chain. You can find it at most of the gourmet shops out there. Or order them both online.
It is the absolute way to enjoy a cheese-like product without causing any animal harm or be lactose intolerant. What makes this cheese pretty special is the fact that it is produced in Bulgaria and it is fully packed of Lactobacillus Bulgaricus- the wonder lactic bacteria that make Bulgarian yogurt probably the best out there and it is proven to have a very good positive impact.
2- Raspberry Wine
This is a pretty unique product from Bulgaria. Did you know that you can actually vinify other fruits than grapes?
They just have to have enough sugar content, in order to go through the process of making wine. Well, apparently raspberries are one of them. That’s right, the guys from Trastena are 11 vintages ahead already and so far they have a small artisan range of products.
My favorite one is probably the blend between raspberry and merlot. The raspberry gives this kick of acidity and fruitiness some of us enjoy in our glasses, while the merlot balances it and gives it a body to hold on.
They also have pure raspberry wine that is pretty good for just any occasion, like having lunch for example. The third one from these series is another unique blend from Chardonnay, Vrachanski Misket (Bulgarian type of grape for white wines) and of course raspberry wine.
The raspberries are grown in a mountain region 60 km north from Sofia and are bio-certified. Most of the production never goes to the bottle but gets sold in supermarkets in West Europe.
Trastena wines can be found in most of the wine shops around the country as well as organic and gourmet shops. Try it, it will surprise you and the ladies love it!
3- Samardala
Ancient old spice the older generations know very well and most of the new ones who have no roots in rural areas are not very much aware of. This is a basic ingredient in the Bulgarian cuisines for as long as we know and it is a plant, very true to the Balkan peninsula We have it our famous “colorful salt” that everyone buys as a souvenir and we cook a lot of our dishes with it.
The plant itself can be eaten freshly picked and it has a very distinguished fresh garlicky taste. No wonder in Greek it is translated as “garlic nectar” and in English, it is called Honey Garlic. It does have a nice fresh garlic kick and be careful with it, but we would not have it any other way.
Of course when in the season you can find it fresh and chew it just like that or in a salad, but in most of the spice shops, you are going to find it as a dried substance with a high content of salt. Makes it perfect for salad, meat and vegetable seasoning. You may as well find it in the market places, where people sell their own produce. It really does grow naturally here.
4- Mursalki Chai (Mountain/Shepherd Tea)
This herb is a true panacea according to what you can read on the internet and it is getting famous just in the past couple of years in the big cities.
Of course, rural areas and older generations again have been aware of it for centuries to come. I am also very happy because you can now find various ready to drink beverages from small companies that use the extract of Mursalki chai as an element or theme in their product range. For example the seasonal Glarus Signature Rhodope Dream and Harmonica Mountain Tea Cordial.
This plant grows naturally in the mountain ranges in Bulgaria and in general to the East part of the Balkan Peninsula. Researches suggest that it has a positive impact on respiratory problems such as asthma and bronchitis. In the Rhodope mountain, the local name is “Tea of longevity”. It has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties and it is commonly used for increased blood pressure and weakened immune system. A true panacea for the purpose of a healthy, long life.
You have no idea how good it tastes as well and how well it compliments with honey. I also very much like it as a cold tea drink in the hot summer Varna days. Have it in the winter when you feel a sore throat, a cough or you feel like you are getting down with the flu. Add lemon!
5- Bulgarian Fleur de Sel from lake Atanasovsko
We all know that fleur de sel or “flower from salt” is on the top of the pyramid of salt in the culinary world.
Fleur de sel is the purest way to extract salt from seawater and this method has been around since Roman times. Remember when salt was used to pay the soldiers during the Roman empire? No, of course not, but the method of extracting this type of salt is pretty much the same since then.
Usually, this salt is considered to be produced by the Mediterranean countries, including Portugal, and they sure produce a lot and brag about it. However, do you know anyone producing this kind of salt but derived from the Black sea water? I thought I did not until I found out about it a couple of months ago.
Sea salt has been produced on the coast of Bulgaria since millennia. For good or bad, at the moment there is only one place, where they still do that in small batches and it is part of a larger plant of producing salt. Lake Atanasovsko near Burgas!
What makes this salt unique is the chemical elements and salt contamination of the Black seawater. You know, the Black sea was previously a lake before the Bosphorus opened and salty water from the world ocean came in. The uniqueness goes into the salt as well, making it a truly special product of Bulgaria. It has slight pigmentation due to natural bacteria and its saltiness is quite funky. Mineral, with a strong kick but a mellow slightly sweet finish. I have only found one place to buy it and luckily, you can order it from anywhere in Bulgaria.
6- Atlantic bonito fish (Palamud) products
Black sea catch is a newly founded Bulgarian project that has the aim to revive and give value to the local precious array of fish species. They advocate sustainable wild fishing and sea protection and showcase everyone that it is possible to make ethical business.
The company keeps high values in terms of the social and quality standards of its product. So far they have a marinated Atlantic bonito that is a wild catch and has been caught from only regulated ships that keep the law and the quota of wild fishing.
They have four recipes: Basil and herbs, classic lakerda, garlic and smoked. As mentioned, our seawater chemical balance is pretty unique and so is the taste of our fish.
The recipes are inspired by the past, where locals were marinating at home with recipes other people brought from outside or inherited from their family. There was no internet back then and the borders were closed. I know them personally and they are super cool and have done the project with great passion. So far their products can be found in Sofia and Varna and I certainly hope they will reach more people. It is an amazing product.
