Slovenian Politics

[Norgy]

Holidays.

[derspiess]

I bought a bottle of Slovenian wine as a joke in 1994 for like $2.99.  Turned out to be surprisingly decent.

[Norgy]

Just stay away from the moonshine they call slivovica, and you're pretty set in the Balkans.

I hear their beer is quite good too. The Croats at least had three major labels founded in the late part of the 19th century.
The food is more than decent. There's slow-roast lamb (usually called something like "Lamb under the bell") which is very good.

From the last trip to the former Yugoslavia, my only negatives were bullet holes in buildings and Ustashe grafitti.

[derspiess]

Just stay away from the moonshine they call slivovica, and you're pretty set in the Balkans.

Is that the plum brandy?  I've heard it was okay if there's nothing else to drink.

I hear their beer is quite good too. The Croats at least had three major labels founded in the late part of the 19th century.
The food is more than decent. There's slow-roast lamb (usually called something like "Lamb under the bell") which is very good.

From the last trip to the former Yugoslavia, my only negatives were bullet holes in buildings and Ustashe grafitti.

I found some decent Croat beer a while ago as part of my quest to drink beer from 50 different countries.  It was pretty good.  Would love to run across Slovenian or Serb beer, or Bosnian beer I as well I guess.

[Norgy]

Just stay away from the moonshine they call slivovica, and you're pretty set in the Balkans.

Is that the plum brandy?  I've heard it was okay if there's nothing else to drink.

This is where my vocabulary falls short. Normally spirits are made by refining its base material.
Slivovica definitely isn't. From Norwegian, the direct translation would be "raw burning" as to the process.
Obviously, there exists good and bad sorts. But yes, usually made from plums, peaches or apples.

My first drink for several years was a glass of slivovica at a restaurant where they refused to let me leave until I had tasted it. It was suitable as the last drink I have as well. Tasted a bit like what I imagine the motor oil from a diesel engine tastes like.

I guess like many other countries, the former Yugoslavia got their initial breweries by learning from the Czechs and Austrians.
From my drinking days, I remember Greek beer as rather unsuitable for human consumption, though.

[Valmy]

General Svetozar Boroevic said that the Slovenes would die before giving up any of their sacred soil to the Italians. So I assume it must be very nice fertile soil. Take a picture for me.

[Norgy]

They have about 2 km of coastline. I am: going to see it.
And Ljubljana's international festival.

If their trains and buses run on Italian time, I suppose I will see neither.

[The Minsky Moment]

I bought a bottle of Slovenian wine as a joke in 1994 for like $2.99.  Turned out to be surprisingly decent.

It's a traditional wine growing region with good geography for it; borders right on some of the best Italian white wine areas, so shouldn't be a surprise.

[Norgy]

I bought a bottle of Slovenian wine as a joke in 1994 for like $2.99.  Turned out to be surprisingly decent.

It's a traditional wine growing region with good geography for it; borders right on some of the best Italian white wine areas, so shouldn't be a surprise.

Most people forget even in the Balkans they take time from ethnic cleansing to grow vines.

[The Larch]

Just stay away from the moonshine they call slivovica, and you're pretty set in the Balkans.

I hear their beer is quite good too. The Croats at least had three major labels founded in the late part of the 19th century.
The food is more than decent. There's slow-roast lamb (usually called something like "Lamb under the bell") which is very good.

From the last trip to the former Yugoslavia, my only negatives were bullet holes in buildings and Ustashe grafitti.

The dangerous spirit is rakja, which is ubiqutous in the region. Food is hearty and unsophisticated. Mmm, cevapi... Beer, at least in Serbia, is pretty bland, although I never tried anything too fancy.

[derspiess]

I bought a bottle of Slovenian wine as a joke in 1994 for like $2.99.  Turned out to be surprisingly decent.

It's a traditional wine growing region with good geography for it; borders right on some of the best Italian white wine areas, so shouldn't be a surprise.

When I was 21 and didn't know much about wine outside of California and France, it was a surprise.  Plus, you know, the price point.

[Norgy]

Rakja... isn't that the same stuff the Greeks call Ouzo? Minty liqour at some proof alcohol level suitable for thinking that dancing to "Zorba" is a great idea after a few?

I agree. The food is simple and hearty. Nothing very sophisticated. I imagine our resident Byzanteen would probably say otherwise and that it was THE BEST FOOD EVER. It wasn't. It was certainly not bad. Croatia is a bit like Italy, with lots of pasta. Most decent places also serve pizzas that are on par with what you get in Italy.

What I learnt in Croatia is that they really can't do fish well. Outside of Sicily, most places can't match Norwegians for good servings of fish.
Then again, we don't have swordfish.

[The Larch]

Rakja... isn't that the same stuff the Greeks call Ouzo? Minty liqour at some proof alcohol level suitable for thinking that dancing to "Zorba" is a great idea after a few?

I agree. The food is simple and hearty. Nothing very sophisticated. I imagine our resident Byzanteen would probably say otherwise and that it was THE BEST FOOD EVER. It wasn't. It was certainly not bad. Croatia is a bit like Italy, with lots of pasta. Most decent places also serve pizzas that are on par with what you get in Italy.

What I learnt in Croatia is that they really can't do fish well. Outside of Sicily, most places can't match Norwegians for good servings of fish.
Then again, we don't have swordfish.

No, rakja is basically moonshine. Nothing minty or siropy about it, plain harsh moonshine. The harshest varieties are strong enough to power a small car or tractor in a pinch.

And if you want good fish you have to come over here. My father despaired about it when he visited Croatia, he was dismayed about how small all the fishes were, but that's the Mediterranean for you.

[Norgy]

If I am not mistaken, I have a standing invitation from you anyway. 

I'd love some Spanish seafood.

Lots of Mediterranean folks love the Red Snapper. It would barely qualify as food here.
I am not comparing it to farmed salmon, which isn't all that great. But compared to say cod or fresh water trout, it's rather poor. Both the Greeks and the Balkanese choose to fry it whole rather than fillet it.

And I am looking at you too, Britain: Fish does not necessarily have to be battered and fried.

[derspiess]

I still have some rainbow trout in the freezer from my fishing trip in April