Guide to Haná specialities Let's start with local products because that's what we want to taste on our travels. Something typical for the country, region, or area and treasured by the locals. In the gastronomy of Central Moravia, tvarůžky and beer certainly resonate the most. You can buy Olomouc cheese, a specialty from Olomouc, in almost every local grocery store. But it is worth stopping by the shop on the Upper Square in Olomouc. You can't miss it, and you'll know it safely by the smell. There are plenty of varieties of the cheese - classic, with paprika, chili, cumin, onion, pickled, or in spreads. TIP! For artisanal tvarůžky with a more distinctive flavor, head to Velká Bystřice, just outside Olomouc. The TVARG Brewery has combined the production of tvarůžky cheese with the brewing of beer and you can taste both in the brewery pub or take them away with you. Exploring the Olomouc cheeseThe flavor and aroma are most pronounced in properly ripened tvarůžky - slightly oily, with an orange-yellow to brownish-orange color. However, some people prefer the fresher and less aromatic ones, which can be recognized by their golden-yellow color and 'curd heart' (best detected in classic Olomouc cheese round packages). The most traditional way of eating the Olomouc cheese is simply to put it on bread with butter, sprinkle it with onions, and wash it down with beer. But don't forget to let the cheese rest at room temperature for a while beforehand. Even if you happen to eat the whole package, you needn't regret it. By today's standards, this is a fitness food. In 100 g they contain 129 kcal, 28 g of protein (!!!), and only 3 g of carbohydrates and 0.5 g of fat. Maybe you won't have the opportunity to prepare the cheese yourself, and maybe you don't even want to... Never mind, Olomouc cheese is on the menu of about every other restaurant in Olomouc. We recommend trying the luxurious Olomouc cheese tartare at Morgan's restaurant (Mlýnská 2, Olomouc). 'Tvarůžky' tunning from LošticeYou wouldn't believe what you can conjure up from this special cheese - even desserts! In the cheese sweetshop in Loštice, you can taste around 15 types of savory desserts made from the cheese. The most popular is the combination of puff pastry and fine foam made from the cheese, but be sure to try the potato or sponge cake desserts as well. RECIPE for a simple Olomouc cheese cakeYou'll rock any party with a savory cheese cake. It goes great with beer and wine! What do you need?
Scrape the cup of sour cream (or cottage cheese), and the cress into a bowl, grate (or cut into small pieces) the Tvargle, and mix. Cut the puff pastry into larger squares (or any geometric shapes), place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and fold up the edges to prevent the filling from oozing out. Spread the filling over the puff pastry and then place thin slices of compote pear on top. Sprinkle with walnut pieces (quantity to taste) and bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 20 minutes. Lavender doesn't just belong in the bathroomIf you don't like the smell of 'Tvarůžky' cheese, you will definitely like lavender! Stop by the Lavender Bistro on Olomouc's Horní náměstí (Upper Square). Here you can buy dried lavender, which will make your room smell nice, soaps, candles, liqueurs, wine, syrups, but also lavender cookies, chocolate, homemade desserts, and much more. The organic lavender from which the products are produced does not come from French Provence but from the family Lavender farm in Bezděkov u Úsova. Feel free to arrange a tour of the farm, cut your own lavender flower, and take some Insta photos in the blooming field. There is even the possibility to enjoy a relaxing massage or a romantic tasting menu right in the middle of the lavender field. There's no chocolate like chocolateThe family-run chocolate factory in Troubelice produces chocolates in the traditional way in melangeurs directly from cocoa beans imported from plantations in Ecuador. In the Troubelice shop, you can also buy other cocoa products, gluten-free flours, superfoods, Ecuadorian herbal teas, coffee from small plantations roasted in the chocolate factory itself, dried tropical fruits, and many other goodies. From the farm directly to your tableA cozy café with summer seating, playgrounds for children, and, above all, fresh local produce. Stop by the family-run Golden Farm (Zlatá farma) just outside Prostějov for pickled and fresh cheeses, dairy and baked desserts, cottage cheese, yogurt, kefir, and many other products straight from the farm. We know where to eat wellWondering where to go in Olomouc for a nice lunch, dinner, or something to go well with beer? Head to Morgan's restaurant in the very center of town, just a few steps from the Upper Square. On the menu, you'll find regional specialties, steaks, burgers, and popular beer appetizers. The beer here is really good, by the way! That's no empty promise, the proof is their Brewers' Star award, which goes to establishments that really know how to take care of beer. We have selected other Olomouc businesses for you in the article Olomouc rocks on the Czech gastro scene. When you're cycling through Litovelské Pomoraví (the Protected Landscape Area) or returning from a tour of Bouzov Castle, park at Sobáčov and enjoy homemade burgers, Italian pizza straight from the oven, roasted meat, fresh fish, or specialties from the smokehouse in a stylish cruise restaurant with summer seating by the pond. Hikers wandering from the chateau area in Čechy pod Kosířem or the top of Velký Kosíř should definitely stop and refresh at Bělecký Mlýn. Whether with the excellent meat, which they take from their own farms, or the heavenly desserts, dominated by homemade Bavarian muffins. For some delicious meat from the grill and smokehouse, it's worth the hike up the hill to Jívová. Before you finish your ribs, neck, wings, or even a burger with pulled meat in the Jívová Sports and Shooting Complex, you can have your electric bike recharged. For the kids, there's a playground (and Wi-Fi) in addition to fried cheese with fries, and waffles. For the adults, of course, there's a shooting experience with various types of guns. |