Slovenian Cuisine: From the Alps to the Adriatic in 20 Ingredients

(Hardback)

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Winner of the Gourmand Award for Best Chef Book; a love-letter to the region, by the internationally-renowned chef and father of modern Slovenian cuisine.

First published in Slovenian in 2018, this long-awaited, award-winning book has finally been translated to English. With beautifully written introductory essays for each new stop and robust narrative elements, it follows a road trip around Slovenia in search of the finest ingredients in the country, and the best producers of them. Each chapter profiles an ingredient key to the culture, and the passionate producer or farmer who supplies it, before delving into two select recipes for eachone interpretation of a traditional Slovenian dish and one modern presentationwhich highlight the product and showcase its versatility.

The reason for this format is simple. For JB, the ingredient is paramountthe source of inspiration. Every dish in his restaurant is created from completely fresh ingredients, which he always hand selects and likes to trace back to their source. So it is only natural that his cookbook would be organized in the same way. Its very much a reflection of the chef himself: an innovator rooted in local tradition and ingredients.

Featuring carefully-chosen ingredients like Adriatic fish, beef, game, fleur de sel, olive oil, prosciutto, wild herbs, goat cheese, and cabbage, youll find recipes such as:

• Soft red polenta with chanterelle sauce and sour cream
• Creamed Jerusalem artichoke soup with truffles, fried Jerusalem artichoke peels, olive oil, and red peppercorns
• Red deer fillet with juniper berry sauce, tarragon roll, red Swiss chard stems, celeriac, and cranberry jam
• Hazelnut ice cream with olive oil, dark chocolate, and fleur de sel
• Fried and cooked beef tendons with honey in wild garlic sauce, with cold-pressed sunflower oil, vinegar, and wild herbs
• Chicken in white wine with root vegetables and new potatoes
• Prosciutto-wrapped monkfish with celeriac pure, peach cream, and olive oil jelly

Fellow Slovenian Ana Ro (named the best female chef in the world in 2017) told CNN: Every country has 'The Chef.' In Slovenia, this is him. Chef Janez Bratov is the father of modern Slovenian cuisine. With the country being awarded the title of European Region of Gastronomy in 2021, its clear that Slovenia and its beautiful and diverse cuisine is fast becomingthenext major culinary destination, and its time in the spotlight is overdue.

Reviews

"Slovenian CuisinebyJanez Bratovfeatures dishes from his acclaimed restaurant JB in Ljubljana, and profiles of his favorite producers across Slovenia. The photographs byManca JevekandMatja Tanirange from lush landscapes and sensitive portraits, to strikingly modern plates of food. The designersare KerinandMarjan Boimake generous use of space on each page, giving type and image ample room to breathe on white and light gray fields. Their typography is unique, conforming to a flexible grid that breaks in unexpected places. Especially remarkable is the way Kerin and Boic artfully set type in slender columns or wide blocks, mirroring the photographs on each spread. Quietly gorgeous, this book is an inspiring visual journey through the Slovenian countryside and its culinary gifts."
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Author Bio

Janez Bratov (JB) is known as the father of modern Slovenian cuisine, and is an internationally-renowned chef. JB is the chef and owner of his eponymous restaurant in Ljubljana, which was the first Slovenian restaurant to rank in the Worlds 100 Best, and has ranked as high as number 10 in Europe on The Daily Meals list. It is also regularly in San Pellegrinos list of the top 100 in the world. JB has also appeared at the El Bulli Foundation and been invited to cook a meal at the Vatican.

Noah Charney is an internationally bestselling author and professor of art history. AnAmerican, he has lived for many years in Slovenia. He is the author of twelve booksand writes regularly for the Guardian, the Washington Post, Salon, theObserver, Fine Dining Lovers, and many other top magazines and newspapers.

Matja Tani is a Slovenian photographer, who lives and creates between Beijing andLjubljana. He began his path as a photojournalist for Mladina magazine, but quickly made hisway abroad. A graduate of the London College of Fashion, Matja has 68 group and28 solo exhibitions behind him, with his work being featured in magazines such asNational Geographic,Vogue, Playboy,Elle, Tatler, Marie Claire, and many others. He has won a Sony WorldPhotography Organization contest, as well asa Slovenia Press Photo award.

Manca Jevek is a veteran food photographer, working throughout central Europe, and withnumerous cookbooks to her name. Her most recent include the cookbook for the Bazilika Bistroin Ljubljana, and a monograph on apple cider vinegar.