A taste of Pannonia in the city centre of Ljubljana

You probably know how diverse Slovenia is. It’s almost a miracle how much diversity is put together on such a small peace of land. From the beautiful underground Karst world, the seaside, the mountains and lakes to the vineyards, plain and lowland in the eastern part. Not only those areas differ from each other in terms of nature. The dialect spoken close to the Italian border has nothing to do with the one spoken near the Hungarian border. The cuisine, the dances, the culture and heritage change a lot from one part of Slovenia to another. When you visit the country, though, you often don’t have the time to just see and experience it all. Tourists therefore prioritize and go to the must-visit parts of the country, where some others are left undiscovered. The undiscovered part is often the northeast of the country. What if I told you that you could have a piece of it in the mere city centre of Ljubljana? Keep reading.


I often say that food is an essential part of traveling. Getting to know the culinary habits of the people is getting to know a part of them. If you’d like to try specialties from the Pannonia region (northeast of Slovenia) without needing to actually go there, you should go to the restaurant Güjžina and indulge into their delicious dishes and wines.

The owner is a very nice lady, coming from the region herself. She strives for perfection, great food and equally great service. A lot of their dishes are very specific to the region and often unknown to the visitors. The help with the choice is therefore very appreciated. The staff of Güjžina is more than happy to help, explain and let you taste their delicious dishes. The selection is very wide, for the vegetarians as well as those who cannot go without meat. A big plus is a great selection of wines from the whole Pannonia region.



We were sitting outside in the nice shade on one of the main streets of the Old Town, observing the people passing by while enjoying our lunch. The interior, however, seems very nice as well, spacious and pleasant, with a beautiful wine cellar for closed groups.

We hit off the lunch with goat cheese with pumpkin seed oil on a wooden plate.




We then chose to try out different dishes and enjoy a variety of tastes. Dödöle, a typical dish from the region, is a must there. They may taste a bit unusual but it’s worth the try.



Their “Cucki”, homemade gnocchi with pumpkin seed pesto and goat cheese are super delicious!



The Prekmurje Bograč (a delicious mixture of pork, beef, venison, potatoes, onion and garlic) can be a great option for meat lovers. There is plenty of choice of meat dishes too, combined with interesting food like plums. Salads are very tasty as well, and the choice is very vast.





You absolutely have to try Prekmurska gibanica there, a traditional sweet dish from eastern Slovenia. It is one of the most representative sweet dishes from Slovenia that comes in a form of a layered cake with poppy seeds, walnuts, cottage cheese and apples. Heaven! Same as other awesome deserts, of course.

INFO
Güjžina - The soul of Pannonia Restaurant in Ljubljana
Address: Mestni trg 19, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Webpage: http://www.prekmurska-gostilna.si/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Gujzina.Restaurant.Ljubljana/

Amazing restaurant Veduta Bernardin, Slovenia

I was never a big fan of seafood. When I was little, my mom was usually quite upset when we went to a restaurant at the seaside. Everyone at the table ordered something sea-like, at least the seafood pizza if not a fish or calamari. I on the other hand wasn’t much of an experimenter so I simply went with the Wiener Schnitzel and fries (and I’m not even such a meat eater, haha).

I’ve grown up a bit since, but I’m still not a big seafood fan. However, every now and then I let myself be seduced by the things I usually don’t really like. This is how I got to eat the best calamari ever during the holidays at the Slovene seaside with my boyfriend.

Morska hrana nikoli ni bila moja najljubša hrana. Ko sem bila mlajša, se je moja mama na morju pogosto jezila, ko smo šli v restavracijo. Vsi so naročili nekaj morskega, vsaj morsko pico, če ne rib ali kalamarov. Jaz pa nisem želela biti razočarana in sem enostavno naročila preizkušen dunajski zrezek s pomfrijem (pa sploh nisem neki strastni mesojedec, haha).

Zdaj sem malo večja, ampak še vedno nisem velik ljubitelj morske hrane. Vsake toliko pa se vendarle rada pustim presenetiti. Tako sem med počitnicami s svojim dragim na slovenski Obali jedla najboljše kalamare ever.

Restaurant Veduta in Bernardin, just a few steps away from Piran and hidden from the hustle and bustle of Portorož, treated us really great, not only with the great food and impeccable service but also with the beautiful location, overseeing the sea and offering us the much needed shade in the hot lunch-time.

We hit it of with the seafood tris. On a beautifully prepared plate, we had quite a few bites of delicious octopus, enjoyed the tuna spread and mixed it up with sardines with pine nuts, onions and raisins. A blend of sweet and salty, creamy and slightly crunchy. A bit of olive oil and lemon juice to make it just perfect and voilà!

Restavracija Veduta v Bernardinu, ki je samo korak stran od Pirana in hkrati skrita pred bučnim Portorožem, naju je res odlično pogostila. Ne samo z odlično hrano in super strežbo, temveč tudi s čudovito lokacijo z morjem v ozadju ter senco, ki sva jo v tem vročem času za kosilo še kako potrebovala.

Začela sva z morskim trisom. Na lepo pripravljenem krožniku sva imela okusno hobotnico, tunin namaz in sardine s pinjolami, čebulo in rozinami. Čudovita mešanica sladkega in slanega, kremnega in hrustljavega. Še malo olivnega olja in limoninega soka in voilà!

The main dish? One word: calamari. I’ve never had my very own plate of calamari in my life. This time, the owner of the restaurant offered us a mix of grilled and fried calamari with fries. The smell of salt in the air, the hot weather and a bit of wind in my hair made me realize I felt ready to indulge into the sea atmosphere and take a leap of faith. It was amazing!

Glavna jed? Z eno besedo: kalamari. Priznati moram, da še nikoli v življenju nisem imela čisto svojega krožnika kalamarov. Tokrat nama je prijazni lastnik restavracije ponudil mešanico ocvrtih kalamarov in kalamarov na žaru s pomfirjem. Vonj soli v zraku, vroče vreme in malo vetra v laseh so me spodbudili k tej morski spontanosti in zaupala sem lastniku restavracije. Kalamari so bili odlični!

When you are at the Slovenian seaside, it is sometimes difficult to decide which restaurant to go to. They often seem rather similar to each other so at the end it is not just the meal that convinces you.

Great food aside, our lunch in Veduta was a very pleasant experience. From the moment we arrived, we felt as if we came to a friend’s house. The owner has welcomed us very warmly and discussed our wishes with us. The staff was very kind too and always served us with a smile. We will sure come back the next time we’re around. I think I’ll try one of their delicious seafood risottos then…

Ko prideš na slovensko Obalo, se je včasih kar težko odločiti, katero restavracijo izbrati. Pogosto vse ponujajo precej podobno ponudbo, tako da na koncu ni samo hrana, ki pomaga pri odločitvi.

Če o odlični hrani sploh ne govorim, je bilo najino kosilo v Veduti res zelo prijetna izkušnja. Od trenutka, ko sva vstopila v restavracijo, se nama je zdelo, kot da bi prišla v hišo prijatelja. Lastnik naju je toplo sprejel in se pogovoril o najinih željah za kosilo. Osebje je bilo prav tako zelo prijazno in naju je vedno postreglo z nasmehom. Zagotovo se bova oglasila naslednjič, ko greva na Obalo. Mislim, da bom takrat poskusila eno izmed slastnih morskih rižot…

INFO
Veduta Bernardin
Address: Bernardinska Reber 5a, 6320 Portorož, Slovenia
Webpage: http://www.veduta-bernardin.si/

Holidays in Slovenia

Going back home is always too good and too short. There are way too many things to do and especially way too many people you’d like to spend the time with. Since it’s Slovenia I’m talking about here, with its beautiful capital Ljubljana, endless picturesque spots and the gorgeous seaside just an hour away, spending a week or two there never seems enough.

Many of you have been asking me for the tips about what to see, where to go and where to stay. With my Réda we finally managed to do some sightseeing, spend some time at the seaside and discovered Ljubljana through a different angle. Stay tuned for a series of articles on Slovenia <3

PS: Don't forget to follow me on Instagram for more photos ;) @katieskite

Počitnice doma so vedno predobre in prekratke. Enostavno preveč stvari je, ki se jih veselim, predvsem pa enostavno preveč ljudi, s katerimi želim preživeti čas. Glede na to, da govorim o Sloveniji s čudovitim glavnim mestom, neštetimi slikovitimi lokacijami in lepo obalo na dosegu roke, je jasno, da se teden ali dva nikoli ne zdita dovolj.


Veliko mojih tujih prijateljev in sledilcev me sprašuje za nasvete, kaj obiskati v Sloveniji, kam iti in kje se nastaniti. Z Rédo sva si končno vzela čas za potepanje, preživela nekaj časa na Obali in odkrila Ljubljano z drugačne perspektive. Pripravljam serijo zapisov o Sloveniji, stay tuned <3

PS: Ne pozabi na moj Instagram za več fotk ;) @katieskite

Best coffee in Bordeaux - Najboljša kava v francoskem Bordeauxju

Bordeaux wasn’t my love at first sight. Arriving at the train station with lots of construction works and taking a walk to the city centre didn’t impress me much at the beginning. But right when I found myself in the little streets of the old city centre, it became a nice sunny summer getaway. Once I stepped in the cosy SIP, the best coffee place in town, I knew I was charmed.

V Bordeaux se nisem zaljubila na prvi pogled. Po prihodu na železniško postajo, polno prahu in gradbenih del, in sprehodu do centra mesta, nisem bila preveč navdušena. Ko pa sem se končno znašla na ozkih ulicah starega mestnega jedra, se je Bordeaux spremenil v simpatičen poletni izlet. Ko sem stopila v SIP, najboljšo kavarno v mestu, sem bila očarana.

Just a step away from the City Hall and the beautiful Bordeaux Cathedral, this café couldn’t be better placed. Hidden from the hustle and bustle of a big city and all the tourists, it makes the perfect spot to chill, talk and enjoy.

Lokacija te kavarne ne bi mogla biti boljša – samo par korakov stran od mestne hiše in čudovite bordojske katedrale. Skrita je od živahnosti glavnega trga in turistov, kar jo naredi res simpatično za pogovor, počitek in uživanje.

Their homemade cakes look so great it is difficult to resist them all. Even more, the way they showcase them is simply beautiful. The attention to details in this coffee place made the biggest impression on me. Everything has its place and yet doesn’t look superficial. Little objects all around make the place very unique, be it beautiful dry flowers on the tables or a pile of magazines and books that nonchalantly sit on the counter. My favourite? The water fountain! I have never seen a more beautiful one!

Njihove doma narejene torte izgledajo tako dobro, da se jim je težko upreti. Poleg tega jih razstavijo na čudovit način z uporabo različnih podstavkov za torte, ki v raznolikih velikostih, višinah in barvah krasijo kavni pult. Pozornost za detajle v tej kavarni je name naredila največji vtis. Vse ima svoje mesto, ampak ne dá občutka prevelike organiziranosti. Majhni predmeti vsepovsod naredijo to kavarno res posebno. Posušene rože na mizah, kup revij in knjig, ki nonšalantno sedi na kavnem pultu… Moj najljubši del? Vodna fontana

Last but not least, the staff is very nice. They took the time to talk to me about their special coffees, the way they prepare them, and the cake master even gave away a little recipe secret for the carrot cake I simply adored! When I come back to Bordeaux, this will be the first place I will go to before heading for the Mirroir d’eau, Stone Bridge or some wine testing.

Nenezadnje - osebje kavarne je res simpatično. Vzeli so si čas za pogovor o njihovih posebnih vrstah kave in načinu priprave. Mojster tort mi je celo zaupal mini nasvet za pripravo korenčkove torte, ki je bila moja najljubša. Ko se naslednjič vrnem v Bordeaux, bom najprej spila kavo v tej luštni kavarni, preden se odpravim do Vodnega ogledala (Mirroir d’eau), Kamnitega mosta ali na pokušanje vin.

INFO
SIP Coffee Bar
Address: 69 Bis Rue des Trois-Conils, 33000 Bordeaux
Tramway: B, Hotel de Ville
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SIPCOFFEEBAR.fr/

Best No-Bake Philadelphia Cheesecake

Sometimes I joke that at some point in the future, I will open my own cheesecake coffee place. I’ve even picked up the name already :) #seriousgirl #dreams #maybeoneday

For those who don’t follow me on Instagram – I love cheesecake. I absolutely LOVE it. It is so simple yet so yummy. There are endless possibilities to make it and it only takes about (get ready!) 20 min to make it! I’m not even kidding. It needs to stay in the fridge for some hours though to be the most delicious. The best is to leave it there over the night (which for me often just doesn’t work out. Who on earth can wait for the whole night before eating the first piece??).

I’ll share a basic recipe here. You can then pimp it up however you want. Let your imagination and cravings guide you.

Včasih v hecu rečem, da bom nekoč odprla svojo cheesecake kavarnico. Tudi ime sem si že zamislila :) #seriousgirl #dreams #maybeoneday

Tisti, ki mi ne sledite na instagramu, še ne veste, da imam izredno rada cheesecake. RES izredno rada. Zelo je preprosta, pa vendar tako njami okusna. Možnosti za pripravo so neomejene, najboljše je pa to, da traja samo (pazi!) 20 minut, da jo pripraviš! Brez heca. Je pa res dobro, da jo postavimo v hladilnik za par ur, preden jo postrežemo. Najboljše jo je pustiti v hladilniku kar čez noč (kar pa meni ponavadi ne uspe. Le kdo lahko čaka celo noč, preden poje prvi kos??).

Osnovni recept delim tu. Potem pa jo lahko prirediš po svoje, kot želiš. Uporabi domišljijo in se prepusti luštom :)

Ingredients for 6 pieces (not necessarily 6 people :P)

Base
400g butter biscuits (Petit Beurre of any sort)
125g butter
Filling
200g Philadelphia cheese
150ml cream
75g sugars
1 juicy lemon

1. Put biscuits in food processor and mix to fine pieces.

2. Melt butter. Add it to the biscuits and mix again.

3. Firmly press in a tin and leave to set.

4. Mix Philadelphia and cream. Add sugar and lemon juice and beat till smooth.

5. Place topping in the tin and let it set overnight in the refrigerator (if you can make it, hehe).

6. Serve.

For simple variations, use fresh fruits such as strawberries, blueberries or raspberries. Put them on top of the cheese filling and leave in the fridge. If you do not have fresh fruits, use frozen red fruits, heat them up in a pot and spill over each piece just before serving.

Sestavine za 6 kosov (ne nujno za 6 oseb :P)

Osnova
400g maslenih piškotov (Petit Beurre kakršne koli vrste)
125g masla
Nadev
200g Philadelphia skute
150ml smetane
75g sladkorja
1 sočna limona

1. Piškote stress v mikser in zmiksaj v fino zmes.

2. Stopi maslo. Stopljenega dodaj piškotom in ponovno zmešaj.

3. Močno utrdi zmes na dno pekača in jo pusti stati.

4. Zmešaj Philadelphijo in smetano. Dodaj sladkor in limonin sok ter mešaj, dokler ne dobiš gladke mase.

5. Z nadevom prekrij podlago in pusti čez noč v hladilniku (če ti uspe, hehe).

6. Postrezi.

Za popestritev uporabi sveže sadje, na primer jagode, borovnice ali maline. Lepo jih razvrsti po vrhu Philadelphije in vse skupaj pusti v hladilniku. Če nimaš svežega sadja, uporabi zmrznjeno sadje. Na malem ognju ga segrej in prelij čez kos torte, preden ga postrežeš.

WEEKEND INSPIRATION

“A cold wind was blowing from the north, and it made the trees rustle like living things.” (George R.R. Martin)