STA, 1 December 2021 - A book about Slavic cuisines written by Slovenian ethnologist Janez Bogataj has been declared one of the best books in the 25-year history of the Gourmand world cookbooks awards. The book was published by the Forum of Slavic Cultures in Slovenian and English in 2015.
The Best of the Best in 25 Years award was handed to Bogataj and the forum's director Andreja Rihter in Paris by Edouard Cointreau, the founder of the Gourmand awards, which were first given out in 1995.
At the Table with the Slavs, the English version of the book "S Slovani za Mizo", features selected foods from Slovenia, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia and Ukraine. It also brings gastronomic and culinary characteristics of each country.
Rihter took the opportunity to say that she was happy that the book continued to stand out not only for its design but also its content.
"It is still the only monograph in the world on Slavic cuisines," she said, as quoted by the Forum of Slavic Cultures, a Ljubljana-based international NGO.
The book has meanwhile grown into a project featuring an exhibition, food tastings, and collaborations with schools, faculties, diplomats, and organisers of book fairs.
In 2016, the book received the Gourmand award for best cookbook in Eastern Europe, while Bogataj has received a few such awards for his books. This time, his book Kranjska Klobasa (Carniolan Sausage) was also selected among the best of the best, the release says.
Learn more about the book and related project here
