Tag Archives: DUO Arts & Crafts Centre

Highlights of My Škofja Loka Year 2017

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, adeleinslovenia, cycling in Slovenia, Festivals in Slovenia, Hiking, hiking trails, ifeelsLOVEnia, museums in Slovenia, Selca valley, Selska dolina, Skofja Loka, Skofja Loka Passion, Slovenia, Slovenia blog, Slovenian handicrafts, Visit Skofja Loka, Zelezniki, Zelezniki Museum, Žiri by

As 2017 draws to a close, so does another chapter in my exploration of another area of Slovenia – Škofja Loka, which I have explored the length and breadth of during the past year. As is customary for many at time of year, it’s a time for reflection on what we have achieved, and time to look forward to the next year and the challenges ahead.

So, here’s a look back at just some of the highlights of my adventures in 2017 exploring Škofja Loka and the Selca and Poljane valleys, which I hope will also serve as inspiration for those of you planning a visit to the area in the future.

I began, as every visitor to Škofja Loka should, with a visit to the old town and a walk up to the beautiful Loka Castle.

I tried my hand at making Loka honey breads at the DUO Arts & Crafts Centre under the watchful guise of the master carver Petra Plestenjak Podlogar – https://adeleinslovenia.com/2017/01/13/loka-honey-breads-and-handicrafts-at-the-duo-arts-crafts-centre/

One of the main events of the year in Škofja Loka is the Festival of History (Historial), which takes place annually in June – https://adeleinslovenia.com/2017/06/25/highlights-of-the-skofja-loka-historial-2017/

I had the honour of being shown around the Capuchin monastery by 80-year-old Father Bernard as part of my discovery of the UNESCO-listed Skofja Loka Passion Play – https://adeleinslovenia.com/2017/04/04/the-unesco-listed-skofja-loka-passion-play/

Photo: Tomaž Sedej

And I thoroughly enjoyed getting active, such as cycling around the town on part of the Loka Cycle Trail with a great guide, Matej Hartman – https://adeleinslovenia.com/2017/06/11/active-and-historic-loka-the-skofja-loka-cycle-trail/

Then it was time to start exploring further into the area’s two valleys – the Poljane valley (Poljanska dolina) and the Selca valley (Selska dolina).

I had a snowy adventure at the Soriška planina ski resort and explored Sorica – one of Slovenia’s most picturesque mountain villages  – https://adeleinslovenia.com/2017/02/20/sorica-super-skiing-and-slovenias-most-beautiful-mountain-village/

Showed off my creative side (ahem!) making Dražgoše honey breads in the sunny hilltop village of Dražgoše – https://adeleinslovenia.com/2017/03/07/delightful-drazgose-the-home-of-drazgose-honey-breads-and-serious-sunshine/

I was won-over by scenic, tranquil Žiri, known for its bobbin lacemaking and shoemaking traditions as well as its unspoilt nature – https://adeleinslovenia.com/2017/04/17/discovering-the-most-ziri-things/

As well as by Železniki, known for it’s iron-forging and bobbin lacemaking traditions – https://adeleinslovenia.com/2017/07/09/zelezniki-a-step-back-in-time-and-tradition-lacemaking-days/

And I hiked some of the area’s peaks such as Blegoš – https://adeleinslovenia.com/2017/07/23/hike-blegos-and-dine-at-pr-andrejon-a-winning-combination/

Explored (some of) the bunkers of the Rupnik Line on my ‘Recce of the Rupnik Line’ – https://adeleinslovenia.com/2017/08/06/a-recce-of-the-rupnik-line/

Too numerous are the highlights to include them all here, but they are all there on my blog, and will remain so, for those interested in finding out (even) more about the area.

2018 will bring a new chapter in the Adele in Slovenia story, a new destination to be explored in-depth, albeit one I am already very familiar with, but one I can’t wait to get even more familiar with! Watch this space for more details very soon, and I hope you will continue to join my own my journey.

Happy New Year!

© Adele in Slovenia

Loka Honey Breads and Handicrafts at the DUO Arts & Crafts Centre

Posted in adeleinslovenia, ifeelsLOVEnia, Skofja Loka, Slovenia, Slovenian handicrafts by

There is a long and rich tradition of making Loški kruhki (little honey breads) in the Škofja Loka area. It dates back to the 14th century when the Clarissa nuns ran a girls school in the town in the building seen below. The nuns introduced and taught locals how to make the honey breads, which they baked mainly for festivals, blessings and other celebrations.

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The DUO Arts & Crafts Centre, located in the heart of the medieval old town, showcases the rich handicraft tradition in the area by offering local craftspeople a place to showcase their handicrafts for visitors to browse and/or purchase, and an opportunity for them to present and transfer their skills to future generations.

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Among the items on show at the DUO Centre are carved wooden products made by the carver Petra Plestenjak Podlogar, who today is the only master craftsperson in Slovenia keeping alive the tradition of making wooden moulds for Škofja Loka honey breads.

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Curious to learn more, and always keen to get hands-on, I recently spent a very pleasant afternoon with Petra at the DUO Centre, learning her insider tips on making the dough for the honey breads and using her wonderfully ornate handcrafted moulds to make my own honey breads to take home.

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The basic recipe contains a mixture of flours, lashings of Slovenian honey, and selected spices such as cinnamon, pepper and cloves.

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Making the dough is a fairly simple and quick process, then begins the fun part of pressing it into the moulds and choosing which of the many ornate hand-carved moulds to use. Petra also makes moulds ‘to order’ for special birthdays, anniversaries and other celebrations.

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The little honey breads, and indeed the hand-carved moulds, make ideal gifts or souvenirs.

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Once baked, the breads are glazed with (more!) honey to give them a nice sheen.

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Then, well, I couldn’t resist any longer! The best bit – time to taste them!

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I know, after all that hard work I/we should take some time to admire the little honey breads before wolfing them down, but we made plenty so a few won’t go amiss. And, as Petra said ‘Poglej in pojej’ – Look then eat! A great motto I say!

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When visiting Škofja Loka be sure to drop into the DUO Centre to browse the range of products available, all of which make excellent gifts or a treat for yourself, and take a piece of Slovenia’s handicraft tradition home. Products include: wooden games and other unique wooden products, clay reliefs, lace products from the A. Primožič House of Bobbin Lace, basketware and wickerwork, tools and other forged-iron implements, felted items, items made from wool and recycled paper, dyed wool, silk and other knitted woolen products, Dražgoše honey breads, crocheted pieces, knitware, products made from rawhide, wood and other raw materials, bags, shoes, hats and other items made using wet-felting, patchwork and glassware.

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Upon prior arrangement, various workshops can be organised with any of the master craftspeople, where you can learn a new skill, or brush-on existing ones!

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More information about the DUO Center can be found here – http://www.visitskofjaloka.si/en/experiences/864

© Adele in Slovenia