Shop Locally at Radovljica’s Farmers and Craft Markets

Posted in Food, Mosnje, Okusi Radol'ce, Radovljica, Restaurants, Slovenia, Taste Radol'ca, Tourism Radol'ca by adeleinslovenia

Radovljica now boasts two monthly local markets, where you can buy direct from farmers, producers and local craftspeople. As anyone who has ever shopped at a farmers’ market will know, it’s a lovely, relaxed way to shop; safe in the knowledge there are no food miles involved, no added nasty additives etc., and, at the same time, you are helping to support the local community. So, a win-win all round!

The monthly Vila Podvin local market takes place on the first Saturday morning of each month in Mošnje near Radovljica. It is something of a mixture of a farmers and craft market, where you can buy locally produced food and other handmade products.

The market is always popular and, of course, the fact that it is held in the beautiful gardens of Vila Podvin, where one of Slovenia’s top chefs, Uroš Štefelin, conjures up delicious and creative dishes, is also a factor, as is the added bonus of being able to stay after the market and enjoy a specially prepared lunch, made using products available for sale on the day. And if you’d like to enjoy a tipple too, there are also 5 well-appointed double rooms available, located in the previous stable area of the building, with views of the (sadly) long-abandoned Podvin Castle.

Uroš’ ethos is on using forgotten local ingredients, such as tepka pears – a variety of pear that only grows in this area of Slovenia – to create new dishes in his own distinctive way. At the local market there is also a chance to try these unique sausages made with tepka pears.

What is on offer at the market varies from month to month, but as a general rule you will food items such as find fruit and vegetables, cheese, jams, flour, cordials, eggs, dried meats etc.

As well as non-food items such as jewellery, trinkets and other homeware goods.

Vila Podvin is one of the participating Taste Radol’ca restaurants, the focus of which is on using local ingredients, and about which you can find out more here – http://www.radolca.si/en/taste-radolca/

Find more information about Vila Podvin here – http://www.vilapodvin.si/EN/

The other market, and a welcome new addition, is the small farmers’ market held on the 2nd Saturday of each month, from 9am to 1pm, at the building known as Sarčeva hisa, next to the library in Radovljica. The next such market will take place this Saturday 10th September.

© Adele in Slovenia

8Aug2016

A Taste Radol’ca Family Surprise!

Posted in Begunje, Castles in Slovenia, Food, ifeelsLOVEnia, Ljubljana, Postojna cave, Potica, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Restaurants, Slovenia, Taste Radol'ca by adeleinslovenia

Months of planning and more than a few sleepless nights finally came to fruition last week when I managed to pull off the desired surprise for my father’s 70th birthday.

Despite factors conspiring against me, i.e. a 5 hour delay thanks to an emergency chute being “accidentally deployed” on the Adria flight from Gatwick prior to take-off, and downpours so torrential that even Noah would likely have thrown in the towel, I managed to pull off the not-insignificant feat of surprising my father and getting all my immediate family together in one place for the first time in almost 5 years.

I therefore have a few people to thank for helping me to make it happen, not least the teams at 2 of the Taste Radol’ca restaurants.

The first ‘thanks’ goes to Graeme from Four Seasons Travel, who played his part in getting my brother, sister-in-law, niece and nephew to the right place at the right time. Once they had been ‘deposited’ into the wine cellar at Grajska Gostilnica, and I received the ‘mission complete’ message, we (my parents and I) headed there to the ‘opening of the wine cellar’, or at least that is what dad believed. Until… SURPRISE! And a big sigh of relief from me that we had all managed to be in the right place at the right time. We soon indulged in our first family dinner together for many years!

I’ve eaten at Grajska Gostilnica on numerous occasions, however, I had never before been into the wine cellar. Wow, its huge, and a fantastic space. It’s such a shame to see such a vast and special space so underutilised so I now have my thinking cap on as to how to right this. In the meantime, if you are planning any special events, I can highly recommend it as a venue. Thanks to owner Borut and the team for helping with this part of the plan!

Day 2 began with an early start and a full day out (for them, not me!) visiting Postojna Caves, Predjama Castle and the Lipica Stud Farm. I, meanwhile, was hard at work, both working and also preparing for the next part of the surprise – putting up decorations, rushing back and forth to the shops getting cakes, wine etc. and meeting the caterers booked for the birthday dinner.

Mišo from Joštov Hram in Podnart, another of the Taste Radol’ca restaurants, prepared a wonderful barbecue with enough delicious food to feed half the town (which I was delighted about, since I just love having leftovers for the next day – saves having to cook!). Having someone come to you to cook can’t be beaten for a relaxed family get-together.

We started with 2 original-flavoured ‘pogaca‘, a special round-shaped bread, here topped with cheese and poppy seeds, the other with onion and pancetta.

Next came an excellent risotto, by which time we were almost full to bursting but still had the main course to come! Main course consisted of an excellent selection of grilled meats and fish, salads and typical accompaniments.

Somehow we even found room to indulge in traditional homemade walnut potica – thanks Anja!

Mišo took care of everything, bringing all the equipment, crockery, cutlery etc., leaving us free to talk, eat, and play. So, all in all we had a blast and here’s Dad trying out a hoverboard on his 70th birthday proving that age need not be a barrier!

Whilst here the family also, amongst other outings, visited Ljubljana, took a ride on the Radol’ca Hop-On Hop-Off tourist bus (Tuesdays and Thursdays until the end of August – http://www.radolca.si/en/hop-on-hop-off-radolca/, visited the Medieval Market in Radovljica, and, for the icing on the cake as a special treat for his birthday, I bought my parents a stay at Chateau Lambergh in Dvorska Vas for the final 2 nights of their stay.

Photo: Primoz Černe

You can see a whole gallery of photos of the Medieval Day, courtesy of Primož Černe, here – https://goo.gl/photos/xq4vCFgVeP4vQbmy7

Now life returns to ‘normal’ and, as ever, it was sad to see them go, but here’s hoping it won’t take 5 years for us all to be together again in the same place. Come back soon! xxx

© Adele in Slovenia

11Jul2016

Love Swimming, Love Slovenia!

Posted in Bohinj, caves in Slovenia, Food, Hiking, ifeelsLOVEnia, Radovljica, Restaurants, Taste Radol'ca, Tourism Radol'ca by adeleinslovenia

It’s always lovely to hear from, and meet, readers and self-professed ‘fans’ of my blog. In the past 3 years I have received hundreds of emails, comments, messages on Facebook etc., some wanting ideas and advice, others just writing to say ‘thanks’, and have also enjoyed many a wonderful Taste Radol’ca meal together with readers generously wishing to show their appreciation.

It was particularly nice, then, when I recently met a whole group of readers! Patricia, a regular reader of my blog, has shared it with many of her group of fellow Americans, who were staying in Radovljica for a family swimming camp. She told me how helpful my blog had been in planning excursions and activities for the swimming camp and invited me to join the group for their final night’s banquet dinner at Kunstelj Inn – one of the Taste Radol’ca restaurants and just one of the venues where members of the group stayed during their visit.

Maja and her team at Kunstelj Inn cooked up a delicious meal, using locally-sourced ingredients, and, as ever, the views from the terrace provided the icing on the cake!

This was the 4th consecutive year that the Piranhas Swimming Club from Stuttgart chose Radovljica as the base for its summer family swimming camp. This year’s group totalled 108, comprised of 40 swimmers, with their families and friends, and, in some cases, 3 generations of the same family.

During their time staying in Radovljica, they certainly packed in a lot of sightseeing and activities, which just goes to show, as if proof were needed, what a wonderful place Radovljica is to base yourself for a holiday in Slovenia.

Radovljica’s Olympic-size swimming pool was the venue for the daily pool-based training and fun sessions. More information about Radol’ca’s swimming pools here – http://www.radolca.si/en/swimming/

They swam in Bled Lake.

And did an open-water swim in the Adriatic sea in Piran Bay.

When not swimming, and for the non-swimmers among them, there was a whole host of other organised activities including cookery classes at Kunstelj Inn.

Rafting on the Sava and Soča rivers.

Other activities included a visit to the iron-forging village of Kropa, a ride in the cable car to Vogel, kayaking on Bohinj Lake, hiking to the Savica waterfall, a visit to the Škocjan Caves, fishing, playing golf, making the famous Lectar gingerbread hearts at Lectar Inn in Radovljica, and more!

Patricia told me that they have all ‘fallen in love with Slovenia and Radovljica’ and are already planning the 2017 camp. So, I look forward to seeing you all back here next year. In the meantime, I’ll keep writing and providing ideas for some more activities for next year, so, stay tuned!

© Adele in Slovenia

13Jun2016

Spas, Caves, Eats and Other Rainy (and Not So Rainy) Day Ideas!

Posted in Beekeeping, Beekeeping in Slovenia, Begunje, caves in Slovenia, cycling, Festivals in Slovenia, Food, Hiking, ifeelsLOVEnia, Ljubljana, Mosnje, Museums, Okusi Radol'ce, olm, Postojna cave, proteus, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Restaurants, Slovenia, Taste Radol'ca, thermal spas, Tourism Radol'ca, Uncategorized by adeleinslovenia

Anyone visiting Slovenia in the last fortnight might be forgiven for thinking it rains here a lot! Please be reassured, however, that this much rain in June is not the norm. In the 9+ years I’ve been living here, I don’t think I can remember such a prolonged period of wet weather at this time of year. It really is turning out to be a strange year, weather-wise. After having very little snow during winter, we then had snow in late-April, and now, in the second-half of May and early June, it seems to be April! It’s been either raining torrentially or the clouds have been looming ominously, making it frustratingly difficult to go anywhere too far from home.

The good news is that it’s set to improve soon, just a couple more days of these storms then hot, dry weather is headed our way, yippee! In the meantime, I thought I’d share some of my ideas for how to spend rainy, as well as not so rainy, days in the Radovljica area and elsewhere in Slovenia.

VISIT A SPA

It doesn’t matter what the weather is doing outside if you are inside getting wet anyway! All of Slovenia’s thermal spas feature indoor and outdoor pools, saunas, jacuzzis and modern wellness facilities, offering something for all the family. You can read plenty more about spas and the facilities here and read some insider tips from me, here – https://spasinslovenia.com/

DELVE INTO THE MAGICAL UNDERWORLD IN CAVES

A visit to one Slovenia’s caves, such as Postojna Caves or the UNESCO-listed Škocjan Caves, is ideal whatever the weather. There are over 9,000 caves in Slovenia, though only a small number of these are open to the public. The temperature in the caves is constant year-round so it really doesn’t matter if its snowing or there’s a heat-wave! All of the caves are fascinating and unique, and the current phenomena of the newly-hatched ‘baby dragons’ at Postojna Caves provides an additional reason to visit. Read more here – https://adeleinslovenia.com/2016/06/01/the-phenomenal-postojna-proteus-phenomena/

Underground river Pivka in Postojna Cave_photo Iztok Medja for Postojnska jama

VISIT, TASTE & DRINK RADOVLJICA

Rainy days always bring an influx of visitors to the Radovljica area as the small town packs in quite a few sights of interest. You can visit the Lectar Gingerbread Workshop, the Museum of Apiculture, the Šivec House Gallery, and the Beekeeping Education Centre of Gorenjska. More here – http://www.radolca.si/en/

I don’t know about you, but this miserable weather makes me want to eat, eat, and then eat some more! The participating Taste Radol’ca restaurants all offer home-cooked, and locally sourced and produced food. Or why not visit the Sodček Wine Bar for a wine tasting session. More here – https://adeleinslovenia.com/taste-radolca/

LISTEN TO SLOVENE FOLK MUSIC AT AVSENIK

Visit Avsenik in Begunje na Gorenjskem – home to the world-renowned legendary Avsenik music – a popular style of folk music. There are regular live events, festivals and workshops, and you can also visit the gallery and museum. More here – http://www.avsenik.com/en

TAKE IN SOME CULTURE AT SUMMER MUSEUM NIGHT

There are hundreds of museums and galleries in Slovenia and a lot of attention is placed on culture and cultural-related events and activities. Next Saturday, 18th June, is Summer Museum Night, when, from 6pm until midnight, museums and galleries throughout the country offer free entrance and host special events. More information here – http://www.tms.si/PMN/?page_id=67

GO SHOPPING

Admittedly, I’m not a fan of shopping, particularly large shopping centres and especially when on holiday in a place where the great outdoors is so ‘great!’ So when I say ‘shopping’ I don’t mean traipsing round clothes shops, and getting hot, bothered and irritated in changing rooms (or is that just me?). Instead, when on holiday, I prefer to browse craft shops, visit local markets, buy and try local produce, and try to find unique buys. I particularly like foodie events such as Odprta Kuhna (Open Kitchen), which takes place every Friday (weather permitting) in Ljubljana. Closer to home at Vila Podvin in Mošnje a market takes place on the first Saturday of every month from 9am-noon, come rain or shine. You can meet local producers, buy food and non-food goods, and enjoy a delicious lunch cooked by one of Slovenia’s top chefs, Uroš Štefelin. More information here – http://www.vilapodvin.si/events

I hope to have provided some ideas and inspiration, after all, the weather may mean some plans have to curtailed but there’s always plenty more to see and do until the next sunny day comes along!

© Adele in Slovenia

21Mar2016

2 Records and a Rant!

Posted in Food, Lesce, Okusi Radol'ce, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Restaurants, Slovenia, Taste Radol'ca, Uncategorized by adeleinslovenia

Rather an odd title for this week’s blog, you might think. I’ll start with the ‘records’ and get on to the ‘ranting’ later!

The first of the ‘2 records’ refers to this year’s Radovljica Chocolate Festival where, in addition to a full programme of chocolate tasting and other chocolate-related entertainment, there will be an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the largest ever chocolate bar.

The current world record was set in 2011, with the largest bar weighing a whopping 5,792.50kg (probably equating to about my average annual consumption of the stuff!). It was produced by Thorntons Plc (UK), who just happen to make one of my favourite kinds of chocolate in the world. Any friends or family visiting from the UK are always instructed to bring me some!

So, it will take some doing to break it – the record I mean, not the chocolate bar! Though, one does wonder how on earth they are going to divide it up into manageable chunks! The full programme for the festival, which takes place from 15 – 17th April, is almost complete, so there’ll be plenty more about it here, and on the festival website, in the coming weeks – http://www.festival-cokolade.si/program/

That’s not all on the subject of record-breaking. The 2nd of the ‘2 records’ refers to the record-breaking weekend at Planica. I wasn’t among the crowd as unfortunately, despite being offered a ticket, a problem with my ears means that I’m unable to withstand loud noise and Planica is a synonym for loud noise with hooters, claxons and the masses of highly enthusiastic fans cheering on their heroes. However, since there was such widespread media coverage over the whole 4 days, it was easy to feel a part of the nation’s pride without actually being there.

The combination of fantastic weather, record-breaking crowds, and world-beating performances by the Slovene ski jumping team ensured a winning weekend was had by all. And boy, do the supporters know how to cheer and wave their flags in earnest when it comes to Planica – all 110,000 of them!

To crown his sensational season, on Sunday Peter Prevc once again secured victory, to round-off a truly astounding year which saw him amass 15 wins, 22 podiums and a new record of 2303 points to become the overall 2016 FIS ski jumping champion. I think it’s fair to say that there isn’t a single Slovene who isn’t proud of him! In Sunday’s competition, Slovenia’s Robert Kranjec took 2nd place, whilst on Saturday the Slovene team were second in the team competition.

Now, moving onto the ‘rants’ – well actually just one rant, and not something I would usually use the medium of blogging to do, however, on this occasion I feel the need, so please indulge me, just this once.

Saddened, disgusted, horrified, angry, these, along with resignation, were my feelings on finding out that a McDonalds is to open in Lesce. In recent years Taste Radol’ca restaurants, amongst others, have been striving to place a focus on eating locally-produced food. In schools too, both here and elsewhere, there has been ever increasing attention on what kids eat.

From my perspective, I thought I’d found a little corner of the world to escape mass corporate globalisation, though, in truth, that’s almost impossible these days. Therefore, to find out that this particular burger chain is opening on my doorstep was a huge upset. Of course, it’s not the first one in Slovenia, but until now they have been confined to larger cities, rather than encroaching in this beautiful part of the country.

What is additionally worrying is its location. Right at the Bled exit from the motorway, which is notoriously busy. Every weekend during the summer there are tailbacks of several kilometres, and this will only add to that, not to mention there will no doubt be ghastly advertising hoardings erected here, there, and everywhere – another of my pet hates.

Sadly, it’s inevitable that it will do well, as those passing on the motorway will stop off for a fast food fix. I’m not trying to be a preacher here, since I’m no saint when it comes to food – pizza, chocolate, cakes etc. are a staple part of my diet. I can only hope, forlornly perhaps, that at least some of you, my dear readers, appreciate quality food over fast food and steer clear! After all, within just a few kilometres, or even less, of ‘that burger chain’ there are a wealth of restaurants awaiting you with delicious home-produced Slovene food. And if the need for a burger really grabs you – as sometimes it does, at least choose one such as this Angus beef burger, new on the menu at Draga Inn, looks delicious wouldn’t you agree?

So, I urge you, please support local food and restaurants, when visiting Slovenia eat Slovenian food, and don’t let the global giants win!

© AdeleinSlovenia 2016

14Mar2016

Archery, Hiking and Taste Radol’ca in the Draga Valley

Posted in Food, Hiking, Karavanke, Okusi Radol'ce, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Restaurants, Taste Radol'ca, Uncategorized by adeleinslovenia

Even a very rainy Saturday didn’t dampen the spirits of the 150+ archers who came from far and wide to take part in the recent archery tournament in the Draga Valley.

I am often in the Draga valley, as it is a starting point for a number of hikes in the Karavanke mountains, and is also home to Draga Inn, which offers tasty home-cooked, traditional Slovene food. The Inn is one the participating Taste Radol’ca restaurants where you can also take advantage of the ‘Adele in Slovenia Discount Card’. More information here – http://wp.me/p3005k-1oe

On this occasion I actually visited on the day prior to the archery tournament since a) rain was forecast for the day of the tournament itself; b) I wanted to take some photos of the targets and not to become a target myself during the tournament!; c) I anticipated parking in the narrow valley to be nigh on impossible on the day of the tournament; and d) I wanted to walk up to the Planinca planina highland, 1136m, (seen below) before the next snowfall.

There is a very pleasant path which runs from Draga Inn, through the forest, past the remains of Kamen Castle, before emerging near the parking area at the Krpin recreation ground in Begunje na Gorenjskem. It was on this path that I first came across the targets and since then, on a number of occasions, I have been back to search for more, as each time I go I discover new ones – which is a real thrill!

The annual archery tournament attracts teams from Slovenia as well as from neighbouring countries.

The targets are positioned in strategic places in the forest.

It makes a great walk, especially with kids, who will love trying to spot the targets! So far I have found 7, though I think there are probably several more.

If you are visiting the valley for a walk or hike, I’d also recommend a meal at Draga Inn, which specialises in game, trout, and other local and traditional Slovene dishes.

© AdeleinSlovenia 2016

7Mar2016

Spring Restaurant Week 2016

Posted in Food, Gostilna Kunstelj, Mosnje, Okusi Radol'ce, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Restaurants, Slovenia, Taste Radol'ca, Uncategorized by adeleinslovenia

After a relatively dry and mild December and January, the weather seems to have been playing catch-up for the last few weeks and we’ve been experiencing alternating torrential rain and snow. Operators of Slovenia’s ski resorts will be rubbing their hands with glee as an extended ski season looks a dead cert now, since in the past week in some places there has been up to metre of fresh snow. So, if you are considering a late ski trip, consider Slovenia!

Despite the rain and snow, temperatures have been feeling more spring-like (though it was snowing when I woke up this morning!), there are plenty of spring flowers in bloom, the days are getting longer, and Spring Restaurant Week is here, yippee!

Spring Restaurant Week 2016 takes place from 11th – 20th March. There are a total of 86 participating restaurants, and out of the 11 in the Gorenjska region, 3 of these are Taste Radol’ca restaurants. This is all the more impressive since the Restaurant Week team visit each restaurant to ensure it meets its strict criteria for inclusion, meaning only the finest are chosen.

Restaurant Week takes place twice a year – in spring and in autumn – and the concept is to make gourmet food affordable. Diners have an opportunity to try out some of Slovenia’s best restaurants, with 3-course specially prepared menus available for just 16 euros. It is incredibly popular, so bookings are essential. Since the website is only in Slovene I thought I’d give you a sneak preview of what to expect.

Kunstelj Inn, Radovljica – a choice of 2 themed menus. One is ‘All Things Vegetable’. Below you can see the main course – the 4th generation of Kunstelj štruklji.

The other is named ‘From the Mountains and Forests’. The main course is fillet of mouflon with parsnip mash and kohlrabi.

Vila Podvin, Mošnje – Uroš Štefelin, one of Slovenia’s top chefs, will be cooking up delights including carpaccio of rainbow trout with a herb and horseradish mayonnaise

Lambergh Chateau & Hotel, Dvorska vas – there are 2 menus, meat-based or fish-based. Note – *this photo is from the 2015 Restaurant Week as photos of the 2016 culinary delights at Lambergh have yet to be released.

Now, I just have the tough choice of deciding where to go and how many of the restaurants I can fit into one week!

More information here (in Slovene only) – http://tedenrestavracij.si/restaurant-category/gorenjska/

You can also read more about Restaurant Week here, in English, though it is only about Ljubljana-based restaurants – http://www.inyourpocket.com/ljubljana/Restaurant-Week_73983f

29Feb2016

A gift from me to you: Discounts and special offers galore!

Posted in Food, Okusi Radol'ce, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Restaurants, Slovenia, Taste Radol'ca, Tourism Radol'ca, Uncategorized by adeleinslovenia

To celebrate the momentous (for me at least!) occasion of my blog achieving its 100,000 view, I decided I would like to prepare something special for readers, as a way of a thank you, and also to involve the local community.

Therefore, I came up with an idea and am now immensely proud and excited to introduce and offer you the ‘Adele in Slovenia Discount Card’. The card offers a range of benefits that EVERYONE can take advantage of, regardless of whether you live in Slovenia, or are visiting as a tourist, and even better it’s FREE! As it is a celebration of achieving 100,000 views the special offers will last 100 days – commencing 1st March, ending on 8th June.

I pitched the idea to the director of Tourism Radovljica, who liked the idea and agreed to help with printing the cards, and I then set about contacting each of the Taste Radol’ca restaurants, and a few other local companies, all of whom were enthusiastic and generously offered a variety of discounts, special offers, freebies and more.

Here’s the deal. Simply pop into the Radovljica Tourist Office (opening hours – daily 9am – 4pm), where you can take advantage of the first special offer, and pick up your card. There are no strings attached, anyone can get a card, and it can be used unlimited times during the 100 day period.

RADOVLJICA TOURIST OFFICE – 5% discount on all purchases + free tasting of honey
GRAJSKA GOSTILNA, Radovljica – 15% discount on food bills
VILA PODVIN*, Mosnje – A free visit to the kitchen of Uroš Štefelin, one of Slovenia’s top chefs, and a free culinary gift
KUNSTELJ INN*, Radovljica – Free dessert when ordering a main course
TULIPAN INN, Lesce – 15% discount on bed and breakfast rate
LECTAR INN, Radovljica – Free dessert when ordering a main course
LAMBERGH CHATEAU AND HOTEL*, Dvorska vas – 10% discount on all hotel services (excluding massage)
DRAGA INN, Begunje na Gorenjskem – 10% on food bills
NA KLEŽNK, Lesce – 10% on food bills
LESCE ALPINE FLYING CENTRE – 10% discount on panoramic and glider flights
JOŠTOV HRAM, Podnart – 10% discount on food bills
SODČEK WINE BAR, Radovljica – 5% discount on purchases above 30 euros (bottled wine only)

So, don’t delay, go and pick up your card today (well tomorrow, from 1st March they are available)!

Here’s to the next 100,000 views….. I hope you will remain with me for the journey – there’s still plenty more to come!

15Feb2016

WANTED: Your old gingerbread – the older the better!

Posted in Radol'ca, Radovljica, Restaurants, Taste Radol'ca, Uncategorized by adeleinslovenia

Last week at Lectar Inn in Radovljica the launch was announced of a special event to celebrate 250 years since the opening of its gingerbread workshop in 1766, and 10 years since the re-opening of the Live Gingerbread Museum.

Lectar Inn is seeking the oldest example of a Lectar heart. Anyone is invited to send or bring in their entries to the competition, including those from outside of Slovenia, and if there is a story connected to it, then all the better. Maybe you received one as a gift in your youth, or perhaps someone in your family did. So, get rummaging in those drawers, cupboards, and wherever else you might have Lectar hearts stashed at home! All the entries will be gathered into a special exhibition which will be on view throughout the year. Each entrant will be rewarded with a limited-edition special Jubilee Lectar heart.

The owners of the 3 oldest Lectar hearts which are submitted to the exhibition, will win an overnight stay including meals at Lectar Inn.

The gingerbread museum is housed in the cellar of the 500-year old building that is also home to the restaurant Gostilna Lectar – which has been operating since 1822, as well as Penzion Lectar, which offers 9 guestrooms. Gostilna Lectar is also one of the participating Taste Radol’ca restaurants where the focus is on using local produce. One of the things I particularly love about visiting Lectar is the warm welcome I always get, and, if the owner Jože is there, he is always ready with his mouth organ at hand to come and play a ditty or two!

These days there are four ‘lectar’ makers working in the museum. The Lectar hearts, which are entirely handmade, are made from a honey-enriched dough. The whole process takes around 14 days, beginning with the mixing and resting of the dough (5 to 10 days), followed by the baking and finally the intricate decoration.

The decorative colours also have a meaning:

red expresses love and passion
yellow, together with red, is a sign of eternal love
green with flowers is a symbol of growth, wealth and fertility

There are also Lectar hearts decorated with mirrors, which were particularly popular in the 19th century because in those times there weren’t many mirrors so women, in particular, liked to receive them as gifts. A Lectar heart with a mirror was also especially characteristic between lovers as it showed that men had a good sense of romance. When a boy wanted to show his girlfriend how much he loved her, he gave her a Lectar heart with a mirror. The girl who received it would know that her reflection in the mirror meant that she was in his heart! Oh how sweet!

There are 2 special dates to note as part of this special year at Lectar Inn:

Saturday 2nd April – Open Day at Lectar Inn

Sunday 11th December – A celebration of 10 years since the reopening of the Lectar live museum and the unveiling of the results and conclusion of the year-long search to find the oldest lectar heart.

More information here – http://www.lectar.com/_en/lectar_zgodovina.html

8Feb2016

Carnival Time, Celebration Time and My Andy Warhol Moment in Radovljica!

Posted in Beekeeping in Slovenia, Bohinj, Jelovica, Julian Alps, Okusi Radol'ce, Radol'ca, Radovljica, skiing, Taste Radol'ca, Uncategorized by adeleinslovenia

After almost two weeks of spring-like weather, snow was forecast for last Wednesday. However, in the end the snow didn’t quite make it down to ground level, where it instead rained, though snow fell above 800 metres. This will certainly have come as a relief to many of Slovenia’s ski resorts, particularly the lower-lying ones, and those without snow cannons, who desperately needed the snow and is perfect timing with school holidays rapidly approaching and it’s raining heavily today too, so there will be even more fresh snow in the mountains.

On Friday and Saturday last week the wonderful unseasonably warm spring-like weather returned and, when I popped to Bohinj for a meeting, I was amazed to see the bees at this hive so active and so many spring flowers in bloom. You’d never guess it was February, that’s for sure!

Last weekend was a very eventful one, for me and in general!

If, as Andy Warhol said, every one should have 15 minutes of fame, then mine came on Friday when the the tourism programme Na Lepše was dedicated, in part, to me and the success of my blog. Ok, it wasn’t exactly 15 minutes and it’s hardly fame, but I consider it recognition at least and I’ll take that! It was filmed in my home town of Radovljica – at the Tourist Information Centre, the viewing area with magnificent views of the Julian Alps and the Jelovica plateau, in the medieval old town and at the Lectar House of Tradition. Despite being rather nervous I must admit I was rather pleased with the outcome and also the response from readers of my blog. Here is the link to the programme which is, of course, all in Slovene, but even those viewing it outside of Slovenia will hopefully enjoy looking at the pictures and maybe it will encourage some of you to visit Radovljica too! (My part begins right after the ad-break, fast forward to 14 minutes).

http://4d.rtvslo.si/arhiv/na-lepse-oddaja-o-turizmu/174386896

On Saturday the pust carnival parade took place through the streets of Radovljica. Carnivals take place throughout Slovenia for pust and although Radovljica doesn’t have its own carnival character such as the kurenti, laufarji and bedalci in other parts of the country, the locals – young and old – always make a concerted effort and the costumes and floats seem ever more creative by the year.

Saturday was also a momentous day for one other reason. It marks the day that my blog had it’s 100,000th view. Wow!!!

Since I knew this time was approaching, though in truth expected it to come in a month or so, I have begun to prepare a special package of offers for you, dear readers, to thank you for your readership, and also to involve the local community – particularly the Taste Radol’ca restaurants. There will be a whole host of discounts and special offers, so watch this space for more details coming very soon!

In the meantime, let’s crack open the champers!

Adele in Slovenia

My life and adventures in Radovljica and throughout Slovenia

Tag Archives: Taste Radol’ca

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Spring Restaurant Week 2016

A gift from me to you: Discounts and special offers galore!

WANTED: Your old gingerbread – the older the better!

Carnival Time, Celebration Time and My Andy Warhol Moment in Radovljica!