Bulgarian cuisine contains a unique mix of flavors that reflect the country’s position in southeastern Europe. Greek, Turkish, and Middle Eastern influences blend with the country’s native Slavic traditions. In addition, many people say that they can also detect influences from other places: Hungarian cuisine, a taste of Italy and just a touch of the Mediterranean.

The first thing visitors will notice is that Bulgaria has its own distinctive ingredients. These include kiselo mlyako (literally “sour milk”), which is a yogurt, and sirene (a brined white cheese that can be made from cow, goat, or sheep milk).

Some popular traditional Bulgarian dishes include:

– Shkembe chorba – Some Bulgarians proudly claim that this unique tripe soup is a national historical tradition, while seeing it as coarse and a bit vulgar. The soup is made from the stomach lining of cows, mixed with milk, and then seasoned with vinegar, garlic, and chili peppers. According to legend, if drunk in the morning, the soup can act as a hangover cure.

– Tarator – A cold soup, often consumed in the warm Black Sea regions of the country. Tarator is made from yogurt, cucumbers, walnuts, vegetable oil, and water, and is flavored with garlic and dill. It is often served cold, sometimes even on the rocks.

– Shopska Salad – Traditional Bulgarian salad made with diced vegetables: raw or roasted peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions. The salad is served topped with grated or chopped sirene.

– Lyutika – A type of salad dressing made from a mixture of roasted peppers, tomatoes and onions, finely crushed with a mortar. Lyutika is flavored with garlic and parsley, and is sometimes mixed with yogurt, sirene, boiled eggs, or even cooked chicken pieces.

– Lukanka – Spicy sausage made from pork or beef (veal). The sausage is made from dried cow intestine and hung to dry for up to 3 months. Once dry, it is pressed and often a white fungus is allowed to grow (the fungus is removed before eating). When Lukana is eaten, it is cut into thin slices and served cold.

– Soujouk – Another type of spicy dry-cured sausage. Soujouk is made from minced beef and cannot be eaten cold, but must be cooked before eating. Due to its high fat content, it can be cooked in its own juice without oil.

– Elenski pero – Dry-cured ham, traditionally from Elena in northern Bulgaria.

– Banitsa – A light baked savory cake made with eggs and sirene.

– Sarma – A rolled sheet, stuffed with a spiced mixture of minced meat, rice and finely chopped onions.

– Popara – A meal made of dry bread, perhaps a bit stale. The bread is cooked with milk, tea or water, a small amount of butter and sugar, and kajmak (a type of cream) or sirene.

– Gyuvetch: a casserole made with minced beef, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, eggplant, and okra.

– Tsarska turshiya – Pickled vegetables; cauliflower with carrots, celery and red bell peppers.

– Selska turshiya – Pickled vegetables; cauliflower with green onions, green tomatoes, cabbage, carrots and celery.

Apart from savory dishes, Bulgaria is also home to many excellent desserts. These include:

– Garash – A walnut cake, glazed with cream and dark chocolate, then covered with chocolate glaze.

– Halva: a sweet made with sesame seed tahini or sunflower seeds. There is also a variant made with semolina and another variety (known as “white halva”) made with sugar that is traditionally eaten just before Lent.

– Kozunak – Sweet bread with milk, butter, sugar, eggs, raisins and lemon zest.