[Note: This is a guest post from the people at Farm Life Slovenia. They run an old-fashioned Slovenian farm and offer tourists the opportunity to visit and see what it’s like. They asked to trade blog posts with me. And since I visited Ukraine in 2013 and really enjoyed seeing agriculture in a different country, I thought this would be an excellent opportunity!]
The smell of freshly baked bread is very warm and comforting and evokes lovely childhood memories. Why not recreate this homely feeling and try to make your own bread, using only your hands and the most basic ingredients.
The traditional way of making bread in Slovenia used no other implements than your hands, a wooden racket and an old wood-fire oven. Some of us remember how our grandmothers used to bake bread and how delicious it was, still warm from the oven.
The craft of making your own bread is becoming quite popular, so let’s take a look how it was done in the past.
Flour, water, salt and some love
A pair of hardworking hands and some basic ingredients, such as flour, salt and water, was all that was needed to make a loaf of bread. Decades ago Slovenian housewives used to make their own “wild yeast” from a fermented mixture of flour and water. Baking bread with sour dough took time, effort and patience, but natural fermentation meant the bread was delicious and easily digested.
Farmhouse furnace
When the dough had risen it was time to put it in the wood burning furnace. The housewives coated the loaf with some flour and egg and put in the hot furnace with a wooden racket. After an hour the bread was baked and the kitchen would smell amazing.
You can experience this old baking method in Slovenia, a boutique picturesque country in the heart of Europe, where old traditions and customs are still alive in the countryside. Here you can experience life as it once was, combined with modern practices.
Life on a farm
Discover life on a farm with farm life Slovenia, where you visit an authentic Slovenian farm and spend a day like a farmer. Learn about traditions and customs and experience a number of activities, such as making bread the traditional way. You’ll help farmers with their daily routine and spend an active day in the country while learning and trying new exciting things.
Find out more on Farm Life Slovenia.
Tina Koren
