Where Is Bulgaria Exactly?
Bulgaria is part of the Balkan Peninsula, the southern portion of Eastern Europe between the Adriatic and Black seas, that includes Romania, Macedonia, Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Albania.About the size of the state of Iowa in the United States, Bulgaria occupies the eastern part of the Balkans and is bordered to the north by Romania, to the southwest by Macedonia, to the southeast by Greece, to the east by the Black Sea, and to the west by Bosnia, Serbia and Montenegro.
Click here for a map of Eastern Europe.
About 7 1/2 million people live in Bulgaria that has Sofia as its capital and Plovdiv as its second largest city. Bulgaria is characterized by crystal-clear lakes, the Danube River, rolling mountains, Alpine valleys, and mineral springs.
Exotic Influences
The cuisine has been influenced by 500 years of invading forces as well as its neighbors -- Turkey, Greece, the Near East, Italy, Germany, Austro-Hungary and Russia. Dishes tend to be a bit spicier than Northern European cooking and vary widely from one area of Bulgaria to another.Parsley is the most widely used herb in Bulgaria, fresh or dried, for soups, main courses, vegetable preserves, salads, roasted meat or fish.
Thyme, fresh or dried, is used in meat and vegetables dishes, for soups, bean and pea stews, sauces, salads and pickles.
Tarragon, basil, savory, mint, dill, lovage (similar to celery leaves and used in casseroles, soups, omelets and soups) and summer savory (known as choobritza) are all common. Choobritza is similar to oregano and used in pork, beef, vegetable and egg dishes, and in tomato sauces. The dried leaves are crushed and sprinkled on top of soups in the last few minutes of cooking or ground into a fine powder and eaten on bread.
[r] Chili peppers give a little zip to Balkan cooking and the favored sour flavors are achieved with lemon juice or vinegar.
View these images of a typical Bulgarian spread. Da Vi Sladko (That your food should be sweet)!
