Trakiiska Bulgarian Yogurt Image Used Under Creative Commons License

Citizens, Bulgaria has an ancient and proud cuisine, dating back to the Thracian empire many thousands of years ago. The countryside is rich in beehive-shaped tombs called “tholoi” that attest to the uncounted millennia of settlement.

Bulgarian cuisine is a true delight and it saddens me that more people outside of the region have never sampled its delicious glory – we will fix that today!

Bulgaria has an exceptionally healthful cuisine, which put the country’s famous dairy products, nuts, fresh vegetables, herbs and fermented pickles to exceptional use. Their yogurt is truly world-famous, as noted in this excerpted blog post from bacillusbulgaricus.com:

Bulgarian yogurt is the most popular variety of yogurt in the world and is one of the things that make Bulgarians proud to call themselves Bulgarians; it is their exclusive invention and heritage that dates back many centuries.

A mildly sour-tasting yogurt, kiselo mlyako is undoubtedly the best and the healthiest of all dairy products that are available to consumers nowadays.

The western world calls it Bulgarian yogurt but in its homeland, Bulgaria, it’s called sour milk. Whatever the name, this wonderful probiotic food has impeccable ancestry – it is believed to have been known for at least 4000 years.

Bulgarian yogurt comes under the general category of yogurts which contain live bacteria.

For yogurt to be considered of the Bulgarian variety, it needs to be made with two specific starter bacteria, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subspecies bulgaricus (often simply called Lactobacillus bulgaricus) and Streptococcus salivarius subspecies thermophilus (often shortened to Streptococcus thermophilus).

Most yogurts contain these two as they are such excellent starters but most “ordinary” yogurt has other good bacteria added as well.

It is the particular combination of bacteria that characterizes the thickness, acidity, taste and aroma of the yogurt. Kiselo mlyako’s uniqueness lies in the peculiarities in the climate of the region and the very specific way in which it is prepared – using a combination of the two strains: Lactobacillus Bulgaricus and Streptococcus Thermophilus.

The Streptococcus Thermophilus bacteria goes into action first and prepares the perfect environment for Lactobacillus Bulgaricus, which in turn starts multiplying and slowly turns the milk into yogurt.

This recipe is perhaps the most healthful you can imagine in that it uses probiotic-laden yogurt, walnuts, dill, garlic and fermented pickles – all proven superfoods and all delicious!

Trakiiska salad is enjoyed by Bulgarians in the warm summer cities along the Black Sea coast.

Sometimes called «Snow White Salad», snežanka (снежанка, snejanka ), also known as trakiiska (тракийска, or Thracian salad), is a mixture of creamy yoghurt and grated cucumbers, sometimes with garlic; others call it koprivnica salata (Копривница салата) after assuring you that the yoghurt is made from buffalo milk

Trakiiska salad uses pickles instead of the grated cucumber used in Snejanka and is therefore more sour and refreshing in taste. Bulgarians typically prepare it thick and creamy by using yogurt that was strained from its water for 5-6 hours in a piece of cheesecloth.

This recipe is ridiculously easy to make and will be a guaranteed hit at your next party or by your family as a delicious and healthful treat!

Partake of this ancient cuisine, ! 🙂

Battle on – The Generalissimo

The Hirshon Bulgarian “Snow White Salad” – тракийска

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Ingredients

3 garlic cloves, 1 minced, 2 crushed
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1 cup pickles that have been diced into small cubes and left to drain for 2 hours – ideally barrel fermented
2 cups labneh (or full-fat natural yogurt that has been strained through cheesecloth for 4–5 hours so it thickens)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp white wine vinegar
salt
black pepper
2 tbsp walnuts, finely chopped

Instructions

Chop the dill and mix with the crushed / minced garlic cloves in a bowl.
Add the pickles in the bowl.
Add the strained yogurt or labneh and mix in the olive oil. Then add the vinegar and stir.
Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste, stir.
Use raw walnuts or for a different taste try roasting them first. Chop them finely and add to the yogurt mix. Stir well and serve or serve cold after 2 hours in the fridge to allow the flavors to blend.
Serve with a few drops of olive oil on top and a touch of fresh paprika (optional)
Serve this as an accompaniment to a spicy stew, or simply use it as a dip for vegetables.