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Papua New GuineaFlavors · Zlín
Plum brandy from Moravia, associated especially with Moravian Wallachia and Moravian Slovakia in the Zlín region. Made from fermented and distilled plums, it generally ranges from 40 to 55% alcohol and is part of local festivals and hospitality.
Traditional drink from Zlín
Also known as: slivovitz, slivovička, aguardente de ameixa
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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Slivovice — Zlín, the Czech Republic
Slivovice is the plum brandy of Moravia. It is popular throughout the Czech Republic but is particularly linked to Moravian Wallachia. In the Zlín region, which includes much of Wallachia and Moravian Slovakia (Slovácko), plum orchards, distilleries and harvest festivals are part of the landscape.
Preparation begins with ripe plums left to ferment in barrels for weeks. The mash is then distilled, producing a spirit of about 40 to 55% alcohol. Many families ferment the fruit at home, while distillation is carried out in licensed distilleries that serve regional producers, following a long-standing local tradition.
Vizovice, called the gateway to Wallachia, is the place most associated with the drink. The Rudolf Jelínek distillery, with roots in the 16th century and established as a company in 1894, was already exporting brandies in the 1930s and is also known for its kosher slivovice. The town hosts Trnkobraní, the plum festival with music and competitions.
In Moravia, slivovice is served in small glasses to welcome visitors, toast at celebrations and accompany festivities; the custom is to drink it in small amounts.
Zlín
Associated with Moravian Wallachia and Moravian Slovakia in the Zlín region; Vizovice is the best-known center.
Ripe plums, fermented and distilled.
In a small glass, at room temperature or slightly cool, for toasting or receiving guests.
Family gatherings, weddings, celebrations and visits. Trnkobraní in Vizovice is the plum festival.
Your questions
A plum brandy made from fermented and distilled fruit, typical of Moravia, with about 40 to 55% alcohol.
In Moravia, especially in Wallachia and Moravian Slovakia, in the Zlín region. Vizovice is the town most associated with the drink.
In a small glass, to toast at celebrations or to welcome visitors.
Flavors of the Czech Republic
Marinated beef roasted with root vegetables, served in slices with a creamy sauce made from those roots and heavy cream. It’s accompanied by bread knedlíky, whipped cream, cranberry jam and a slice of lemon. It’s the celebratory dish most associated with Czech cuisine.
Roast pork from the oven, served with slices of knedlík, sweet-and-sour cabbage and the pan juices. The name combines, in popular usage, the three words of the dish: pork, knedlík and cabbage. It appears on the menu of inns throughout the country.
Lager beer from České Budějovice, in South Bohemia, with a protected geographical indication from the European Union: only beer brewed in the town may use the name. It is produced by two local breweries, Budějovický Budvar and Samson, and is at the center of a long dispute over the name Budweiser.
Bitter herbal liqueur from Karlovy Vary, sold since 1807 by merchant Josef Vitus Becher. The recipe is kept secret, and the drink is still made in the spa town.
Thermal wafers from Karlovy Vary: two thin, round sheets joined by a layer of sweet filling. They are made with water from the town’s springs and have protected geographical indication from the European Union since 2011.
Honey cake with spices from Pardubice, hand-filled or hand-decorated with icing. It has been a local tradition since the 16th century and has been a European Union protected geographical indication since 2008.
A pale bottom-fermented lager brewed in Pilsen since 1842, when Bavarian brewer Josef Groll made the first batch at the town’s new brewery. It is considered the world’s first pale lager and gave its name to the pilsner style.
Large round pie made from leavened dough from Chodsko, the region around Domažlice in the Plzeň region. It is decorated with stripes of fresh cheese, plum jam and poppy seed, with almonds and raisins.
Cones of gingerbread-like dough spiced and rolled into an ear shape, made in Štramberk, Moravia. They were the first Czech food product to receive European Union protected geographical indication and are linked to a legend about the Tatar invasion of 1241.
A large, thin round cake made from leavened dough from Moravian Wallachia, topped with fruit filling, poppy-seed filling or fresh cheese. It has a protected geographical indication from the European Union since 2013.
