Got up and had a great breakfast (forgot to get pictures.) Fried eggs, jumbled eggs, mushrooms, eggplant, peppers, little tiny wieners, medium sized wieners, tiny cakes with raspberry and coconut, cottage cheese and 3 sliced cheeses, brown bread with nuts, real COFFEE IN BIG CUPS (Suzanne had gotten a little tired of espresso in thimbles), watermelon, prunes, plums, pineapple, juice. Back at the room we watched police action go down with the street being closed off, bullet-proof vest garbed cops and lots of drama.
We had some time until check-out so we walked back into town and to the famed market. Beautiful flowers and fresh fruits and veg, and Jane bought a hand-crafted heart pendant.
Back at the hotel we packed up and checked out. Ran into a man as we came down with our luggage. We were looking into the breakfast room (now cleared) and he told us the breakfast was over. We said, yes, we knew, we had breakfast, we just forgot to get pictures of the food. He said (with a broad Slovenian accent,) "Oh you women! JESUS CHRIST, don't take pictures of the food!" We told him we took food pictures everywhere. He said, "Good food is good food everywhere. Shit food is shit food everywhere." What that means we will never know.
Drove off toward Skovja Loka, stopping first at the grocery store for beer and ice. No ice, but several interesting beers. Tried 2 cheeses, bought 3. Saw a Slovenian Aldi, couldn't resist. Bought orange-chocolate mints which we had discovered on a prior Schwesterfest, but had been unable to find since. (Pics for Ray.)
Stopped at a gas station and asked about ice. The young man told Suzanne to go around to the bar/cafe connected with the station. They GAVE us a big bag of ice. Emptied and rearranged the cooler. Suzanne went back in to thank the young man and ask him if there was someplace he recommended for Slovenian food in Skofja Loka. He gave us the name of a restaurant in a village not far from Skofja Loka.
Drove to Skofja Loka, a medieval village. Went into a church and walked up to the top of the castle. We became very peckish and were unable to find a cafe that served food. We decided to give the village (Retec) that had the recommended restaurant in it a try.
We drove to the village and found the restaurant. We walked in and told the waiter we wanted Slovenian food. He replied, "We only serve Slovenian food." He seated us in a lovely courtyard by garden. He returned and said, "I've consulted with the chef, and we'd like to offer you the choice of two tasting menus." We told him that we always share, and he said it was not a problem. We had a choice of a fish menu or a meat menu. We went with the meat. Our waiter, Gregor, was talkative, knowledgeable and really eager to please us. His "dying wish" is to go to America and bring back a Mustang horse. We were served unbelievably good gourmet food, freshly prepared and served at a leisurely THREE HOUR pace. After we were finished, the chef came to our table to speak to us. The total cost was € 101! We were stunned. It was worth twice that.
Here is what we had:
1st course: Parmesan cheese with herbs as a pumpkin seed lollipop, served in a vase.
2nd course: Pate of young rabbit liver on home-baked cornbread.
Bread: Two kinds of homemade rolls - 2 with corn, 2 with olives
3rd course: Rolladen of grilled zucchini with carpaccio inside of with pistachio and parmesan and olive oil on top, served over salad.
4th course: Duet of soups: pea with ginger, on one side, kohlrabi with ginger on the other, served with a puff pastry filled with Parmesan cheese and macadamia nuts.
5th course: Oat rice risotto with porcini mushrooms and a garnish of Parmesan cheese and chives. We got a nice lecture about the origins of oat risotto and why no one makes it any more. Very interesting!
6th course: (For "refreshening (sic)" our palates: French-style sorbet of blueberries with white chocolate and basil sauce.
Here we were advised that there would be a 30 minute wait while the meats were prepared.
7th course: Lamb filet grilled whole, sliced with pistachio and thyme sauce, homemmade cabbage with tomatoes au gratin and red pepper mash.
Dessert: Apricot strudel, homemade vanilla parfait with cold pressed pumpkin oil
After Dessert: Corretto coffee to be eaten: 100% coffee but in a solid form, with the top being a grappa foam, along with roulade cholate and cookies.
After the meal the chef came to say hello to us. She did not speak English, but Gregor translated and I'm sure our happy faces said everything she needed to know.
We had taken pictures of every course, and made copious notes. By the time we left, Jane was convinced that they thought we were food critics and that's how we got such a great meal with stellar service. Suzanne thinks it was our eagerness to try real Slovenian cuisine, and our obvious enthusiasm. However, Jane's suspicion planted a seed for SF-2012...
While we were waiting between courses, Jane made us a low-cost reservation for a hotel in Lake Bled. It was raining when we left but it was not a long drive to the hotel. We checked in (brand new hotel, small, clean, but with too many rules to suit us, plus we had to hump our bags up a narrow twisty flight of stairs. Also lacking in some basic amenities, like a drinking glass, and there was a 1/2 bottle of Softsoap as the only soap!) There was a nice view of the Alps from our room, however.
Drove over to the lake to take some pictures. It is clear why this is such a big tourist destination - it is incredibly picturesque - a big beautiful lake surrounded by the Julian Alps, clear green water, an island in the middle with a charming church, and a castle on a hill above the lake. We walked around a little but it was chilly and nearing twilight. Looked for the cafe that Gregor had recommended to us for breakfast.
Back at the hotel we made martinis and finished The Girl Who Played with Fire.
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