Many people visit the Czech Republic for no better reason than to drink excellent Czech beer, though it is unlikely that anyone would wish to come here simply for food. Nevertheless, there are some dishes in Czech cuisine which are worth a try! Magdalena Dobromila Rettigová (1785 – 1845), Bohemia's answer to Mrs Beeton, was a key figure in the Czech ‘national revival', and saw food as playing an important role in the renewal of her country. However, the food of Bohemia and Moravia did not emerge from centuries of Austrian dominance with an exciting and distinctive character of its own. In the composite country that was Czechoslovakia, Slavic, Austrian and Hungarian influences were blended together to form nowadays cuisine.

Local breakfasts normally comprise large quantities of ham, eggs, sausages or cheese. It is significant that in the Czech Republic, as in other Eastern European countries, restaurant menus usually state the exact weight of the food on offer, just as the pubs here always advertise the alcoholic content of the beer they serve. The lavish descriptions of food with which the great drinker and gastronome Jaroslav Hasek larded his Good Soldier Švejk begin to sound appetising.

In Czech food, as in Russian and Hungarian cooking, soured cream is an accompaniment to numerous dishes. The first thought which comes to mind at the very mention of Czech food, however, is of dumplings ( knedliký ), which have the same role in Bohemia and Moravia as chips do in other countries. There are several types of dumpling, including potato dumplings ( Bramborové knedliký ), plum dumplings ( Švestkové knedliký ) and, most common of all, a type of dumpling known as Houskové knedlíký , which is made in the shape of a Swiss roll from a mixture of flour, eggs and white bread, and is served in slices; some of the better restaurants will even provide you with a separate tray piled high with a selection of all of these. Boiled potatoes and rice are being served as usual substitutes as well. Many of the Czech dishes of Hungarian origin such as goulash ( Segedinský gulaš ), stuffed peppers ( Plnené papriky ) and paprika chicken ( Kuře na paprice ) have today been incorporated in milder form into Czech cuisine.

Spirits, wine and beer

Spirits and liquors tend to be drunk neat as an aperitif or as the most famous being the greenish, herb-flavoured liquor known as Becherovka , a speciality of the Bohemian spa town of Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad). Most spirits come from Moravia include plum brandy ( slivovice ) and juniper-flavoured gin known as borovička , according to popular tradition a glass of borovička drunk half an hour before eating is considerable aid to the digestion.

The largest wine-producing area in the Czech Republic is in Moravia region. The Moravian vineyards all of which are to be found south of Brno, are smaller in extent but have a reputation of good wines and excellent Rulander , Sauvignon , Traminer and Sptatburgunder wines are made in places such as Velke Pavlovice , Mikulov , Musov and Znojmo . Bohemia's small number of wines is grown mainly around Melnik , an area which was planted with Burgundy grapes during the reign of Charles IV.

Wines throughout the republic are drunk principally in the settings of a vínárna or wine bar, but there is a pleasant tradition Slovakia and Moravia (in particular in Brno coming together for bouts of intensive drinking in small private cellars.

Wine here is less commonly drunk than beer, which is by far the most popular local drink and the usual accompaniment to meals. When it comes to discussing Czech beer, superlatives can at last be used with complete honestly, for it is generally agreed to be the best in the world, and has a reputation going back to the Middle Ages.

Beer is made throughout the country, and dark as well light beer can be found here, as can a number of small breweries, some of which are attached to their own pubs. However the general consensus of opinion is that the finest is the light and creamy ones from the Bohemian town of České Budějovice (the original Budweiser) and, above all, Plzeň , where the Prazdroj Urquell served as the prototype for Pils -style beers throughout the world. Tastes are different! And there are so many kinds of beer here! Travel to the Czech Republic and find your favourite one: Plzeňský Prazdroj , Gambrinus , Budvar , Krušovice , Velkopupovický Kozel , Stároprámeň , Starobrno , Velvet, Platan , Staropramen , Radegast , Eggenberg , Chodovar , Litovel , Lobkowitz and many-many others!