My Czech Republic Blog

Blog written by two Prague residents about life in the Czech Republic.

Frappuccino in Sight?

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The American coffeeshop chain Starbucks is finally coming to Prague! And I say, it is about time! No, I am not being ironic and I realize there are many of you who don’t get excited about the “stand in line and get your coffee to go in a paper cup” concept. All you Starbucks haters are probably dreading the moment the American monster opens its polished glass doors in the middle of Malá Strana and its sterile counters, plastic spoons and Wi-Fi slowly overtake our old world. To be honest, I don’t really care one way or another about Starbucks. I don’t mind it, I don’t need it. But there is one thing they make that I can’t get enough of: Mocha Frappuccino! If they bring it to Prague, my list of things to indulge in on my trips to the U.S. will be one item shorter. I know this is going to sound dumb and girly, but I am in fact really excited about having Starbucks’ heavenly, chocolatey concoction a tram ride away.

And here’s another piece of news. The first Starbucks location is to open in the space that has been used by Square restaurant on Malostranské náměstí. Looks like Square will have to find another square to move to. Too bad, but at least I won’t have far to go for coffee after I’m finished with my Subway sandwich. 😉

Starbucks uvaří první kávu v Česku na konci ledna
Kavárny Starbucks budou mít v lednu premiéru v Praze
Cukrárna se přemění na první český Starbucks


Here’s an update: Czech Republic’s first Starbucks opened on January 18, 2008

Fantastic Bio Food? I Think Not.

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I bought a sandwich at the hip Bio Cafes on Americká a few days ago. I give the place credit for trying to be different. The interior looks cool, bright and very clean, the restaurant is non-smoking and all the food and drinks they sell are organic, or bio as we say here in the Czech Republic. I had bought sandwiches there a couple of times before and never found them very exciting, but I was hungry and I was passing by, so I thought I’d give the place another chance. I chose the prepackaged Roma sandwich, which was described as focaccia with basil pesto, lettuce, tomatoes, mozzarella and another type of cheese the name of which escapes me. When I got home, I unwrapped it and took a bite. I found myself chewing nothing but day old bread. I opened up the sandwich to discover its tired contents, apparently put on by a very tired employee. I wasn’t sure if I should feel frustrated or amused. In the end, I laughed and took a picture. I proceeded to take two more bites, gave up and threw the rest into the garbage.

So, guys, the bio idea’s good. Now all you need to do is teach your people how to make a sandwich.

P.S. To be fair, I must admit the soups are excellent.

Here’s an October 10 update: I went back and got the 119 CZK menu of spinach soup, bean salad and freshly squeezed vegetable juice. It was all very enjoyable. It’s just the sandwiches that are a bit… iffy.

Mushrooming Time

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Basket of MushroomsI think it is safe to say that mushroom picking is a Czech national leisure activity. The mushroom season usually lasts from June/July through October. Last year’s harvests were especially generous thanks to the rains and cool temperatures. On our weekend trips from Prague, we would see people returning from forests with baskets full of gorgeous suchohřiby, křemenáče, bedly and other mouthwatering varieties. As we sat in our train compartment, we went by people’s yards and caught glimpses of piles of fresh mushrooms being cleaned in preparation for dinner or to be sliced up and dried. From the bus windows, we watched rows of colorful holubinky line the road.

We haven’t been taking very many trips this summer but I hear that this is another good year for mushrooming. Even rare kinds of mushrooms, ones that can be seen just a few times in a lifetime, can supposedly be found in the Vysočina (Bohemian-Moravian Highlands) region where the weather has been just right.

Italian Mushrooms

When we were in Italy last fall, we marvelled at the abundance of fresh forest mushrooms that were sold at outdoor produce markets. I was jealous and wondered why forest mushrooms aren’t sold anywhere in the Czech Republic, a country that is so devoted to mushrooming. Is it because people are expected to pick their own mushrooms?

There’s a good article on mushrooming on the Radio Praha website.

 

Mmmm Oplatky

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Spa wafers (lázeňské oplatky) were first mentioned in the 18th century and started as a homemade treat. Around the second half of the 19th century, mass production began in Mariánské Lázně and Karlovy Vary. Nowadays, spa wafers can be found in stores all over the Czech Republic, where it is typical to find three types – Vanilla with hazelnuts, Cocoa, and Chocolate (mmmm – my favorite). It was not until a visit to Karlovy Vary that I discovered that there are many more flavors of oplatky. I also saw Apple, Coconut, Capuccino, Rum, Nugat, Lemon, Almond, and Cinnamon. There are stands where you can buy most of the oplatky warmed up.

Dana and I have found that spa wafers make a good gift. So, if you are returning from a trip to the Czech Republic or visiting friends/family outside the Czech Republic, bring some oplatky along.

Karlovy Vary Spa Wafers

Warm Karlovy Vary Spa Wafers