Calling all vegetarians and vegans to the Czech Republic! ****************************************************************************************** * Calling all vegetarians and vegans to the Czech Republic! ****************************************************************************************** Being a vegetarian, vegan or someone with dietary requirements should never stop you from trying new cuisines or enjoying your food. I’m a firm believer that this attitude – held b dietary requirements and those without – is mostly all in a person’s head. You don't have the Czech cuisine and the menzas (“cafeterias”) at Charles University have something for e my five top tips for how and why: # 1 Get the facts straight Vegans do not consume any animal products; this includes all meat, dairy, sea food, produc animal extracts such as gelatine, products that are tested on animals and processes that u Vegetarians don't consume any meat, but are likely to eat dairy products. Some eat fish an otherwise called pescatarians. You should try not to confuse the two and don't assume that calls themselves a “vegetarian” they will eat fish or seafood, as most don't. Vegetarians guidelines to vegans when it comes to the products they buy. Lactose intolerant refers to difficulty in digesting lactose, a sugar found in milk/dairy and a gluten intolerance is a digest gluten, found in rye, wheat and bread produce. A more sensitive, long-term form of is known as Coeliac Disease. Halal refers to meat prepared according to Islamic food laws are generally excluded from this diet. Kosher refers to Jewish food laws and preparation a of adherence varies from person to person. # 2 Let go of the idea that the Czech cuisine has nothing to offer people with dietary req The Czech cuisine is rich, varied and wholesome. The key is to ask to be creative and to a More and more people are choosing to be vegetarian, vegan or recognising that they have di requirements, therefore more places are catering for them. You'll find that most menus are vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals but beware of the Czech phrase bezmasá jídla (dishes w this doesn‘t mean the listed dishes are 100% veggie/vegan as they may include bacon or hav in animal fats. Some examples of this would be knedlíky s vejci (fried dumplings with eggs sýrem a bramborem (cheese and potato omelette). Unless you visit a specialised eatery in t it is unlikely that there will be a specific vegan or lactose/gluten free menu. Therefore to ask what foods are suitable or if the restaurant could slightly change a meal that has Personally, if I'm stuck I tend to mix up the side dishes or ask to have a side dish as a eating out. Remember, all of the Czech desserts are vegetarian and a lot of snack foods ar most dietary requirements. The following dishes, however, are typically Czech and vegetari (vv) - gluten free (g), and you'll find them in a lot of food outlets: Ovocné knedlíky (v) fruit dumplings (sweet served dumplings filled with different sorts of borůvkové knedlíky = blueberry dumplings, jahodové knedlíky = strawberry dumplings, meruňk = apricot dumpling, třešňové knedlíky = cherry dumplings, švestkové knedlíky = plum dumpli dumplings are served with various toppings – traditional ones are cottage cheese, cinnamon fried bread crumbs, all of them combined with sugar and melted butter; non-traditionally b fruit dumplings are offered also with whipped cream); Bramboračka/ Cibulačka (v; g) thick soup of potatoes and mushrooms / onion soup (the latte served with a cube of melting cheese on the bottom of the plate; please, ask if the soup i any flour at all if you are coeliac as there might be a tiny bit added to make the soup th Bramborák (v) / Bramborová kaše (v; g) potato pancake / mashed potatoes with diced onion ( vegetarian, ask if the potato pancake or even the mashed potatoes are served without any m there are small pieces of bacon or sausages mixed into the potato dough and very occasiona potatoes are refined with pieces of meat or bacon); Polévka soup (vv if no cream; g if no croutons and no flour added to make the dish thicker polévka = potato soup; česneková polévka = garlic soup; čočková polévka = lentil soup; hou = mushroom soup; kulajda = dill and sour cream soup, zeleninová polévka = vegetable soup, sauerkraut, potatoes and cream soup; boršč = beetroot soup, often served with cream); bewa that is called vývar or bujón = bouillon is served with meat or made out of it, unless it vývar which means vegetable bouillon and should be vegetable-based only); Krokety (v) fried mashed potatoes (formed into small balls; served as side dish); Dušené fazole (vv; g) stewed beans; Lilek (vv; g) aubergine; Celozrný chléb (vv) wholemeal bread; Chléb/Pečivo (v) bread/rolls; Hranolky (v) french fries/chips (served as side dish); Kus-kus (vv) cous cous; Míchaná vejce (v; g) scrambled eggs; Chřest/Kapusta (vv; g) asparagus/cabbage; Knedlíky s vejci (v) dumplings with eggs (pieces of bread dumplings mixed with eggs typica sour cucumbers); Pizza = pizza (v if you select a topping without meat); Těstoviny/Rýže (vv/v) pasta/rice (served as side dish); Salát (v/vv; g if without croutons) salad (rajčatový salát = tomato salad, šopský salát = – usually no olives are used in the more popular šopský salát unlike in řecký salát = Gree occasionally on offer as well, but not so favoured by Czechs; zeleninový/míchaný salát = m salad); Sendvič/pitta/panini (v/vv) sandwich/pitta/panini Smažené žampiony/Smažený sýr (v) fried mushroom/fried cheese Sojové mléko/Sojový tvaroh or tofu (vv; g) soya milk/tofu Dort (v) cake # 3 Visit the menza The Charles University menzas (“cafeterias”) across the city offer fresh, inexpensive vege gluten free dishes from Monday-Friday. Also, I often visit the Faculty of Art's cafeteria are several types of cold pasta, cous cous, lentil, bean and vegetable salads, these are a weight. You'll also find an array of cakes, biscuits, rolls and open sandwiches with egg, salad called obložené chlebíčky in many of the CU faculty buffets. I often choose an auber baguette or a speedy hot meal like fried cheese, potatoes or soup. What's fantastic is you next day's menu of the menzas beforehand online and order specific dishes ready in advance visits for anyone with dietary requirements is a must. Visit http://kamweb.ruk.cuni.cz/web "http://kamweb.ruk.cuni.cz/webkredit/"] to find out more and check out your nearest menza. you can pay using your topped up ISIC or university ID card! # 4 Don't let a language barrier limit your eating experience Not being able to ask someone for help when reading a menu can be frustrating and isolatin dietary requirements. You don't want to spend your time abroad avoiding new foods and misc inevitably put you in uncomfortable situations, so it's important to communicate your need serving you so you can enjoy eating out in the Czech Republic – it only takes a little pra long way. What's more, you'll gain the confidence to embrace the local cuisine elsewhere. vocabulary you will need: Starters/Main dishes/Side Dishes/Desserts = předkrmy / hlavní chod / přílohy / dezerty Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner/Drinks (Beverages) = snídaně / oběd / večeře / nápoje Do you have...? = Máte...? Food = jídlo Halal/Kosher/Vegetarian food = halal / košer / vegetariánské jídlo I'm vegetarian / vegan = Jsem vegetarián (male) / Jsem vegetariánka (female); Jsem vegan / I'm allergic to.... Jsem alergický/á na… (please, add one of the following or anything els allergic to) Nuts / peanuts / dairy produce / seafood / MSG / eggs = ořechy / arašídy / mléčné výrobky MSG (glutaman sodný) / vejce) Is that vegetarian / vegan? = Je toto vegetariánské / veganské jídlo? I'm lactose / wheat / gluten intolerant. =  Mám alergii na produkty obsahující laktózu / p alergii na lepek. Hello, I would like...and.... = Dobrý den, dal/a bych si....a..... I don't eat... = Nejím... (please, add one of the following or anything else you do not ea Poultry / fish / meat / meat stock = drůbež / ryby / maso / masný výrobek (Czech people wo latter in plural only = masné výrobky) I'd like it with/without... = Chtěl/a bych to bez.... Vegetables/fruit = zelenina/ovoce A slice/a piece = kousek... On the side = zvlášť What would you recommend? = Co byste (mi) doporučil/a? What's that? = Co je tohle? What's in that dish? = Co je (obsažené) v tomto jídle? I'd suggest the... = Doporučil/a bych …. Is this...? = Je to...? (please, add one of the following) Free of animal produce / without meat = neživočišný/bezmasý produkt Free-range/organic = z volného chovu / bio / organické Gluten-free (food) = bezlepkové (jídlo) Low in sugar = nízkokalorické Genetically modified = geneticky upraveno Thank you = Děkuji # 5 Get to know Prague Find out where the markets are (farmer markets = farmářské trhy are especially popular, he times a week on bigger squares immediately aside of the historical city centre), what has meat/gluten free alternatives and remember there are numerous wonderful vegetarian and veg in Prague where you can eat in or takeaway. If you have serious allergies or complex dieta a chat to the menza staff won’t hurt! Additionally, Czech students waiting in the queue in help you with translation if needed. For home cooking, you can find the odd health food shop that will sell an array of special meat replacement products such as tofu and soya. Also keep your eyes open for the Halal an especially in takeaways and get your Czech dictionaries out if this applies to you or if y for people who have these dietary requirements. The trick is to be confident, explore and do your research. Happy munching! Poppy Gerrard-Abbott is an Erasmus student studying BA write for the iForum to build on her journalism skills Czech culture and life in Prague through attending loc Poppy saw the iForum as an exciting opportunity to pur fun experience that has brought some exciting opportun offer such placements to future students. Elisabeth Lee Elizabeth Lee is an Erasmus student studying BA English Literature at the Faculty of Arts, two years at the University of Kent, Elizabeth realised she was immensely passionate about arduous essays, shorts stories or to-do lists that would inevitably be lost within her clu immediately applied for a position at the International iForum hoping that it would develo dreams of one day becoming a fully fledged writer.