Slovenia

Slovenia formerly the northernmost and richest republic of Yugoslavia, but independent since 1992, is a neighbour of italy, austria, and hungary. It is predominantly Alpine country, with less than 20 per cent arable land, best suited to the cultivation of barley, rye, buckwheat, oats, maize, millet, and potatoes.

The Slovenes came early in their history under Latin and Roman Catholic influence, which was followed, on and off, by a millennium of Austrian domination. An astonishing fact is the determination which the Slovenes have shown in preserving their language, customs, and cuisine irrespective of alien rule. Many dishes, such as kaša (see kasha), drawn from the ancient pan-Slavonic pool and typical of the food of the Slovenes from the 6th century onwards, have survived into the present. Other examples are žganci and močnik, types of porridge made from buckwheat, rye, maize, or wheaten flour, which run the gamut from almost solid to liquid mixtures.