Protected traditional Slovak food products
The EU tries to protect the reputation of regional foods and eliminate unfair competition and the deception of consumers by non-genuine products, which may be of inferior quality or of a different flavour, through the Protected Geographical Status (PGS) framework. Under this scheme the names of regional foods receive indications: Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG). Slovakia has taken advantage of this EU framework and has sought listings for its traditional products on the EU register.
Slovakia has a total of six products with the final 'registered' status and eight products with 'published' status. The latter means the country has applied for one of the three labels but that the application is still subject to appeals from other countries.
Slovak traditional products – registered
Skalický trdelník – A fine bakery product of hollow cylindrical shape originating from the town of Skalica. Trdelník was registered as Slovakia's first product in 2007 and holds PGI.
Slovenská parenica – A steamed, lightly smoked cheese wound into two rolls connected in an 'S' shape. It has a delicate taste, the odour of sheep's milk and a smoky smell. It is known for the characteristically pronounced fibrous structure of the curd. It got its PGI in July 2008.
Slovenská bryndza – A natural, white, mature, spreadable cheese in granular form, manufactured by milling a lump of matured sheep's cheese or by milling a mixture of lump sheep's cheese and lump cow's cheese. It has a delicate odour and taste and has a pleasantly sour sheep's cheese taste that is slightly spicy and salty. It contains a broad range of naturally occurring micro- organisms. It received its PGI in July 2008.
Slovenský oštiepok – A half-fat semi-hard cheese which may be steamed or unsteamed, and smoked or unsmoked. It is characterised by its special shape, that of a large egg, pine cone or ellipsoid with decoration. It received its PGI in September 2008.
Ovčí salašnícky údený syr – One of two Slovak products holding the TSG label. This cheese is produced from fresh sheep's milk, processed in shepherd's huts, smoked and often formed into specific shapes (hearts, cockerels or other animals, or hemispheres). It received its TSG status in October 2010.
Ovčí hrudkový syr - salašnícky – The second Slovak cheese with a TSG label. It is produced from fresh sheep's milk and derives its characteristic taste as a result of the traditional technology used during its fermentation, and from being shaped by hand into a lump. It received its TSG label in November 2010.
Slovak traditional products – published
Tekovský salámový syr – A natural semi-hard, ripened full-fat cheese, smoked or unsmoked, in the shape of a cylinder (PGI).
Zázrivský korbáčik – A steamed cheese product, smoked or unsmoked, in the shape of a little whip (korbáčik in Slovak), originating from Zázrivá, a village in the Orava region (PGI).
Oravský korbáčik – A steamed cheese product, smoked or unsmoked, in the shape of a little whip, originating from the Orava region (PGI).
Liptovská saláma / Liptovský salám – A meat product with a delicate taste and an aroma imparted by the spices used and the smoking process (TSG).
Lovecký salám / Lovecká saláma – A long-life fermented meat product (TSG).
Spišské párky – A wurst-like product, typically pinkish- red in colour owing to the paprika seasoning, which has a slightly piquant taste (TSG).
Špekáčky / Špekačky – A plump wurst-like heat- processed meat product, golden-brown in colour (TSG).
Bratislavský rožok / Pressburger Kipfel / Pozsonyi kifli – A fine, crescent-shaped pastry with a poppy-seed or walnut filling and a glossy and marbled surface (TSG).
Source: Official Journal of the EU
17. Jan 2011 at 0:00 | Compiled by Spectator staff