I wondered what they would do with them.
I might have forgotten about the spruce tips had it not been for our dinner that night.
Dino he had introduced himself as Dino, short for Dinosaur was slim and debonair.
The Open Kitchen market, in Ljubljana.Credit:Jaka Bulc
In 2022, Milka earned its firstMichelin star; the next year, it earned a second.
Like many of the countrys best-known restaurants, it embodies a profound sense of kinship with the surrounding landscape.
For a small country to distinguish itself, it has to tell a story, Dino said.
The Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary, on an island in Lake Bled.Jaka Bulc
Hours later, having forgotten his offer, we heard a knock at the door of our room.
It was the sommelier, bearing a tray with two tiny glasses.
But the world didnt take notice of Slovenian cuisine until recently.
A fish dish at the Michelin-starred Hiša Denk.Jaka Bulc
Since Open Kitchen began 11 years ago, it has become an incubator of sorts.
Most of the restaurants in Slovenia with Michelin stars have had a tent there, including Ross.
Theres an American TV crew here.
Truffle hunting at Gold Residence Istra.Jaka Bulc
The fact that Slovenian chefs have had to quit the market because of their own success thrills him.
Ill bring you something, he called.
One day, he stopped at a family restaurant north of Ljubljana and ordered grilled mushrooms.
From left: Grilling spare ribs for the Stari Pisker stall at Open Kitchen, in Ljubljana; a mountain corn tortilla with Drežnica lamb and mushroom mole at Hiša Franko.Jaka Bulc
They were so good he returned, but the dish wasnt available anymore.
They looked at me like I was crazy.
Whats the matter with you, man?
From left: The guesthouse Hiša Franko; Hiša Franko chef Ana Roš.Jaka Bulc
Mushroom is no longer in season.
Whenever I spoke of this with locals, it was like, This is how we cook here.
But this is not normal for most of the world.
From left: Truffles with fuži, an Istrian pasta, and gnocchi with smoked ricotta and sage at Gold Istra Residence; the terrace at Milka.Jaka Bulc
Gaspersic had taken us to TaBar, his favorite hangout, a hip tapas restaurant.
The many other capabilities of the humble-mannered Kosir soon become evident.
When we finished our coffee, he led us up the mountain to his duck farm.
From left: A view of the Ljubljana Basin from the restaurant Grič; jars of pickled and preserved foods at Grič.Jaka Bulc
At one point, Kosir left the barn to gather the garnish.
He was coated in spackle, having spent the afternoon on renovations.
The future of gastronomy is in transparency, he said.
The cheese cave at Hiša Franko.Jaka Bulc
For a small country,Sloveniahas a surprising breadth of ecological diversity.
Beekeeping is a revered tradition in Slovenia, and the enterprise is subsidized by the government.
One bee is everything builder, collector, guardian, Danijela said.
From left: Chef David Žefran at Milka, a restaurant and guesthouse on Lake Jasna; a martini made with white fir oil at Milka.Jaka Bulc
There are 12,000 registered beekeepers in the country, the most per capita in the world.
We say, No bees, no life, Danijela said.
Even locals who dont keep bees themselves seem to understand their fundamental role in the ecosystem.
From left: The town of Piran, on the Istrian Peninsula; foraged mushrooms with chickpeas, walnuts, and cedar oil at Grič restaurant.Jaka Bulc
Unlike beekeeping, truffle hunting is relatively new to Slovenia.
Histories tend to credit the Sumerians with the beginnings of the practice.
Bencic scraped the soil with a trowel, gently so as not to puncture the truffle.
Persimmons drying at Hiša Franko, a restaurant in the Soča Valley.Jaka Bulc
He wanted to serve food that was Istrian, and nothing was more Istrian than pasta, he said.
We ordered the gnocchi and a local variety called fuzi, topped with truffle shavings.
Everybody travels for food to Copenhagen, London, or Paris, but who knows where Kobarid is?
Vineyards in Slovenska Gorice.Jaka Bulc
I had chosen the funky drink pairing, which promised an adventure in fermentation.
The restaurant was full of couples from other countries.
A potato baked into a hay crust, to be cracked open like an egg.
From left: Beekeeper Blaž Ambrožič at his honey farm, Kravlov Med; wines at TaBar, a tapas restaurant in Ljubljana.Jaka Bulc
A tiny nest of tagliolini, crunchy with cacao nibs and truffle shavings.
A wild-mushroom and forest-moss broth meant to evoke a rainy walk in the woods.
This was food with contradictions: New and old, strange and familiar.
From left: Orange wine at TaBar, a Slovenian-inspired tapas restaurant in Ljubljana; a guest room at Gold Istra Residence.Jaka Bulc
It wasnt my home, but it tasted like home.
Overnight accommodations are coming soon.
Eat breakfast on the deck as the sun rises over the Julian Alps.
Open Kitchen
The options at thisFriday food festival in Ljubljanaare endless and dependably delicious.
Its also an easy walk to the citys best restaurants.
