When I first arrived in Prague , it seemed that no matter what I ordered I always ended up with some combination of three ingredients: ham, cheese and potato. I would stop to buy a potato pancake on the way home from school and find it stuffed with ham. I would order ham at a restaurant and find it smothered in cheese. You have no idea what is like to order a vegetable soup end up with a milky puree of potato, cheese and ham. I began to get angry… enough is enough! I knew Prague must have more to offer…
I then discovered the joys of eating on the street. I was amazed by the different types of sausages, the cheap prices and the delicious mustard. Another perk is the rapid speed at which the meal is served. I felt my cholesterol go through the roof. Since sausage isn’t healthy enough to eat several times a week, I kept searching. It seemed like a salad and international cuisine were out of the question.
What I did not realize at the time is that Prague is an international city with great international food. I was under the impression that food like I was used to at home could not be found. After speaking to some Czech friends, I learned that they often dine out at Japanese, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern restaurants. One my Czech friends introduced me to Czech- Mex . As a lover of Tex-Mex, I was really excited to try it out. It was sooo good but sooo different. Feta is often used instead of cheddar and paprika is sprinkled on everything. Also, nothing is spicy no matter how manychilli peppers are next to an item on a menu. I’ve noticed the Czechs spice meat, especially chicken, in a very different way then I am used to.
Once I gained courage, I tried more of the diverse food Prague has to offer. I discovered an incredible Indian restaurant with the best curried chicken I’ve ever had outside of Edison , NJ , a tasty Italian place with $5 dollar personal pizza that can almost rival a Virginia slice (sorry, Prague , your pizza is not quite at the NYC level yet) and a solid Chinese restaurant with great noodle and vegetable dishes.
So what have I learned from this? I learned I have to be more adventurous in trying out a country’s cuisine. In many of my weekend trips I have made a conscious effort to try food I would normally not consider. Trying out new foods has actually been one of the best parts of my travels. I’ll always remember the sacherdorte in Vienna , the pepper soup in Budapest and the bratwurst of Prague ’s Old town square. Additionally, I learned that just because I’m in the Czech Republic I do not only have to eat Czech food. Similar to how many Americans do not enjoy McDonald’s, many Czech people do not like pilsner goulash. My previous ways of thinking were small minded and stereotypical. From my experiences with my Cezch peers, I have found that Czechs are just like Americans in that they are open to all types of food and enjoy sampling other nation’s cuisine.
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