‘Trnič’ consists of curd cheese, cream skimmed from the surface of sour milk, and salt. In the past, alpine dairy farmers made two such cheeses at once, as these symbolised breasts.
The mixture is formed into lumps which are dried naturally, shaped, and imprinted with various patterns (i.e. pictographs) by little wooden sticks, which alpine dairy farmers used to carve and emboss with their own patterns while grazing the animals. The cheese is then left to dry and smoked above the fireside for two to three weeks.
Recipe for ‘trnič’
Ingredients:
- well warmed low-fat curd cheese (with the whey drained from it)
- salt (curd cheese must be high in salt), which is added to taste
- cream, skimmed from the surface of sour milk (added to taste)
Knead the mixture well, so it is not too wet or soft, and form it into lumps. Allow the lumps to dry naturally, then shape and imprint them with pictographs. Finally, leave them to dry and smoke above the fireside for two to three weeks.
In autumn, on returning home from alps, the alpine dairy farmers would take this cheese with them and present them to their young women as an act of love and faithfulness, or as a proposal of marriage. One was given to her, the other was kept for him. Gradually, the alpine dairy farmers abandoned the production of ‘trnič’ and almost broke with the tradition. It’s only thanks to a few individuals that the tradition has been preserved in the form of local souvenirs.
Tasting of ‘trnič’
The Kamnik Tourism and Sports Institute has, in cooperation with local restaurants and experts (like Janez Bogataj, PhD, who is always actively engaged in such projects), decided to revive the past tradition and promote ‘trnič’ widely. For this purpose, yesterday the Festival of ‘trnič’ was opened, which will take place in Kamnik until 13 April. Local restaurants will offer to visitors various dishes enriched with this ‘parmesan from the Velika planina alp’, which lasts very long.
At the Okusi Kamnika market, tasting was prepared by three local chefs who cooked in front of a live audience in the Main Square: Janez Bratovž (JB Restaurant – Spinach ‘žličniki’ (t/n: a type of gnocchi) with ‘trnič’), Janez Uršič (The Pri Planinskem Orlu Inn – ‘Stiskači’ (t/n: a type of pasta similar to ravioli) filled with air-dried chuck/buckwheat porridge and ceps/chamois meat) and Primož Repnik (The Repnik Guest House – Pearl barley with the ‘kamniška kajžerica’ sausage and ‘trnič’).
After the end of the two-week Festival of ‘trnič’, the cheese will be available in selected restaurants and shops throughout Slovenia, and will also be presented at selected culinary events across Slovenia, as the project’s motto is ‘trnič on every (Slovenian) table’.
K. S., (Photo: Kaja Sajovic and www.okusikamnika.si); translated by D. M.
