Recipe: Shopska Salad

Every country has their own specialty food items that stand out above the rest. One of my favorites here in the Balkans is the "Shopska Salad."

Here's the basic recipe:

1 cucumber, diced (use English or Hothouse cucumbers for best flavor)
1 tomato, diced
shredded feta cheese
dash of salt
oil

Dice the cucumber and tomatos. Sprinkle with salt and oil. Mix well. [Some local friends insist that you should mix with your hands, convinced that it makes it taste better because it insures thorough blending. Personally, I use a fork.] Shred the feta cheese on top of the salad. Use as much or as little feta as you like. Optional additions include: diced onions and/or diced hot or sweet green pepers.

Prijetno! (Enjoy!)

When I'm showing visitors/friends from the US around town, one guaranteed stop is at a small restaurant in the old city appropriately named, "Turist Restaurant." This place has one of the best presentations of this local favorite. (Pictured) When people first find out that it's made with feta cheese, eyebrows do shoot up and quizical/doubtful expressions appear; however, most people are converted to shopska-lovers pretty quickly.

The mix of flavors in this salad is amazing. I'm convinced that it's because the veggies are fresh and ripe and the feta, locally made, far-surpasses any feta you can get in the US. Sitting in a garden courtyard cafe next to a fountain probably has something to do with it too. Ambiance and all. ;)