Page 192 - ATHENS RIVIERA JOURNAL 2022

ATHENS RIVIERA JOURNAL
gourmet getaway

"THE FOOD IS MAINLY BASED ON
LOCAL PRODUCTS AND IDEAS FROM

THE SLOVENIAN CULINARY TRADITION,

UTILIZED WITH IMAGINATION."

the evolution of epicurean tradition
When I ask her what creativity is, she underscores this: “Creating an exhilarating
dish starting with a mundane, maybe boring, ingredient. Very often, I see in
my dreams the creation of new flavors and, once I wake up, I go to the kitchen
and try them out. Also, when I go running, I think about new recipes and
shout out ‘Eureka!’ It is impressive how out there in nature, its sounds, colors,
smells stimulate the mind and make it create continuously.” Do you want
more wonderful dishes like the previous one? It might sound completely odd, a
croquette fried with clockwork precision, filled with a delectable cream of lamb
brains, sour forest fruits and... chocolate, but I will confirm that it constitutes
liquid gold, with fascinating flavor contrasts. Or even one of the most beautiful
combinations of surf and turf I have tasted, in the form of dry aged mountain
veal and wonderful sole fish along with a delicately garlicy pil-pil lotion – all
accompanied for freshness by tomato water spheres, unripe green tomato and
a foam from risotto of tomato and spicy habanero pepper. The dish that was
named (r)Evolution of Kobariški Štruklji was a spectacular representation of the
level of postmodernism in flavor which reigns supreme at Hiša Franko. They have
adapted this traditional walnut-filled dessert from Kobarid, transforming it into a
singular, ethereal dumpling (reminiscent of steamed Chinese masterpieces) that,
filled with pork, apple and walnuts, gravitates between sweet and savory; next
to it they had placed a completely expressionistic, original, sweet and savory and
piquant crème brulee made with smoked pork, horseradish and sun-dried plums!

the lesson of sustainability
I ask the chef to describe her gastronomic style. “It is almost excessively connected
to the soil and my country, and very personal. I would not call it feminine, because
I know many male chefs who cook with a lot of sensitivity. I have always liked
strong flavors, but I look for balance. I want my cuisine to tell a story, not by pre-
imposing it on people but by letting flavor speak. The fact that we are confined to
this little corner on Earth gives us great freedom at the same time.” With fashions
and trends now proliferating at lightning speed on the globalized culinary scene,
I asked her how she foresees the future of flavor. “Many chefs I appreciate around
the world do deep research into their tradition. We cannot all be Scandinavian
just because it is trendy... The motto is ‘ask your mother and your neighbors
about traditional recipes.’ Today, we move ever-closer to personal expression, to
progressing tradition, to local and seasonal raw ingredients and this is an answer
to gastronomical homogenization, which is now a big problem. Many see chefs
as rock stars, and we ought to make use of this immense prominence we have.
In order to set an example and influence those who trust us, it is important to
eat local and sustainable as much as possible in our daily life. To do everything
we can not to destroy the planet. In fifteen years, we will have a huge hunger
problem, so we should be very careful not to thoughtlessly waste food. For this
reason, we should make the most of foraging in nature, of vegetable patches and
gardens, and support small producers and farmers.”  Ana’s epicurean style is
linked to the soil, and
embodies the seasons
with an almost Japanese
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