by Gergana Manolova

Bulgarian cuisine has seen many imported recipes and improvements from its neighbouring countries. If you are a purist about it, you will be hard-pressed to find a dish that is truly and only Bulgarian. There are claims to some of the dishes widely accepted as national, such as moussaka, kebapche or tarator. In fact they came from other regions, most often the Middle East. But undoubtedly, the Bulgarian cooks have changed the recipes and now the versions of moussaka you try in Turkey, Greece and Bulgaria would be noticeably different.

The list of the most popular dishes of Bulgarian cuisine is like a stroll through the country. Among them the Rhodope region is prominent for its vegetarian recipes such as patatnik, or potato pie with various additions, kachamak made from corn flour, and big beans from Smilyan. For special occasions, try the cheverme, or a whole lamb roasted on a fire.

When you sit down with a glass of rakiya, go all the way and order a dish of Bulgarian cold cuts. It will certainly feature pastarma, sudzhuk and lukanka – all are specialties made of minced meat and spices. The vegetarian version of this plate of meze would be white and yellow cheese, or kashkaval, from cow, goat or sheep milk. Try all of them to taste the difference and pick your favourite for your next visit.

Traditionally, the rakiya should be accompanied with a salad. This is where the shopska salata makes an appearance, but there are some lesser-known varieties that can be just as good, like shepherd's salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, mushroom and ham, or reaper's salad with cheese, garlic, tomatoes, basil, cucumbers and peppers. In the winter try pickles or sauerkraut with red pepper to spice up your meal.

Foreign travellers and expats delight in Bulgarian gyuveche, which is cooked in a closed clay pot. The recipes differ a lot, but it usually features one or more kinds of meat, vegetables and an egg on top. The pot is served piping hot straight from the oven, so approach with caution. Another traditional dish is sarmi – rice with or without minced meat, wrapped in cabbage or grape leaves. Pay attention to the bread – the Bulgarian traditional way of doing it is in small pitas, brown from the baking. However, these are a rare occurrence in the restaurants. Much more typical, and exclusive to Bulgaria, is hearing the question "How many slices of bread would you like?"

Grilled meat features prominently in most menus. Here you also have a great choice – soused steaks, kebapcheta and kyufteta, or meat balls, spits with pork or chicken pieces and vegetables. See if you can order a set for the whole company and add your side dish preferences – in most restaurants they are ordered separately.

Some dishes are not for the faint-hearted. The infamous example is tripe soup, which plenty of Bulgarians swear by as one of the most delicious things you've ever tasted and an excellent hangover cure. For others the smell of garlic soaked in vinegar, a traditional garnish to the soup, is a sign to back away warily.

There are few Bulgarian desserts that have not been borrowed either from Greece or Turkey like the very sweet baklava and halva. If you want something local, opt for buffalo yoghurt with jam or tikvenik, or pumpkin pastry.

You don't need to make a special occasion out of Bulgarian cuisine. It is just as good in a quick lunch during your busy day. Nip down to Trikrakoto Pile – a pub in Sofia that serves the best in innovative Bulgarian dishes. The cheese in honey, soused pork steak with spices or chicken fillet with vegetables will make for a nice meal, especially if you add a piece of homemade biscuit cake. Don't hesitate to bring your company here. Sit down on the wide benches in the shade and order from the various side dishes to go together with your beer.