An unexpected Slovak national dish

This winter, I caught up with my good friend who recently got married in Japan. She, along with her husband Takahiro, visited me, and we spent a few hours chatting about Japan and Slovakia. One particular thing from our conversation has stayed with me.

When I asked Takahiro if there was any food he particularly liked or found impressive, he responded without hesitation: Treska! He believed it was a Slovak product worth exporting to Japan, stating that Japanese people would love it. It is an unexpected Slovak national dish.

But what exactly is Treska?

We delved into the history of this dish, which originated in Czechoslovakia in the 1950s. Its creation was pragmatic, related to decreased fish sales in Czechoslovakia at the time. The state-owned company Ryba (Fish) tasked the renowned chef Július Boško with inventing a tasty and affordable dish using fish meat. Thus, Treska was born — Cod Fish Salad with Mayonnaise, vegetables, vinegar, mustard, and a few other simple ingredients available during the poor times of socialism.

In no time, Treska became a typical breakfast item for the working class, enjoyed with freshly baked rolls, perhaps accompanied by Šariš beer and Mars cigarettes—icons of the working-class culture.

So, if you ever find yourself in Slovakia, forget about the famed bryndzové halušky. All they’ll do is send you into a food coma. Instead, opt for Treska – an unexpected Slovak national dish! You will feel the ocean breeze on your face and evoke the essence of socialism on your plate.