{"id":3218,"date":"2019-07-26T13:30:41","date_gmt":"2019-07-26T11:30:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/?p=3218"},"modified":"2021-05-27T15:35:38","modified_gmt":"2021-05-27T13:35:38","slug":"exploring-kras-kraski-prsut-at-prsutarna-scuka","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/exploring-kras-kraski-prsut-at-prsutarna-scuka\/","title":{"rendered":"Exploring Kras: Kra\u0161ki Pr\u0161ut at Pr\u0161utarna \u0160\u010duka"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Suddenly, Jaka and I found ourselves driving through tiny Slovenian Karst towns built of stone. I was nervous that my car would fit between the stone houses that squeezed the road tight. As we drove deeper, ( the streets became narrower and narrower. We started to question if cars were even allowed. After navigating the stone mazes we arrived at our destination, Pr\u0161utarna \u0160\u010duka.<\/p>\n<p>If you are seeking Slovenian food of the utmost quality then you should be considering visiting the Karst Plateau. Here you can visit producers of wine and dry-aged Karst prosciutto (<em>kra\u0161ki pr\u0161ut<\/em>) that are designated with a Protected Geographical Indication from the European Union.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_67_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a1077c2db722\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a1077c2db722\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/exploring-kras-kraski-prsut-at-prsutarna-scuka\/#Karst_What_is_it\" title=\"Karst: What is it?\">Karst: What is it?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/exploring-kras-kraski-prsut-at-prsutarna-scuka\/#Life_in_Kras\" title=\"Life in Kras\">Life in Kras<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/exploring-kras-kraski-prsut-at-prsutarna-scuka\/#Prsut_and_Teran_A_Heavenly_Slovenian_Duo\" title=\"Pr\u0161ut and Teran: A Heavenly Slovenian Duo\">Pr\u0161ut and Teran: A Heavenly Slovenian Duo<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/exploring-kras-kraski-prsut-at-prsutarna-scuka\/#Prsutarna_Scuka_Traditional_Slovenian_Prsut\" title=\"Pr\u0161utarna \u0160\u010duka: Traditional Slovenian Pr\u0161ut\">Pr\u0161utarna \u0160\u010duka: Traditional Slovenian Pr\u0161ut<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/exploring-kras-kraski-prsut-at-prsutarna-scuka\/#How_to_visit_Prsutarna_Scuka\" title=\"How to visit\u00a0Pr\u0161utarna \u0160\u010duka\">How to visit\u00a0Pr\u0161utarna \u0160\u010duka<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/exploring-kras-kraski-prsut-at-prsutarna-scuka\/#What_to_visit_in_Kras\" title=\"What to visit in Kras\">What to visit in Kras<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/exploring-kras-kraski-prsut-at-prsutarna-scuka\/#Pinterest\" title=\"Pinterest\">Pinterest<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Karst_What_is_it\"><\/span>Karst: What is it?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The Karst Plateau, Karst Region, and Karst are a few names given to this region. In Slovene, they call it Kras. This name comes from the karst land. That means that it is made up of soluble rocks; limestone. Hence why there are so many caves and intermittent lakes in this region. Water below the ground carved out rivers, cave systems, and lakes that you can visit today.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3241\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3241\" style=\"width: 958px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3241 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/karst-slovenia.png\" alt=\"Map of Slovenia with regions marked, highlighting where Kras is located\" width=\"958\" height=\"616\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/karst-slovenia.png 958w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/karst-slovenia-300x193.png 300w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/karst-slovenia-370x238.png 370w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/karst-slovenia-800x514.png 800w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/karst-slovenia-20x13.png 20w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/karst-slovenia-185x119.png 185w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/karst-slovenia-740x476.png 740w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/karst-slovenia-400x257.png 400w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/karst-slovenia-75x48.png 75w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 958px) 100vw, 958px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3241\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Karst Plateau is around this region shown. It is not exact because I&#8217;m not a cartographer (haha)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This region is within the Primorska region which is the entire western part of Slovenia that borders Italy and has access to the Mediterranean.<\/p>\n<p>The first person to study karst and give it its name is Johann Weikhard von Valvasor. He was a natural historian from Slovenia. If you visit Bogen\u0161perk Castle you can learn a lot about his significant contributions to the country.<\/p>\n<p>[irp posts=&#8221;1772&#8243; name=&#8221;3 Castles You Can Easily Drive to from Ljubljana&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>In the middle ages, the region was deforested so that the wood could be used to (literally) support Venice. Another party fact which I love to tell everyone, the nails that hold this wood together were fashioned by Slovenian blacksmiths from Kropa. Without Slovenian natural resources and artisans maybe Venice wouldn\u2019t be what it is today!<\/p>\n<p>While the karst extends from southwest Slovenia and northeast Italy down through the Balkans, the Karst Plateau that exists in Slovenia (and a some of Italy) is the focus of this post so I will refer to it by its local name, Kras.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Life_in_Kras\"><\/span>Life in Kras<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>People who live in this region can not rely on farming. The soil is not good enough to grow food, it is dry and rocky, and keeping animals is out of the question. Their waste would run into the groundwater because of the karst. Resiliency prevailed and the locals got creative.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3233\" src=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-2-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-2-1.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-2-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-2-1-370x247.jpg 370w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-2-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-2-1-20x13.jpg 20w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-2-1-185x123.jpg 185w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-2-1-740x493.jpg 740w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-2-1-1110x740.jpg 1110w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-2-1-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-2-1-72x48.jpg 72w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>They turned to mulberry trees and silkworms which became incredibly valuable when selling their raw materials for silk to Italy. This unfortunately stopped when the border between both countries was closed (see: Yugoslavia) and is no longer really practiced today.<\/p>\n<p>Pr\u0161utarna \u0160\u010duka has one of the oldest mulberry trees that they shaped into an umbrella. This shaping process helped increase the number of branches so that they could produce more mulberry trees for the silkworms. Now they keep up the practice out of tradition. It is done by hand every year using willow branches to tie the Mulberry branches together to keep the shape.<\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-3.jpg\" alt=\"Mulberry tree at Prsutarna Scuka\" width=\"\u201c500\" height=\"333\" \/><\/th>\n<th><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-4.jpg\" alt=\"Mulberry tree at Prsutarna Scuka details\" width=\"\u201c500\" height=\"\u201c333\" \/><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Another feature of Kras is the houses. Driving through the region you are immediately faced with how different the houses are from other parts of Slovenia. I ignorantly asked if everyone was rich. The houses were built in a round shape with a courtyard in the middle. This is because of the harsh winds that blow through Kras. But it is true that the more wealthy the family the larger the home and thus larger the courtyard.<\/p>\n<p>If you haven\u2019t picked it up yet, this landscape is unforgiving. There are no rivers, no bodies of water, and it can go months without rain. And this harsh wind I keep mentioning is called bora or <em>burja<\/em> in Slovene. This wind can reach and exceed 200 km\/h and comes from the top of the Alps across Kras and down through Croatia and Trieste. This is the reason for the towns being so dense, the streets to small, the houses built as they are, and for the delicious air-dried <em>kra\u0161ki pr\u0161ut<\/em> which can only be properly dried in Kras.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Prsut_and_Teran_A_Heavenly_Slovenian_Duo\"><\/span>Pr\u0161ut and Teran: A Heavenly Slovenian Duo<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Today many people who live in this region produce Teran, a (deep) red wine, that can only be grown in this region with Refo\u0161k grapes, that are indigenous to Slovenia. It has a special traditional designation within Slovenia stating its importance. The name Teran comes from <em>terra rossa<\/em>, Italian for red earth, because of the color of the soil in the region.<\/p>\n<p>The other product is prosciutto, which is called <em>pr\u0161ut<\/em> in Slovene. Specifically, in this area, they have <em>kra\u0161ka pr\u0161ut<\/em> (Karst prosciutto) which has Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) within the EU. For ham to be considered <em>kra\u0161ka pr\u0161ut<\/em> it needs to be dried naturally for at least 12 months, and it also must contain salt from Se\u010dovlje Salt Pans (same as Kranjska Klobasa).<\/p>\n<p>[irp posts=&#8221;2456&#8243; name=&#8221;An Introduction to Slovenian Cuisine&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>Naturally dried in this case is done by opening and closing windows in the room where the ham is being dried. If the area is too humid or the temperature is not quite right, the ham will spoil. Many large productions of prosciutto\/pr\u0161ut are done with air conditioning or injected with nitrates, but not in Kras. I visiting Pr\u0161utarna \u0160\u010duka to learn about the traditional drying methods and of course to taste the best of what Slovenia has to offer.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Prsutarna_Scuka_Traditional_Slovenian_Prsut\"><\/span>Pr\u0161utarna \u0160\u010duka: Traditional Slovenian Pr\u0161ut<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The moment we arrived at Pr\u0161utarna \u0160\u010duka we were treated with absolute kindness and professionalism. Maja \u0160\u010duka began the tour at the large limestone archway that leads guests into their courtyard. Once entering the courtyard you are greeted by a massive umbrella-shaped 250-year-old Mulberry tree. Not a leaf out of place.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-3232\" src=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-1-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-1-1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-1-1-300x450.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-1-1-370x555.jpg 370w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-1-1-185x278.jpg 185w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-1-1-740x1110.jpg 740w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-1-1-20x30.jpg 20w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-1-1-400x600.jpg 400w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-1-1-32x48.jpg 32w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Maja explained a bit of history about her family and their involvement in Karst activities such as owning a limestone quarry, planting one of the first Mulberry trees to feed silkworms, and now their <em>pr\u0161ut<\/em> and wine ventures. Everything is done traditionally by hand which makes it all much more special.<\/p>\n<p>Afterward, Maja showed us one of their drying rooms. She explained the entire process of how they acquire the pigs (and other animals), salt, pressurize, and air dry them by constantly opening and closing the windows. I didn\u2019t realize how delicate the entire process is. Maja shared that something as simple as salting too much will not be realized until 2 years later!<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3228\" src=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-6.jpg\" alt=\"drying room for prsut\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-6.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-6-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-6-370x247.jpg 370w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-6-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-6-20x13.jpg 20w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-6-185x123.jpg 185w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-6-740x493.jpg 740w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-6-1110x740.jpg 1110w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-6-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-6-72x48.jpg 72w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>That lovely bora wind combined with the karst landscape that I mentioned before is how they can do this just with the windows. If there was more humidity in the air, such as in Vipava Valley (just 15-20km away) it would not be possible to dry the ham with this method. It would need to be smoked as well.<\/p>\n<p>It typically takes 24 months to do this process, and it is important to let the ham dry over two summers because this is when the aroma forms. Because it takes a lot of time they cover the hams with fat to protect the outside layer from getting too hard. Maja shared with us that they have had to add 2 months to this time, compared to 20 years prior, because of changes in the weather.<\/p>\n<p>[irp posts=&#8221;3046&#8243; name=&#8221;How to Travel More Sustainably in 2019&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p>After she explained the whole process of making <em>kra\u0161ki pr\u0161ut<\/em> we got to do a tasting! We opted for the gourmet package with hand-cutting prosciutto workshop.<\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-8.jpg\" alt=\"Gourmet Tasting Menu at Prstuarna Scuka\" width=\"\u201c500\" height=\"333\" \/><\/th>\n<th><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-11.jpg\" alt=\"Tasting menu, cheese, nuts, and fruits shown here\" width=\"\u201c500\" height=\"\u201c333\" \/><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Now, I have had my fair share of prosciuttos and <em>pr\u0161ut<\/em> and <strong>the <em>kra\u0161ki pr\u0161ut<\/em> produced at Pr\u0161utarna \u0160\u010duka is in my top list of things I\u2019ve ever eaten<\/strong>. No lie. The pr\u0161ut sliced paper thing just melts in your mouth, unlike anything I\u2019ve had before. There were also products made from boar, deer, and chamois. I nearly melted into a puddle after tasting the chamois it was so rich and just melted away on my tongue. 100% I would recommend visiting and doing a tasting. Especially because these products are only sold in house.<\/p>\n<p>There were also olives, cheeses, some fruits, and bread. The whole spread was really delicious and filling! We were also given Teran that the family produced. Maja explained how during this time of the year they are pruning the grapevines by pulling individual leaves, and when they make the wine they pull the grapes by hand.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3222\" src=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-14.jpg\" alt=\"hand-cutting prosciutto prsut\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-14.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-14-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-14-370x247.jpg 370w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-14-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-14-20x13.jpg 20w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-14-185x123.jpg 185w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-14-740x493.jpg 740w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-14-1110x740.jpg 1110w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-14-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-14-72x48.jpg 72w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>We ended the day with a hand-cutting workshop. They brought out a whole leg of kra\u0161ki pr\u0161ut and showed us the best techniques for cutting it; how to hold the knife, the movements, and how much practice it really takes. Jaka and I both gave it a try for a few slices. I didn&#8217;t do half bad! That means I just need more practice &#8211; haha.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m inspired by people who are holding on to traditional methods concerning food. Using traditional ingredients and preparation is not an easy way to do things. It is much more difficult, much more time consuming, but the result is very rewarding. You feel the passion that the \u0160\u010duka family has for their crafts and that is a very special experience.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_visit_Prsutarna_Scuka\"><\/span>How to visit\u00a0Pr\u0161utarna \u0160\u010duka<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3223\" src=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-17.jpg\" alt=\"Prsutarna Scuka in Slovenia\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-17.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-17-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-17-370x247.jpg 370w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-17-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-17-20x13.jpg 20w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-17-185x123.jpg 185w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-17-740x493.jpg 740w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-17-1110x740.jpg 1110w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-17-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/prstuarna-scuka-kras-slovenia-17-72x48.jpg 72w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>You can arrange your visit to Pr\u0161utarna \u0160\u010duka by contacting by email or calling them directly. They have all of their<a href=\"http:\/\/www.prsutarnascuka.com\/en\/visit\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> tasting offers and information about bookings<\/a> on their site.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, I think the only way to get here would be by driving. Some buses can get you to \u0160tanjel which is nearby but from Ljubljana, it would be around 2 hours of buses whereas it is an hour and ten minutes by car.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_to_visit_in_Kras\"><\/span>What to visit in Kras<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>\u0160tanjel<\/strong> is one of the oldest settlements in Kras. A cultural monument, this medieval town mimics the plans of an Etruscan town. Here you can visit a 600-year-old traditional Karst House and a museum within the castle.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3242\" src=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/stanjel-1.jpg\" alt=\"stanjel, slovenia\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/stanjel-1.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/stanjel-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/stanjel-1-370x247.jpg 370w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/stanjel-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/stanjel-1-20x13.jpg 20w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/stanjel-1-185x123.jpg 185w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/stanjel-1-740x493.jpg 740w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/stanjel-1-1110x740.jpg 1110w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/stanjel-1-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/stanjel-1-72x48.jpg 72w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u0160kocjan Caves<\/strong> is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most important caves in the world. Formed by Reka River which is still flowing through today. There is also one of the largest canyons of any cave in the world found in \u0160kocjan. Their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.park-skocjanske-jame.si\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">website<\/a> is a good resource for more information.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lipica Stud Farm<\/strong> is home of the Lipizzaner (Lipicanec in Slovene) horses. The original stud from 1580 was from Lipica. It was bred with other horses to create the Lipizzaner strain. These horses are famous for performances and how easily they can be trained. Check out their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lipica.org\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">site<\/a> if you plan on visiting.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Se\u017eana<\/strong> is a small town in Kras bordering Italy and here you can visit <a href=\"https:\/\/vinakras.si\/tourist-offer\/cellars\/wine-tasting-cellar-tours.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">VinaKras<\/a> for wine tastings and cellar tours at their facility.<\/p>\n<p>Check out the local tourism page <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitkras.info\/en\/things-to-do\/wine-and-cuisine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Visit Kras<\/a> for other things to do and places to do tastings.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Kras Wine Road\u00a0<\/strong>is a route through Kras of various vineyards that you can visit for a tour and tastings. Check out their <a href=\"http:\/\/www.vinskacestakras.si\/en\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">website<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pinterest\"><\/span>Pinterest<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Pin this article to save for later or share with friends.<\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/kraski-prsut-slovenia.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"400\" data-pin-description=\"Learn about the Karst region of Slovenia and why it is incredibly unique place. How locals use the environment to produce some of the best prosciutto\/pr\u0161ut in the world and a deep red wine made from indigenous Slovene grapes. Slovenian wine | Primorska | Slovenian food #slovenia #primorska #food #wine\" data-pin-title=\"Exploring Kras region of Slovenia.\" \/><\/th>\n<th><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/slovenian-food-and-wine-tasting.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"400\" data-pin-description=\"Learn about the Karst region of Slovenia and why it is incredibly unique place. How locals use the environment to produce some of the best prosciutto\/pr\u0161ut in the world and a deep red wine made from indigenous Slovene grapes. Slovenian wine | Primorska | Slovenian food #slovenia #primorska #food #wine\" data-pin-title=\"Tasting Prosciutto at Prsutarna Scuka | Slovenia\" \/><\/th>\n<th><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/slovenian-prosciutto-and-wine.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"400\" data-pin-description=\"Learn about the Karst region of Slovenia and why it is incredibly unique place. How locals use the environment to produce some of the best prosciutto\/pr\u0161ut in the world and a deep red wine made from indigenous Slovene grapes. Slovenian wine | Primorska | Slovenian food #slovenia #primorska #food #wine\" data-pin-title=\"Tasting Slovenian Wine and Prosciutto - Slovenia\" \/><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2>Thanks!<\/h2>\n<p>This entire experience was really special for me and I\u2019m happy that I can share it with all of you. I know there is not a lot of transparency with bloggers and I do want to say that this post was not sponsored or gifted. I stumbled upon\u00a0Pr\u0161utarna \u0160\u010duka through their Instagram page and then booked a visit. All expenses paid by me.<\/p>\n<p>Thank you as always for reading these posts and if you enjoyed them please do share with a friend. -Helene<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Suddenly, Jaka and I found ourselves driving through tiny Slovenian Karst towns built of stone. I was nervous that my car would fit between the stone houses that squeezed the road tight. As we drove deeper, ( the streets became narrower and narrower. We started to question if cars were even allowed. After navigating the &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/exploring-kras-kraski-prsut-at-prsutarna-scuka\/\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Exploring Kras: Kra\u0161ki Pr\u0161ut at Pr\u0161utarna \u0160\u010duka<\/span> Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3220,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[128,123,3],"tags":[122,200,184],"class_list":["post-3218","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-food","category-slovenia","category-travel","tag-day-trip","tag-food-in-slovenia","tag-primorska"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3218","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3218"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3218\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3220"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3218"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3218"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3218"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}