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Lenny Russo in Slovenia #11: A near brush with death

Posted by: Lee Svitak Dean Updated: April 17, 2013 - 11:49 PM

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Photos by Christopher Wurst

Photos by Christopher Wurst

 

On April 3, 2013, I almost died ... twice. That sounds a lot worse than it was since I did escape relatively unscathed, and I anticipate a full, if only gradual, recovery. The long and the short of it is that the footage that was shot that day has now ended up on the cutting room floor per the desire of sponsors Pop-TV and the U.S.Embassy here in Slovenia. I have hesitated communicating this to you because it was my earnest desire that the following details be viewed in a more anecdotal nature rather than be sensationalized. Consequently, my reporting for the last few days has been out of sequence. Here's what happened.

The day started off well. The weather was beautiful as we headed to Idrija. It is the home town of our sound guy and first camera Matias Mrak. He is rightfully very proud since Idrija is a beautiful city set in the picturesque foothills of the Julian Alps. Once there, we toured the old mercury mines with our guide Jana. The mines are fascinating, and they once were a leader in mercury production at one time supplying 13 percent of the world's consumption.

In between takes, I was able to drop in on a local butcher shop where they create and age all of their own salumi. They also have their own farm, and some of the fresh meats were a product of that farm.

Following the mine sequence, I was introduced to two professional Yugo rally drivers.  Their cars were no ordinary Yugos. The piston cylinders had been bored out to increase the horsepower from the original 65 to 120, and they were fitted with roll bars and safety harnesses. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The idea was to take me as a passenger in one of the cars on a breakneck ride along the twisting hilly road, after which I was scheduled to receive a lesson in žlikrofi from an 83-year-old woman, who is considered to be the finest maker of these traditional tortellini-like pasta purses. Then, we were scheduled to head to Kobarid for dinner and lodging at Nebessa, which is a spectacular location set in the Alps. The next day would find us in cheese caves and at Hiša Franko, which is considered one of the finest restaurants in all of Slovenia, with the cheesemaker Valter Roš and with his wife, the acclaimed chef Ana Roš. I was scheduled to cook with Ana.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So here is where things get interesting.  I was strapped into the passenger seat harness of the Yugo, given a safety helmet and instructed to hold on tight while my driver took me on an adrenaline-pounding run up the hillside. The switchbacks were plentiful and narrow as we gazed at the ravines passing us by as we ascended the hill. As the car continued its climb, the driver did not to seem to fully understand that, at one point, he was supposed to turn around and come back for a second shot. Instead he continued to barrel up the hill.

As we approached one particularly hairpin turn, he hit a patch of gravel, which caused him to lock up his brakes. We skidded to a halt on an embankment above a ravine, with the Yugo hanging precariously over the edge.  Just when I thought we would be safe, the car began to tip. The dash-cam footage shows that as the car started its fall into the ravine below, I got a big smile on my face and began to laugh. I was thinking a few things.First, I was thinking, "What the hell. I might as well think of this as a carnival ride and enjoy the thrill." 

Then I thought, "With all the crazy stuff I have been through in my life, this is a hell of a way to go."  I had a few other thoughts that were mostly concern for my wife, who had no idea where I was or what was happening, and I just wanted to be sure that she would be okay, no matter what happened.I am sure there were several other things going through my head at the time such as what I would do once we landed. But everything happened so quickly that I am not completely certain what else I was thinking.

The car rolled hood-over-wheels about four times before resting right-side-up in about two feet of snow at the bottom of the ravine. Fortunately, my window was rolled down, so I avoided taking shattered glass to the side of my face. I had kept my eyes open the whole time, which were protected by my trusty Ray Bay Wayfarer sunglasses, but I did watch as the windshield busted out, and I fully experienced the head-over-heels visual as we tumbled down the steep embankment. If you have ever seen a movie that pictures a rolling car interior during an accident sequence, then you know what I was seeing as we headed for the bottom. 

I am certain that if they had not taken the proper safety precautions by strapping me into the harness that I would have very likely been tossed from the vehicle and quite possibly lost my life. As it turned out, I only suffered a small contusion to my left knee, another to my right shin, one to my hip and a badly sprained right thumb, that has recently made gripping a knife and driving a car very difficult, not to mention securing the opening on my button-fly jeans. It has certainly made me appreciate the fact that we evolved as a species with opposable thumbs.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After checking into a triage first-aid station in the village below, I was relieved to find that my bumps and bruises appeared to be relatively minor in nature. The bigger problem, which persists as I write this, is a massive escalation in blood pressure to a dangerous and potentially life-threatening level. I was consequently taken to a hospital in Ljubljana (the capitol of Slovenia), where precautionary X-rays were taken and where I received some medication to reduce my blood pressure. (Side note: I was told that Josep Broz Tito, the much revered leader of the former Yugoslavia, died there on the seventh floor of that hospital.)

I am still undergoing treatment for my blood pressure as I fight to return it to normal and while I try to rest my thumb. The recommended course of action at that point was rest and a well-prescribed day off. Consequently, the rest of the taping for that episode was cancelled, and we resumed two days later at a different location.

On another side note, it was hard to believe how incredibly inexpensive health care is here in Slovenia. A full set of X-rays and doctor visits, including prescription drugs, did not exceed 150 euros. This is what it would cost the average private citizen not covered by insurance in Slovenia. That is certainly something to think about. I can only imagine what all of that would have cost in the U.S.

So now, with filming complete and the wrap party put to bed, I have only one last interview with Pop-TV before Mega [his wife and business partner] and I head to Paris for a week of exploring the markets and visiting with Parisian chefs. It was really hard to say goodbye to the many wonderful friends we met here while in Slovenia, but I am certain we will have the opportunity to cross paths with them again.   -- Lenny Russo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lenny Russo in Slovenia #10: Wine, bocce ball and goodbyes

Posted by: Lee Svitak Dean Updated: April 15, 2013 - 9:43 PM

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Today was our last day of filming, and all I have left is a live interview with Pop-TV and perhaps something with Radio Slovenia. We are getting ready to head over to the wrap party.

As I had reported, after our first trip to the Kras region, we headed back to Ljubljana for the reception at U.S. Ambassador Joseph Mussomeli's residence where I sampled Slovenian wines and foods from Eastern Slovenia in a kind of stump the chef segment. I must admit that I was at least partially stumped, but I think I did pretty well for the most part.

Yesterday, we headed back to Kras still accompanied by Sommelier Gašpar Čarmen, with whom I had developed quite a rapport, and the village of Zemono where we met up with Chef Tomaž Kavčič of Gostilna Pri Lojzetu where the kitchen has been run by members of his family, both male and female, for generations. It was Tomaž' mother that passed the torch to him, and, when the gostilna was in danger of being purchased by Russian oligarchs, he was able to secure a mortgage and finally bring its ownership under his family's name. The place is amazingly beautiful and set on hills surrounded by vineyards and olive groves with stunning views of the surrounding countryside. Legend has it that none other than Casanova spent three nights there doing what Casanova was famous for.

The chef likes to go by "Tomi", and he prepared the traditional sauerkraut soup jota, which was served in a bread bowl, followed by his own modern take on jota, which is served dry and employs agar agar. Both versions where outstanding.

We were joined by Primož Lavrenčič of Burja Wine Estate who presented some of his fantastic selections. The vines which produced the grapes that were used to make those wines could been seen from our perch on the hillside above.

 
Then we headed to Movia Winery. Mega has two Movia wines currently on the Heartland wine list. Once there I prepared a meal of roasted pork loin scented with lavender and rosemary; carrots, fennel and potatoes pan fried in rendered pork fat; and wild asparagus served with lemon and Movia's own olive oil. The sauce was a reduction of pork stock with preserved wild mushrooms. Winemaker Aleš Kastančič paired his bio-dynamic Lunar 9 Chardonnay.

 
Later, we toured the cellars where Aleš took us into a cave that houses vintages dating back to 1943. Once there, he choose a bottle of 1958 Merlot in honor of the year of my birth, which tasted so bright and fresh it was difficult to believe that it was 55 years old. Nonetheless, the markings on the bottle, which date back to the former Yugoslavia when the wine bottles were only 700 ml, verified that the wine was indeed authentic. He packed a second 1958 in a small wooden crate with a certificate of authenticity and presented it to me as a gift.

After a good night's sleep, we headed down winding roads bouncing back and forth between Italy and Slovenia until we reached Plisokovica where a stone mason carved me a mortal pestle from the local stone which is exceptionally hard and perfect for such an application. I even had the opportunity to take a few whacks with his decorating mallet as the mortar was being crafted.

Our final destination was the walled medieval village of Štangel where Gašpar and I were challenged to a game of bocce ball by some local residents, all of whom were well into their later years. Of course, we lost badly, seven to three, but I think we accounted well for ourselves by at least scoring that many points.

There will be some additional voice-over work to do and some additional footage to film at Heartland, but this brings our trip to Slovenia pretty much to a close. It has been our joy and privilege to be here, not only representing our country, but also meeting and learning from so many wonderful Slovenians. We hope to not only maintain the relationships we have forged here, but also to continue to grow and foster them while helping our friends and business associates in America better understand the many wonderful things that Slovenia has to offer.

I especially wish to thank Mr. Christopher Wurst of the American Embassy here in Ljubljana for conceiving and planning this exchange, and I also wish to thank Lee Dean of the Star Tribune for allowing me to share it with you. More thanks should go out to POP-TV and especially Felina Films, whose marvelous crew made the filming of this trip possible. -- Lenny Russo

 
Note: There will be one more posting from Lenny.  

Lenny Russo in Slovenia #9: Of wine, salumi and prosciutti

Posted by: Lee Svitak Dean Updated: April 15, 2013 - 11:38 AM

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We arrived at Gostilna Ostrouška (pictured, above; all photos by Christopher Wurst), early yesterday where I met Gašper Čarmen (note: "Gostilna" means restaurant). He is the top wine sommelier in all of Slovenia, and he had recently returned from an international competition in Tokyo. He will be traveling with us for the next couple of days. Also there was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Bay Fang,who traveled over from Croatia where she was visiting with the diplomatic team stationed there. She, too, will be joining us for the remainder of our trip.
 

 

While there, we sampled several eau de vie made from everything from basil to fennel, all from their own gardens, as well as wines also produced there.  They also cure there own salumi and prosciutti.  We dined on a frittata-like egg dish stuffed with fresh herbs called fritalja. It is flatter and more pancake-like than the Italian version.

 

 

Next, we traveled to Praprot, crossing into Italy to the Zidarich Winery, where we met with Benjamin Zidirich. The winery is perched on a hillside overlooking the Adriatic, and it is spectacular. I am afraid that the pictures do not do this locale justice. 

 

 

The wine cave is dug down several hundred meters into the rich iron ore laden terra rosa, and it took 10 years to excavate and construct. The work was done by stone masons, and it is supported by large stone arches that house giant wooden fermentation tanks and Slovenian oak barriques, as well an incredible large sink that had been hand carved from solid stone. I have seen many wine cellars and caves over the years, but I have never seen anything that compares to that.

We tasted several of Ben's wines, including a lively Malvasia, made in the traditional fashion using a form of carbonic maceration, and a remarkably full bodied Refusco.

 

 

I was then treated to a tour of his curing room where dozens of prosciutti, pancetti and salumi were hanging in various stages of drying, which is done in the traditional way by allowing the northern wind to blow through the room. Suffice it to say, I was green with envy. Later, we enjoyed a lunch comprised of those, with local cheese and some more of Ben's wines.

That evening, we returned to Ljubljana (the capitol of Slovenia) where we attended a reception at the ambassador's residence, where I was challenged in a blind tasting of wines and foods from eastern Slovenia, which is the area of the country that chef Cassie Parsons from North Carolina will be covering. Cassie had just arrived in the country, and I was quick to alert her to get as much rest as possible before her adventure begins in earnest. She will be facing very long days, some as long as my day yesterday, which started at 6:30 a.m. and ended at 10 p.m.

Today we venture back to the wine growing region of Goriška Brda with a trip to another gostilna and a second visit to Movia Winery, where I will be cooking this evening. -- Lenny Russo

Lenny Russo in Slovenia #8: The black kitchen

Posted by: Lee Svitak Dean Updated: April 12, 2013 - 6:42 PM

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We were finally able to locate a "black kitchen" that was able to host a meal bringing together many of the folks we had previously visited on our tour of the region encompassed by the Julian Alps. A black kitchen is most akin to a smokehouse for those of us in the U.S.

 

 

I prepared a meal of heirloom beans and aromatic vegetables with klobasa and poached duck eggs topped with chives.The attendees were the two little old ladies who taught me how to make krape, and it was their gift of heirloom beans and duck eggs that took center stage. I also used the award-winning klobasa from Arval, and the sausage maker was at the table along with Tomaž Bolka of Gostilna Krištof, where I first tasted that sausage. Also in attendance were our friends the Lecters from the mountain village of Radovjlica, as well as chef Uroš Štefelin of Restavracija 1906.
 

 

 


As the meal was being served, we were paid a surprise viist by a mountain man character from a popular kid's show that dates back to the 1950s who proceeded to stick his fingers in my food, prompting a quick exchange of plates. Gifts were exchanged by all. Tomaž' handcrafted beer was consumed, and apple schnapps was hoisted in a toast.

 

 

Earlier in the day, I gave two interviews to Slovenian media. Late that evening, I gave a phone interview to Minnesota Public Radio. 

The next day calls for a trip to the mercury mines of Idrija, where I will also take a ride with some professional rally drivers who race souped-up Yugos. That will be followed by a lesson making zlikrofi, which are like tortellini, and a visit to a top Slovene chef in Nebessa. -- Lenny Russo


 

 

 

Lenny Russo in Slovenia #7: Of veal liver, schnapps and wild rice

Posted by: Lee Svitak Dean Updated: April 11, 2013 - 6:00 PM

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Editor's note: As Lenny Russo, chef/owner of Heartland Restaurant & Farm Direct Market in St. Paul, travels around Slovenia, he is being followed by a film crew for a TV series in Slovenia. You can see more pictures at the Slovenia national TV website. The text is in Slovene but there are more pictures and, of course, links to Table Talk, the Star Tribune Taste blog. 

 

 

Gostilna Krištof is located in Predoslje, which is a village in the municipalty of Kranj, which lies in the Upper Carniola Region of Slovenia. The gostilna has been the family for hundreds of years although not always in its present location. 

Klobasa is the Slovenian version of kielbasa, and it was outstanding (all photos by Christopher Wurst). We also tasted the gostilna's hot sauces which won awards in competition in New York City. One was so hot it made my ears hurt. Everything there is made from scratch, including the breads. In addition, we were treated to what Krištof called Slovenian sashimi, which was sea bass smoked under glass using an ingenious mechanical pump of his own design and served on spoons with Slovenian olive oil, trout roe and tobikko. His menu is definitely worth taking a look at, and I venture to say that it the best restaurant we have experienced so far in Slovenia.

 

 

Next, we traveled to Bled where I was rowed to Bled Island by Olympic rowing medalist and six-time competitor Istok Čop. Once there, I climbed the hundred steps to the Church of St. Mary and rang the bell, which tradition says will grant your wish. I wished for spring, and I was sort of temporarily granted that as the temperature in Ljubljana reached 53 degree yesterday with partially clearing skies. It is winter again today with highs reaching only into the low 40s with a cold rain

 

 

 

 

After that, I drove to Restavracija 1906 where I met with Chef Uroš Štefelin. He prepared for me his take on traditional Slovenian veal liver, which was served in glass and layered with polenta, potato spuma, black truffles and brin cheese crisps. It was delicious. Then he presented the traditional Tepka pear, which a dried heirloom pear that had been reconstituted and dipped in chocolate ganache. We exchanged White Earth Nation wild rice and Tepka Schnapps. 

Next we drove high into the lower Julian Alps. I have been driving a brand new little red Fiat 500, which proved remarkably up to the task given condition of the roads once we lost pavement and replaced it with ice, snow and ruts. We stopped in Radovna at Gostilna Psnak where I toured the farm and dined on blood sausage with sauerkraut and quark krape. Krape are made form buckwheat sometimes mixed with ground Tepka pear flour. These were 100 percent buckwheat and stuffed with the farm's own quark.

 

 

Everything there is product of the farm, and it is all organically raised. They have an aviary, the doors of which are painted with the family history of the farm, which was purchased by the father of Mr. Psnak, whom we met later. He is now 84 years old and no longer working the farm, but Mr. Psnak has been working it six days a week every week for the last 20 years from 2 a.m. until 8 p.m. The farm has been a working farm for over 400 years. They also have what is called a black kitchen, which is essentially a smokehouse that has been blackened by the smoke and where we saw hams hanging as they were being cured and smoked. Again, we left them with some White Earth wild rice.

More later. -- Lenny Russo





 

 

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