Krofi Time!
17.2.2017 | Fiona Thompson
With Pust knocking on the door, we thought it was a great time to investigate the seasonal sweet treat that is ‘krofi’.
Pust is the Slovenian name for Carnival, a celebration that takes place across much of Europe in the latter part of February. It’s the time when winter is driven out and spring is welcomed in. Several Slovenian towns hold big parties to celebrate Pust, the best-known parties take place in Cerknica and Ptuj.
Every special festival has its own special food and Pust is no exception. Among several traditional foods enjoyed at this time are krofi – a doughnut filled with (usually) apricot jam. Just as pancakes are eaten in the UK on the eve of Lent when traditionally fasting would start, krofi are eaten as a last blow-out before six weeks of abstaining from naughty, fatty foods – as well as being a way to use up those ingredients that can’t be consumed during Lent.
Now, it’s true that nowadays krofi can be bought year-round but they never taste better than during Carnival. Krofi can be bought everywhere at this time of year – from bakeries, supermarkets and from special stands in the street and at Pust fairs – but the ones that are most talked about are krofi from the town of Trojane. Every year the famous bakery and restaurant at Trojane makes around 100,000 krofi at Pust, and in the half-century that the business has been in operation, they’ve made close to a staggering 100 million krofi!
