Czech cuisine

Czech cuisine includes a variety of staples, dishes, beverages, and snacks which are typical of the broader Central European region. Many dishes are heavily influenced by historical shifts in the availability of various ingredients, particularly during the communist era of Czechoslovakia. Due to Czechia's central location in Europe, recipes were exchanged by ethnic minorities, new settlers, in border towns, leading to a cuisine with amorphous borders and regional dishes spreading beyond Czech lands. Recipes also served as cultural capital, playing a role in the building of communities and of relationships between these communities.

The body of Czech meals typically consists of at least two courses; the first course traditionally being soup, and the second course being the main dish. Third courses often consisted of a sweet dessert or compote (kompot) on more festive occasions.

In Czech cuisine, thick soups are accompanied by stewed vegetables and meats in gravies and cream sauces. Czech cuisine has a reputation for having sweeter main courses than dishes in surrounding countries. Meals are often accompanied by alcoholic drinks such as beer or wine.

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