KUNSTELJ 20 SEP. 2019 MMXIX Special edition Price: 1 smile www.kunstelj.si Celebrating Five Years of 'Young' Kunstelj It has been five years since my father handed the running of Kunstelj Inn over to me. He said that the time had come for the young generation to take over the reins. Maja has been running Kunstelj Inn since 2014 s the representative of the fourth generation This is why we constantly strive to ensure that we of our family, I was fully aware of how big the offer the highest quality services and that Kunstelj Inn shoes were that I was stepping into. preserves its good name and reputation as a traditional AI grew up listening to the stories of people who in inn with the best home-cooked food. the past carved out the fate of our family homestead. I heard stories about Rudolf and Jerica and from up close I watched my grandfather Tone and grandmother Sincere thanks for your loyalty and long may it Maria at work. continue in the future. See you at Kunstelj Inn! " For me, Kunstelj Inn is far more than just a business. It is my home, my learning ground, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, dear and my mission. " guests. Thank you for visiting us and for appreciating our efforts. With the help of my family I am able to carry out Your satisfaction and wellbeing remain, as ever, of the my role as manager of Kunstelj Inn with pride and utmost importance. diligence. I admit that it isn't always easy, since today's times are full of a very wide variety of challenges. Maja Buden, manager of Kunstelj Inn Kunstelj Inn is a place of tradition, homeliness and countless stories. Find out about some of the highlights of our past and discover stories of the people who have left their mark on the inn. The blame is on Rudolf!!! Franc Kunstelj opened Kunstelj Inn in 1873 and some years later handed it over to his son Rudolf. mbitious Rudolf had big dreams and a vision. most popular local restaurants in Slovenia. He believed that the small family Several theatre performances, concerts and inn could become the heart and events took place in Kunstelj Inn and it Asoul of social life in Radovljica and became the focal point for socialising therefore rolled up his sleeves and for people from all walks of life. bravely set about work. Nowadays, the tradition of Rudolf built a large lounge with a socialising continues at Kunstelj stage for celebrations, a wine cellar, Inn. It is always nice to see the a freezer and a veranda with views satisfied faces of various groups of of the Julian Alps. The renovations people, who enjoy their time in a placed Kunstelj Inn on the map of the relaxed and friendly atmosphere. The Rudolf Kunstelj Inn in 1906 Source: 110 let of the Radovljica Tourist Association 'Tenth Brother' play - Kunstelj Inn, 1906Source: dLib (legacy of Jacob Gorenjec Newspaper, 22.06.1906 Spitzar) Op: The play was directed by Jakob Spitzar Oh, she is fearless! »Oh, she is fearless!« said the people who were familiar with our grandmother Jerica. he always knew exactly what she wanted and was not afraid to tell people to their Sface what was on her mind! She survived two wars, became a widow at a very young age, raised two sons, took over Kunstelj Inn and managed it all by herself. It was important to Jerica that the inn always offered quality food throughout the year. During winter Kunstelj Inn had the traditional pig slaughter and Jerica always called the best butcher to Jerica was the queen of Kunstelj Inn’s kitchen (seen in the picture below cutting meat). Jerica managed Kunstelj from1926 to 1947 ask him to use the fresh meat to make the best black pudding, Jerica’s winter menu offered dumplings, and a special kind bratwurst, sausages and salami. blood sausages, bratwurst of stew, called matevž, made of She insisted that all the meat and Carniolan sausage with mashed potatoes and beans. All was of the highest quality and sauerkraut or turnip, buckwheat these dishes are still on Kunstelj's professionally prepared. polenta with milk, homemade menu. Beer then and now In the 1930s was managed by grandad Tone (Anton Štiherle). e was very well respected transported it throughout the the business afloat. He suceeded and known throughout Gorenjska region. At first he did right up until 1943 until he was the whole of Yugoslavia so by horse and cart; his beer cart mobilised into the German army Has well as further afield. He always attracted a lot of attention and was deported to Russia. No was known for his exceptional as it was pulled by two beautiful one knew whether he would ever business acumen and for quickly white Lipizanner horses – Pluto return. recognising and taking advantages and Belka. Fate was on his side and after a of the right opportunities. One number of years Tone returned such opportunity was definitely Tone transported beer in home. But what did he find at beer! Tone was the first to acquire wooden crates between straw. home? There were just three an agency for Laško beer and he Later he upgraded his cart to a forks in the drawer! The whole lorry. Business boomed; he was of Kunstelj Inn's inventory had exceptionally successful, respected disappeared into the unknown, all and valued. Soon, however, that remained was his lorry and everything changed. strong will. He set himself the task The war began and at that time it of bringing the inn back to life, wasn't possible to get petrol for and he did just that. Through hard the lorry. But Tone didn't give work and with the help of his wife up and he once again proved his Marija and locals, Kunstelj Inn was ingenuity. He adapted his lorry so once again back to its former glory. The pride of Kunstelj Inn: the beer that it could run on wood gas and And cheers were raised again with cart pulled by Lipizanner horses battled on a daily basis to keep full jugs of cold beer! Why rich Swiss men poured water over themselves in the middle of Kunstelj’s courtyard When resourceful Jerica took over the Kunstelj Inn, it soon became renowned as one of the best traditional restaurants in Gorenjska. isitors came from all over Ljubljana since all their rooms themselves to have a wash, loud to savour the homemade were fully booked. But, oh dear, hysterical laughter could be delights and to sit late into the whole of Kunstelj’s house was heard: Vthe night enjoying dinner on the also full! terrace. They were so charmed All that Grandfather Tone could »Ma che bello! Bellissimo!« by the idyllic environment that offer them was the modest house many of them wanted to stay even in the middle of the courtyard. They stayed at Kunstelj Inn for longer. In the small house there was only the whole week and then returned one light bulb, and there wasn’t every year! Jerica then had an idea. ”The a bathroom or toilet. It was the nights are warm, the straw is soft, quarters of Kunstelj’s employees the odd extra dinar coming into who just had a wash in the the house can’t harm”, she thought courtyard. to herself and offered guests her own home whilst she and At first the hunters just looked her entire family moved to the at each other strangely, then, hayloft! to their great surprise, all the employees residing in the small One day two rich Swiss hunters, house greeted them. And soon who had decided to spend their it turned out that they found holidays in Slovenia, arrived at endless enjoyment in their simple Kunstelj Inn. They were directed holiday residence! Every morning to the inn from Hotel Slon in when they poured water over The house where Kunstelj’s employees lived Sometimes Tone also joined the Swiss hunters - Tone managed Kunstelj Grandfather Tone recalls how the entire family from 1947 to 1970 slept in the hayloft in summer Slavko Avsenik and our grandfather met Maria on Roblek … Before there were mobile phones and Facebook, the young people of Radovljica met and socialised at festivals and often also in the mountains. Our grandmother Maria (second from the left) doing laundry at the Roblek hut ur grandfather Tone, and the Slavko Avsenik band unwavering, Maria was also an together with Slavko played at their wedding. expert in the preparation of Avsenik, used to go to the dumplings, bread and cakes. It ORoblek mountain, as rumour had Due to her great diligence, is thanks to her that Kunstelj Inn it that there were a lot of pretty culinary skills and entrepreneurial became famous far and wide for young girls there. spirit, Maria soon became the its home-made food. Her recipes At that time our grandmother first lady at Kunstelj Inn. It soon are still used today to continue Maria was working in the became clear who had the last the exceptional culinary tradition Roblek mountain hut. She left word in the house. and honour her memory. home at the age of 14, and was ohranjamo v lepem spominu. earning her living at the Roblek Her special passion was ice- hut. She was a hardworking, cream. She convinced our young and beautiful girl and grandfather to buy an ice-cream when she met our grandfather machine, while she perfected a they immediately liked each mixture of fresh, local fruit.