Štramberk ears () is a Czech

confectionery Confectionery is the Art (skill), art of making confections, or sweet foods. Confections are items that are rich in sugar and carbohydrates, although exact definitions are difficult. In general, however, confections are divided into two bro ...

product made of cone-shaped

gingerbread Gingerbread refers to a broad category of baked goods, typically flavored with ginger root, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon and sweetened with honey, sugar, or molasses. Gingerbread foods vary, ranging from a moist loaf cake to forms nearly ...

dough traditionally baked in the

Štramberk Štramberk (; ) is a town in Nový Jičín District in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 3,500 inhabitants. It is known for the production of Štramberk ears. The historic centre of Štramberk is well preserved and ...

and the surrounding area of

Moravia Moravia ( ; ) is a historical region in the eastern Czech Republic, roughly encompassing its territory within the Danube River's drainage basin. It is one of three historical Czech lands, with Bohemia and Czech Silesia. The medieval and early ...

Protected designation of origin

This product could be officially made and sold only at the town area since 2000. In 2006, there were six certified producers. In 2007 this sweet became a protected designation of origin in EU as first in the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...

. The product is made in Štramberk for 800 years.

Legend of the origin

According to local legend, in the 13th century, during the Tatar invasion, the inhabitants from the whole area found refuge on Kotouč Mountain, where the Tatars attacked them several times. During the last attack, a storm broke out and flooded the pond above the Tatars' lair, which the local inhabitants took advantage of by digging a dam in the pond and thus flushing out the Tatars.

References

{{reflist

External links

History of the sweet at the town website
(in Czech) Czech cuisine Moravia