Gregor, the Chef!

Gregor Johann Mendel is known, all around the globe, for his experiments on the pea plant (Pisum sativum). Genetics and peas - are the two main things that immediately come to your mind. However, pea is not only a suitable plant for experiments, but its fruits are a delicious ingredient in cuisines worldwide. And in several forms - fresh peas from the pod, pickled, roasted, in the form of a paste, porridge, soup... Together with other legumes, it is one of the superfoods, that could help solve the world crisis and hunger in the future. This topic was also the main motto of the last World Exhibition EXPO Dubai 2020, where Mendel was presented by our museum.

The saying "different region, different manners" can also be reflected in gastronomy. Different regions have different customs and use of local resources. This does not apply only to the Czech Republic but can be observed globally. In Moravia, we know pučálka, there are edamame soybeans in Japan, and pea paste is an integral part of British fish 'n' chips. Legumes are popular, tasty, and nutritious.

Mendel connects both, the scientific world and gastronomy. Let's create Mendel's International Pea Cookbook together! Share the recipes from your region, your homeland, with us.

Let's connect the World through flavors!

How to do it? When visiting the museum, you can fill out a leaflet at the reception. Flyers will be available during the Mendel Festival, the International Genetics Conference, in restaurants and cafes around Brno. You can send the recipe through the form on the museum´s webpage, or by contacting us on Instagram (@topea_ornottopea).

We will ask for: the name of the recipe, country of origin, your name, ingredients, and instructions. if you have a photo, please include this as well.

For whom the project is intended:

For everyone! We are interested in your cuisines, which pea meals you like if you have memories linked to the pea meals, and what do you cook with peas. Have you come across an interesting dish on vacation? What is a typical pea meal for your region?

Schedule:

• 19. 7. 2022 announcement of the project and subsequent collection of recipes
• We will continuously publish the recipes on this website, the museum's Facebook profile, Instagram profile
• Voting pool will be opened in the spring 2023, and the most popular recipes will be cooked at the Old Town Abbey premises.

This project is created with the financial support of the statutory City of Brno, to which we hereby thank and look forward to recipes from the municipality :-)

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