Last year, when it transpired that Vesna Čarman, a doyenne of slow cooking, was going to hand down the inn to her children, Nina and Gašper Čarman, many people were worried that the eating establishment would never be the same again and that the two would not remain true to the philosophy set forth by Vesna’s parents, Danilo and Marija, in 1961.

However, Nina and Gašper have embraced their (grand)parents’ philosophy of adding a modern twist to traditional local dishes. Moreover, Nina has not yet fully retired from the kitchen. She still loves to drop by to give the cooks a hand, and her tips and advice are invaluable.

The inn also has a new chef and new staff. Boris Bergant, the former sous-chef, is now in charge of the kitchen.

One of the most popular items on their menu is a local dish called loška medla (larded hot pot made from millet porridge or flour). At Danilo, it is usually packed into a spoon dumpling and served in leek soup.

Another popular dish is pištokija (mashed potatos with radicchio and bacon), a side dish served with meat. Ješprota (pot barley) is also a popular daily special. In the past, rice was hard to come by, but pot barley was a staple food around these parts. Another typical item on the menu is loška mešta (a mixture of potatoes and porridge). What once used to be poor people’s fare is now a gourmet item – not least because Danilo’s version has a creamier texture and is laced with black truffles.