Smilyan Bean Salad

Smilyan bean salad is another culinary delicacy originating from the Rhodopes. Most of us have heard of the famous Smilyan beans. Many of us have tasted them during visits to traditional Rhodope taverns. The recipe for Smilyan bean salad is simple, and anyone can prepare it, but the truth is that the secret lies in the quality of the Smilyan beans. They are grown along the upper course of the Arda River in the villages of Mogilitsa, Arda, and the emblematic Smilyan. They have become so popular that an annual bean festival is held, where a king and queen of beans are chosen.