Babek Tandem 0.96 lbs.

The Pirin mountains in southwestern Bulgaria have their own spice tradition — one built around the herbal, slightly sweet warmth of caraway, known locally as “forest cumin.” Babek carries that tradition into a dry-cured salami that earned the Gold Medal at Meatmania 2014, Bulgaria’s premier meat industry competition. It is the only award-winning product in the Tandem range, and the taste of the Pirin explains why.

About Babek

Babek is a traditional dry-cured pork and beef salami from the Pirin region of southwestern Bulgaria, made by Tandem in the USA in the authentic Bulgarian style. The meat is finely minced and chilled before blending, then seasoned with red pepper, black pepper, and “forest cumin” — the Pirin name for caraway (Carum carvi), a wild-harvested seed with a herbal, slightly anise-adjacent character that is more complex and aromatic than standard ground cumin. This Pirin spice signature, combined with the two peppers, gives Babek a warm, layered flavor that is distinct from the cumin-forward lukankas or the chubritsa-forward Petrohan.

The salami is prepared in a cylindrical natural casing and air-dried following the traditional Pirin recipe. At ~0.9 lbs, it is a generous serving size suited to a meze table or a week of household use. Ingredients are pork, beef, salt, natural spices, dextrose, sugar, potassium nitrate, sodium ascorbate, and starter culture.

Gold Medal — Meatmania 2014

Meatmania is Bulgaria’s national meat industry competition, where producers submit their finest products for blind evaluation by industry professionals. Babek by Tandem won the Gold Medal in 2014 — a recognition that places it among the highest-rated dry-cured products in Bulgarian charcuterie. It is the only Tandem product at Malincho to carry an official competition award, making it the natural choice when a customer wants Tandem’s absolute best.

Forest Cumin — The Pirin Spice

“Forest cumin” is the Pirin mountain name for caraway (Carum carvi) — a seed from a wild-growing plant of the parsley family that thrives in the highland meadows and forest edges of southwestern Bulgaria. Its flavor is warmer and more herbal than standard cumin, with a gentle sweetness and a slight anise note that softens rather than intensifies the heat of the peppers it accompanies. The Pirin regional spice tradition has always distinguished between standard cumin (kimion) and this local caraway — it is a small distinction that produces a noticeably different, more rounded flavor in the finished salami.

How to Enjoy It

Slice thin into rounds and serve at room temperature — allow 10 minutes from the refrigerator to let the caraway and pepper aromas fully open. Babek is excellent on a meze board alongside Bulgarian white cheese, roasted peppers, and crusty bread. The rounded spice profile makes it particularly versatile with cheese: it pairs well with both the mild creaminess of cow sirene and the sharper tang of kashkaval. Its award-winning quality also makes it the natural centerpiece of any Tandem tasting board.

What Makes It Special

Babek is the only Tandem dry-cured SKU to have won a competition award, the only one following the Pirin/Bansko mountain spice tradition, and the only one using forest cumin (caraway) as its signature spice. These three facts together make it stand out even within a range that already includes five distinct lukankas, two sujuks, pastarma, and Trakia. For the customer who wants to know which Tandem product a professional judge called the best — the answer is Babek.

Quick Facts

✓  Brand: Tandem
✓  Award: Gold Medal — Meatmania 2014 (Bulgarian national meat industry competition)
✓  Origin tradition: Pirin region, southwestern Bulgaria (Bansko area)
✓  Type: Dry-cured salami — cylindrical, air-dried
✓  Meat: Pork + beef
✓  Signature spice: Forest cumin (caraway — горски кимион), red pepper, black pepper
✓  Ingredients: Pork, beef, salt, natural spices, dextrose, sugar, potassium nitrate, sodium ascorbate, starter culture
✓  Ready to eat: Yes — slice thin and serve cold
✓  Storage: Keep refrigerated
✓  Net Weight: ~0.96 lbs (~435g), sold by lbs
✓  Country of Manufacture: United States (authentic Bulgarian Pirin tradition)
✓  SKU: TM38

Bulgarian Meze Serving Tip

Babek deserves its moment at the center of the board. Slice it into generous thin rounds — its cylindrical shape produces clean circles that present beautifully — and arrange them as the anchor alongside BULGAREVO Cow Sirene (SKU: C01bul) and a few slices of Petrohan (SKU: TM37). The forest cumin warmth of Babek and the smoky chubritsa of Petrohan are a natural pairing from neighboring mountain traditions, and the mild creamy sirene between them provides the perfect contrast. Pour a glass of dry red wine or Rakia and serve everything at room temperature.

Complete the Tandem meze board: Petrohan (SKU: TM37), Smyadovska Lukanka (SKU: TM361), Pastarma with Paprika (SKU: TM35), and BULGAREVO Cow Sirene (SKU: C01bul) — all at Malincho.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is “forest cumin” and how does it differ from regular cumin?

“Forest cumin” (gorski kimion in Bulgarian) is the Pirin mountain name for caraway (Carum carvi), a wild plant from the parsley family that grows in highland meadows and forest edges of southwestern Bulgaria. It is distinct from standard cumin (kimion — Cuminum cyminum): caraway has a more herbal, slightly sweet flavor with a gentle anise note, while cumin is earthier and more bitter. In Babek, the forest cumin softens the heat of the red and black pepper rather than amplifying it, producing a more rounded, aromatic profile than a straight pepper-and-cumin combination would yield.

What is Meatmania and what does the Gold Medal mean?

Meatmania is Bulgaria’s national meat industry competition, where producers submit their products for evaluation by professional industry judges. The Gold Medal awarded to Babek in 2014 represents recognition by Bulgarian meat industry professionals — the people who taste, produce, and evaluate Bulgarian charcuterie for a living — as one of the top-quality dry-cured products in the country. Babek is the only Tandem product at Malincho to carry a competition award.

How is Babek different from the lukankas and Petrohan in the Tandem range?

Babek is cylindrical like Petrohan (TM37), but unsmoked and from a completely different regional tradition — the Pirin mountains rather than the Petrohan pass. Its spice lead is forest cumin (caraway), which is not found in any other Tandem SKU; Petrohan’s lead is chubritsa (summer savory). The lukankas (TM36, TM361, TM362) are all pressed flat — Babek stays round. Its overall flavor is warmer and more herbal than the cumin-and-pepper directness of the lukankas, and more subtle than the assertive smokiness of Petrohan.

Is Babek ready to eat, or does it need cooking?

Babek is fully cured and ready to eat with no cooking required. Slice it cold, allow it to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes, and serve. Like all Tandem dry-cured meats, it can also be pan-fried briefly — thin rounds crisped in a dry pan will caramelize the edges and intensify the caraway and pepper aromas — but cold slicing is the traditional and recommended preparation.

How should I store and slice Babek?

Keep refrigerated at all times. Remove from the refrigerator 10–15 minutes before serving to allow the fat to soften and the aromatics to develop. Slice into thin rounds with a sharp knife — its cylindrical shape makes consistent, even circles easy to achieve. After opening, wrap the cut end in parchment or wax paper and refrigerate; consume within 7–10 days for peak quality.