Chushkopek

With characteristic self-depreciating humour, the chushkopek is touted as being Bulgaria’s proudest invention. It’s a device for roasting peppers. If you cut a howitzer shell in half, the bottom half would look like a chushkopek and it weighs about the same, thick metal with a well in the centre that’s wide enough for a single pepper. You might get a handful of chilis in there or a narrow aubergine, but peppers are its primary concern. When you start using it, you realise why it’s so industrial looking – if was built from anything less than military grade armour, it would melt.