Croatia In Your Pocket - Summer / Autumn 2022

Cities

Experience

Inspire

Heritage

Visual Inspiration

Culture Tips

Croatia Summer / Autumn 2022

Flavours of Croatia 80 80 pages pages of of IYP IYP ideas ideas for for good good holiday holiday eating eating

ON THE COVER

Publisher Plava Ponistra d.o.o., Zagreb ISSN 1333-2732 Company Office & Accounts Croatia In Your Pocket, Paška 37 Zagreb, Croatia www.inyourpocket.com Accounting Management Mi-ni d.o.o.

Editorial Editor Višnja Arambašić Contributors Nataly Anderson-Marinović, Ivana Kovačić, Jonathan Bousfield, Lee Murphy, John William Bills Assistant Editor Kristina Štimac, Maja Vidović Sales Kristijan Vukičević, Kristina Štimac, Višnja Arambašić zagreb@inyourpocket.com Design Moontage, Ivana Mihoković Photography Zagreb In Your Pocket team unless otherwise stated Cover Katja Živković If you have any comments or questions feel free to contact us: zagreb@inyourpocket.com

Photo: Katja Živković

Follow our posts on www.facebook.com/ZagrebInYourPocket

2

Croatia In Your Pocket

Copyright notice Text, maps and photos copyright Plava ponistra d.o.o. Maps copyright cartographer. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, without written permission from the publisher and copyright owner. The brand name In Your Pocket is used under license from UAB In Your Pocket (Bernardinu 9-4, Vilnius, Lithuania tel. (+370-5) 212 29 76). Zagreb (Croatia) In Your Pocket is not responsible for any information which might change after publication.

Please check with the event organisers if in doubt.

Follow us on www.instagram.com/croatiainyourpocketart

Discover our latest www.pinterest.com/croatiaiyp

croatia.inyourpocket.com

Let’s Have Coffee Culinary Road Trip: Lamb

4

6

Dishes & Destinations 10 Authentic Culinary Food Experiences

8 12

Top Tables

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Summer / Autumn 2022

143

Photo by Stanko Ferić

Dishes & Destinations Croatian cuisine is definitely a game of two halves, with the Adriatic coast very much focused in the magic of the Mediterranean, and inland Croatia oriented towards the hearty fare of Central Europe.

Coastal Croatia Many of the communities of coastal Croatia have traditionally made a living from the sea, and it comes as no surprise that fish, shellfish, scampi and squid play such an important part in the diet.

Fresh white fish (such as sea bass, sea bream and John Dory), lobster and shellfish are considered the kings of the table; so-called plava riba or ‘blue fish’ like anchovies and sardines feature in inexpensive home-cooked lunches. Fried squid and so-called “black risotto” (crni rižot; made with the squid’s natural ink) are typical staples. Some Adriatic islands (notably Pag and Brač) are traditional sheep-rearing areas, and roast-lamb is a major feature of the roadside-restaurant scene.

Inland Croatia If coastal Croatia is mostly about seafood then inland Croatia is where you meet the meat. Pork is the most widespread, whether pan-fried as an odrezak or schnitzel, baked in the oven, or minced up (and mixed with beef ) to make beloved Balkan barbeque fare like ćevapčići and pljeskavice. A range of fowl also roam the farmyards: Purica s mlincima (turkey with torn strips of pasta) is the staple feast-day dish of the north. Paprika is the key ingredient of the southeast, adding spice to slow-cooked stews of meat or fish. Wherever you are there will be cakes: creamy vanilla slices called kremšnite are one particular speciality.

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Summer / Autumn 2022

5

Let’s Have Coffee Coffee! A cup of coffee to start your day with, a cup of coffee to complement a dessert after lunch, a cup of coffee to follow the afternoon rest, or a cup of coffee to serve to your guests who popped for a short visit!

It is never a bad time for a cup of coffee, especially if you are Croatian.

Take, for example, Marko. Even though he is retired, Marko still gets up at dawn, puts on a brass kettle to make Turkish coffee, shaves, sips his coffee while flipping through the daily newspapers, and only then goes outside. Coffee is still the perfect little gift when we pay someone a visit, it tells them they are appreciated as colleagues, friends, or companions.

But to understand the importance of coffee in the life of an average Croatian, you must drink coffee outside on the terrace of one of many cafes while the sun caresses your cheeks. Of course, your head must be adorned with the inevitable sunglasses.

On an initial visit to Split, Dubrovnik, Zadar, Rovinj or Zagreb, it is likely that one could be confused by seeing so many idle people sitting in cafes on weekdays while drinking espresso, macchiato, cappuccino, Vienna coffee, long black or latte. A first-time visitor will certainly wonder why all these beautiful people are not in their offices instead!?

However, many tourists do not know that when the weather is pleasant, it is an ideal time to initiate business conversations and to make business deals at coffee shops.

‘Let’s have coffee!’ ‘Would you like to have a cup of coffee!?’ ‘See you for coffee!’ These are all mermaid calls with a deeper meaning. An invitation for coffee often implies a business meeting that could end up with an agreement which does not necessarily need notarization. Coffee also seems to be the first important step in winning a partner’s heart. Coffee in Croatia always provides space for discussing football topics, details of last night’s outing, politics, or just plain gossip.

This is the reason why you go to a café as well-groomed as possible, and that’s why coffee drinking takes so long. Coffee time is of prime importance in this country.

When locals invite you for coffee, it not only means that you are accepted by the community, but that you are also upgraded to the status of a friend. At the same time, it is perfectly fine to enjoy coffee on the terrace by yourself, while the sun caresses the frame of your sunglasses, and your thoughts fly lazily into the distance. Sun, sea, coffee...

It’s pure Zen! You just have to relax, stop watching the time, and embrace life instead. If you want to make the coffee ceremony perfect, turn off your cell phone so no one bothers you, and just enjoy this time of blissful relaxation.

Photo by Stanko Ferić

8 Croatia In Your Pocket Simon Booth, Shutterstock

croatia.inyourpocket.com

Culinary Road Trip: Lamb If there is one thing that characterizes the roadside restaurant in Croatia, it is roast lamb. Many are the occasions when you will see a skewered beast slowly revolving over an open fire, set out in the car park of a dining establishment beside the highway.

Croatian drivers know which routes yield the tastiest meals: there’s a tradition of lamb-roasting inland from the major Dalmatian cities, and also along much-travelled roads such as the old road between Zagreb and the coast.

ments with country-wide reputations.

There are also certain Adriatic islands where sheep-rearing, rather than fishing, is central to local agriculture. These include Cres, Brač, Pag, and to a lesser extent Krk and Lošinj. Indeed it is on the Adriatic islands that livestock get to graze on a specific diet of grasses and aromatic herbs, their leaves covered in salty deposits from the sea breeze.

Large parts of Pag are covered in sage, which gives a distinctive flavour to the lamb that is reared here.

Oddly, lamb is a speciality of the road, rather than the city, and for generations of Croats the chance of tucking in to a succulent hunk of sheep has been a central, almost ritualistic, part of a long cross-country journey. In a way the construction of new motorways has taken the fun out of these long-distance trips. Motorway service stations do not, as a rule, offer spit-roast meats alongside their other neatly packaged refreshments. Sticking to the old roads is very often the best way to find the best food.

Sheep-rearing islands also produce some fabulous cheeses - it is no surprise that many of Croatia’s most celebrated, prize-winning cheeses come from the sage-munching sheep of Pag.

Roast lamb is not available everywhere however and location is still important.

Sheep are not common to the whole of Croatia, and there are specific places where they are an integral part of local cuisine. The prime areas where the animals are grazed are the plateaus just inland from the Adriatic sea. Key areas for spotting spit-roasting restaurants include the roads leading inland from Zadar, and that leads from Šibenik towards Trogir, passing through Donje polje, Vrpolje, and Boraja on the way. There are also plenty of establishments spread along the old road from central Croatia to the coast, which passes the Plitvice Lakes and crosses the Lika plateau before traversing inland Dalmatia.

The road from Split to Dugopolje used to be lined with spit-roast restaurants, but the construction of a new, faster highway dealt a blow to their traditional road-side trade. The fortress town of Klis, nevertheless, still boasts a couple of lamb-roasting establish-

While the sheep economy still survives on islands like Pag and Cres, it has been eroded elsewhere by the appeal of other industries. The Kornati islands, nowadays celebrated for their stark bare beauty, were once the place where the farmers of Murter kept their sheep, building the dry-stone walls and isolated shepherds’ huts that still define the islands’ distinctive landscape. With an increasing number of Murter folk turning their attention to olive-growing, fishing or the tourist industry, however, they ceased to prioritise their flocks; a lot of the sheep on the Kornati today are effectively wild. Some families are returning to sheep-rearing, although the number of woolly beasts roaming the islands is nothing compared to what it was 20 or 30 years ago.

When it comes to lamb-based cuisine, it is the spit-roasting that has become predominant. Young lambs are placed on a spit to slowly revolve over an open fire; each carcass takes about one and a half hours roast. Salt is usually all that is added.

Traditionally the lamb is tastiest when the beast is young; which means that the best lamb from Brač, Pag and Cres is ready for eating in late winter to early spring. Connoisseurs will also tell you that the lamb is at its most suc-

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

culent just as the carcass is taken own from the spit; although whether you arrive at the restaurant at the right time to enjoy this is a largely matter of luck.

Roast lamb is usually sold by weight (a single portion is anywhere from 0.3 to 0.5 of a kilo), and you will be served a selection of lean, fatty and on-thebone cuts. Diners accustomed to eating lamb in neat slices might be disappointed; but this is the way that Croats like it, with plenty of succulent fat and crunchy crackling, and to be fair, their way of doing things is probably tastier than yours. You will also be given a knife and fork, although you’ll probably end up using your fingers - scented towels may well be provided at the end of your meal. A side order of spring onion is considered essential.

Although spit-roast lamb occupies a significant space in the Croatian pyche, it is far from being the only lamb dish in the repertoire. Lamb chops can be grilled or fried; roast knuckle of lamb is a rare treat in some Dalmatian restaurants. Lamb goulash provides the ideal accompaniment to the hand-rolled pastas common to Krk, the Kvarner and Istria.

One of the best-known (if not always widely available) specialities on the island of Brač is Vitalac, in which bits of lamb heart, liver, lungs and other squelchy body parts are wrapped in intestines and then put on the stove for a good roasting. Vitalac was often eaten as a starter while diners waited for the rest of the lamb to be taken down from the skewer. The enduring presence of vitalac in a handful of Brač konobe reminds us that in traditional island societies there is no point in slaughtering an animal unless you were going to eat or use all of it, innards included. Lamb intestines are also used to wrap pršut and bacon to form, a traditional dish from the town of Skradin just inland from Šibenik. And if you are really serious about discovering everything that Croatian lamb has to offer, there is no better place to end your journey than in its entrails.

Summer / Autumn 2022

9

12 Flavours & 12 Restaurants to Try Lamb Lamb is an institution. If you want to try lamb on the spit, under a bell, lamb chops, knuckles, rolls, lamb burgers, traditional vitalac these are some of the places where you can eat with your fingers.

NK Hrašće, Hraščanska ul. 84, Hrašće Turopoljsko Not far from Zagreb, this restaurant is where you come for lamb, or young lamb from the island of Pag and from the Zadar hinterland. www.restoran-hrasce.hr

Mali raj, Zdihovo 10, Severin na Kupi This inn in Gorski Kotar is located along the main ZagrebRijeka road. Preparation of grilled lamb is a long tradition in Zdihovo. www.maliraj-zdihovo.hr/pocetna

Trnjanka, Trnjanska cesta 31, Zagreb Here you can find lamb from the surrounds of the Dalmatian hinterland and they offer it in several ways: on a skewer, on a spit, under a bell, and they also prepare it on the grill. www.restoran-trnjanka.hr/o-nama.aspx

Konoba Stric Luka, Senjska Draga 28, Senj If you decide to go down to the sea along the old Adriatic highway, this is a recommended stop for you to try the lamb. Read more about trips on the Adriatic Highway on our website XXX[LM1] www.facebook.com/pages/Stric-Luka-Jebalicasenjska-Draga/145610342275311

Restoran Žganjer, Ozalj, Jaškovo 51 This distillery should be visited for several reasons. First their lamb, second the town of Ozalj is there, and besides the lamb there is the Katarina Zrinska cake and their famous strudels. But certainly lamb is number 1! www.restoran-zganjer.hr

10

Croatia In Your Pocket

Bukaleta, Loznati, Island Cres Cres lamb is highly valued. The restaurant’s speciality is breaded lamb in a bukalet (earthen jug), and additional delicacies on the menu are various offal, tripe and liver with cottage cheese with lots of sheep and goat cheeses. www.facebook.com/pages/Loznati-Bukaleta/114911639227282

croatia.inyourpocket.com

Tamaris, Zagrebačka ulica 5, Zadar The best grilled lamb can be found here. www.tamaris-zadar.com.hr Vinko, Uz cestu 57, Konjevrate In addition to roasting, they offer Venetian lamb liver and lamb tripe or fillet. Although the tavern is best known today for its roast suckling pig, it is excellent for lamb offal and tripe. Definitely a place to turn off the road if you want to enjoy a slightly different lamb. www.facebook.com/konobavinko Vicko, D58 42, Šibenik In addition to grilled lamb, you can also eat roast lamb here. www.superba.hr/hr/naslovna/restoran-vicko

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Perlica, Klis, Trg Grlo 1, Klis Restaurant Perlica is close to Klis Fortress, and their lamb is special because it grazes the surrounding hills full of fragrant medicinal herbs and the influence of beneficial sea currents. The house speciality is grilled lamb. www.restoran-perlica.hr/ Konoba Kopačina, Donji Humac 7, Island Brač Brač vitalac is served here. On page XX you can read more about vitalac. www.konoba-kopacina.com OPG Antunović, Kuna Pelješka, Pelješac The Antunović family farm is located in the small town of Kuna Pelješka on the Pelješac peninsula. This is a great place to feel the true spirit of the peninsula and enjoy the exceptional lamb with the calm of the day. www.opgantunovic.hr/hr

Summer / Autumn 2022

11

Photo by Supetar Tourist Board Archives

3

Photo by Supetar Tourist Board Archives

4

Photo by Ravni Kotari Tourist Board Archive

10 Authentic Culinary Food Experiences 1

Komiška or Viška pogača If you keep out a sharp eye you might come across a pogača hailing from the island of Vis, a flattish breadcake containing a mixture of salted anchovies and onion, plus tomato, capers and herbs depending on the version 2

Prisnac Prisnac is the nemesis of anyone trying to stick to a low-cholesterol diet. A voluptuous mix of soft cheese, eggs, cream and a little sugar is enveloped in a bread base to create a golden, gently sweetish cake. It has been prepared in the hinterland region around Benkovac for centuries.

Photo by Monika Vrgoč

3

Varenik An unusual ingredient called Varenik is thought to have been made on Brač for 2000 years – it was mentioned during Roman times. It’s made by boiling red wine down to a concentrate, which is then stored in bottles and added to all sorts of foods, sweet and savoury, to impart a unique and rich flavour. During the time of the Varenik festival, dishes are prepared showcasing the use of this ingredient, and the island’s restaurants have a range of specials on the menu.

4

Vitalac Vitalac is listed as an item of nonmaterial cultural heritage in Croatia. A skewer is threaded with small pieces of kidney, lung or what have you, salted

6

and wrapped in soft piece of muscle tissue, gently barbecued, then wrapped in a piece of intestine and roasted for a further hour until crispy on the outside.

For best results, the victim should be a little baby lamb not even weaned from its mother’s milk… sniff! The resulting sausage-shaped delicacy is removed from the skewer, salted, sliced and served warm. The administration of lashings of extra virgin olive oil makes the ingestion of this almost bearable for those who are not fans of offal.

5

Soparnik Soparnik is an old-fashioned Dalmatian dish dating back to the time before the Turks invaded the region. It is a simple dish made by filling two layers of fillo dough with swiss chard, onions, parsley, garlic and olive oil. Traditionally, it was prepared on round wooden plates over

Photo by Roca Restaurant Archives

7

Dobrinj Tourist Board Archives

i es

2

Photo by Matko Petrić

a stone hearth on days for fasting, such as Good Friday, Christmas Eve or the Feast of All Saints. Soparnik comes from the former “Peasants’ Republic,” Poljica, which existed in the late Middle Ages, near modern-day Omiš, and was prepared to treat guests and friends. Over the years, it has become a symbol of old Poljica. Once a meal for peasants, it is now a prestigious delicatessen and has been registered Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) recently.

6

Arambašići Aramabašići a speciality originating in Sinj, a little way inland. These are little soured cabbage parcels containing beef (and sometimes pork), cooked in a broth with smoked dried meats.

These, or their cousins sarma, are a must at every special occasion, as is a spit-roast lamb.

8

1

5

7

9

Peka You might get a turkey (tuka) roasted peka style, under an iron lid heaped with embers. Local turkeys are small and athletic, very different from the big white industrially-farmed birds.

Roasted like this with potatoes they’re succulent and delicious.

8

Šurlice Šurlice, a speciality from the island of Krk which you’ll find throughout the region. This is a type of pasta made by wrapping the dough around a knitting needle. Handmade pasta with a rich sauce is always a pleasure, and there are many different sauces to choose from, though we’d say goulash is probably a classic.

Photo by Ana Marija Bujić

Photo by Višnja Arambašić

9

10

Konavoska zelena menestra A selection of cured meats (pork, mutton, sausage) is cooked up with winter greens and potato. When finished, the meat is served on a plate and the smokily scented veg dished up with a little of the soupy liquid and lashings of olive oil.

This dish dates from the 16th century; for added historical effect substitute barley for potato. Fast forward to springtime when broad beans are ready for picking: try them cooked with smoked mutton, garlic, parsley and bacon fat.

10

Fiš paprikaš Fiš paprikaš is a cooked stew thats combines chillis, onions, various spices and a diverse range of freshly caught river fish.

Photo by Višnja Arambašić

Top Tables Boba Boba’s large contemporary-style dining room still has a homely feel, with cookery books crammed into a shelf in the corner and an open hearth on which food is prepared – delivering a blast of deliciously charcoal-scented grill-smoke to your nostrils as you await the fish or steak that you ordered earlier. There are good risotto and pasta choices too, and lamb or octopus dishes. Must reserve in advance.QButina 22, Murter, tel. (+385-22) 43 45 13, www.konobaboba.hr. Open 13:00 - 15:30; 18:30 - 23:00.

Closed Mon. Boškinac This eloquent family estate with a hotel, winery, and a Michelin Star owner restaurant on the island of Pag is the perfect getaway for a tranquil holiday. We kid you not, they pay attention to every detail. Elegant rooms, a succulent and exclusive menu with many fresh island ingredients. 4 and 8 courses menus available. Pricey but worthy!

The konoba (tavern) has excellent cheese, prosciutto and sardines (Open 15:00 - 23:00).QŠkopaljska ulica 220, 53291 Novalja, Pag, www.boskinac.com. Open 12:0015:00, 18:00-22:00.

Mali bar Understated fabulousness permeates this must-go spot carved into a city center alleyway staircase. The relaxed, happy clientele make the most impressive aspect of the decor with over thirty business casual making up the major hues. Stop in anytime for wine and fab tapas but with a tv-famous chef in the kitchen.QVlaška 63, Zagreb, www. facebook.com/MaliBarZagreb. Open 12:00-23:00; closed Sun. NAV One of Croatia’s finest chefs has opened the doors to his restaurant where traditional Croatian cuisine is fused with a strong eastern influence. Chef Tvtrko Šakota bases his 16 dishes tasting menu on the freshest of ingredients which keeps things imaginative. Its fine dining with the slow food style where one can really settle and indulge in the creative dishes amidst a great wine selection. QMasarykova 11, Zagreb, www.nav-restaurant.com/. Open 13:00-20:00; closed Mon, Sun. Pelegrini Occupying a renovated medieval building, just up the steps from Šibenik Cathedral, a Michelin Star owner Pelegrini offers a winning blend of bare-stone historical authenticity and contemporary design cool. They create personalised high-end gastronomic experiences, rich with flavours and aromas of gastronomic heritage. Dishes are made using local ingredients and fresh seafood, while sommeliers create daily wine selections to best fit the season and condition of each wine. Menu is 4 courses. Tasting menu is available upon request.QJurja Dalmatinca 1, Šibenik, tel. (+385-22) 21 37 01, www.pelegrini.hr.

Open 12:00-14:00;18:30-21:00; Mon, Tue 18:30-21:00; closed Sun. 14 Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

Zijavica Right beside the seafront and with a terrace out on the beach, this is another place that brings out the best in Kvarner cuisine – traditional food served with contemporary finesse, with priority given to what’s fresh and seasonal. It’s a great place to try local fish, scampi, seashells and homemade fuži pasta, and there’s usually something featuring traditional boškarin beef on the menu. QŠetalište 25, Mošćenička Draga, www.konoba-zijavica.com/.

Open 12:00-23:00; closed Wed. Zinfandel’s If you’re in search of somewhere special to eat out, then this restaurant, nestled inside Zagreb’s Esplanade Hotel should be near the top of your list. Such beautiful décor and remarkably quiet despite the hotel being adjacent to the city’s main train line. Here you can be assured of excellent food and staff all too willing to offer advice as to what to order. The restaurant also plays host to many conferences and wedding receptions over the year.QMihanovićeva 1 (Esplanade Zagreb Hotel), Zagreb, tel. (+385-1) 456 66 44, www.zinfandels.hr. Open 06:30-22:00.

Zoi It is said that you should let go of the past but restaurant Zoí definitely doesn’t. In fact, the Emperor’s dining room was once right next to the restaurant, giving this place a special historical feel. Zoí (Greek for “life”) offers a unique experience, embedding food from the ancient trade routes from Lebanon to Greece, Italy, France and the Balkans.

Cultures and music entwine with wine and delicacies that are fine, and the décor is all stone and modern elegance.

The terrace overlooking the sea is sublime with the vibe of the town just beneath you. That this is an unforgettable and sensual experience is now recognised by Michelin, who awarded Zoí two forks and spoons denoting comfort and quality. QObala hrvatskog narodnog preporoda 23, Split, tel. (+385-21) 63 74 91, www.zoi.hr.

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Summer / AutumnNav 2022 Archive 15

Hotel Esplanade Archive

The chef of the year 2022 according to the choice of the gastronomic guide Gault & Millau Croatia is Ana Grgić Tomić, chef of the restaurants Zinfandel’s and Le Bistro in the Zagreb hotel Esplanade.

16

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

Postcards from Zagreb 18

Zagreb Cuisine

Underground Treasure Hunt in Turopolje

22

Can’t Get Enough of...Štrukli That’s Offal!

26

Vinodol Archive

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

19

24

Top Croatian Craft Beers

Summer / Autumn 2022

17

Zagreb Cuisine Here in Zagreb, we’re at the crossroads of several culinary influences. For centuries, this was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, so it’s natural that the Germanic influence is strongest in cooking as in language (you’ll hear plenty of loan words in the local dialect). However, the paprika-infused cooking of Hungary is not far away, and as road networks improve, the travelling time to and from the coast is ever shorter. Zagreb is an increasingly diverse city, and the new flavours and fresh approaches to cooking have been adopted with enthusiasm by the locals.

But what is the real Zagreb, in culinary terms? Here are a few examples.

Probably the best-known dishes that truly represent Zagreb are purica s mlincima (turkey roast with sheets of baked pasta-like dough that soak up the tasty juices) and štrukli (pasta parcels of soft young cheese boiled and baked in the oven).

Then there’s zagrebački odrezak, fried breaded pork stuffed with ham and cheese that, though popular, probably doesn’t quite count as traditional food but is worth trying for the stunningly sized portions.

Something you might find on lunchtime menus is eingemachtes (often corrupted to ajngemachtes in Croatian, or named more correctly ujušak). This is an all-in-one meal usually made with chicken meat and offal cooked into a thick and tasty soup with root vegetables and dumplings. Then there’s špek fileki, a hearty stew of tripe cooked with smoked bacon (that’s the špek bit), another lunchtime favourite, especially with the menfolk.

Gwyneth Paltrow would probably raise an eyebrow or two if you served her with granadirmaš (or grant irmarš, grenadier): boiled potatoes and pasta mixed with onion and bacon cooked in pork dripping, often served with fried breaded meat. An equally carbohydrate-laden treat is ajnpren juha (or prežgana juha) – a roux of flour or oil and fat cooked with water with an egg added at the end. Not only was this nourishing food during tough economic times, but it is also still reputed to cure a dodgy tummy.

18

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

Underground Treasure Hunt in Turopolje Southeast of Zagreb, between the rivers of Sava and Kupa lies the fertile plain of Turopolje. This lowland marshy area is overgrown with dense forests that were once inhabited by the aurochs (Croatian ‘tur’), an extinct cattle species, which gave Turopolje its name. Dense oak forests have always provided locals with quality building material for the area’s traditional wooden architecture.

Driving past the wooden farmhouses and manors of Turopolje, we marvel at the enchanting wooden chapels, reminders of the times long gone by. Today there are eleven preserved wooden chapels left in this region, among which, the chapel of St. Barbara in Velika Mlaka, is the most stunning example. This wooden Baroque church, built completely from oak planks of Turopolje, testifies to this centuries’ long tradition of building in wood.

We ‘cruise’ further south to the city of Velika Gorica and make a stop at the municipal Museum of Turopolje and at a newly opened Visitor’s Centre with an exciting interactive exhibition that engages all senses.

After leaving Velika Gorica, we part with the city vibes and immerse ourselves in the magical world of the Turopoljski Lug (Turopolje Grove). Turopolje Grove is a remnant of a prehistoric forest that was first mentioned in the 13th century. Walking through the woodland with magical Ent-like trees around, one might think that one is lost in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and it feels that this is not far from the truth. These fairy-tale woods certainly keep many secrets and wonders.

One of them is a unique Turopolje pig that lives in the area. It is a special breed of pig that has an elongated body and snout and characteristic thick, curly hair.

Here amidst the oak woods of Turopolje, this lucky pig enjoys the abundance of acorn and occasionally treats itself to the underground dessert – His Majesty the Truffle!

If oak trees are perceived as the magical Ents above the ground, truffles are certainly the kings of the underground world. This hidden treasure of the Turopolje Grove attracts local truffle hunters who look for the prized delicacy with the aid of their specially trained dogs. We join Peter Alebić, one of the local truffle hunters, in a relaxing walk through the woods, in search of the precious subterranean fungi.

Petar lives in the nearby Velika Gorica and roams these woods with two of his cheerful Lagotto Romagnolo dogs, Kali and Njuška.

When the truffle season kicks in, usually in May, he comes here almost daily and continues this routine until late into the winter season, when tuber brumale, a winter type of truffle, is widely found. Peter estimates that ten different varieties of truffles grow in these woods, but he, personally, digs four types – tuber aestivum, tuber macrosporum, tuber uncinatum and tuber brumale.

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Photo by Ivana Kovačić

Summer / Autumn 2022

19

But what is a truffle? And why is it so precious? They certainly are the most expensive mushrooms found on the market. Truffle is an edible fungus in the Tuberaceae family which lives underground, especially around the roots of trees in damp forests. Ancient Romans, for example, believed that the truffle was created when lightning struck damp earth. The forests in Turopolje are marshy and thus perfect for the truffle growth.

Truffles may range from the size of a walnut to the size of a fist. Because they occur naturally around the roots of trees, truffle hunters in the past often used pigs to dig them up. Today, specially trained dogs are used more widely, mainly because pigs would eat most of the truffles they locate.

Photos by Petar Alebić

Truffles are prized for their flavor and aroma worldwide. They are also rare, difficult to source, and once harvested, they can lose the intensity of flavour within days. All of this combined makes them one of the world’s most expensive foods.

Petar, who’s been in the truffle business for seven years, makes his own tartufata sauce which is delicious when combined with pasta. He also sells truffles to the local restaurants and hotels. However, what he enjoys the most, is taking his guests on a truffle hunting tour around the Turopolje Grove. After a two-hour exciting walk with Petar and his canine companions - Kali and Njuška, a happy and rewarded visitor will definitely have a chance to exclaim: MY PRECIOUS! It is hard to compare the taste of truffles with anything else. They have an earthy, umami-rich flavor that people either adore or dislike completely. You cannot be indifferent.

To round up a perfect day, Petar is taking us to the local restaurants Babriga to sample some traditional local dishes enriched with the aromatic truffle shavings. Nothing can spice up your meal better than a freshly grated local truffle.

20

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

It is hard to imagine that only half an hour away from the hustle and bustle of the Croatia’s capital there is an oasis of woodland with nature’s best-kept underground secret, where you will be kept occupied for the whole day. Just make sure you have your trekking shoes ready!

DID YOU KNOW THAT… …in the waters of Turopolje area there are more than twenty species of fish and two hundred types of birds? ...there were witches’ trials in the old town of Lukavec, not far from Velika Gorica, all the way ‘til 18th century? ... the Croats from Turopolje invented a ‘cravat’, forerunner of today’s neck-tie in the 17th century?

For truffle hunting tours and truffle gourmet experience in Turopolje contact Ivana Kovačić: ivana.kovacic@gmail.com +385 (91) 548 8250 Petar Alebić / +385 (98) 538 103, mail: petar@dr-fungus.com

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Summer / Autumn 2022

21

Can’t Get Enough of...Štrukli A visit to Zagreb and Northern Croatia, without trying štrukli, a mouthwatering regional specialty, would be a huge mistake.

Many famous people, including Queen Elizabeth, American president, Jimmy Carter, and Tina Turner could not remain indifferent to this popular traditional dish that is served in households and restaurants across the Croatia’s north. Štrukli (pronounced: shtrooklee) are prepared with freshly made dough with a cottage cheese filling, and they can be either baked or cooked/boiled. The recipe originated in the villages of Hrvatsko Zagorje, a region to the north, that takes pride in its fairy-tale castles amidst the picturesque rolling hills. In Zagorje most homesteads and restaurants prepare traditional local dishes among which štrukli has become a trademark of the continental Croatian gastronomy. In former times, štrukli was served daily in the Zagorje villages. Most families in those days were poor and meat was eaten only on rare occasions. Štrukli, with its simple combination of several basic ingredients that all housewives of Zagorje had in their pantries – eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, and flour, was a logical choice for daily sustenance. It was an easy dish to prepare for their large families to give them enough strength for the daily chores and farming work.

But how are the štrukli made? The first step is to knead the dough. The pastry is then rolled out flat and very thinly to cover the tabletop. Then, a mixture of cottage cheese with the addition of eggs, sour cream and salt is spread thinly over the pastry. The pastry is rolled lengthwise from both sides into two joined rolls, and finally cut in 20 cm long pieces. For baked štrukli, the pieces are placed into a baking tray, generously covered with clotted cream, and baked for roughly 45 minutes, until slightly brown on top. For cooked/boiled štrukli, the pieces are placed into a

22

Croatia In Your Pocket

pot of boiling water and cooked for approximately 20 minutes, then drained. This version tastes wonderful with a sprinkling of crunchy fried breadcrumbs on top.

What is fascinating about this dish is that it can be served in a soup, as an entrée, a main course, an individual light course or dessert. Here we come to another interesting detail - štrukli can either be savory or sweet. Different places serve different versions of štrukli so you might come across štrukli with the addition of apples, poppy, truffles, pumpkin, blueberries, smoked paprika and the like. However, classical štrukli with cheese, cream, and eggs, can be found in almost every restaurant that serves this signature dish of Northern Croatia. Not only restaurants serve them, as you will find štrukli in most bakeries these days. If you have access to a kitchen, you can make them yourself. Tasty frozen štrukli, prepared by different Croatian producers, with simple instructions on how to cook them, can be found in many shops and supermarkets.

Due to its authenticity, in 2007 this regional dish, Zagorje štrukli was inducted into the list of Croatia’s intangible cultural heritage, by the Croatian Ministry of Culture.

If you happen to be in Zagorje in July, then visiting Štruklijada, which is an annual event and competition in the preparation of this tasty local dish, is a must. The first Štruklijada organized in 2009, with the purpose of promoting and preserving this unique Zagorje recipe, has been attracting an increasing number of visitors ever since. This annual event would be the perfect place to sample the absolute best, regional štrukli and to congratulate the winning team.

Flour, water, cottage cheese, cream, eggs, and a little oil. This is all you need to make the perfect štrukli. So simple, yet so delicious!

croatia.inyourpocket.com

Truly unforgettable

www.infozagreb.hr #VisitZagreb #LoveZagreb

Photo by Katja Živković

That’s Offal!

There is something about offal that inspires the “eeeew” factor in everyone from small children to the most ardent gastronome. But if you eat meat, you might at least make good use of all the parts of the animal, everything but the squeal, and all that jazz. Offal dishes offer some of the most authentic tastes of any nation, opening a window into a past when people had to find creative ways to make the seemingly inedible palatable. In many cultures, offal is considered the greatest of delicacies.

Croatian cuisine certainly offers a wealth of dishes made from unexpected bits and bobs. We remember having a business lunch in an inland Dalmatian restaurant famed for its roast lamb. The meal arrived, and one of the party, who had been annoying the whole group with outrageous prima donna-like behaviour, started waving something white and oval around on his fork and asking “Is this a testicle?” Being the only Croatian speaker, we said “Noooo!”, believing this to be just another flight of fancy from the hairy diva. We were even told by the waiter that it was a “white kidney” (bijeli bubreg), thus intensifying our reassurances. We couldn’t help being somewhat gratified when we later found out that it was indeed a testicle. Talk about a euphemism!

Here is a selection of the delicacies you might find at the table if you’re lucky enough to find yourself in a truly authentic Croatian restaurant. Do not be put off – you may well find these things delicious!

Jetrica – the liver is the bane of the lives of all schoolchildren, but don’t write it off. Cooked Central European style in a rich sauce, the liver is a delicious and nutritious morsel.

Look out for lamb, veal and chicken livers which are much more tender than you might expect.

Krvavice – relatively well known in other cuisines, this is blood sausage or black pudding. These sausages are soft with a crumbly texture and can be delicately spiced. One to try, a great winter warmer. Špekfileki – a casserole dish made with tripe flavoured with smoked bacon, well-loved as a hearty lunchtime snack.

Other tripe dishes may be named rajzlec (veal tripe, tenderer) or tripice, depending on which stomach and what age of beast we are dealing with. Želuci – We were visiting the family of a new boyfriend from Slavonia, and his mother was a wonderful cook, so we eagerly asked what was for lunch. When she said chicken stomach, we didn’t believe her. But she served up pasta with a delicate ragout made of želuci – chicken stomachs. They reminded us of mushrooms. We asked for the recipe and learned to cook it, and the rest, as they say, is history.

24

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

Svinjske nogice – We remember waiting in line at the butcher, watching a portly gentleman comporting a carrier bag full of pig trotters. It made us muse on arterial congestion and the meaning of life. They can be cooked in sauce, served with soured cabbage, made into a paprikaš stew… no end to the uses of a wee trotter there is!

Hladetina – known in English as pork brawn, or “head cheese” (OK, stop it right there). This is a pressed cold cut made with all kinds of bits of meat from the head, set in reduced broth from the head or gelatine. Although it can be delicious, when the aforementioned Slavonian matriarch produced a slice of something with an ear visible, we just couldn’t do it. Make of that, what you will.

Bijeli bubreg – testicles. Why? Well, why not, for a start?

They are eaten in ranching communities in the US, where they may be called “cowboy caviar”, “dusted nuts”, or, more tenderly in Canada “prairie oysters”. Many people eat them breaded and pan-fried, or you can sling them on the barbecue. Yaaargh!

Brizli – Known in English as sweetbreads or French as ris, this is the thymus gland, which is found in the neck and supports the immune system. It is a tender morsel with a delicate structure, often served sliced and fried gently in breadcrumbs or barbecued.

Vitalac – a speciality you’re only likely to find on Brač island, but one which shares its genealogy with a dish found throughout the Balkans and Central Asia (Turkish “kokoreç”, Greek “kokoretsi”). Apparently, in ancient times Brač was known far and wide for the tenderness of its lamb, and thus may be the home of this speciality. It is a skewer of offal seasoned in herbs and lemon juice, wrapped in lamb intestine, gently barbecued and served drizzled with olive oil. Already tempted?

Obrazi – cheeks. Why do cheeks fall into the cheap cuts category in many countries? Don’t ask, but trust us, we are not complaining. Pork cheeks are lean but turn meltingly tender after a couple of hours of braising in the oven. Beef cheeks need longer to cook, given all the chewing cows do that makes the meat more muscly, but the result is equally delightful.

Jezik – tongue. A slice of smoked beef tongue is often found nestling on a cold meats platter, waiting to be married to a smidge of horseradish and washed down with a nice cold beer. No bad thing.

Plućice – lungs. You might find lung meat on its own or combined with heart or other offal in a warming Central European style winter stew.

Mozak – brains. rather tender and sweet, you’re most likely to come across brain gently breadcrumbed and deep-fried.

A bit of salt, a squeeze of lemon, and you’re good to go. facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Summer / Autumn 2022

25

Top Croatian Craft Beers It seems as if the summer is ever earlier each passing year.

And 2022 is no different. Tourists can be seen roaming the streets of Zagreb even now. Soon the tourist season will be in full swing, but perhaps more reserved then in seasons past? Here are 6 Croatian craft beers, perfect for a reserved, and relaxed evening of sipping and savouring. The list is not in any order.

The Garden Brewery: Any regular visitor to the coast might be familiar with the Garden Festival at Tisno. Garden’s cultural empire continues to expand, and they’re doing it in style. While the brewery has a small range of regular beers, they actually produce a phenomenal number of “limited” beers each year, bringing back those that are well received, as you do. It would be impossible to recommend just one, but we’ll bow to the expertise of the staff at Spicy Days, the Zagorska beer shop and taproom where you’ll find all of this: Imperial Raspberry & Coconut Stout. https://thegarden.hr/

26

Croatia In Your Pocket

Nova Runda: C4 American IPA is perhaps one of Nova Runda’s most powerful options, available naturally anywhere that sells craft beers. However, at time of print we are aware that they are excited about an upcoming release, so feel that it’s not unfair to perhaps mention that also: Hazy Refreshing Monster. If in Zagreb you’ll find Nova Runda’s beers on tap at X-Bar, which is on Nova Cesta, just opposite Trešnjevska market. X marks the spot! https://novarunda.com/

croatia.inyourpocket.com

Grif: Okay, some might object to Grif being on this list, since technically they’re an arm of Zagrebačka pivovara, but the parent company of Zagrebačka, Molson Coors knows a thing or two about quality craft microbreweries. Here it’s all too easy to recommend their Vanilla Oak Bourbon Porter. Only available on tap, you’ll need to make the trip to the western side of Ilica, to the brewery itself to get this, but while there you can also grab a bite to eat at their restaurant. https://www.kpivovari.hr/grif/

Crafter’s: You might have seen Crafter’s a bit more in recent months, following their more-than-successful collaboration with Brkovi, but while their lager has indeed proven popular, it’s another beverage that gets the recommendation here. Crafter’s Paradigm range is for their specialist beers, and #5 is a Russian Imperial Stout. Previously available on tap at Cherry Tree, over by Selska, it’s now available there in large 750ml bottle! https://www.crafters.hr/ Mlinarica: The “best kept secret” trope is way too overused, and we’re perhaps guilty of that in these pages sometimes.

However, Mlinarica is a microbrewery with attached restaurant and while you can get their beers in some shops, if you want it on tap then you need to take the trip up Ksaverska. Here, we tip one of their regular beers, Black Widow. Plan a day around a visit here, as there are some amazing walks in the area, with Cmrok being just west, if you can find the “secret paths”. mlinarica.hr/pivovara-mlinarica/ Bruman: To Istria next, home to so many great wines, and perhaps some great beers too. No debate, and their Red Ho is chosen here. Red beers are surprising rare by comparison, and some commercial efforts in years past by bigger companies haven’t quite hit the mark. Bruman’s webshop is always worth a visit also, since they sell t-shirts with their branding and beer designs on full display. https://bruman.hr/ facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Summer / Autumn 2022

27

28

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

Photo by Damir Fabijanić

The town of Samobor and its small surrounding villages with their green meadows and hills truly are a wonderful getaway from the craze the main city has to offer. Such places still hold onto much tradition when it comes to crafts, folk dance, costume and food. Speaking of the latter, one classic food that has stood the test of time even since the 20th century is the rudarska greblica. These are types of pastry snacks that miners would take with them down mines knowing that they would have to be there for many hours without pause. Decades later, such pastry snacks from the area thrive in cafes and restaurants and are a true delicacy.

30

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

Cultural Digestiv

Museums of the city of Karlovac Archive

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Summer / Autumn 2022

31

Top List of Croatian Chocolates Taste is subjective. What tastes magnificent to us might not to you, and vice versa, obviously, but we’re more than happy to sample as much food as possible in the hope of steering you in the best direction. What, you want us to eat all of the chocolate?

Fine, okay, just because you asked. Croatia has plenty of delectable chocolates waiting to be devoured, so check out our favourites and get ready for a real melt-in-your-mouth experience.

1. TAMAN - Indonesia Ransiki, 72% - Dark bean to bar chocolate made from cocoa from the Ransiki region of West Papua. Chocolate with a velvety texture, in which the aromas of ripe fruit and sweet flowers stand out. The flavours range from mild fruit acids to the dark sweetness of dates, raisins, prunes and nutmeg. It also happens to be award-winning chocolate, having picked up the prestigious Academy of ChocolateAward Bronze award in 2021.

2. NADALINA - Cacaonibs, 80% - Dark, organic bean to bar chocolate with pieces of cocoa beans made from cocoa from the Dominican Republic. Fine texture, mild bitterness despite the high percentage of cocoa, and pronounced fruity notes that end in the aroma of raisins and prunes. The floral notes linger on and on and on. This chocolate was the winner of a bronze at the International Chocolate Awards in 2017.

3. GAMULIN - White chocolate with sage, 29% - artisan chocolate from the island of Hvar. White chocolate and Hvar sage come together to create the perfect combination of flavours on the palate.

This is a chocolate that leaves nobody indifferent, to say the least.

4. TAMAN - Milk Artisan Chocolate Coconut, Lemon and Lemongrass, 35% - Sweet and sour combination of milk chocolate enriched with pieces of coconut combined with a slightly sour lemon flavour and refreshing notes of lemongrass. Winner of bronze at the Academy of Chocolate Awards in 2017.

5. CHOZEN pralines - Get ready for 12 pieces of hand-painted, cast and filled chocolate candies with top ingredients. Flavours change seasonally and are always focused on the now: expect passion fruit mango hazelnut, mandarin fruit yoghurt, salted caramel, almond hazelnut, ginger yuzu lime ganache and more.

6. CROATIAN CHOCO CONCEPT - The Chocolate Baška bar is made of dark and white chocolate from 7 indigenous flavours of the island of Krk: sage, sage and walnut, fig and orange, rosemary, pine nuts and salt flower, lavender, Vrbnik žlahtina and almonds.

Chocolate at its most delectably unique.

32 Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

The Chocolate Museum Zagreb The sweetest of Zagreb museums is a definite must for all chocolate lovers and for those who wish to explore the history of one of the most favourite tastes and flavours on Earth.

The moment you step inside, you will be swept off your feet by the beautiful and creative interior that spreads through six historic zones. Each zone consists of unique scenery, musical background, historical artifacts, interactive educational spots and savouring stations.

A CHOCOLATE-TASTING BOX INSTEAD OF A TICKET Instead of the usual entry ticket, you will be given a chocolate-tasting box with various types of chocolates, starting with a cacao bean, the most essential ingredient of chocolate.

While following the circular layout of the museum, you will stop at special savouring stations to try a particular chocolate from your ‘Entrance TicketBox’ and learn more about each sample’s history and production. The adventurous journey through time and space will thus engage all senses – sight, smell, touch, hearing and taste.

FROM MESOAMERICA TO THE EUROPEAN COURTS The historical path at the Museum begins with the cocoa beans produced in Mesoamerica by the Olmecs, Mayas and Aztecs thousands of years ago, followed by the story of the Spanish conquistadors who brought chocolate to the European courts, and eventually brings us to the Belgian, Swiss, Dutch and English chocolatiers who created the chocolate we treasure and love today. The latest invention in the ‘world of chocolate’ which you will also have a chance to try at the end of your journey, is Ruby Chocolate, becoming very popular worldwide.

THE LABORATORY Don’t be surprised when you come across the ‘laboratory’ – a special area of the Museum. Here, one can learn about the production process, will be able to smell and touch ingredients and occasionally see a demonstration showing chocolate tempering and praline creation.

WILLY WONKA The Museum also provides a chance for every visitor, regardless of age, to turn into Willy Wonka for a moment. As you probably know, Willy Wonka is a fictional character from Roald Dahl’s children’s book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory from 1964. His famous bike has been displayed at the Museum, and by sitting on it, you are guaranteed a big happy smile on your face that will rejuvenate you instantly!

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

THE CHOCOLATE BOUTIQUE The interactive Chocolate Museum of Zagreb offers diverse, but also fun facts, history, hands-on chocolate experiences, workshops and finally, exceptional products displayed in a chic gift shop that takes pride in offering for purchase, a variety of assorted, handmade chocolates from distinguished Croatian and Slovenian chocolatiers.

TUESDAY WALK WITH CURATORS Note that every Tuesday at 6:45 pm you can join a ‘Tuesday walk’ with expert guidance of the Museum’s curators. Immerse into the World of Chocolate and engage all senses!

Summer / Autumn 2022

33

Experience is everything!

Karlovac is a town of four rivers; Kupa, Korana, Dobra and Mrežnica. It also has a centuries-long history and a lively art scene. In a similar way as the life of the city is connected to these four rivers, so are the locals and visitors to Karlovac drawn to four cultural shrines that celebrate and cherish the local history and art.

Gathered under the auspices of the Town Museum of Karlovac, the following magnets for museumgoers and art lovers present the highlights of Karlovac’s cultural offerings.

Exhibition Anton Cetin, photo Denis Stošić

Permanent exhibition of the museum, external exhibition of the Museum of the Homeland War

Karlovac City Museum, Homeland War Museum

34

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

THE TOWN MUSEUM The most interesting feature of Karlovac’s historical core is its star formation, designed four hundred years ago to keep out the troublesome Turks. The construction and defence of this six-pointed, Renaissance-style fortress was based on the ditches and a moat.

By taking a stroll through the charming little streets of the Old Town, you will come across the Town Museum. It is situated in the oldest Karlovac mansion from the 17th century, a former residence of the noble Frankopan family. The Museum was founded more than a century ago, as a location where the town’s memories and items of historical value could be preserved. It holds a collection of more than 21 000 exhibits and is comprised of several departments. Apart from the permanent exhibition, the Museum organizes educational programs and temporary exhibitions, issues publications and offers various other activities to its visitors.

THE HOMELAND WAR MUSEUM The location of the museum has a long military history, going back to the 16th century when the fortification tower (turan) that stood here served as a defense against the Ottoman invaders. Four centuries later, during the Homeland War in Croatia (1991-1995) Turanj was once again the last defense line of the city of Karlovac. Today, it bears witness to the struggle for a free and independent Croatia and is a permanent memorial to the Croatian Army defense of the city during the Homeland War. A modern museum was established in the partially-renovated building that was heavily damaged during the war. It was during the War that the building was nicknamed “Hotel California” by the defenders. The ground floor of the Museum holds the Memorial Room, a souvenir shop and a cafe. The first floor holds a permanent exhibition Karlovac 1991 – 1995 with over 350 original items, while a multipurpose hall, library with a reading room and offices are in the attic area.

Visitors have the opportunity to watch and listen to more than three and half hours of multimedia, movies, music and photos. The Museum also comprises outdoor displays of military equipment.

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

THE VJEKOSLAV KARAS GALLERY The modern and unadorned, brutalist-style structure that houses the Vjekoslav Karas Gallery was erected in 1975 in the New Karlovac Center, right next to the Karlovac Archives and a short stroll from the enclosed Farmers’ Market. The Gallery itself was founded in 1945 as the first gallery institution in Croatia after WWII. It is named after the Croatian painter, Vjekoslav Karas, born in Karlovac two hundred years ago.

Karas was a pioneer of a new era of Croatian painting, developing parallelly a love of music.

He played several instruments and composed songs both in Croatian and Italian. His most famous painting is Roman woman playing a flute which has been a recognizable motif on Croatian chocolate products. The Gallery, named in his honor, is among the most attractive and best-equipped in the city, with an impressive layout and flexibility of space. It houses visual art and museum exhibitions and various activities related to contemporary art are organized on the premises. The Gallery plays an important role in the cultural life of Karlovac, monitoring and presenting the local and national art scene in the most expressive and articulate way.

THE DUBOVAC CASTLE Dubovac Castle is one of the best-preserved and most beautiful monuments of medieval architecture in Croatia. Built on a prehistoric hill above the river Kupa, it was named after the dubs, the oaks growing on the surrounding slopes. The castle changed hands many times throughout its history and its current appearance is the result of a comprehensive restoration carried out during the mid-twentieth century. Concerts, functions, parties and other cultural, social and music events take place within the Castle all year round.

From the top of the tower, enjoy the incredible views which embrace not just one, but three countries – Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia. Treat yourself to a romantic lunch or dinner with a medieval touch at the Bistro Kastel inside the Castle. The menu is based on a rich, gastronomic heritage and uses fresh local ingredients with a slightly modern twist. Prepare for the exciting signature dishes by a renowned chef and enjoy Karlovac bathed in sunset colours when heading back down the hill to the city.

Summer / Autumn 2022

35

Photo by Denis Stošić, Aquatika Archives

Aquatika About Croatia is one of the European countries with the richest river flora and fauna, while the city of Karlovac, famous for its four rivers – Kupa, Korana, Mrežnica and Dobra, is a perfect place to present the freshwater natural wealth. The beautiful modern aquarium is devoted to local freshwater life, enabling us to get to know our fishy friends better and understand just how rich in beauty and biodiversity the rivers, lakes and ponds are.

The Aquatika opened in 2016 on the right bank of the Korana River. The complex was designed to display the course of a karst river and its various habitats. The design was based on the idea of dividing the river course into its upper, middle and lower sections.

The structure is dug into the ground, and its exterior sides covered in an earthen embankment. The inspiration for the architecture was the historical town centre: the Karlovac starshaped town, surrounded by earthen defensive embankments.

Dive below the surface Aquatika spreads over 3.000 square meters that follow the course of a typical karst river, starting from the source in the square, and then descending to the basement floor with 36

Croatia In Your Pocket

cave and swamp habitats. Throughout the journey, visitors can see more than 100 species of fish and as many as 40 endemic species distributed in 25 aquariums. The display offers a detailed, interesting, instructive, and exciting insight into the wonderful freshwater world. Visitors can thus experience the whole river course, from its source to its mouth, walking first through the Upper Course, then continue through the Middle Course and finally reach the Lower Course of the river, each with its specific habitat and fish species.

Other habitats The aquarium also comprises the cave system habitat with endemic fish species while the largest habitat in Aquatika presents the migratory fish species from the sturgeon family. You will also be acquainted with standing waters habitat, and another one that contains fish species which are not native to Croatia. The final habitat of the aquarium is dedicated to the karst phenomenon, explaining the creation of travertine waterfalls and the importance of conserving them.

The Souvenir Shop The souvenir shop at the end of the exhibition area, offers authentic

souvenirs from the Karlovac region, handmade by local suppliers in limited editions exclusively for the aquarium. Local artists, potters, photographs, designers, craftsmen and artisans have all offered their most creative works for the aquarium visitors.

Aquatika Surrounding Aquatika is located in the vicinity of the Natura 2000 area. It is an ecological network made up of areas across the European Union inhabited by animal and plant species that are endangered, vulnerable or on the verge of extinction for various reasons. Therefore, the European Union has formed the ecological network Natura 2000, and all members of the European Union are obliged to protect such endangered habitats and animal species. About 20% of the EU’s territory is included in this ecological network, making it the largest conservation system in the world.

As part of the project ‘Encounter with the river’, a pedestrian and bicycle path and a lookout were built along the Korana river, which are part of the outdoor interpretation center, and are located in the immediate vicinity of Aquatika. croatia.inyourpocket.com

River Kupa Trips Looking for a weekend getaway? Look no further than the gorgeous area around the Kupa river, a region in harmony with nature and keenly aware of its history and culture. Ever handy, we’ve got three itineraries perfect for that Kupa trip, with more information over on the Kupa Tourist Board website and various social media pages. Enjoy!

Visit Kupa Archive

KUPA GETAWAY # 1 OZALJ-JAŠKOVO-VRHOVAC 10:00 Start your day in Ozalj, the town of the Frankopan and Zrinski families, and embrace six thousand years of history by visiting the Ozalj Homeland Museum and the Old Town of Ozalj. Munjara hydroelectric power plant is nearby, constructed in 1906 and producing electricity ever since 13:00 Rest by the river Kupa at the City Baths of Slava Raškaj (beloved 19th-century Croatian painter), right in the centre of Ozalj 14:00 Visit Jaškovo, the strudel village, and devour local food and wine in the Žganjer Restaurant. Yes, there will be much strudel 16:00 Spend the afternoon touring Svetica, a 17th-century Pauline monastery. The lookout point and the pleasant ambience are reason enough for a visit, and visitors can also learn more about the Paulines’ work with medicinal herbs.

You can even sample and buy some of their natural products 18:30 End the day with a meal at Čulig, a family farm restaurant (with 14 beds) that serves the traditional dishes of Vrhovec, one of the most beautiful villages in our region KUPA GETAWAY # 2 OZALJ-KAMANJE-VIVODINA-RIBNIK 10:00 Start this itinerary in the same manner as the first trip by checking out Ozalj and its fascinating culture and history before nipping to the Munjara hydroelectric power plant 11:30 Time to go underground! Explore the curious subterranean world of the Vrlovka cave, just 12km west of Ozalj 13:00 Have lunch at Frlan in Vivodina and enjoy gorgeous facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

food in a pleasant atmosphere on the slopes of Žumberak 15:00 Oenophiles, this one is for you. Take a tour of the beautiful wineries in the area, including Vrbanek, Viktorovski and Lešćanec 18:00 End the day in Ribnik - explore the Old Town and the relax at the Heart of Nature lodge, the work of the Srakovčić family KUPA GETAWAY # 3 PRAVUTINA - JUROVSKI BROD We traditionally say goodbye to summer and a big hello to autumn 10:00 Start your day in Pravutina, a quiet place by the river Kupa, smack bang on the border with Slovenia. Enjoy a late breakfast (or a brunch) at the Marijana restaurant, refresh yourself and prepare for a relaxing walk or bike ride along the Kupa River (# štrudlabybike), and get active on the sports fields (basketball, football, or your imagination) 11:30 Visit the family farm Ivan med - the Kolić family has been connected to honey for generations. Taste natural honey in Velika Paka and learn more about the beautiful world of bees first-hand. Straight from the bee’s mouthparts, if you will 13:00 Lunch at the Doris Restaurant in Jurovski Brod, delicious food in a convivial atmosphere 15:00 Wine lovers, get those palates ready. Take a tour of the many wineries on the Ozalj-Vivodina wine road (including Vrbanek, Viktorovski and Lešćanec) 18:00 End the day in Kamanj and embrace tradition with the rural Sablić household Summer / Autumn 2022

37

Mali piknik Archive

During the sunniest of seasons, Zagreb streets will be showcasing some of the best summer festivals in the city. Not only can you expect great street performances, pop up events and gigs, but also you will enjoy alfresco bites and sips in some of the city’s loveliest green spots.

38

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

Coast to Coast The joy of Mediterranean food is its simplicity, and you can’t get much simpler than the humble sardine.

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Summer / Autumn 2022

39

Eat Like Croatian Dalmatia means singing and in Split especially. Acapella (‘klapa’) music often can be heard echoing through the streets, sung at festivals, in taverns, practically everywhere….

Modern times and modern sounds have somewhat harmed this custom, but the truth is that many people of divine voice are born in Dalmatia. For example, in Vela Luka, on the island of Korčula, Oliver Dragojević was born. This never regretted and prematurely deceased Dalmatian singer sang his best songs in Split and made Split recognizable by his singing.

One of the eternal and ever-loved evergreens of Oliver Dragojević, where Split is kneaded into the verses, is the song entitled “One can see Šolta from the window” while “klapa sings under the archway” (‘S ponistre se vidi Šolta, piva klapa ispod volta’). Šolta is the island closest to Split, and it boasts beautiful and untouched nature, but instead of ‘ Šolta’’ in the song title, it could just as well be ‘Salsa’. Salsa, or ‘šalša’ in Dalmatian, is that wonderful and ancient, almost mythical dish of the Mediterranean made from ‘pomidori’, Dalmatian for tomatoes. Although you can’t, in fact, see salsa from the window, you can certainly smell it in every house or an apartment overlooking Šolta. As a matter of fact, a house that doesn’t smell like ‘šalša’is not a home but merely a lodging.

There are very few dishes that have ended up in verses. In TBF song, a Split based band sings about ‘šalša’ simmering on the stove. The whole ‘šalša’ recipe successfully fits into a few verses of this song. Šalša is a simple dish prepared with great care and it is cooked slowly, over low heat, on the edge of the stove so the cooking process is prolonged as much as possible.

But lets’ start from the very beginning, and in the beginning, there was ‘poma’(a tomato). ‘Poma’, tomato, ‘pomidor’is a heavenly fruit, the traditional type of which comes from the old seeds and ripens in the summer. This is a kind of tomato that today’s 50-year-olds picked in their grandmothers’ gardens. Of course, today you may find tomatoes in supermarkets throughout the year, but it is easy to know the difference between those that are artificially grown and those that are picked in the vegetable patch in season. The beautiful scent of a natural, seasonal tomato is so different from the cultivated one that no artificial ingredient or fragrance in the world could match it.

The story of salsa takes us to the Split market, to ‘Pazar’, where vegetables and fruits of all kinds and varieties are sold. Here you 40

Croatia In Your Pocket

know instinctively, which tomato is for salad and which one you use for making salsa. Experienced housewives will look for the so-called ‘plum tomato’ which is ideal for this dish. Most of households have a stock of salsa in the freezer, ready for the winter season, so it is perfectly normal to look for soft, very ripe tomatoes at the market. The soft ones are easier to peel, and since wintertime requires large stocks of this wonderful dish, finding a perfectly ripe tomato is very important.

The cooking process is simple. One must sprinkle the tomatoes with hot water, then remove the skin and chop them coarsely.

Prepare a pot, pour in some olive oil, and add finely chopped onion and garlic followed by chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper, and a teaspoon of sugar to balance the acidity. Let it all simmer on a stove. What is the result? Many call it a miracle of taste sensations! Grab a plate, pour the aromatic salsa over your cooked pasta, sit somewhere in the shade, stare at the open sea and enjoy the first bites while the dewy glass of cold ‘bevanda’, the Dalmatian cocktail of red wine & water, waits at the side! Staining your clothes is not a problem, it is welcome, almost a tradition! Šalša as a summer dish, rules over the Mediterranean, from Sicily and Greece to the small bays of Dalmatia. Why? Because ‘šalša’ means Summer!

There is no faster and easier way to reminisce about and to feel Summer in the middle of Winter than to experience the smell of freshly cooked šalša. Although the usual combination is with pasta, šalša really goes well with boiled beef and mashed potatoes. Since times are fast and the summers don’t last, a good can of peeled tomatoes will also do the trick. The recipe doesn’t change using canned tomatoes in this version - the ingredients are the same, as is a glass of wine and some light accompanying music to bring out the vibe of summer.

Take your time during preparation, and each step must be seasoned with love. This is what cooking šalša is all about. It can be served warm or cold, goes well with grated parmesan cheese, or can be eaten straight from the pot. The smell of šalša works like time travel – it can instantly bring about summer vibes, no matter where you are. It brings memories to life much faster than flipping through albums with old photos. Šalša is one of those special dishes that most definitely deserves to be in a song, especially in a region where singing comes naturally.“Pasta from yesterday and add a salad to it, made from onions and tomatoes, then coffee, of course,” sings TBF in their song ‘’Alles Gut’’, because everything is good when there is šalša at hand. croatia.inyourpocket.com

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Summer / Autumn 2022

41

The Kvarner Gulf: a food-lovers to-do list The Kvarner region offers a cornucopia of riches to anyone interested in exploring the gamut of Croatian cuisine. Here are few suggestions of the things you might put at the top of your list.

42 Croatia In Your Pocket KG Media Archive

croatia.inyourpocket.com

“Blue fish” It’s usually the best white fish that gets all the attention, flouncing around in photo shoots for fancy Adriatic restaurants. And it’s high time that what the Croatians call plava riba or “blue fish” received a bit more of a fanfare. The sardines, anchovies and mackerel that form such a huge portion of the local catch play an important role in local cuisine, as well as delivering a hugely beneficial dose of protein, nutrients and omega-3 oils. Whether roast, fried, deep fried in batter or marinaded, anchovies and sardines are particularly versatile, bringing out the flavour of just about everything they’re paired with. They remain the staples of many of the restaurants patronized by lunching locals - especially those around Rijeka’s market, which is as good a place as any to get your blue-fish party started.

Game The question of whether you prefer your bear roast or stewed is not one that you are usually required to answer. Unless of course you are eating in one of the restaurants in the Gorski kotar, the sparsely populated, wooded mountain range that stretches east of Rijeka. Game is a crucial element of local cuisine here, with venison, wild boar (and indeed bear) served up as goulash, roast with a sweet-sour accompaniment of forest fruits, or indeed made into salami-like sausages.

Dried Octopus Something of a cult dish among Croatian gastronauts, dried octopus is particular to the island of Rab, and appears only rarely anywhere else. Maybe it’s because the bura wind there is dryer and more fragrant than elsewhere: the standard method of drying an octopus is after all to hang it up outside and let the wind do its work. The classic way of eating dried octopus is to slice the tentacles into small circles and throw them in a frying pan with a couple of eggs, producing an unusual and appealing omlet. It is still served in the better restaurants on Rab, and is most emphatically worth trying.

Asparagus Asparagus grows wild in the hills and vales inland from the Kvarner coast, and it’s in April and May that bunches of slender green spears appear on the local market stalls. Restaurants can’t wait to get their hands on fresh asparagus and make a big deal of putting it on their seasonal menus. The delicate taste of asparagus can’t be paired with everything: plain pasta, an omlet or a simple boiled egg being the ideal companions. However you eat it, it’s one of the true joys of a Kvarner spring.

Scampi If the Kvarner region has one undisputed culinary trademark, then it would have to be the scampi. Living on the shallow sandy floors of the gulf, it has a succulence that few other crustaceans can compete with. Many local restaurants have built their reputations on scampi; almost all of them have something scampi-related on the menu. Unlike the wimp-food scampi sold in UK restaurants, Kvarner scampi are usually served with their shells still on - the ritual of prizing them open then throwing away the heads makes the flesh taste all the sweeter. Classic way to eat them is a la buzara, with the scampi doused in a garlic and white-wine sauce; but they can also be served on their own, on pasta, in a risotto, made into soup, or even served raw as a tartare. facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Summer / Autumn 2022

43

44

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Summer / Autumn 2022

45

To celebrate the magic of the oily fish recipes that have sustained this place for centuries, September in Crikvenica will be Blue Fish Month. Sardines at their most magical.

46

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

Eat Your Heart Out

Zadar

The inhabitants of live in a fertile horn of plenty. Not only do the locals have the obvious benefit of fresh fish on their doorstep, but the city is also backed by a broad belt of land named Ravni Kotari – “the flat counties”.

Here a combination of sun and rain, rich soil and a clean environment provide the perfect conditions for growing tasty fruit and vegetables. In Zagreb’s open-air markets, many a stallholder puts forth a sign proudly proclaiming “Produce of Zadar” to attract buyers with an eye for good food. facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Summer / Autumn 2022

47

Changes wrought over the last decades mean that food production today is nothing near what it once was. In places like Vrana, Žegar and Islam Grčki, acres and acres where tomatoes, cabbages, and watermelons once grew go uncultivated. A tale we heard about Islam Grčki tells how the inhabitants in the 1980s, after spending the summer in the markets of Rijeka and Krk selling their wares, would bring home their cash and throw it on the big weighing scales to see who had brought the most home.

However, a trip to Zadar’s market is still a mouth-watering experience. The fish market is a delight, built right into the city ramparts at the spot where the fishing trawlers land with their catch. As well as lush lettuces and crisp chard, you’ll find citrus fruits and kiwis from the islands, fresh and dried figs, homemade olive oil and cut flowers straight from the garden.

Apart from the riches of the fertile plains and seas, Zadar’s gastronomic identity is shaped by the mountains you see to the north. From there comes the tradition of rearing sheep and goats. Both the meat and the milk are the basis of some of the Zadar region’s most interesting specialities.

Let’s get a little bit specific. What should you look out for if you’d like to try the authentic food of the Zadar region?

The coast Where else to start? In the restaurants of Zadar, you can’t miss fish grilled over charcoal or cooked in a brudet sauce. Then there are risottos, of which crni

48

Croatia In Your Pocket

rižot with black cuttlefish ink may qualify as the most interesting. There is also seafood prepared na buzaru with white wine, garlic and parsley. Simply delicious.

Look out for the most inexpensive fish; sardines, anchovies and other small fish deep-fried or preserved in salt or oil and vinegar. And Zadar, which has centuries of close contact with Italy, is a pretty great place for a simple pizza or pasta meal.

What do people eat at home? Fried fish or squid on Fridays. On special occasions, salt cod is cooked a million different ways, such as na bijelo – with garlic, parsley, white wine and potatoes. This might be followed by pašticada – beef studded with carrots, garlic and smoked bacon and stewed with wine and prunes. On Sundays, meat cooked na lešo in a soup with vegetables, an all-in-one dish that just needs a green salad to round it off. On workdays, pašta fažol – bean stew with pasta, is a popular filler.

croatia.inyourpocket.com

Lowlands, highlands and islands In springtime, the land from the water’s edge to the foot of the mountains is crawling with folks hunting for asparagus. This wild asparagus, pleasantly bitter in taste, is much prized lightly sautéed with scrambled eggs as a fritaja.

A speciality from this region is vara – chickpeas cooked in water with kidney beans, a local bean called jari grah and sweetcorn, very simply, served just with olive oil. It’s the perfect remedy when you’ve overdone things, purging your blood of cholesterol and other naughties.

Lest you get the wrong idea, Zadar’s interior is a fiercely carnivorous land. On the light side, you might get a turkey (tuka) roasted peka style, under an iron lid heaped with embers. Local turkeys are small and athletic, very different from the big white industrially-farmed birds. Roasted like this with potatoes they’re succulent and delicious.

Then there’s lamb and kid goat. Oddly, goat meat is little eaten in much of Europe since it’s almost indistinguishable from lamb, except it’s less greasy (and certainly more healthy). In the highland regions, smoked kid goat is a special delicacy, usually stewed with vegetables in a dish

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

named kaštradina. Weddings, birthdays and Christmas are unimaginable in these parts without a roast lamb or goat.

Both are also prepared lešo style on an everyday basis. Beef and pork don’t figure much on the traditional menu.

Island lamb is particularly prized, notably from Kornati and Pag, where the animals graze on wild herbs laced with salt from the wind. Pag is the centre of Croatia’s cheese industry; good mature Pag cheese is not dissimilar to Parmesan. At the other end of the cheesy spectrum, a product called skuta is only edible in the first few days of its life at the beginning of the cheese-making process. It’s a light curd cheese, sweetish in flavour, perfect for spreading on bread or for desserts, all the more so as it’s low in fat. You’ll find it on Pag island and also made by families in the hinterland, but rarely elsewhere as it doesn’t keep for long.

You probably won’t find food like this in Zadar itself. To get a broader picture of the regional cuisine, we highly recommend you take a jaunt inland and look for a family-run restaurant or a seosko domaćinstvo – a rural smallholding that serves home-grown food to guests. Or head to Benkovac, where there are several culinary festivals each year.

Summer / Autumn 2022

49

Art Cake If you are planning a trip to Zadar, you will find suggestions everywhere that you should see the Sea Organ and the Greeting to the Sun, the two famous landmarks that have marked the city in recent times. Yes, you need to go and enjoy them. But enough has been written about those, and here we will focus on the jewel in the Zadar dessert crown.

We are talking about Mirjana, the main pastry chef of the Art Cake Shop (Art Kavana). The patisserie is located in the famous building that the people of Zadar call the ‘peglica’ (small iron), and the Art Kavana is also part of two beautiful hotels located in the heart of the peninsula (Hotel Art Kalelarga and Hotel Bastion). Both hotels have their own restaurants, Bistro Gourmet Kalelarga (Art Hotel) and the Kaštel restaurant in the Bastion hotel. Art Gourmet Kalelarga, you can dine under the old town clock, while Kaštel restaurant has a beautiful terrace on the city walls overlooking the harbour.

In both restaurants, you can try Mirjana’s cakes for dessert. Actually, let us re-phrase that; in both restaurants, you must try Mirjana’s creations. Our breaks are always marked by her cakes, and what a treasure to have a chat with her about all things sweet in Zadar.

ZIYP: Where did you find inspiration in becoming a confectioner?

Mirjana: I always found inspiration in things that were new and different. So I wanted to do something with sweets that was missing in the city of Zadar. ​ IYP: What are your favourite flavour combinations?

Z Mirjana: Joining what is traditional and modern has always been a big challenge, for example, chocolate and asparagus, lavender and cinnamon, olive oil and chocolate, rosemary and honey...

ZIYP: Which desserts with authentic ingredients would you recommend to our guests?

Mirjana: There is a wide variety of such desserts but we’ll narrow it down to a few; the Zadar cake, Rosemary cake, Pag Rhapsody, Kalelarga cake and of course desserts with cherry maraschino.

ZIYP: Which homemade ingredient do you feel isn’t being used as much but could make for a great dessert?

Mirjana: These are: figs, rosemary, lavender etc.

Art Kavana Archive

ZIYP: What will all the new Art Cake Shop offer?

Mirjana: When we first began selling our confectionaries and cakes five years ago, we always tried to introduce some new types of novelties. With the opening of our new cake shop, we continue with our novelties and the extended offer. I have chosen not to give away any of my sweet secrets for now, but I do know and am 100% sure that the new cake shop will not ‘disappoint.

ZIYP: And in the end what would be your mantra or philosophy?

Mirjana: People always need to experiment and connect what’s disconnected.

50

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

Sweet Escape 1. Kaokakao Ul. Andrije Štangera 44 Volosko 2. Fig Ice Cream Mali Podol Island Cres 3. Kuća Rabske Torte Ul. Stjepana Radića 5 Rab, Island Rab 4. Art Kavana Ul. Bartola Kašića 1 Zadar 5. Yum Pastry Shop Ul. Božidara Petranovića 8 Šibenik 6. Oš Kolač Ćirila i Metoda 4 Split 7. Croccantino Obala Pomoraca 30 Orebić, Pelješac 8. I Gemelli Trg Svetog Mihovila 1 Omiš 9. Cukarin Ul. Hrvatske Bratske Zajednice Island Korčula 10. Cukar Ulica hrvatskih mučenika 8 Komiža, Island Vis 11. Jolie Petite Patisserie Ul. Tina Ujevića 17 Zagreb 12. Le Kolač Trg Petra Petretića 3 Zagreb 13. Trinity Sweets Ul. Baltazara Adama Krčelića 17 Zaprešić

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Summer / Autumn 2022

51

Island’s Stories: photos by višnja arambašić

52

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Summer / Autumn 2022

53

Šibenik Sip & Savor When it comes to gastronomy the Šibenik region is as rich and varied as they come. There are significant variations from one locality to the next; and each place nurtures specialities that they feel are unique. We’ve divided the region into four areas to help you discover its culinary superlatives.

54

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

Šibenik Despite being surrounded by the riches of the Adriatic Sea, Šibenik has developed an urban cooking culture strong on stews, schnitzels and other filing lunches. Partly this is due to the city’s historical status as a regional centre in both Venetian and Austrian Empires, both of which brought culinary habits in their wake. Particularly well-developed in Šibenik is the culture of the marenda, the warm meal traditionally eaten in the middle of the working day, somewhere between breakfast and lunch. The homely restaurants which specialize in marende are still a major feature of the city.

They usually chalk up their menus on a board from day to day, although certain dishes are almost certain to be on the list - sarma (cabbage leaves stuffed with rich tasty mincemeat), tripice (tripe stew), punjene paprike (stuffed peppers), and pasta fažol (bean stew with pasta) are just some of

the things that Šibenik folk eat on a daily basis.. You also get old-style dishes which rarely feature in the more tourist-oriented restaurants, like yummy tripe stew and fingerlicking lamb’s liver. Other Šibenik specialities that might be more appealing include luganiga, a herb-flavoured pork sausage of Italian origin, and, when in season, the delectable dish that is artichoke with green beans.

The islands The waters around the islands of the Šibenik region are among the clearest in the Adriatic, and it’s hardly surprising to discover that it yields a cornucopia of culinary riches. The sea around the Kornati archipelago is a particularly good hunting ground for white fish, lobster, prawns and everything else that swims and wriggles its way through the great Adriatic blue.

Traditionally local cooks stick to simplicity - olive oil and a shake of salt is very often all that these

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

noble sea creatures need before being tossed on the grill. There’s an increasing number of high-quality seafood restaurants on the Kornati catering for yachting folk, most of which rely on the fresh catch rather than what they got in the cashand-carry.

Fishing culture - and the need to make the best of your catch whatever you come back into port with - means that mixed-seafood brodet or stew is another staple.

Every household has their own recipe - indeed the island of Zlarin has an annual competition to see who cooks up the best. Squid as always features strongly in the local diet: one speciality you won’t se so often elsewhere is black polenta, made with the squid and its ink.

The Interior North and east of Šibenik maritime culture merges with inland pursuits such as animal-rearing, wine-making and crop-growing.

Straddling both cultures is Skra-

Summer / Autumn 2022

55

RESTORAN VICKO printAd FIN 02.pdf

1

07/06/2022

13:39

4,6

C

5 4 iews 2 rev 3 2.14 2

1

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

­­

K

din, a town that has developed a distinct culinary profile of its own.

Well served with fish, shellfish, frogs and eels (the latter feature in an eel brodet that is often eaten cold), Skradin cooks also have access to the ćokalica, a tasty small fish that lives on the boundaries of the fresh-water and salt-water zones. Another thing unique to Skradin is skradinski rižot, a slow-cooked beef-based risotto flavoured with aromatic spices (and which, according to tradition, takes 8-9 hours to cook and can only be made by men).

Elsewhere inland, it’s the meat that dominates the menu, with pork, veal and occasionally rooster slow-baked under a metal lid known as a peka - which is regularly sprinkled with hot ashes from a roaring hearth. Localmarket centre Drniš is known all over Croatia for its pršut, which is reckoned to 56

Croatia In Your Pocket

be the best in Dalmatia. The town’s other claim to fame is sir iz mišine, a distinctively tart sheep’s cheese matured in sheepskin bags - it is best consumed with a good red wine. The other local dairy product is škripavac (“the squeaky one”), a mild cow’s cheese with a pleasantly rubbery texture.

Along the coast Coastal settlements running up the coast from Šibenik have a long tradition of sea-fishing, but also grow vegetables and pulses in their gardens. Seafood staples like squid are often paired with lentils, chickpeas or green beans.

Succulent prawns and proteinrich sardines and anchovies make up the bulk of the local catch, and it’s the salted and marinated ‘blue’ fish from these coastal villages that make up one of the true joys of the region’s cuisine. One of the foodstuffs most specific to the

region is the mussel, grown in the Krka estuary near Šibenik and also in the Murter Channel, between Pirovac and the island of Murter.

Always present in the wild, mussels have been farmed as a food product since the 1980s, turning the Šibenik region into one of the prime sources of mussels in Croatia - whereever you are along this stretch of shore, mussels will be one of the treats you simply musty try.

Tribunj, Murter and Prvić Luka are still working fishing communities, with anchovies and sardines making up the biggest share of the catch. Salted and marinated fish are true joys, adria stall on tribunj market is one of the best places to pick them up. use of chickpeas and green beans, in combination with anchovies or squid croatia.inyourpocket.com

Šibenik County Tourist Board Archives

Shutterstock

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Summer / Autumn 2022

57

Where to buy local fish products?

The Adriatic Sea is full of natural bounty. It is filled with fish, crustaceans, and weird things with tentacles, and it is not surprising that a traditional culture of fishing, seafaring, and seafood-based gastronomy has grown up around its shores. However that doesn’t always mean that fishing is an easy trade from which to make a living. Fish stocks are not what they were, and the food retail industry is increasingly dependent on big global supply chains rather than the local catch.

One response to the challenges faced by today’s Adriatic communities is the Adria Fishing Cooperative in the village of Tribunj, a typical seafaring village just west of the tourist resort of Vodice. Founded in 2007, the cooperative comprising thirteen fishing boats operated by local families, and a modern processing plant right on the harbour for storing, processing, packing and marketing the catch.

A certain amount of fresh fish goes direct to the local market, although most of cooperative’s catch is frozen, salted, or smoked in Adria’s state-of-the-art smoking machine. The cooperative is particularly proud of its shrimps, particularly succulent because they have soft small bodies suited to the shallow coastal waters.

The cooperative’s impressive catch of red mullet, a fish underrated by local chefs, and is largely exported to Italy, where it is a firm favourite in the peninsula’s kitchens. The cooperative plays an important social role in a village like Tribunj: fishing is deeply rooted here, and there is hardly a single local family which isn’t somehow involved in the industry in some way. The cooperative’s members mostly fish in local waters, stretching from from the Šibenik area in the south to the Kornati islands in the northwest. Fishing often follows a seasonal pattern, with mackerel and shrimps more plentiful in the summer, hake in winter. Trawler fishing is suspended at certain times in order to allow stocks to be replenished.

Visitors will be stirred by the sight of a working fishing harbour squeezed between yachting marinas and holiday beaches, and might get to see the catch being unloaded if they’re around at the right time.

To get your hands on Adria’s high-quality, locally-fished and locally-packed products, head for the glass-enclosed Adria stall at Tribunj market, where a tempting range of shrimp, smoked fish, and beautifully tangy jars of salted anchovies are arrayed for your inspection.

The cooperative’s Facebook page (www.facebok.com/rzadria/) may be in Croatian, but provides a seductively colourful insight into what might be on the shelves.

You can learn more about the Adria cooperative at www.rzadria-tribunj.hr.

Adria Tribunj Archive

58

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

Coastal Wines The Croatian wine scene offers incredible wealth and variety. With so many options to try and buy, you might need a trailer to drive them home to enjoy. Worth it? Absolutely. We asked super sommelier Jelena Šimić Valentić to choose nine coastal wines that delight her expert palate, and she was more than up to the task.

Don’t just dwell on them. Wine tasting rooms, small boutique wineries, and small producers offer gastronomic experiences throughout the coast and hinterland, which will keep you warm all year round! Cheers!

1.Benvenuti San Salvatore Muscat White 2017 Liquid sweet gold in a glass. The wine comes to us from San Salvatore in Momjan, Istria. It is a beautiful amber colour and has a conquering scent, a rich and very concentrated aroma of mango, apricot, quince, date, dried white raisins, roses, orange peel, and vanilla. Feel the perfect balance of sugars and acids in your mouth and the oily texture and rich structure. This is a wine whose sip you never forget and whose taste lasts and lasts. It belongs to the category of 20 wines that you must try before you die.

3. Križ Plavac Mali (white label) 2019 Pelješac vineyards The wine of the Bogoević Marušić family from Prizdrina in the Pelješac peninsula belongs to the category of wines that provide immediate recovery from the very first sip. There is a wonderful, special energy in the wine, and it has a very intense colour and thick, oily consistency. The fragrance qualities are excellent, with rich and very pronounced scents.

Honest wine? That sounds about right. Aromas of chocolate, vanilla, blackberries, prunes and rosehip tea float to the skin with tobacco and spices and ripe and grainy well-integrated tannins. It is robust, wild, and exceeds all expectations.

2. Le Chiffre Chardonnay St Ante 2019 The hidden gem of Saints Hills winery reminds me of the finest burgundy. Aged in 10 barriques, it conquers with the scents of vanilla, butter and coconut. It has a gorgeous structured body, rich with a very high consistency of wine taste, a sophisticated, elegant, multi-layered and excellent wine. It requires a wide burgundy glass and is best sipped slowly and with pleasure. One of the best Croatian chardonnays.

4. Bartulović Family Rukatac 2020 The Rukatac family wine is made from the autochthonous Rukatac variety. It is dry, obtained by spontaneous fermentation, macerated and unfiltered. It conquers with its amber colour and intoxicating scents. The quince, apricot, and a sea of ​​tropical fruits of herbs will completely delight you. The scents are clear and deep. This is a delectably rich wine, gently tannic, imbued with a touch of tradition of the

Photo by Katja Živković

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Summer / Autumn 2022

59

Pelješac region with such a special name. Serve in a wide burgundy glass at a temperature of 12 -14C. It should be on every family’s table for Sunday lunch. For lovers of red wine, there is also a great combination of family red from Plavac and Zinfandel.

5. Zlatan Crljenak - Zinfandel reserve 2012 The Baška voda vineyards of the Plenković winery gave birth to the fantastic Crljenak, an autochthonous variety of Croatian grape known in Italy as Primitivo and in California as Zinfandel. The wine is rich, concentrated, and full of spicy and fruity mature aromas. The tannins are very well integrated and mature. It is full of character, almost salty, harmonious, of excellent quality and has a distinctive terroir flavour.

BARAKA WINE TASTING RESERVATION: m: +385 98 337 993 e: filip@baraka.co Bogdanovići 36, Šibenik http://baraka.co

6. Babić Testament The winery, located in the sub-region of Northern Dalmatia in Jadrtovac, belongs to the Šibenik vineyards and produces wines of indigenous varieties, one of which is the Babić variety. It is a red wine with a dark ruby, opaque colour and an aroma of ripe red fruit, dark chocolate and spices. It is worth mentioning the best spot for this variety, in Bucavac near Primosten, because Primosten terraces are unique vineyards where the Babić variety is planted. The vineyards themselves are breathtaking.

7. Boškinac Red Cuvee One of the most famous wineries in Pag is Boškinac, an absolute must for oenophiles of all shapes and sizes. In addition to indigenous varieties such as Pag Gegić, they also offer beautiful Bordeaux blends recognized and appreciated on the Croatian market. Cuvee includes international varieties, namely Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, to which the soil and climate of the island of Pag are extremely suitable. It is a dry, full-bodied, excellent structure and complex bouquet with elegant silk tannins, recognizable aromas of red currant and mineral notes.

8. Posip Nerica The island of Korčula, the location of Čara winery Nerica, gave wine lovers a special white original wine from Croatia.

It is straw yellow in colour, with a rich and concentrated nose and oily consistency. Rich and very intense on the nose, full of aromas of tropical fruits, dried apricots, ripe yellow fruits, yellow grapefruit ... The wine is multi-layered, with a strong body and character leaving a lasting taste and aroma, delicious and unforgettable.

9. Pilato Malvasia Sur Lie 2018 Vižinada Istria It does not appear on the market every year (2011, 2015, 2016 and 2018), and its grapes are harvested in vineyards about 30 years old and in used barrique barrels. It has a delightfully oily texture and a concentrated and rich nose intertwined with tropical and citrus aromas. Vanilla, smoke, caramel, and buttery note fills the entire oral cavity. It is multi-layered, with a deep taste and aroma, mature, varietal mineral and very fine. The persistence of the taste of the wine is incredibly long. Bravo Pilato family!

60

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

Cultural Digestiv

62

Prigorje Archive Museum

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

vesna parun This year Croatia will be celebrating the centenary of the birth of Vesna Parun, one of the nation’s greatest twentieth-century poets, and a much-loved author of children’s stories.

Parun was born on the island of Zlarin, near Šibenik, on April 10 1922, and it is on Zlarin that many of the key celebrations will be taking place.

A monolith, engraved with the words of Parun’s famous line devoted to her native island, “Zlatin, little island of broom and immortelle (Zlarin,mali otok brnistre i smilja),” was unveiled on the centenary itself. There are also plans for a Vesna Parun corner which, will direct visitors towards locations on the island mentioned in Parun’s works. There will also be a string of events throughout the summer involving readings and music.

Although born on Zlarin, Parun lived in many different parts of Croatia and is arguably one of the most Croatian of poets, having experienced its many landscapes and lived through its most dramatic epochs.

She spent her childhood years in Zlarin, Split and Šibenik, and spent some of her school years on the island of Vis. She enrolled at Zagreb University in 1940, and spent the war

years in Sesvete near Zagreb; her brother died fighting with the Partisans.

Published in 1947, her first collection Dawns and Whirlwinds was attacked by critics for not being in tune with the communist-approved socialist realism of the time. She subsequently developed as a leading lyric poet, with love and sensuality among her key themes. She was also a highly prolific children’s author, celebrated among other things for her characters Džingiskan and Miki Trasi, two cats from Zlarin. Džingiskan leaves the island because he wants to see the world, an archetypal case of someone who leaves a small town for the big wide world but still yearns for its home comforts.

Parun lived in Bulgaria from 1962, socializing with actors and writers and translating the best of Bulgarian poetry into Croatian. Expelled as a spy in 1967, she returned to Zagreb. Parun’s love letters to Bulgarian actor Veli Čaušev, rediscovered and published in 2016, were a literary sensation.

Due to ill health Parun moved to the spa town of Stubičke Toplice, where she died on October 25 2010. She was buried in Grohote on the island of Šolta, her mother’s native island.

Prigorje Archive Museum

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Summer / Autumn 2022

63

Hit the Market!

When it comes to food, the people of Dalmatia like to have theirs simple, fresh and grown locally.

There are no exotic spices or complex preparations, just natural flavours. And boy, do they taste great.

Split,

In there is no shortage of fantastic ingredients, and there is no better place to get them than the local farmers’ market and fish market, or as Splićani call them, Pazar (Pah-zar) and the Peškarija (Pesh-kah-ria).

64

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

Now, in the mind of a foreigner, it would be logical to keep these two close, but they are at opposite ends of the Riva, the main thoroughfare that runs along the quayside. This is mainly because the peškarija is close to the former fishing port of Matejuška, while Pazar is near to one of the main roads since most of the veg is grown inland. The good thing is that Pazar is very close to the bus station and the ferry port, so if you can spare a few minutes before leaving for your favourite island, stock up on veg since it’s at least three times more expensive on the islands. Aside from its practical uses, Pazar is one of those places where the local population and pleasure-seeking tourists tend to mix without prejudice. It’s a gathering place for people from islands like Brač, Hvar and Šolta, the mountain people of Dalmatinska Zagora, and people from smaller local towns like the seven Kaštelas. All of them bring their produce to the concrete benches in the shade of the eastern wall of Diocletian’s palace. Here you can find everything that grows under the sun, from strawberries, fresh or dried figs, lemons, grapes and pomegranates to wild asparagus, sun-ripened and sweet-smelling tomatoes, plus all kinds of green leafy veg like spinach and chard, aubergines, carrots, courgettes, goats’ and sheep’s cheeses, homemade jams and preserves, liqueurs and brandies, cured meats and fresh poultry. It’s a veritable cornucopia of flavours and colours, garnished with the lively banter of the salespeople hoping to persuade you to taste their goods and buy their products. Some of these market sellers have been feeding the Splićani for generations.

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Depending on the time of day you arrive, Pazar can be quite an overwhelming experience, so it’s sometimes wise to buy a cold beer at a nearby kiosk and join the locals in the shade, waiting for the prices to go down at the end of the day. Now you’ve got all of your meat and veg and some wine and brandy, it’s time to pick out a nice piece of fish at the fish market.

The peškarija is located smack bang in the middle of Marmontova, the nice marble-paved street at the western end of the Riva. You must have seen it or at least smelled it out. No worries, due to the sulphur wells that brought Diocletian here, the air here keeps the fish hygienic as there are no flies. The fish market opens early, with the morning catch coming in even before 07:00, so set an alarm clock if you want the best pieces to end up on your grill. Dalmatian people do not eat expensive fish like dentex, john dory, or other prize catches. These all go to restaurants or tourists. Locals prefer cheaper, smaller fish like sardines, anchovies, bonito, squid, sea bream, mackerel and red mullet. These fish are not only easy on the pocket, but they’re also tasty and healthy too – the benefits of oily fish like sardine and mackerel are renowned.

Feeling a bit nervous about buying fresh fish? Just look for shiny scales, clear eyes and firm flesh. Check the gills too, which should be bright red. Now you bought it, you will have to gut it. Gross? Ask the person behind the counter, if they’re not too busy, they might oblige. If not, best stick to the restaurants.

Summer / Autumn 2022

65

Prilaz braće Kaliterna 10/1 21000 Split, Croatia tel/fax: +385 (0) 21 490 032, 490 033, 490 036

www.dalmatia.hr

•

info@dalmatia.hr

htp:/ w w.bepa.hr Located in the heart of the Old Town Split, on a historical Pjaca, this charming street food restaurant is the perfect spot for a hearty brunch or a relaxing dinner.

Choose from fab breakfast dishes like egg Benedict, avo egg and waffles to great lunch and dinner options like tuna steak, steamed buns, delish salads and burgers.

Everyone is most welcomed so even the most vigorous vegans will have fab choices here.

Open all day from 8 -24.

ht p:/ bepa.hr/menu/BEPA-Menu.pdf

68

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

Marenda & Bevanda If your travels take you to the coast and Split especially, make a beeline for the taverns. If you see that at one of the tables sits a group simultaneously talking loudly and chewing mouthfuls of delicious food, do not be afraid - they are only eating marenda!

No Stress Archive

Marenda is not what it may seem at first, namely satisfying hunger. It is a lot more, a population’s habit, which you need to see through a window. Because when a group of friends gather together in the early morning and sit down at a table with a full plate, it is difficult to discern whether they have gathered for the delicacies or if they made their way around the delicacies to make their conversation more comfortable and friendlier. This is escapism through good food, fleeing work for marenda. However, the modern age has changed everything, and we fear that marenda will soon end.

Marenda to Dalmatians is what five o’clock tea is to the English. The time you spend waiting for marenda, you’re like a locked and loaded gun, whether you’re a first-grader who likes to eat or a mature man. Marenda time could pay tribute to the modern world in which we live. Marenda has always taken place somewhere between ten o’clock in the morning and noon. By ten, let alone by noon, the working class would have starved a hundred times, and when this hunger is combined with Mediterranean casualness, enjoyment is inevitable. You can still eat everything at this meal- from tripe and pašta fažol (Dalmatian beans with pasta) to polpeta u šugu (meatballs and sauce) and manistra usuvo (spaghetti and meat sauce), to boiled meat and fried sardines and even veal shank. Modern times, however, have moved the time of marenda. Today, there are fewer and fewer workers, the employed individual eats later and often eats alone, and there are fewer taverns and more restaurants. Delicacies are, however, the same, and tripe and fažol, and polpete u šugu and minestrone usuvo, and boiled meat and fried sardines, as well as veal shanks. Is marenda threatened to become extinct? Surely it needs the hallowed protection of UNESCO as a slice of cultural wonder? facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

The time to have marenda is important but the marenda spirit is even more important! Marenda is not only about eating, marenda is about socializing. It’s a group that binds a lot more than just food. The group is held together in a wondrous, intimate, and almost conspiratorial way, a group that has a sense of humour, the same joke, and a love of rustic and homemade food. And that’s the truth and the most important thing you need to know about marenda.

If you are this type, do not hesitate to embrace marenda when you see a group enjoying their meal in a tavern.

They will recognize in you that goodness and openness and good food and will embrace you as their own. So that there is tripe and pašta fažol, polpeta u šugu and manistra usuvo, boiled meat and fried sardines, and even veal shank.

And when you’ve already left for marenda, it is quite possible, if not mandatory, that along with your meal you will drink a bevanda. Yes, maybe some will think that mixing wine and water is blasphemy and sin, but it is an ancient custom for farmers to dilute wine to quench their thirst.

Today individuals know much more about good wine, and they try not to dilute it as much. But, after marenda, if you want to explore the cities and towns of Dalmatia in the sun, it is not wise to drink strong Dalmatian wine. Drink bevanda, and everything will seem different, better. Since bevanda is also a part of Dalmatian “five o’clock tea.” However, here we simply call it - marenda!

Shutterstock

Summer / Autumn 2022

69

70

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Summer / Autumn 2022

71

An Island Calling: Stay, Eat, Experience... Brač Three words describe authentic Brač cuisine: local, organic and seasonal. We urge you to track down restaurants that serve good quality food using the freshest local ingredients - natural, healthy, and delicious. See the Restaurants section which lists our recommendations for the best and most authentic Brač restaurants and turn to the Culture and Events pages to discover the many gastronomy festivals where you’ll have the chance to sample a range of different local specialities. Here are a few pointers to look out for…

Ask any Croatian person what springs to mind when they think of Dalmatian food, and they’ll throw three words right back at you “riba i blitva” (“fish and chard”). Of course, what better to eat than fresh, locally-sourced fish from the clear waters of the Adriatic? On Brač there is no shortage of restaurants with a hotline to a good local fisherman, or in fact, where the proprietors themselves are fishermen as well as restauranteurs.

Brač also has a commercial fish factory in Postira, which was established in 1906 and specialises in the canning of oily fish such as sardines, tuna and mackerel.

Of course, there are a million ways of preparing fish but it’s hard to beat the simplest and most flavoursome: grilled over charcoal, smothered with olive oil and served with a side dish of chard, which is a leafy green vegetable, not unlike spinach, but without the odd feeling that spinach seems to create on your teeth. At certain times of the year, you may be offered wild greens and do try these if you get the chance. Other seasonal vegetables which are rather special are asparagus, usually the slim, potent, wild variety (divlja šparoga), and broad beans (bob), both of which can be prepared in a myriad of ways.

Brač is known as the “inland island”, as for centuries its interior was far more populated than its coast. The inland occupation of raising stock for regional dishes, is recognised even today in the island’s cuisine, where fish is balanced by traditional meat dishes, using lamb and goat. The inhabitants of these inland communities also made their living from the production of olive oil and wine. You can buy both commercially produced oil and the local home-made Brač extra virgin olive oil, which has a delightfully strong, fruity flavour. Don’t be shy to try the locally produced wine either. Most can be surprisingly good. The local variety is Plavac Mali, the grapes of which thrive best on the southfacing slopes on the southern part of the island.

Trudna teća Archive Supetar Tourist Board Archive

Another excellent local Brač product is cheese made from sheep’s milk. It is a hard cheese and has a delicious nutty flavour though not overpowering. Unfortunately, good local cheese is in short supply, because it’s traditionally made only in Spring and while it can be found in better restaurants, it is in limited supply as stocks do not last long. Such restaurants might also offer škuta on the dessert menu.

This is a very soft, fresh, young cheese, neutral in flavour and often served with pancakes, either caramelised or with honey.

72

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

Supetar Tourist Board Archive

Speaking of desserts…… naturally the local sweets are made from ingredients indigenous to Brač, such as figs, honey, carob, nuts, grapes, and cherries. Hrapoćuša is a cake made primarily from almonds, walnuts, and lemon. Its spiritual home is the village of Dol. Bračka torta (Brač cake) is a traditional island cake made with almonds and chocolate. Sweet specialities common throughout Dalmatia, you will find also on Brač. They include: rožata, which is similar to crème caramel, light and crispy fritters called hroštule and mendule u cukru, almonds rolled in caramelised sugar.

We like meeces to pieces!

The culinary speciality of which Bračans are very proud is Myoxus glis or Glis glis – otherwise known as the edible or fat dormouse. Oh no! When you see the bushy-tailed little creatures, reminiscent of grey squirrels but with chubby faces and great beady eyes, the eating of them is the last thing that springs to mind. However, the tradition of eating this animal, known as a “puh” in Croatian (and pronounced to rhyme with “woof”), goes back to Roman times.

In countries where the puh is common, it may be considered a pest because of its penchant for nibbling through useful things like electric cables. Interestingly, there is a colony of 10 000 around the English town of Tring after the “great escape” of these intrepid animals from the private collection of the 2nd Baron Rothschild in 1902. In the UK they enjoy some degree of protection. In Slovenia, however, not only is their eating a part of the folk culture but their fat has been prized as a medicament since the Middle Ages.

On Brač, the puh is considered an exceptionally healthy animal to consume as its diet primarily consists of clean vegetable sources, e.g. acorns and grape seeds. For the full puh experience you’re supposed to catch the animal yourself by setting a trap in a tree. It should be roasted over an open fire and the specimen must be fat! If you intend trying this unusual delicacy, you must ask your host in one of the island’s more traditional restaurants to source it for you. But……..! We ourselves say, “Leave da liddle bebbehs alone! Pooh to eating the puh!”

Hrapoćuša This unique dessert is made only on Brač, particularly in the village of Dol, so definitely give it a go in one of Dol’s taverns (tavern is ‘konoba’ in Dalmatian dialect). Hrapoćuša is a crefacebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

scendo of nuts, lemon, caramelised sugar and egg yolk, a calorific bomb whose taste explosion induces an intense sugar rush and has been nicknamed “Dol Viagra” with good reason.

Vitalac Fans of offal will be overjoyed to learn that one of Brač’s culinary specialities is made from the offal of goat or lamb. Not only is it a delicacy that is raved about by aficionados, but the tradition of making it is so old and so unique that Vitalac is listed as an item of non-material cultural heritage in Croatia. A skewer is threaded with small pieces of kidney, lung or whatever is available to you, then salted and wrapped in a soft piece of muscle tissue, gently barbecued, then wrapped in a piece of intestine and roasted for a further hour until crispy on the outside. The resulting sausage-shaped delicacy is removed from the skewer, salted, sliced, and served warm. The dousing with lashings of extra virgin olive oil makes the ingestion of this delicacy almost bearable for those who are not fans of offal.

Varenik Brački varenik is an indigenous Croatian food product from the island of Brač, protected on an EU level. It is a reduced liquid food supplement obtained after a long cooking process.

The juice of the local wine grapes variety’s juice is simmered and when the original volume of the grape juice is reduced to 1/3, it is done. Because of the 15-hour cooking process and its nutritive value, Brački varenik is sold at around 500 kn per litre or 67 E/L. It is a great replacement for sugar and has been in use on the island for centuries, long before cane sugar. Brački varenik is the perfect addition to stews, homemade biscuits, ice cream and is an ideal gourmet souvenir of the island. It can be ordered from local, certified island producers.

Brač olive oil Brač varenik was recently protected across the entirety of the EU as the 26th Croatian national product and is the first from the island of Brač. Brač olive oil as the 33rd Croatian product, achieved the same level of protection which has opened a new chapter in the production and marketing of this ‘yellow gold’.

Today, Brač is the largest olive-growing and olive oil-producing area in Croatia and the olive oil produced on the island of Brač is of the highest quality. As well as the Brač stone, Brač olive oil really is a must-have, take-home souvenir from this beautiful island.

Summer / Autumn 2022

73

76

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

Jakšić Archive

Insider tip The Jakšić family has for generations been connected with Brač stone: quarrying it, dressing it, sculpting it and generally in love with it. Their small estate at Donji Humac comprises their home, their workshop, a gallery and a little chapel. This little complex is a pleasing blend of traditional architecture and tasteful modern design. In the gallery, you can see art and sculpture created by the academy-educated members of the family, with works range from abstract sculpture and painting to decorative jewellery. It’s a delight!

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Summer / Autumn 2022

77

ić, from the archives of the

The author - Iris Marinov

Meštrović Gallery

The Meštrović family might be best known for its magnificent artistic creations, but that creativity extended into the kitchen too. Be sure to pick up the excellent Menu of the Meštrović family book, filled with special recipes from the cookbook of Olga Meštrović.

78

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

Cultural Digestiv

Sinj Tourist Board Archive

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Summer / Autumn 2022

79

Museums of Ivan Meštrović Archive, Photo by Zoran Alajbeg

80

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

Ivan Meštrović When it comes to Croatian art the name Ivan Meštrović towers above all others, a sculptor of grand scope and ambition who straddled the great movements of the twentieth century and left behind monumental works that have helped define the character of the cities in which they are placed. As well as being a figure of global critical acclaim he was also a truly national sculptor, exploring the great themes and folk motifs of his own people. Few artists have captured the different aspects of the Croatian personality quite so well.

Ivan Meštrović was born on August 15 1883 into a family of agricultural labourers. His parents were working in Vrpolje in Slavonia at the time of his birth, but they soon moved back to their home region of Otavice, in the Dalmatian interior, where Meštrović spent his formative years. Apprenticed to a Split stonemason at the age of 16 his skills were soon spotted, and benefactors paid for him to study sculpture at the Fine Art Academy in Vienna.

It was the flamboyant, fluid style of the Viennese Secession that influenced him early on: his sensuous Well of Life (1905), in front of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, is an outstanding example of his early style. He was also a friend of the great French sculptor Rodin, and he spent several years in Paris and other European cities before moving to Zagreb in 1919.

Like most other young artists of his generation, Meštrović saw Yugoslavism as an emancipatory force that would help Croats to forge a new identity separate from the Habsburg Empire, and much of his early work was influenced by these ideals. His work increasingly explored the mythology of the South Slavs, and many of the resulting sculptures were exhibited in the Serbian pavilion at the Rome International Exhibition of 1911. Such was Meštrović’s growing international reputation that he was given a one-man show in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in 1915: it was a time of war, small nations were fighting against great em-

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

pires, and Meštrović was seen as a young energetic artist who represented the spirit of the epoch.

After World War I Meštrović was one of the leading artistic personalities of the new Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later renamed Yugoslavia). He based himself in Zagreb and taught at the Academy of Fine Arts. Widely recognized as the greatest sculptor of his generation, he was much in demand, designing prestige monuments to World War I in Belgrade’s Kalemegdan Park, where his Victor and Monument of Gratitude to France still define the landscape. For the city of Split he made the towering statue of medieval Croatian bishop Gregory of Nin, the unveiling of which in 1929 was one of the great public events of the age. Now situated just outside the Golden Gate (it was originally sited on the Peristyle, a space for which it was just too big), it is a much-loved local landmark whose toes are rubbed for luck as people stroll past the pedestal.

Meštrović had a huge impact on the urban character of Zagreb, where his statue of the nineteenth-century cultural reformer Archbishop Strossmayer was placed behind

Summer / Autumn 2022

81

the Croatian Academy of Arts. His monument to Nikola Tesla, originally in the Ruđer Bošković Institute, now stands on the corner of Preradovićeva and Teslina in the city centre. Meštrović was also the creator of one of the capital’s most swooningly beautiful buildings, the pale grey rotunda housing the headquarters of the HDLU (Croatian Society of Fine Artists) on Trg žrtava fašizma.Meštrović was viewed with suspicion by the quisling regime that came to power in April 1941, and he spent three months in prison before being forced to emigrate.

He was not very enthusiastic about the communist Yugoslavia that came into being after World War II, however, and moved to the USA, where he taught at Syracuse University in New York, and then Notre Dame at South Bend Indiana. He died in 1962, his remains brought back to Otavice where they entered the family mausoleum he had himself designed.

The museum in Meštrović’s former

atelier in Zagreb’s Upper Town is currently undergoing renovation, but there are numerous sites around the country where the sculptor’s work can be admired.

You can find more information at https://mestrovic.hr.

The Church of the Most Holy Redeemer/Meštrović Mausoleum, Otavice Ten kilometres east of Drniš, Meštrović’s home village of Otavice is a tranquil spot where grazing flocks are framed by the imposing grey forms of the Dinaric mountains looming to the northeast. It was an a low hill on the edges of the village that Meštrović chose to build the domed grey Church of the Most Holy Redeemer, which was also intended to serve as a family mausoleum. Begun in 1926, the building contains some of Meštrović’s most haunting reliefs, with an ethereal Crucifixion flanked by serene portrayals of

the Evangelists. Mass is only held here once a month, but the church is open to visitors throughout the year.

The Meštrović Gallery, Split Meštrović’s choice for a summer home was Split, and it was here that he spent the years 1931 to 1939 building a villa on the southern slopes of Marjan hill. Donated by the sculptor himself in 1952, it now serves as the Meštrović Gallery, displaying a thrillingly varied collection of the artist’s works. All eras of Meštrović’s work are covered, from the Art-Nouveau influenced works of the early years to the fluid, folk-meets-art-deco sculptures of his later years. A ticket to the Gallery also allows access to the nearby Kaštilac, a Renaissance fortified agricultural property where Meštrović built cloister and chapel with a stunning collection of wall reliefs in wood.

Borrowing freely from ancient Assyria, Greece and Croatian folk art, it’s a dizzyingly brilliant work that sums up the breadth of Meštrović’s genius.

Museums of Ivan Meštrović Archive, Photo by Zoran Alajbeg 82

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

What to see and do in Sinj To fully appreciate the stark majesty of the mid-Dalmatian landscape, you need to spend at least some time inland.

The coast, with its sweeping pebble beaches and imperious mountains is only one side of the Dalmatian story.

Delve beyond the coastal peaks and you will come across a dramatic combination of stony plateaus, fertile vales, river canyons, and mountains even more imposing than the ones you’ve just crossed.

Thirty-five kilometres inland from Split, the easy-going town of Sinj is the ideal place from which to explore this bewitching landscape. Sprawled across a fertile green carpet of rich agricultural land known as the Sinj Field (Sinjsko polje), the town is surrounded by the stark majesty of grey-brown highlands; while the furrowed gorges carved out of lime stone by the Cetina River lie only a short distance to the south and east. Whether you are into hiking, biking, fishing or simply looking, it’s an exhilarating place to be.

Sinj is also a town of immense historical symbolism, It owes its central place in the national narrative to the heroic defense of the town against an Ottoman army in 1715. The battle took place on the Feast of the Assumption, and Croatian victory is often attributed to the divine intervention of the Virgin Mary, whose fifteenth-century portrait is proudly displayed in the local parish church, a magnet for pilgrims to this day. Indeed Sinj remains southern Croatia’s most visited Marian shrine, with hundreds of thousands of celebrants making their way here annually to mark the Feast of the Assumption on August 15.

The famous battle of 1715 is celebrated every year by the test of horsemanship known as the Sinjska Alka, when riders attempt to spear a dangling talismanic disk in front of large crowds over a weekend in early August. Descended from age-old equine competitions and featuring brightlyclad participants in distinctive traditional costume, the Alka is a key component in Croatian national identity and comes under the protection of the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Best place to learn about the Alka is at the award-winning Sinjska Alka Museum, an engaging mixture of traditional exhibits and modern multimedia presentation. The recently refurbished Museum of the Cetina Region (Muzej cetinske krajine) will give you the lowdown on the region’s rich heritage, with a colourful display that takes in folklore and local crafts – including the traditional hand-turned pottery made in the nearby village of Potravlje.

Historical resonances aside, Sinj lays good claim to being the activity capital of inland Dalmatia. It has a hippodrome that hosts equine sports throughout the year, and an airfield that hosts parachuting and gliding events.

A mountain ridge near the village of Hrvace, just north of town, is the starting point for breathtaking descents by paraglider. Sinj’s surrounding area offers a wealth of hiking and cycling trails. Potential targets for explorers should perhaps start with Visoka, the 892m peak above town. Topped by ten-metre-high cross, it’s a popular target for pilgrims as well as recreational hikers. Offering a

bit more of a challenge is the 1509-metre Svilaja to the northwest, the summit of which provides breathtaking views of the surrounding highlands. Clearly visible to the northeast is the Dinara range, site of Croatia’s highest peak (the 1831-metre Sinjal) and also a protected area under the Dinara Nature Park.

For those into team-building activities and social sports, several local agencies offer zip-line adventures, paintball sessions and trips on local rivers.

Extraordinarily rich in landscape, culture and opportunities for an active holiday, the Sinj region is waiting to be discovered. More information is available on the local tourist board’s site www.visitsinj.com.

Photos by Sinj Tourist Board Archives

Local dishes

Dubrovnik

Despite having centuries-old trading connections across the globe, the cuisine of this region is very much based on the gifts of nature in this part of the world. Classic Dubrovnik cuisine is seasoned with parsley, garlic, olive oil and lemon, and perhaps a touch of rosemary or bay leaf if the chef is on the adventurous side. A true Mediterranean experience, you might say..

86 Croatia In Your Pocket

Banje Beach Archive croatia.inyourpocket.com

This tendency to eschew more exotic ingredients can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the city’s menus can seem somewhat repetitive. On the other hand, what you eat is fresh, natural and, in the better restaurants, local. The simplicity of the preparation lets the flavours of high quality ingredients do the work. It’s hard to beat a good piece of meat or fish grilled over charcoal with a salad freshly picked from a hinterland garden.

In defence of simple cooking, experiments with “imaginative” cuisine can be like playing Russian roulette.

In anything but the most skilled hands and pedantic husbandry the result can be disappointing. For example, in Provence, as Financial Times food columnist Rowley Leigh complained bitterly in summer 2012, it’s hard find an authentic bouillabaisse or ratatouille these days.

Peasant food gains elevated status and loses its guts.

Croatian food is still unfashionably plentiful and full of flavour, and all the better for it.

(not mince) and fresh tomatoes, it becomes something special. You’ll see big vats of the stuff served on the street at Carnival time in February. But even on the hottest day, add a crisp green salad and you’ve the perfect lunch.

A more special dish served throughout Dalmatia is pašticada. There are many variations, but generally a lean piece of beef is studded with carrot, garlic and smoked bacon and marinated in wine, oil, vinegar with perhaps a little orange and lemon. It’s cooked in a rich sauce, sometimes with prunes, and served with soft gnocci.

So, what can you eat in Dubrovnik if you’d like to escape the grilled fish – grilled meat – pasta trinity? The best answer is the same as anywhere: the same as the local people eat at home.

A winter warmer that truly displays the spirit of the region is konavoska zelena menestra. A selection of cured meats (pork, mutton, sausage) is cooked up with winter greens and potato. When finished, the meat is served on a plate and the smokily scented veg dished up with a little of the soupy liquid and lashings of olive oil. This dish dates from the 16th century; for added historical effect substitute barley for potato. Fast forward to springtime when broad beans are ready for picking: try them cooked with smoked mutton, garlic, parsley and bacon fat.

Let’s start with the basics. Šporke makarule is the local version of everyone’s favourite: spaghetti bolognese.

However, with hand-made pasta, small chunks of beef

To get a little more exotic, consider an excursion northwards to the Pelješac peninsula, where you can treat yourself to Ostrea edulis, otherwise known as the finest

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Summer / Autumn 2022

87

88

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

In the point where east meets the west, you are more than welcome to taste the most delicious bosnian cuisine and feel the warmth fulfilling your very soul in a unique ambiance of both of our restaurants in the heart of ancient town of Dubrovnik.

Old town Ul. Nike Gučetića 2, Dubrovnik +385 20 323 221 Hotel Lero Iva Vojnovića 14, Dubrovnik +385 20 640 123 www.tajmahaldubrovnik.com tajmahaldbk @ gmail.com facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Summer / Autumn 2022

89

oysters in the world, prepared in a million different ways. While you’re there, look out also for butarga (dried flathead mullet roe); there are a couple of families here who still prepare this rare delicacy.

Further north still, the Neretva river estuary is home to all kinds of aquatic life and a magnet for culinary adventurers. Fancy a plateful of snails cooked over an open fire? Eel cooked in a rich brudet sauce? Frog risotto, perhaps? It’s the perfect end to a watery day’s safari.

To accompany your traditional-style meal you’ll want a drop of the local grape. Where reds are concerned it’s easy. The Pelješac peninsula is the home of some of the most prized wines in Croatia: Dingač and Postup. Redolent of the sun that warms the rocky vineyards, they’re high in flavour and alcohol and a little bit pricey. Their cheaper younger brother, Plavac pelješki, is a palatable alternative. For whites, look out for Dubrovnik Malvasia (not the same thing as Istrian Malvazija). It might be white but it’s pretty intense so can go with meats as well as fish.

And to finish off, you’ll see rožata on many a menu: it’s the local version of crème caramel. Not so frequently spotted is stonska torta made with cooked macaroni. We think there’s no better way than to finish your meal than some fragrant figs (fresh in season, dried at other times), a handful of almonds and a liquer made from oranges, mandarins or rose petals.

D A L M AT I A N F L AV O U R S W I T H A PERSONAL TOUCH

R E S TA U R A N T T R A M U N TA N A

Nika i Meda Pucića 13 + 385 (0) 20 494 200 more@hotel-more.hr

www.restaurant-tramuntana.com

90

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

A Movable Feast Photos by Katija Živković

Could you introduce yourself shortly?

I’m a regular wife and mom. I live in Dubrovnik with my husband, our 3 sons, our dog and cat, and I love them all to the moon and back, as long as they are not meddling with my garden. My garden is sort of my retreat; a place where everything makes sense for me, not necessarily for anyone else. So basically the only ones I tolerate in it are the bugs.

Together with being a wife, mom, gardener and homemaker, I am also a food photographer by profession, which makes sense I guess.

I was introduced to the idea of healthy food as a child by my grandma, who was a vegan most of her adult life, and since she practically raised me (I didn’t go to the kindergarten and she took care care of me while my parents were at work) I sort of got indoctrinated with some of her ideas and values that stuck with me to this day. The most important thing she taught me was that food can be a poison, but it can also be the greatest form of medicine. So from an early age I became aware that food is an important part of our health (of course all this knowledge somehow evaporates during pregnancy when hormones take over, but it does come back eventually!).

My infatuation with healthy food led my husband and me to occasional try-outs as farmers. 14 years ago we bought a huge piece of untouched land in Slavonia that we cultivated. It only took several years of rather difficult off-grid trailer living in the forest half an hour drive from civilization,

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

and an outhouse (yep) to realize we should maybe give up on the idea of living a self-sustainable off-grid life, and we should continue to focus on the work we were already skilled in; photography for me and marketing for him. So we accepted the defeat and went back to Dubrovnik, and we thought the whole idea of farming was over. But then last year during the pandemic we tried to do it again; we cultivated a chunk of land in Konavle valley, and although it was magical at times, it was also extremely hard to manage with 3 kids and work of our own. So fail no.2 as farmers!

However the whole experience made us learn a lot.

The most important thing we learned is that even though our idea to produce our own food was a good one, thinking too big is not always the best thing. Focusing on doing as much as we can in a given situation is a good way forward. So with that in mind, I garden. Our little urban garden supplies us with most of the seasonal veggies that can be grown in our area. The rest we buy at the green market and from farmers we know personally. You see, one thing that is rather uncorrupted in Dubrovnik is the quality of food you can buy. So we still have the opportunity to get amazingly delicious, traditionally raised foods, relatively easy, on a daily basis. And this is a huge blessing in these modern times where most of the food comes in a plastic packaging and looks like it’s been made rather than grown. Actually, besides the clean sea that is more or less big white shark free, the quality of food is one of the things I love most about Dubrovnik.

Summer / Autumn 2022

91

What is on your table from local groceries?

One thing that is kind of specific for our family is that I’m mostly plant based myself while all of my four man are hard core carnivores, plus my two oldest sons are in school, so I mostly have to plan meals in advance.

In the spring time we eat a lot of green leafy veggies, artichokes, wild asparagus, peas, beans, stuff like that, and of course good olive oil is something I can’t imagine my cooking without, though having my kids actually eat all that requires a little bit of wizardry.

In the summertime our main ingredients are tomatoes, those nice, rough-looking fragrant ones from our garden, zucchini (can’t go wrong with zucchini fritters), Swiss chard, corn, loads of parsley (I put parsley in almost everything), green peas, watermelon, peaches and other seasonal fruits and veggies. Of course summer wouldn’t be summer (and what sort of a mother would I be if I didn’t allow it) without nice home baked bread and store bought pâté (pašteta), some homemade smoked pancetta and fresh tomatoes, preferably eaten on the beach.

How would you describe your food style?

In our house, we mostly eat Mediterranean, as do 90% of people I know. Obviously, we use locally grown, seasonal ingredients as much as possible, that we either grow ourselves in our garden, or buy from farmers we know. But since we are food aficionados, we very often cook stuff that is not typical for the region, so I will frequently prepare sushi, and Japanese food in general because we love it, or Mexican etc., while my husband is a stir fry master in our house, who seasons all his food with spices I cannot even pronounce and very often uses MSG because this guy he’s been following on You-tube said MSG is the crucial part of Chinese cooking. So, you see, sometimes I have to compromise and allow stuff that is not as healthy or good for our bodies, but it sure is delicious!

92

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Summer / Autumn 2022

93

You host foraging workshops for wild edible plants. Can you tell us a little more about your project?

The knowledge I acquired from my grandma at an early age later on turned into affixation with foraging, I literally see food everywhere I walk (LOL), but only during the pandemic have I decide to share it with others, all with the support and in cooperation with my friend Jadranka Ničetić, and my aunt Gordana.

Our first workshops were unofficial and were more of a gathering of friends who wished to learn about wild edible plants. But soon they caught the attention of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board, so this year we had our first official foraging workshop as a part of their manifestation Dubrovnik flower market. The response was amazing, and we got to share our knowledge with lots of people who have the same passion as we do. Also, in these few years I managed to put together a small foraging manual/cookbook that is in a pre-print stage, and my plan is to definitely build this story further and teach more people about this amazing food that was given to us for free.

94

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Summer / Autumn 2022

95

96

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com

facebook.com/CroatiaInYourPocket

Summer / Autumn 2022

97

Photo by Višnja Arambašić 98

Croatia In Your Pocket

croatia.inyourpocket.com