Savour Croatia

SAVOUR CROATIA www.kuhar.hr; www.gastronaut.hr; Landscape diversity of Croatian regions has reflected on the wealth of dishes at the table. Like every other cuisine, the Croatian one is a reflection of lifestyle, geographic and climatic conditions, as well as historical and social events within Croatian micro-locations. Furthermore, Croatian cuisine is a product of different cultures and traditions of the people with whom the inhabitants of some parts came into contact. Former conquerors and rulers, Greeks, Romans, Illyrians, Hungarians, Austrians, French and Turks all left traces on Croatian cultural heritage as well as on Croatian gastronomy.

Our national cuisine is therefore a witty and tasty blend of the best gastro elements of the East, Mediterranean and Central Europe.

The richness of Croatian gastronomic diversity can be savoured with an exquisite palate while sitting at a table which offers dishes named after a particular Croatian region: Pag cheese, Slavonian Kulen or Kulin (dry, spicy pork sausage), Drniš prosciutto, Istrian supa (spiced warm wine served with toasted torn homemade bread), Cres lamb, Goranski želudac (stuffing made of bread, ham, bacon, onion and eggs), Kvarner scampi, Zagorje strudel, Ston oysters, Vis or Komiža pogača (pie stuffed with tomatoes, onions and salty sardines), međimurska gibanica (Medimurje pie), Ogulinska masnica (dough stuffed with stewed onions and eggs)... The flavors of these dishes are very different but with a clear link – they are all Croatian and all perfection.

Croatian cuisine is heterogeneous, and is known as the cuisine of many regions. Its modern roots date back to Proto-Slavic and ancient times. Differences in the choice of foods and ways of cooking are most notable when we compare the mainland and coastal regions. The continental cuisine was influenced by the earlier, Proto-Slavic roots and recent contacts with the well-known culinary schools - Hungarian, Viennese and Turkish. Meat products, freshwater fish and vegetables dominate this cuisine.

In Continental Croatia gourmets will have a ball when they subcome to the culinary magic of Slavonia, Medjimurje, Zagorje, Lika and Gorska cuisine. Few will resist specialties like kulen, Zagorje roast turkey with mlinci (traditional type of pasta baked in roasting juices), Baranja fišpaprikaš (fish-stew), Lika police (rustic baked potatoes), goranski želudac or different game dishes.

Mediterranean region is characterized by the influence of the Greeks, Romans and Illyrians, and more recently Italian and French Mediterranean cuisine. It is characterized by a multitude of sea food prepared in various ways (fish, squid, cuttlefish, octopus, shrimp, lobster ...), olive oil, ham, various vegetables and well-known wines.

Mediterranean Croatia is a realm of light, healthy food. This is an area flavored with olive oil, Cres lamb, Drniš and Istrian ham, Pag cheese, Kvarner scampi, Ston oysters, Vis and Komiža pie, Dalmatian fish and shelfish, frogs, Istrian truffles and specialties prepared under a peka (meet cooked in an iron dome covered in embers of a clay oven).

Croatian gastronomy can actually be divided into five regions: Istria and Kvarner, Dalmatia and the Dalmatian Zagora, Karlovac and Lika, Zagorje, Međimurje and Podravina and Slavonia and Baranja. Zagreb and its surroundings should be set aside as a particular area, as its culinary specialties contain particulars of all regions.

Well known high-grade Croatian ingredients are: Mljet lobster, Ston oysters, Kvarner scampi, Istrian truffles, lamb from the islands and Lika, veal and pork from Slavonia, turkey from Zagorje

and Istria, Pag cheese and the Lika cheese škripavac, extra virgin olive oil and pumpkin seed oil, as well as excellent continental, Istrian and Dalmatian white and red wines.

The First Croatian Cookbook The rich literary opus testifies to the high level of gastronomic tradition and culture in Croatia, such as the records in the Latin - Croatian dictionary from 1740, which preceded a similar French dictionary. Add to these other fictional works by famous Croatian Renaissance writers and finally a book by John Bierling in 1813, which contained recipes for preparing 554 different dishes, and is considered to be the first Croatian cookbook.

A Special Dish for Every Celebration Many Croatian traditional festivities are associated with food, regardless of whether they relate to strenuous labor (crop harvesting or threshing, grape harvesting and Christening of wine, completion of house building), religion (mostly Catholic celebrations like Christmas, Easter, pilgrimages, celebrations of local patron saints) or important moments in an individual's life (baptism, wedding, birthday, name day, wake). Some festivities are public, such as the Dionysian St. Martin, celebrated on vineyard estates, in cellars and restaurants, while others are almost exclusively family celebrations (weddings, baptisms, Christmas, New Year's Eve, Easter, etc.). Every holiday has its typical dish. A stew of pork and potatoes is eaten on pilgrimages and fairs, dried cod is prepared for Christmas Eve and Good Friday, pork is eaten on New Year's Day, donuts are an inseparable part of carnival festivities, whilst along the coast, similar pastries – fritule (fritters) are prepared for the carneval. Ham and boiled eggs with spring onions are served at Easter, while desserts comprise of traditional cakes (eg. pinca). Kulen at harvest time, goose on St. Martin's Day, while turkey and other poultry, as well as sarma (mince wrapped in soured cabbage leaves) are served on Christmas Day. At weddings, one will find a variety of pastries and cookies, such as breskvice (finger cakes filled with walnut cream resembling peaches), medvjeđe šape (walnut and honey cookies shaped like bear paws), gingerbread biscuits and fritters. Many people prefer lamb and suckling pig on a spit, grilled fish, calamari prepared in various ways, grilled meat, ham and goat cheese, smoked ham and cheese with soured cream, fish stew and veal.

Gastro Trends Croatian caterers follow the international gastronomic trends including Croatian chefs 'experimenting' with molecular gastronomy, where cuisine combines with science, and the kitchen becomes a 'laboratory'. This culinary technique commonly uses liquid nitrogen by which nearly every food: from vegetables to meat, can be reduced to a foam. The technique will change the texture and appearance of food, but not the original flavor.

Gastronomic pleasure is not complete without a sip of good wine. A rich oenological spectrum is available for wine lovers: from the continental Traminer, Riesling, Graševina and Burgundy to the Adriatic Dingač, Postup, Malvasia, Teran and Vugava.

Indigenous Foods in Modern Culinary Performances More and more chefs in Croatian restaurants are preparing food using only indigenous ingredients in many different forms of haute cuisine. Traditional dishes are thus prepared in a new way. For example, in the 2010 World Contest in Istanbul, experts awarded the silver medal, in the category of modern cuisine, to polenta spiced with prosecco, mint and secret ingredients.

Istrian and Kvarner cuisine was recognized in the gastronomic guides such as Gault Millau, L'Espresso, Wo ist Oesterreich ...

In 2008 and for the first time, the National culinary team participated in the global gathering of chefs and pastry chefs in the Culinary Olympics held in Erfurt, Germany, and won the bronze medal. In the global competition of chefs (OCWCC - One Culinary World Chefs Competition) and

the first Balkan Culinary Cup (BCC - Balkan Culinary Cup) in Belgrade in 2009, Croatian chefs won 10 medals. Croatian chefs won a gold medal with their new approach to Vlaška lamb, which was kept in a marinade of olive oil throughout the trip to Belgrade, and was later roasted and served with blanched vegetables. However, in 2010 Croatian chefs were particularly successful at international culinary competitions. The representatives of the Croatian culinary team came back from the world championship EXPOGAST in Luxembourg with a bronze medal in the team competition to prepare a restaurant menu and cold dishes menu, as well as winning two further medals in the individual competition. In the competition of two thousand chefs at the world competition in Istanbul, five Croatian chefs won as many as 12 medals. As representatives of one of the countries that won most trophies, they were given a special award and a trophy. Croatian gastronomic flagship returned from the 2010 competition in the Moldavian city of Chisinau with three medals.

The chefs have pointed out that what impressed the judges on these the top-class international competitions were mostly flavors of the dishes, especially fish, prepared with Croatian olive oil, spices and wines.

A Wide Range of Quality Wines http://vinistra.com/; www.zagorskevinskeceste.net; www.udruga-dingac.hr; http://klastersrijem.com; www.udruga-brenta.hr; www.kutjevacki-vinari.hr; www . vine-klub.hr; www.vinskeceste.hr, www.istra-gourmet.hr, www.slavonski-puti.hr.

As grape-vine breeding has been nurtured in this area since the ancient times, Croatia is rightly proud of its wide palette of wines. More than a thousand different wine labels are on offer, from which 900 are with the protection and control of geographical origin.

There are five viticulture zones in the world determined by the number of hours of sunshine and temperature. Croatia has each of them and the world’s first vine-growing nation France has four.

The result of this diversity is a sumptuous wine mosaic from fresh, airy, fragrant and aromatic wines in the north, to strong, sweet and full boddied wines in the south.

Viticulturally, Croatia is split into the continental and coastal regions, which are then separated into 12 sub-regions. The area of the coastal region stretches through Istria, along the Adriatic coast and the Dalmatian hinterland. The whole region is separated into four wine growing sub-regions: Istria and Croatian Primorje, Northern, Central and Southern Dalmatia and Dalmatian Zagora (hinterland).

There are a number of sub-regions in continental Croatia: in the northwestern part there is ZagorjeMeđimurje, Prigorje – Bilogora, Plešivica, Pokuplje and Moslavina, and in the northeastern there is Slavonija and Podunavlje.

Most widespread white variety in continental Croatia is Graševina (most similar to Reisling), largely grown indigenous varieties are Škrlet (Scarlett) and Kraljevina, and excellent wines are produced from various world-wide varieties such as Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Traminer, Chardonnay and Sauvignon.

Red continental varieties are Pinot Noir, Portugizac and Frankovka, as well as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The two latter varieties are more appreciated in coastal wine growing regions where the most famous indigenous variety is Dalmatian Plavac Mali. The most famous Croatian wine variety is indeed Plavac and its different types are named after the places where they grow like Dingač, Postup, Ivan Dolac and the like.

Interestingly, recent research has shown that the Californian Zinfandel and Italian Primitivo have come from an old sort of Dalmatian Plavac, also known as Crljenak. The prominent white coastal

sorts are Istrian Malvazija, Žlahtina, Pošip, Rukatac and Vugava from Vis. Every Croatian tourist region has its wine aces, offered through the project “Wine Roads” as a special form of selling of agricultural products of each wine growing area on which agricultural estates and other participants offer their products and other original specialities, especially wine.

Apart from the tourist and hospitality offer, a major part of the wine roads tour are the beautiful natural surroundings through which the roads pass, as well as the historical and cultural sites.

Croatian Olive Oil www.istria-gourmet.com http://dalmatinsko.com/; Croatian olive growers have preserved their grandparents’ olive groves as they strive to preserve the tradition of olive cultivation and respect for nature and organic production. Along with the superior flavor and taste, they aim to offer a guarantee of safety of the product. The processing of oil takes place in Croatian oil refineries, where modern equipment for cold processing is used, thus preserving the original flavor and aroma as well as the richness of antioxidants and vitamins.

Lately, pastry chefs have been using top Croatian olive oil to enrich and enhance the flavor of desserts.

One of the most famous Croatian olive groves is located in the area of Luna on the island of Pag, where about 80 000 indigenous wild olive trees, separated into allotments by old stone walls, are grown on 400 acres of land. The oldest olive trees there are over a thousand years old. Lovers of this area are working on a proposal for the inscription of this site in the register of UNESCO cultural heritage sites.

It is worth mentioning the world guide Flos Olei, in which Istria has for the second time been ranked the second best olive oil region in the world following the world's best region Tuscany. Two Croatian olive oil producers were also listed among the top 20 in the world.

To present our rich gastronomy and enology at its best on the world market, the Ministry of Tourism, The Croatian Culinary Association and the Croatian Chamber of Commerce have launched a project of branding the Croatian eno-gastronomy offer. Their first assignment in realizing this intention is gathering recipes for a cook book with indigenous Croatian dishes, which have their own culinary story and visual identity.

DALMATIA AND DALMATIAN HINTERLAND The basic characteristics of Dalmatian cuisine are fresh ingredients, simple preparation with little intense spice and lots of mostly fresh herbs and wild plants. Dalmatia is, in fact, rich with Mediterranean herbs, such as sage, bay leaves, rosemary, basil, thyme ... which give dishes from this region a special aroma and taste. The traditional Dalmatian cuisine coincides with modern nutritional trends which prefer lightweight thermal processing of food and plenty of fresh fish, olive oil and vegetables. You will often find shellfish and seafood which is prepared like fish, either grilled or cooked in a brodetto or a shelfish stew. Shelfish can also be mixed with noodles or rice.

Although meat is eaten less than in continental areas it occupies a very important place in the Dalmatian cuisine, whether cooked in aromatic sauces, with vegetables, grilled, roasted on a spit, cooked under a peka or served as a delicious smoked delicasy such as pršut (prosciutto) or panceta (pancetta).

Dietary habits of the Dalmatian Zagora (hinterland) are inextricably linked with the coastal cuisine by taste and smell and twisted into a unique culinary whole of the sea and its karst hinterland, even when they resemble Lika and Gorska cuisine due to the availability of the ingredients.

Dalmatian Zagora traditionally uses Mediterranean herbs, vegetables, fruits and olive oil – ingredients which were, in the past centuries, often brought to Zagora in exchange for prosciutto, the trademark of Dalmatian cuisine, which thrives best when lashed by the bura winds on the 'other side' of Velebit, Mosor or Biokovo mountains.

Prosciutto and Cheese Prosciutto (dried, smoked pork loin) is indeed be the first thing guests are offered throughout Dalmatia. From the multitude of excellent prosciuttos in the Zadar area those from Posedarje, dried on Velebit bura, stand out. Famous prosciuttos from the Šibenik area come from Miljevci, Pakovo Selo and Drniš, while the famous prosciuttos from Split area come fromVrgorac, Poljica and Imotski.

Together with homemade fried or pickled olives, mandatory accompaniment to prosciutto is local sheep, goat or mixed cheese, which has largely become known outside the Croatian borders.

Although the technology of production of Pag cheese is equal to that of Brač, Hvar and Vis cheeses, it is set apart from all others by its hardness and salinity. Pag sheep are bread on hilly areas where the grass is exposed to frequent wind and salt and is therefore full of essential oils which give the milk of Pag sheep a specific and recognizable aroma.

Salted Anchovies, Sardines and Oysters A great way to start a Dalmatian meal is to have salted sardines or anchovies, while in the deep south they will be happy to serve you Ston oysters, which can be prepared in several ways, but are best eaten raw with a bit of lemon juice squeezed over them.

Another dish which can be served as an appetizer or a snack is Viška or Komiška pogača (Vis or Komiža pie) made with salted fish. This ploughman's 'bread' is stuffed with salted anchovies whilst tomato, onion and spices can be added optionally. In fishing villages, one can often find fried smelts as a starter – these are tiny fish, the only variety that can be served uncleaned and with the head.

Fish, Meat and Vegetables The main meal in Dalmatian cuisine is hard to imagine without the soup followed by the meat or fish which was cooked in it, served with steamed vegetables, mostly chard, and flavored with garlic and olive oil. Contemporary approach to gastronomy, created a creamy version of fish and seafood (mainly crustaceans) soup, but habits have not changed in preparation of legumes such as peas, broad beans, beans or chickpeas, which are still often served as they were in antiquity.

Along with other vegetables like artichokes, cabbage or squash, beans are often prepared with rice and pasta (pašta fažol) and fresh or dried meat. Dried lamb or goat, known as koštradina, is traditionally, as well as with beans, prepared with borecole or a combination of green vegetables flavoured with garlic and olive oil, the so-called mišancija.

Fresh lamb is often cooked with vegetables, this being the brand of Zagora and the Dalmatian islands, especially Brač and Pag. On the latter island one of the specialties is a dish called vitalac lamb offal stuffed into casings and barbequed.

The prefered method of preparing lamb in Dalmatia is still roasted on a spit or baked in a peka together with veal. Both types of meat as well as pork, are appreciated grilled, after which they are seasoned with olive oil and fresh rosemary.

A special place among the meat dishes is held by the Dalmatian pašticada or beef stew - marinated beef tenderloin, studed with smoked bacon, which is first roasted and then cooked in a sauce of vegetables, wine, Mediterranean spices and prunes. Pašticada is served with gniocci or dumplings,

which also occupy an important place in the Dalmatian cuisine, whether served with meat, vegetable or seafood sauce.

As far as the fish is concerned, it is usually served cooked (boiled) or grilled. The most valued locally caught fish are dentex, John Dory, grouper, monkfish, sea bream, sea bass, amberjack, cod, sheepshead bream, tuna, and the more mundane species like sardines, sprat or pier. Wheather cooked or baked they need to be served with freshly cooked vegetables and olive oil.

One of the most famous Dalmatian fish dishes is brudet, a fish stew, traditionally prepared with several different types of fish, simmered over a low heat, with local spices and wine, while the rest depends on the person cooking it.

Mollusks like squid, cuttlefish and octopus are prepared in various ways and can be used, as well as crustaceans and shellfish, to prepare buzara (light fish sauce/stew), soups, risottos or pasta sauces.

The farmers' and fishermen's tradition is to cook octopus 'stew' with beans or broad beans, while crustaceans such as scampi, lobster or crab are best prepared when only briefly grilled.

In the far south, the mussels from Mali Ston Bay are a special delicacy, as are the eels from river Neretva and frogs from the Neretva valley.

Delicacies of the Hinterland An absolute gastronomic brand of the Dalmatian hinterland has in recent years been soparnik (pie made with onions and chard) from Poljica, which was once considered a poor man's meal. Soparnik is a simple dish made from ingredients that were available to every household: flour, chard, red onions, olive oil and garlic. Poljički soparnik has been inscribed on the list of protected cultural property, where we can also find the traditional Sinj arambašići, a specialty of finely chopped meat wrapped in soured cabbage leaves, which are cooked in their own juices with pieces of dried meat.

In the summer, the meat is wrapped in vine leaves in the same way.

Another specialty of Zagora is 'sir iz mišine' (cheese from goatskin), while the River Cetina area is known for its river crabs and frog specialties including frogs' legs wrapped in prosciutto.

Cakes and Wine The most famous deserts are Dubrovnik rožata (flan), Trogir rafioli (pastry filled with almond paste), fritule (little doughnuts), kroštule (fried sweet pastry), paprenjak (old fashiones pepper cookies), and mandulat (almond, honey and eggwhite desert). Typical Dalmatian desserts will win your heart with their simplicity and the most usual ingredients include Mediterranean fruit, dried figs, raisins, almonds, honey and eggs.

Grapes and wine are an integral part of the Dalmatian gastronomic offerings. It was recently discovered that the most respected American grape variety Zinfandel, indeed originated from Kaštel near Split. Is has been a trademark of Californian vineyards for more than a century, where it was brought by Croatian emigrants from Kaštel and where it is still cultivated under the name kaštelanski crljenak.

Dalmatian enology reached its peak on the peninsula of Pelješac and the island of Hvar through the production of red wine Plavac Mali. Hvar's vineyards in Ivan Dolac and Sveta Nedjelja, and the best Pelješac vineyards in Dingač and Postup are all situated on the southern side of the island and the peninsula, on 300 meters or more above sea level, on the hills sloping towards the sea, so the vines get light and heat directly from the sun, as well as the sun's reflection from the sea and the soil.

It is not surprising that the best Croatian wines bear the names of those sites - Dingač, Postup and Ivan Dolac, while the wine from the region of Sveta Nedjelja is named Zlatan Plavac. White wines

produced in Dalmatia include Pošip, Rukatac, Dubrovnik Malvasia, Kujundžuša, Vis Vugava, Debit, etc.

Dessert liqueur Maraschino, has for centuries been produced in Zadar from an indigenous variety of Maraska cherry, using the original, secret recipe. Maraschino has been exported to all European imperial and royal courts since the 18th century, and was drunk and toasted by the most powerful rulers of the world.

ISTRIA AND KVARNER Diversity of Istrian and Kvarner region and the rich tourist tradition left a significant impact on the development and quality of its cuisine characterized by the influences of Mediterranean and continental cuisine. A multitude of influences from coastal areas to inland Istria, the Kvarner islands or hinterland influenced the culinary diversity which can offer all kind of delicacies, all in their own right. From quality fish, clams and crabs, delicious, traditional folk recipies and game specialties to the recognizable asparagus and truffles.

After being used in the traditional country kitchen the truffle, a fungus with a distinct flavout, has occupied a special place in modern, cutting edge gastronomy, which attributes aphrodisiac properties to it.

Another hallmark of this area, which consists of many small subregions, are the Kvarner scampi.

Experts attribute special qualities to them because of the stony seabed of the Velebit channel, submarine springs and bura wind from Velebit Mountain, as well as strong currents which are particularly suitable for this culinary, extremely valuable, crustacean.

Except for the game dishes, Gorski Kotar (central Croatian mountain region) is known for its dishes of mushrooms and frogs.

One can also find asparagus growing in the wild and harvested in the spring. Although bitter in taste it is great with eggs, as a salad or a side dish. Asparagus is very healthy and recognized as an excellent body cleanser.

Truffles - The Peak of Gastronomy Istrian white truffle is one of the most respected in the world. The black truffle, as well as other varieties of the white truffle can increasingly be found on the hills, in the immediate vicinity of the River Mirna. Wheather cooked in a sauce or just grated on a plate, this tuber blends extremely well with pasta dishes, meat and fish fillets, but also plain scrambled eggs. Truffle Days in northern Istria begin in September, and last for three months. During this time, there is a variety of fairs, festivals and exhibitions of truffles on offer almost every week.

Popular Culinary Traditions Traditional culinary recipies hold a special place in Istrian cuisine, which indeed promotes local dishes made from old recipies using the local ingredients, aromatic herbs and spices.

These include seafood specialities from oily fish to squid, as well as meat dishes like žgvacet (a meet stew) made from beef or venison from Kvarnerian and Istrian forests which is best served with macaroni or šurlice (types of pasta). Another popular dish is flat bread with cheese and Bribir prisnac (savoury bread with bits of cheese, bacon and onions).

More specialties from inland Istria and the Kvarner islands include ombolo (smoked pork loin) and sausages with sauerkraut, pasta and gnocchi with venison stew, rabbit and lamb cooked in a peka.

From Prosciutto to Boškarin A meal can begin with authentic Istrian prosciutto which differs from the Dalmatian one, because it ripens with very little or no smoke, has no skin and is wrapped it in a mixture of spices and pepper.

Among the 'warming up' delights there are Grobnik cheese, truffle cheese, anchovies, marinades, salted cod pate, snails, Istrian pešt (paste made with bacon, garlic and celery) and octopus salad.

Dishes served for a warm appetizer are usually risottos or pasta with seafood, a variety of soups and jota or fritaja (scrambled eggs) with truffles, rocket or asparagus. Meat starter is best followed by venison or chicken stew with pasta, roasted boneless pork loin (ombolo) or home cooked sausages with sauerkraut.

A seafood specialty meal can start with fish soup and brudet (fish stew), then scampi cooked in sauce or grilled, white and black seafood risotto or boiled or baked fish. Istrian specialties include crab, scallops, Istrian sole (švoji) and raw fish, and have a number of gourmet events dedicated to them.

In the last few years, the Istrian restaurant menus have also been featuring dishes with boškarin – indigenous Istrian cattle, which was at one point close to extinction. However, thanks to the project 'Istrian cattle - from breeding to the table", there are enough boškarin today to cater for all culinary delights.

Particularities of the Goranska Cuisine (mountainous Kvarner hinterland) Venison ham, wild boar with homemade gnocchi, pork loin stuffed with wild fruits and Lugarski (gamekeeper's) risotto are just some of the dishes that can be found in the mountain region restaurants, due to the constant upgrading of the traditional cuisine which aspires to modern culinary experiences. In the past, the traditional cuisine of Gorski Kotar constituted of a simple meal of cabbage, polenta, meat and potatoes with seasonal use of mushroom and forgotten vegetables like kromada or yellow kohlrabi.

Traditional dishes are today present in a modern way so more and more people can once again enjoy dishes like kromada, nadelo or podmetaš soup. Nadelo is stuffing typical for the mountain area, prepared in various ways, which was stuffed into a pork stomach or pastry at Easter, while podmetaš is sauerkraut seasoned with cracklings and lard and thickened with semolina or polenta.

Typical sweet dishes of Gorski Kotar were various strudels filled with apples, wild strawberries, blackberries and raspberries.

The Tradition of Homemade Pasta Pasta came to the region of Istria and Kvarner in the Middle Ages, from Italy. However, hardworking housewives have reinvented it and gave it their personal culinary touch of this area.

Thus we have: Istrian fuži (thin pasta folded into small tubes), lasagna, pljukanci (spindle-like pasta) pasutice (diamond-shaped pasta), macaroni 'on the spoon' (soft dough lowered into boiling water with a spoon) and Krk šurlice (tube-like pasta). All thee types of pasta, except pasutice, are usually served with šugo – a sauce made of tomatoes, beef, chicken, game or dried sausages. They can also be served with truffles or 'na bijelo' (white). In order to serve them white, the sauce should be light, based on olive oil, with added garlic or simply sprinkled with grated goat cheese. Besides garlic and olive oil, sage leaves, marjoram or rocket, and finely chopped ham can be added to the sauce.

Desserts You can sweeten your palette with kroštule and fritters, dried figs and chestnut pastries. Specialties include Labinski krafi (a kind of ravioli stuffed with mild cow’s grated cheese, raisins and lemon zest) which can be served as a main dish if they are savoury or as a dessert if sugar is added.

The specialty of this region is rapska torta (Rab cake), a centuries old and unique dessert made with almonds, lemon, sugar, eggs and maraschino, whose recipe is guarded as precious heritage of the

finest craftsmanship of delicate shortcrust pastry with an aromatic core. The secret recipe dates back to 1177 when the cake was first served to Pope Alexander III on the occasion of the blessing of the Cathedral of the Assumption of St. Mary, on the island of Rab. It was also served as a specialty during the Venetian rule and for more than 300 years in wealthy homes of Rab's patriarchs.

Superb Cuisine Kvarner and Istrian cuisines boast some of the best Croatian restaurants that nurture global trends such as slow food and molecular gastronomy. Some of Istrian and Kvarner restaurants were among the first to accept the new culinary techniques that change the texture and the appearance of food, but not the original flavor. Plavi Podrum (Blue Cellar) in Volosko was among the top 100 in the world on a list compiled by the prestigious food magazine The Restaurant, while the originator of slow food in Croatia, restaurant Kukuriku, is located in nearby Kastav. .

The good reputation of the Istrian cuisine is spread by the new, young chefs, given that four of the Istrian chefs and restaurants were, in 2010, admitted to the prestigious international association Jeunes Restaurateurs d'Europe, which brings together the best young European chefs: Damir & Ornella, San Rocco, Monte and Edda.

Gastro Event Lovranski maruni (large chestnuts), asparagus and truffles are the local ingredients which have special gastronomic days dedicated to them when in season. Istrian towns also feature other festivals such as the Festival of Istrian Maneštra (soup) in Gračišće, the School of Salting Anchovies, International Prosciutto Fair in Tinjan and the Days of Sole in northwest Istria. There are also exhibitions dedicated to olive oil in Buje, Tar and Vodnjan and wine festivals, most notably the Poreč Vinistra.

Britain's Guardian newspaper ranked Lovranska Marunada among the best autumn gastronomic festivals in Europe. Besides chesnuts, cherries and asparagus are also picked in Lovran, and olives are harvested in Punat, on the island of Krk. Excellent Wines and Olive Oil The largest Croatian peninsula is one of the best wine growing regions in Central Europe. Istrians are particularly proud of the quality of Istrian Malvasia, Teran and Muscat from Momjan. Wines of many other world-known grape varieties are also produced in Istria.

Specific standards for the label IQ (Istrian Quality) are set by the rules for the high quality wines produced from grape varieties Istrian Malvasia and Teran.

"IQ" enables consumers to identify wines whose quality is higher than that prescribed by law for wines with geographic origin and higher than those normally expected by the customer.

Coast dwellers are particularly proud of their indigenous wine varieties Vrbnička Žlahtina from the island of Krk and Trojšćina from the island of Susak. For an appetizer one must try the natural sparkling wine Valomet made out of Žlahtina, which matures at a depth of 30 meters below the level of the Adriatic Sea, in the waters of Vrbnik. Bakarska Vodica is another sparkling wine produced from indigenous grape varieties from this region.

Istria and Kvarner olive oil is of an exceptional, and as a rule, extra virgin quality. Given the positive experience in the wine roads projects, Istria has launched a project Olive Oil Roads. The entire project consists in choosing the best olive oil producers in Istria, which are from year to year winning more awards at international olive oil festivals.

Istrian Red Wine Soup - Supa

Istrian supa has long been part of the Istrian offer. Place 9 deciliters of warmed red wine, Teran or Borgonja, in an earthen jug. Add a teaspoon of sugar, olive oil, pepper and torn slices of warm toasted bread. Immere a spoon into the jug and serve your party. If they like, they can drink it in a traditional, friendly way - all from one pitcher which goes around the table.

LIKA AND KARLOVAC Fruits of the forest and mountain rivers are the main characteristics of this gastro zone, whose specialties perfectly complement the natural beauty and cultural monuments of this region. Lika cuisine reflects the habits of life in the forested highlands and pastures, where summers are short and winters long, which limits the availability and variety of food. This cuisine is marked by simplicity which is evident from the frequent cooking or roasting on an open fire, as is the case in regions closer to the coast, such as Dalmatian Zagora and central Istria. But everyday meals include predominantly continental products - polenta, corn on the cob and boiled or baked potatoes.

Other dishes and ingredients also include soured cabbage, beans, goat and cow milk and delicious cheeses, usually the fermented cheese spread called basa and smoked goat, sheep, cow or mixed cheeses. The best known is ĹĄkripavac (transl. squeeky) cheese. Given that this is a largely mountainous area, wild game, mostly venison and boar are often served, along with lamb, pork and less frequently beef. Highly prized specialties of bear meat are also served, however, less frequently.

Rivers and lakes of Lika and Karlovac abound in fish, the most popular of which is trout.

This area is also rich in mushrooms and wild herbs, and well known for its delicious, strong plum brandy (ĹĄljivovica) or forest fruits brandies, as well as those mixed with honey.

Specific dishes from Lika are Lika soup, boiled mutton with soured cabbage and vegetables - the so called kalja, bean btoth, bread baked under peka and baked trout - especially in the valley of the River Gacka. Traditional Lika kitchen is also found in the region of Plitvice Lakes, and one can buy fantastic homemade cheese from the roadside stalls.

A very special feature are open hearths where mutton, lamb and veal with potatoes are baked under a peka. Roast lamb or suckling pig can be tasted in the numerous inns along the way.

The neighbouring Karlovac region, which abounds with clear rivers rich in fish, shares similar culinary traditions with the above regions, but also features its own specific culinary specialties.

Trenci (a type of pasta), sour soup with scrambled eggs, honey cookies, off-the-bone turkey, stewed soured beet and yellow kohlrabi, dumplings with plums, bazlamaÄ?a (type of pie) with berries, breaded and fried frogs' legs and brown roux soup are some of the traditional dishes from the region of Karlovac.

The entire region abounds in hunting grounds, so game and mushroom dishes are very common.

Some of the specialities are game pate, venison with chanterelles, bear medallions in cranberry sauce and the like.

Healthy and Natural The trend of healthy food has found its supporters in the area of Lika and Karlovac. The cheese from biodynamic production clotted with natural salt is very tasty, as is the well known cheese served to the visitors of the old sanctuary Krasno on Velebit along with the famous Lika rakija (schnaps). Just imagine the exquisite smell of the local corn, grounded in a water mill between the two stone wheels - and then polenta baked with just such corn flower, enriched with fresh cow's milk or pickles and sometimes with cold sauerkraut.

It is best to start the meal with škripavac cheese, smoked bacon, or venison, boar or bear ham, served with fritters or homemade bread. Recommended to all those who prefer warm entrees are noodles with mushrooms, lamb soup with smoked meat, dried mutton with sauerkraut or sour turnip and cabbage with smoked ribs and sausages. For the main dishes you should try the lamb and suckling pig on a spit or cooked in a peka, stuffed breast of veal, numerous game dishes, fried frogs' legs, or trout prepared in various ways.

Pole, Basa and Masnice Pole (transl. half) – potatoes cut in halves, baked in their skins and served with a thin slice of ham and basa cheese are, of course, essential. Basa is a cheese spread made from heated milk to which cream and acidifier are added. Salt is added once it turs to cheese and after it is drained.

The most famous dishes from the area of Ogulin are masnica and mošnje, smisan kruh (transl. mixed bread) and Ogulin sauerkraut. Masnica is leavened dough stuffed with braised onions, eggs and soured cream. 'Smisan' homemade bread is a delicious, fragrant bread which our grandmothers used to bake from five kinds of flour, wheat, millet, maize, barley and rye.

Preserving the Cheese Škripavac In recent years, we have witnessed systematic efforts to preserve the tradition and raise the quality of the cheese. Traditional production of cooked cheeses and cheese škripavac is specific for the whole area of Lika and Karlovac. Indigenous and well known Tounjski cheese is produced in a small part of Karlovac County. These methods guarantee that cheeses are originally produced in the traditional way, in limited batches and well-preserved areas, which certainly increases the demand for them.

Cabage From Ogulin, Potatoes From Lika Ogulin cabage is widely known as an indigenous variety especially good for pickling. Besides being good for preserving during the winter and thriving in the area of Ogulin, its specific flavor has become a favorite for many. Fortunately, Ogulin cabbage has, as a culinary brand, never fallen into oblivion, which almost happened to Lika's potatoes, which almost dissapeared from the Croatian market, a few years ago. Excellent climate, soil composition, preserved environment and predominantly traditional way of production are unique growing conditions for this Croatian gastronomic pearl. Potato came out of oblivion thanks to enthusiasts from Lovinac, who launched the project of protection of Lika's potato as a brand with a geographic origin.

Lamb From Lika Lika lamb is, in quality, not inferior to that of Pag, Cres, Brač or Istria, so it is expected to become a protected indigenous product of Lika, next year. Upon Croatia joining the EU, Lika lamb could become one of the main Croatian meat products, due to the extremely high quality of meat.

Gacka Trout Croatian studies have shown that trout from the Gacka River are indigenous. It does not mean that they are unique in the world, but that they have always lived in Gacka and have not been introduced into that environment by human hands, as is the case with rainbow trout in the same river. Although not unique, they are very rare, and it is almost impossible to find them in the rivers of the region. It is therefore a variety under a risk and as such needs protection. This variety varies from other stream trout by color, which depends on the age and the environment to which it adapts. The colour of its belly is 'pure gold' and its back is black. Bright red spots combined with black ones are arranged on the sides of its spindle-shaped body, red ones being dominant. Moreover, Gacka trout grows faster than other trout, and can therefore rightly be called the 'pearl of the river'.

Beer and Spirits Wild berries, plums, pears and apples growing on the lower altitude areas were, except for sweets, used for the production of premium spirits, often mixed with honey and aromatic herbs that give them specific mountain flavor.

The only exception in this area is the Vivodin region, near Ozalj, which has always been known for the cultivation of grapes and wine, thich is in turn the main economic sector in the region. The wide range of products that this area has to offer includes honey and its products, pine schnapps, apple cider vinegar, etc.

The quality of Lika's water is one of the best in the world, and water stocks are among the highest in Europe, which guarantees the superior production of beer. The best known in the area is Velebitsko beer, produced in the family brewery in Pazarište, near Gospić.

Beer has been produced in Karlovac for more than 150 years. The local beer festival is the largest beer event in Croatia, visited by more than 200,000 beer lovers every year.

SLAVONIJA AND BARANJA Few of Croatian regions can boast such a wealth of recipes as the Croatian plain, bordered by large rivers. The widely known Slavonian delicacies are infused with occasional strands of Dalmatian, Zagorje, Lika and other European cuisines.

In the house of every true Slavonian, you will be treated to an unavoidable glass of plum brandy, and then to homemade kulen (a high quality dry pork sausage), ham, dry sausage and other distinctive dishes.

In the Slavonian pot, hung above an open fire, you will find a simmering stew čobanac (transl. shepard's stew, which contains meet e.g. beef, potatoes, onions, paprika etc), and fiš-paprikaš (fish stew), which among the many culinary specialties of Slavonia, takes the leading position.

In areas near the rivers Sava, Drava and Danube, there is a high demand for fresh water fish. This especially applies to carp roasted on a forked branch over an open fire or catfish in corn meal, which is served with a bean salad with fresh onion and pumpkin seed oil. These dishes are perfectly accompanied by one of the Rieslings from a Slavonian wine cellar. Well known Slavonian wines have an integral part in this offer, but the same can be said of wine producers from smaller vineyards.

Rich gastronomic offer of Slavonia and Baranja is promoted twice a year at Gastrofest in Djakovo, where culinary experts from across the region meet in the summer and winter, to prepare local gastronomic specialties.

Taste of Tradition Among the old traditional dishes the most famous products that are identified with Slavonia are kulen, ham, švargl (simmilar to haggis), pancetta and pork scratchings, while many dishes are longforgotten such as cicvara with potatoes (potato omlette thickened with flour), krkljuša (chicken pieces baked in batter), sekeli-gulaš (sourkraut with beef), ljeljini dukati (pork medallions with apple and pollenta), utvajski ražanj (barbecued skewers of duck or goose liver wrapped in smoked bacon, sausage pieces and tomatoes), white polenta (mashed potato cooked with flour), cold jellied soup with pieces of meat or satrica (cottage cheese spread, similar to liptauer). The exotic names of these dishes evoke memories of times gone by.

From the diverse and rich selection of delicious meals that were most popular dishes in Slavonian childhood, one can single out the old rural delights of bread with lard, sprinkled with homemade paprika.

In Slavonia, whose residents have always been known as very pious, some meals were prepared

during fasting periods. These were collectively called ''fat free foods'', and are almost completely forgotten and hardly ever prepared today, in the time when food means abundance for most people.

Traditional dishes like fiš paprikaš, čobanac, goose paprikaš, sarma (sourkraut stuffed with minced meat) and forked carp, should become a Slavonian brand as an authentic, traditional, protected culinary heritage of this region.

Older generations are reminded of their childhood by the taste of puffs with jam, poppy seeds or sarma, which is still prepared very often and has been on the menues for more than 200 years. Čobanac and Fiš-paprikaš – Champions From the Pot The old traditional čobanac stew recipe has seen a lot of changes to date. Its original form was shaped by shepherds, who lived and ate outdoors, and prepared their food in a small pot suspended above an open fire, usually using only one type of meat and hardly any other ingredients. Today, however, this stew is considered to be a type of fine goulash. It is prepared with several types of meat, potatoes, dumplings and many spicy extras.

In Slavonia fish stew is usually called just 'fish', and is prepared from at least two types of fish and served with homemade, broad pasta. During the meal, plates are first filled with pasta and then fish stew is added.

Desserts Traditional Slavonian cakes include gingerbread and pepper cookies, honey cookies, šape (walnut and honey cookies shaped like paws) and peaches (cookies which resemble peaches), and since those cakes would stay fresh for several days, Slavonian housewives prepare them ahead of church celebrations and weddings, and keep them in the drawers of old dressers. Scones with cracklings and salenjaci (lard cakes) are cakes most commonly prepared for the occasion of slaughter.

Also famous are poppy and walnut cakes made with yeast dough, the ones baked in a clay oven being particulary tasty.

Protected Kulen The Ministry of Culture included Slavonian kulen among the protected intangible cultural property.

Kulen is a premium specialty sausage made from selected pork cuts, which offers the ultimate gourmet experience. When making homemade kulen, only the highest quality cuts of pork are used and only natural ingredients added: salt, garlic and cayenne and fresh ground pepper.

In the past, only one kulen sausage was produced from one pig and it was eaten only on special occasions and social and family events such as harvesting, weddings, births and christenings. Even today kulen is bought or made only for particularly important guests and given as a present on exceptional occasions. Slavonian kulen was and still is an inspiration for generations of Slavonian artists.

Different Dish for Every Celebration Many occasions in the life of Slavonians were a cause for great celebrations. Celebratory dishes were thus created for the occasions of harvesting, births, engagements, weddings, religious holidays (Christmas, Easter, carnival) or the well known Slavonian pig slaughterings (butchering).

Dishes prepared according to traditional recipes are especially famous, and a common way of preparing vegetable stews is to thicken them with ground paprika roux.

Slavonian Wines In the 19th century Slavonian wines were drunk at European courts, particularly at the Hapsburg Court, and this region has recently become the birthplace of the Croatian private winery. Two wine regions can be found in this tourist area - Slavonia and Danube basin, as well as further twelve

vineyards.

The oldest surviving cellar in Slavonia and one of the oldest in Croatia, is located in Kutjevo, the center of Slavonian winemaking, widely known for its Reisling (Graševina). The cellar, which is today owned by Kutjevo winery was built in 1232 by the Cistercian monks, and is today used for the storage of archival, mostly predicate wines and old oak barrels. The subject of attention of wine connoisseurs and tourists from Croatia and the world are also Ilok wine cellars, which annually attract more than 20,000 visitors. This wine cellar produced and delivered11,000 bottles for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. The 2008 Merlot from Belje wine cellars triumphed at London's Decanter World Wine Awards 2010, first winning the gold medal, and then a trophy for being especially selected among the goldwinning wines.

CENTRAL CROATIA The central Croatian gastronomy is mostly based on meat dishes, as well as occasionally on freshwater fish. Roast turkey, boiled eggs, stuffed breast of veal, duck or goose with mlinci (traditional type of pasta), dried and then cooked pork shank, black pudding sausage with sauerkraut and sarma (sauerkraut stuffed with minced meat) are just some of the traditional dishes from the region. Famous cakes and desserts from the area include salty and sweet štrukle (cooked and then pan fried or baked strudel), Zagorje pumpkin strudel, strudels with various fillings, bregova pita, ( a traditional local pie made with three fillings: apples, sour cherries and walnuts), Croatian pancakes and corn zlevka (dough made with corm meal is poured into the cake tin). Roast turkey with mlinci and strudels of various kinds, such as pumpkin strudel with poppy seeds, have spread throughout Croatia. Varaždinski klipići (salty finger buns) are the most famous and simplest specialty of the town of Varaždin.

To make the experience complete, it is essential to enrich the meal with some of the many wines of this region. Due to their improved quality they can today satisfy even the most demanding gourmets. Great enological ventures undertaken in recent years are confirmed by numerous wine medals won at exhibitions around Croatia and Europe. White wines which usually accompany meals are Riesling and Rhein Riesling, Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Traminer, Moslavac Bijeli (white, mosler) and the local Škrlet. The red wine varieties include, Pinot Noir and Blauer Portugieser (locally known as Portugizac), as well as other varieties.

The most famous Zagorje specialties are turkey with mlinci, Zagorje štrukli, cheese pie made with rucli flour (roughly ground corn). What once used to be a peasant dish made of cheese, eggs and corn flour is today valued as an authentic and healthy meal made from local ingredients using traditional recipes. Carp dishes are well known in Moslavina, and wines best served with them are Riesling and Škrlet. Typical starters in Međimurje area are cold appetizers with meat from tiblica (smoked potted pork), kosana mast (diced smoked pancetta mixed with garlic and pepper) turoš cheese (smoked cottage cheese mixed with ground paprika) and cottage cheese and soured cream.

Hearty soups based on a variety of vegetables and soured cream with homemade pasta are a mandatory part of every meal. All kinds of fresh water fish are also on the menu. The most famous cakes are Međimurje strudel, krapci ( a type of pie which could be filled with various fillings, cheese, walnuts or apples) and kelešice (simple cakes similar to scones).

An important part of the tourist gastro offer are wine roads, which can be found in all parts of central Croatia in the past ten years, mostly in the northwestern areas and Moslavina.

Medjimurje, bordered by rivers Mura and Drava, offers as many as a dozen types of štrukli. They

are mostly made in clay trays called bidri and not just with cheese, apples and walnuts, but also with buckwheat porridge. This dish is one of the most favourite dishes in the area, another one being poultry - preferably local duck, rather than Zagorje turkey, which has to be well greased so it can smoothly rush towards Štrigovsko white wine, as stated in the cook book 'Croatian Dishes - the Modern Way". If you are a ploughman in Zagorje, you will be served marinated meat or potted meat preserved in minced bacon. The same type of food preservation is called meat 'z tiblice' in Međimurje and 'z lordice' in Podravina. These kitchens do not lack in mushrooms, sauerkraut, dried ham or dry and smoked pork ribs, and one can also find a well bred carp, whose fragrance spreads through Moslavina while baking on a wooden fork over an open fire. In the so called cabbage regions from Zagorje to Lika, sauerkraut was often the only source of vitamin C in the winter, so it is no wonder that this delicious and medicinal vegetable was a common ingredient or a side dish to many meals.

Appetizers In almost all Croatian regions, a cold starter is usually a platter with an arrangement of various distinctively presented and decorated local delicacies. Ingredients are usually one to two processed meats and cheeses which are, for ornamental reasons and fullness of flavor, complemented by various types of fresh or pickled vegetables. The platter contains products which are long lasting and prepared well before the actual serving or those that were purchased on the market or a delicatessen shop.

Recognizable Croatian cured meat product is 'Zimska' ('winter salami') by Gavrilović – a famous meat factory, made according to a traditional family recipe, which has not changed since 1860.

Cottage cheese is generally seasoned with ground red pepper. Goose pate is another cold starter often served on the platter.

In the area of Zagorje, the platter will consist of ham in bread, cooked smoked ham, fresh cheese, horseradish and spring onions. Podravina platter contains: smoked tongue, smoked ham, dried smoked cheese (prge), lettuce and pickles. A typical Međimurje platter offers meat from tiblica (potted meat), minced bacon, onions, pickled cabbage and radishes.

Meat from tiblica is a specific way of preparing a leg of pork, which is first coated with a mixture of salt and garlic, and then stored in a wooden container and refrigerated for 3-5 days. After that, garlic is removed from the meat which is then roasted in a preheated oven. Once roasted and cooled, it is necessary to remove the bone and cut the meat into pieces. A type of terrine is then prepared in a wooden bowl from the meat pieces, bacon infused with spices, minced bacon and roasting juice, arranged in layers, which should then be allowed to rest in a cool, dark place. The people of Zagorje, Međimurje and Podravka eat tiblica as a cold snak, whilst dripping is eaten as a spread. It should be noted that what Medjimurje calls tiblica, in known as bana or banica in Zagorje, and lojdrica or lodrica in Podravina.

Hot appetizers are usually the famous Strudel soup, Zagorje potato soup, ham baked in bread and gorički goulash.

Zagorje Štrukli - Protected Intangible Heritage Zagorje štrukli (a type of strudel that is first cooked and then pan fried or baked in the oven) is a well known dish from Zagorje and a hilly region surrounding Zagreb, as well as being a Croatian gastronomic brand. The Ministry of Culture has granted the traditional homemade strudel the intangible cultural heritage status. "The area of Zagorje is a real treasure trove of unusual treats which the ingenious women of Zagorje prepared for their large families amidst poverty and necessity." Because of their rich content they have been regarded as a speciality for centuries, although they are made from ingredients which were available in the poorest rural households.

Because the ingredients needed for this dish are easily accessible, the dish itself has undergone

several different forms adapted to the customs and tastes of different regions. In the villages of Žumberak hills, štrukli are popular eaten in a soup, while in Podravina they prefer to eat them baked in the oven.

The Wealth of Preparing Delicious Dishes For the main course one should certainly try a roast turkey, duck or goose with mlinci or stuffed with buckwheat porridge, dried and then cooked knuckle of pork, black pudding sausage with sauerkraut, sarma, Stubička pisanica (pork tenderloin stuffed with prunes and flambéed with schnaps), stuffed breast of veal, stuffed chicken, chicken with homemade noodles, Samoborski pork cutlets (pork fried with garlic served with roast potatoes), kotlovina (mixed meat and sausages fried and then cooked in a large alluminium pot with onions, mushrooms and wine), pork tenderloin roasted in a lard netting, and as a side there is buckwheat porridge, corn cake or Podravian beans.

As a special feature of Međimurje cuisine it is worth mentioning delicious dishes which use the almost forgotten crops, such as buckwheat, barley or millet, which all work really well with poultry, in particular, duck. Podravina kitchen also uses all the grains. Once upon a time grains were the main ingredient of Podravina kitchen and meat was eaten once a week. Barley porridge, millet gruel, buckwheat porridge and corn porridge were all used to prepare dishes. Today, most dishes are prepared with chicken, turkey and freshwater fish. Following healthy culinary trends nettles are more and more present in the diet. Nettles are used for preparing bread, green noodles, dumplings and even gingerbread, and from the water in which nettles were cooked one can make a good cocktail. Add two tea bags of rosehip tea, sugar and honey and you have a great cocktail.

A famous specialty from Međimurje is duck, served with buckwheat porridge as a side. Podravina version of the same dish is roast duck stuffed with buckwheat porridge. Zagorje counterpart of these specialties is Stubička Pisanica (pork with prunes, schnaps and cream), which was served in aristocratic houses, as early as the sixteenth century. Kotlovina (a meat dish) is a traditional culinary custom from Moslavina, prepared at markets. Apart from buying and selling, markets and fairs involved socializing and fun, and a good sale was always celebrated with a delicious traditional dish. A special dish of fried pork and sausages, kotlovina, was cooked on a large wrought iron plate.

Fat and basting juices were collected in the bottom of the plate and meat was fried on the wide sides of the plate. The modern version of this dish uses mushrooms and vegetables and other types of meat along with pork, which all together simmer in the large plate.

Events for Gastronomic Delights Big Feast of St. Martin The most significant and the most important patron saint for vine growers in the Northwest is indeed Sveti Martin. The tradition of 'gathering the gang', in order to celebrate St. Martin's day in vineyard huts and various reataurants and inns, goes back to the last century. St. Martin's traditional ritual involves 'baptizing' the heathen must into young wine. In these areas, entire books were written stating the exact codes of conduct for this ritual. Thus was created 'Križevački Statut' in the area of Križevci slopes, as the oldest and most accurate rules of conduct. Its counterpart, in the area of Podravina, was 'Koprivničke Regule' (Koprivnica Regulations). Over the years, these two codes have often been the subject of 'dispute' between the people of Prigorje and Podravina. This deeply rooted tradition has not withered over time, but has indeed spread to other parts of northwestern Croatia (Medjimurje, Zagorje, Zagreb foothills, Žumberak).

"What Our Ancestors Ate'' "What Our Ancestors Ate''- is a unique culinary festival and tasting fair which has been attracting more and more visitors, and is traditionally held every year on the last weekend in August. The fair is best described as a kind of festival of culinary arts enriched with various other attractions - from creative workshops, exhibitions, theater performances for children and adults, varied music

programs and sporting events, to tasting of local dishes and fine wine. The fair "What Our Ancestors Ate'' has over the years grown into the main annual cultural and entertainment event in the town of Vrbovec, which is visited by about 80 thousand visitors from Croatia and the neighboring countries every year. ''Bučijada'' – Pumpkin Fair 'Bučijada' is the name of the event which has for several years been held in October in Ivanić-Grad, a small town located in Moslavina, by the River Lonja. An exhibition and a trade show are organized in honour of the pumpkin, where pumpkins and various products made from this plant, as well as other eco-ethno products, are exhibited by the producers from Croatia, Austria, Slovenia and Serbia. A tourist excursion train 'Bučko Express' (Pumpkin Express) also drives on this occasion. The organizers set up various entertainment attractions for visitors of all ages - carriage and pony rides, vintage motorbikes, theater shows and exhibitions, workshops for children featuring the pumpkin as well as the 'eco-garden'.

During 'Bučijada', local restaurants offer a variety of pumpkin dishes along with their traditional daily menus. Shop windows and house fronts are decorated with pumpkins. Prizes are given for the biggest, smallest and the most original pumpkin, best decorated stand, best savory and sweet pumpkin strudel (bučnica) and other pumpkin dishes. Different kinds of pumpkin seed oil are offered at this event. Pumpkin seed oil is an especially respected condiment in this area and has the same important status as olive oil in the Adriatic region. Some restaurants use pumpkin seed oil even when preparing desserts.

ZAGREB AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS Zagreb cuisine is a unique showcase of Croatian culinary arts, a display of very interesting and tasty, often seemingly irreconcilable differences. In addition, Zagreb preserves its authentic, socalled purgerska cuisine which is, tempered on the Austro-Hungarian tradition, based on dishes like grenadir marš (pasta with onions, bacon and potato), pasta with onions and cheese or kajzeršmarn a dessert similar to pancakes. It can be said that the cuisine of Zagreb region is a mixture of rich heritage which depicts not only the history of the city but also its contemporary culinary trends.

Many Zagreb restaurants offer various specialties of traditional, modern and international cuisine.

Zagrebians have always paid a lot of attention to their food. Long tradition and excellent offer will certainly meet the needs of the most demanding and fastidious gourmets.

Local specalities which must be savoured include turkey, duck or goose with mlinci, štrukli, cottage cheese with soured cream and walnut pastry (made with yeast dough). Zagreb has its own, cordon bleu – a veal steak opulently stuffed with Prague ham and cheese and breaded like Wienerschnitzel.

Make sure to taste some of the traditional Zagreb lunches - wine stew, tripe with bacon, cottage cheese and soured cream, turkey with mlinci, štrukli and pasta with cabbage. As Zagreb is close to the sea, fish restaurants offer fresh seafood. The city has many fast food restaurants so their fans will not be disappointed either. Zagreb has a long and rich tradition of cafes and pastry shops and definitely worth trying are various strudels filled with cottage cheese, apples and cherries, then custadr cream cake, donuts and a variety of cakes. Zagreb also has a long tradition of bakeries which offer many different kinds of breads and rolls.

Wheather you find yourself in the town centre or in one of Zagreb's resorts, accompanied either with pleasant recognizable sounds of the tamburitza or a piano, the mood and the time of day, the occasion and your taste will dictate your choice of the ambience and the menu where you will find the above mentioned and other specialities of the Zagreb region. These also include the famous Samobor chops (pork chops fried with garlic), Žumberak trout, venison medallions in blackberry

wine and many more game delicacies, as well as various types of mushrooms.

The area of Zagreb features the specific seasonal stews of leeks, sweet and sour cabbage with beans, fried meatballs or sausages, sarma (sauerkraut stuffed with minced meat) or stuffed peppers (stuffed with minced meat and rice and cooked in tomato sauce), then beef or chicken soup with egg noodles, pasta with roasted cabbage, black pudding and roasted sausages with potatoes and sauerkraut, cooked smoked ham with stewed sauerkraut, chicken or beef cooked in soup with horseradish sauce, and cooked ham with grated fresh horseradish. These are all excellent Zagreb meat specialties that are unique in their taste and smell.

Ajngemahtec - An Essential Part of a Typical Lunch in Zagreb Seemingly complicated Croatian version of the German word 'eingemacht' which could be translated as 'all in one' is a name for a nice, comforting chicken soup with liver dumplings, which is a local dish in Zagreb and the Croatian northwest.

In a typical Zagreb fashion, the word 'eingemacht' was converted into a diminutive and thus became ajngemahtec or 'little soup' which has for years been enjoyed by generations of locals, having taken the original recipe, according to some sources, from the Austrians. Experienced housewifes know that a healthy and delicious combination of chicken and vegetables can heal a cold as well as a hangover.

Restaurants in Zagreb Zagreb offers a multitude of interesting restaurants, depending on the situation you are in, the time of day or your mood. One can choose between excellent cuisine of various Croatian regions (purgerska cuisine, central Croatian, Dalmatian, Istrian, Slavonian ...) via slow food and creative chefs to international (European culinary circle, Asian cuisine, various American dishes or oriental cuisine) and macrobiotic cuisine. According to the gradings of culinary critics, in the rankings of top 10 restaurants in Zagreb for the last several years, the following names could be heard: Marcellino, which combines top-quality, highly sophisticated and relatively modern food with excellent service, elegant surroundings and fine wines; Prasac, whose cooking excites the palate of its visitors, whether it's a classic fritt misti of jetty and squid or 'burnt' yellowtail pancetta, with some Asian touches; Takenoko, Zagreb's first Japanese restaurant with excellent sushi and an interesting wine list with fair prices; Mano - a popular place to go and have a good steak; Špiček - a restaurant of a great Zagorje-Prigorje chef Tomislav Špiček in Zaprešić; Baltazar, which has been a must on Zagreb's restaurant scene for years; Kamanjo – an excellent seafood restaurant; Balon favored because of the high quality of meat and relatively large portions; Zinfandel, restaurant of Esplanade Hotel where food is treated as part of a strictly artistic-scientific experiment in which the flavors and textures are taken to the extremes; Pavel - the right choice for fans of Istrian cuisine and wine; Klub Gastronomada, which is known for its numerous themed culinary events.

Traditional and Modern Cakes Paprenjak (honey and black pepper cookie), which is described in the novels of August Šenoa, a famous Croatian 19th century writer who was also a descendant of the first Zagreb pastry chef, became one the most favorite souvenirs from Zagreb. Licitar (gingerbread), usually in the shape of a heart, is also still favoured by many, especially when eaten with with honey schnaps or gvirc (honey wine) - celebratory drinks of fermented honey. Other food souvenirs from Zagreb and its surroundings, can be Samobor bermet (traditional aromatic wine from Samobor) and Samobor mustard, rudarska greblica (miners' cheese pie), Zagreb cake or a rich yeast dough pastries stuffed with walnuts, poppy seeds, carob, cottage cheese or jam.

Croatian cities, and Zagreb in particular have long been nurturing a peculiarity, which has for decades given a special dimension to urban life. These are pastry shops, small restaurants where

you can eat cakes or ice cream, along with a mandatory glass of water. They originated in the Austro-Hungarian era, primarily modeled on small establishments in large cities, and the gastronomic offer was initially linked to Austro-Hungarian tastes and cultural circles. Later on, the world of sweets was enriched by Italian and Oriental offerings. Formerly, in the era of post-war shortages, pastry shops were visited by wealthier citizens, they were places for small family outings or meetings of couples in love, and some have become places where people would gather and socialise. Zagreb is particularly proud of the long tradition, which is inextricably linked with creativity in cooking cakes and desserts. Leaning on this historical art a great number of Zagreb pastry chefs modernized and improved their sweet cookery. The new generation of Zagreb's pastry chefs, some of whom have become famous outside the Croatian borders, are preparing desserts using high quality, fresh ingredients and natural, often very expensive ingredients that are procured in various ways. Cakes are baked with no artificial additives, using genuine Belgian chocolate, Italian mascarpone, with lots of almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, organic citrus fruits and various spices, butter and not margarine. Nowdays, pastry shops offer the so-called healthy cakes made with brown sugar or natural sweeteners like stevia, rice malt, maple sugar or agave nectar. The list of the best pastry shops in Zagreb includes: Orient, Ivica i Marica (Hansel and Gretel), Torte i To, Piece of Cake, Vanilla and Karamel.

Famous Samobor Custard Slices Twenty kilometers from Zagreb, in beautiful countryside, in the valley between small hills, lies the picturesque craft town of Samobor, where the citizens of Zagreb and their guests are happy to sweeten their palette with a fresh Samobor custard slice. This cake is prepared in many countries, but the Samobor version is something really special. This favorite cake has become a tradition and one of the symbols of the ancient Samobor. The cake was celebrated by Đuro Lukačić and in turn it made him famous. His cream cake won Samobornians and their guests 'by storm', and he did not jealously guard his recipies, knowledge and experience. He unselfishly passed everything on to his students. The secret of Samobor custard slices are fresh eggs, without additives, such as pudding, gelatin and the like. Samobor custard slices must, in fact, be eaten fresh, on the first day, because only that way they can boast their full charm and splendor. They cannot be produced in advance, for the next day, they cannot be kept in the refrigerator. After all, considering the high demand for them, that would not be necessary.

Gastronomic and Oenological Events Since Zagreb is the administrative and economic center of Croatia, it is the host of numerous food and agricultural fairs. Therefore, we will mention just some of the more interesting events.

The first half of May is reserved for the Days of the Samobor Custard Slices. Specifically, the story of Samobor custard slice is associated with its father, Ðuro Lukačić who came to Samobor in 1923 to learn the trade in his brother's pastry shop, and soon went to Zagreb to master new pastry skills.

He gained his experience in Zagreb's best pastry shops, and achieved the distinctive flavour of Samobor custard slices by combining several recipes by top chefs. Days of Samobor Custard Slices were first organized in 2001, when a custard slice weighing a ton was produced.

Zagreb Wine Gourmet Festival Zagreb Wine Gourmet Festival will offer plenty of reasons to all fans of good wine, to enjoy this enological event promoting the culture of life. The festival is organized in an elegant space of the Museum of Arts and Crafts, and gathers the winemakers from Croatia, Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary and Serbia. Linked to the festival is a rich program of wine tasting, culinary presentations and workshops with guest performances by distinguished speakers from abroad.

Restaurant Week Restaurant Week is a great marketing and culinary event held in Zagreb, in which more and more restaurants of different ranges participate every year: from veterans to relative newcomers. The idea

of this promotion is very simple: during the course of a week, the restaurant guests will be able to eat a three-course meal for about ÂŁ12.00 in the participating restaurants. The goal of the Restaurant Week is quite clear: to increase traffic in Zagreb's catering business, popularize restaurant food, which is, objectively speaking, better than what's cooking at home.

WINE AND GASTRO ACADEMY W & GA is one of the leading culinary institutions in Croatia and the region. The courses of 'hedonistic educational character' are held in the city center, in exclusive premises of Kaptol Center (shopping centre) and all interested parties can learn, socialize and enjoy the abundance of many wine and culinary themes.

Food & Wine Academy is a unique project in Croatia which specifically and integrally incorporates an innovative Cooking School, a wine club and Gallery.

This is a place that hosts top quality and very popular cooking classes and lessons about wine, as well as tastings and presentations of different products, but also a place that offers a variety of options and encounters with something new and different.

INGA - International Fair of Food, Drinks and Innovative Gastronomy INGA was conceived with the modern culinary knowledge and the needs of the modern man in mind. The theme focuses on new nutritional knowledge and adaptations of technologies based on scientific and medically justified gastronomic quality.

Wine List 'House of Croatian Wines' in Zagreb is unique on the Croatian market, not only with its selection of wine labels (over 1200 wines) but also its interior and the possibility of organizing events. This institution beleives that Croatia should present itself through the cultural and natural beauty and heritage, but also through the enological offer and tradition.

When it comes to the enological offer of Zagreb, it should be noted that the Croatian capital promotes wines from all our vineyards. The most prominent indigenous varieties are Kraljevina and Portugieser, while the nearby vineyards, together with wines from indigenous varieties, recommend Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Traminer.

A Short Story About the Samobor Bermet Bermet is a unique and aromatic wine that can be served as an aperitif or digestif. Although there is a common misconception that Bermet originated in France, and that it stems from the time when Napoleon's soldiers passed through this area, this is not true. Bermet is an indigenous drink from Samobor. Production technique is a well kept secret of rare Samoborian manufacturers of this beverage, including the Filipec family. Bermet's main ingredients are red grapes and the wines Portugieser and Franconia, with the addition of various aromatizing ingredients such as dried figs, carob, wormwood and mustard. The flavor of Bermet is specific, but most similar to drinks such as Campari, Amaro and Jägermeister. It contains 15 to 16 percent alcohol on average, and matures in oak barrels at least three months. Bermet is best known as a Christmas drink, and the oldest written record of it is found in church books of the Samobor Museum, where it has been mentioned in the pharmacy records as a good remedy for stomach pains since 1755.

RECIPIES Lamb Stew From Lika 400g lamb

some root vegtables (parsley, carrot, parsnip or cellery) 50g rice 50g kohlrabi 50g Savoy cabbage 2 egg yolks 2 coves of garlic 1 onion 1 bay leaf whole peppercorns lemon juice 100ml soured cream salt, parsley Wash the meat, cut it into cubes and cook in plenty of water. Bring to the boil, skim the foam and add the cleaned and washed, diced root vegetables, a whole onion, garlic and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking. Cut the Savoy cabbage into strips and boil them separately.

Cook the rice in salted water, drain and rinse in cold water. When the meat is tender, strain the soup.

In a separate bowl, whip the egg yolks, add soured cream and lemon juice and gradually add broth, rice, meat and vegetables. Discard bay leaf, onion and garlic. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Wild Mushroom Goulash (Karlovac) (Serves 4) 100 ml oil 200 g onions 150 g carrots 50 g celery root 50 g parsley root 800 g mushrooms (boletus, chanterelles, trumpet, morel) 400 g potatoes salt and pepper marjoram juice of one lemon 1 tsp ground red paprika Heat the oil, fry the finely chopped onion until glassy. Add finely chopped carrots, celery and parsley root and cook over a low heat until vegetables are half tender. Then add mushrooms sliced in a variety of sizes and potatoes cut into small cubes. Season with salt, pepper and marjoram, sprinkle with paprika and cook together on low heat adding water until all ingredients are tender.

At the end of cooking add the juice of one lemon.

Mushroom Soup With Buckwheat Porridge (Gorski Kotar - Kvarner) 150 g mushrooms 150 g buckwheat porridge 200 ml single cream salt and pepper Stir buckwheat porridge into salted water, pour it into a pot, fill up with water and simmer over low heat. Clean and cut the mushrooms, pour hot water over them and let them stand for ten minutes.

After that, drain the mushrooms, add the porridge, season with salt and pepper and continue

cooking. Add the cream to the soup and bring to the boil. .

Maneštra od Bobići - Corn Chowder (Istra) 400 g kernels of young corn 250 g beans 500 g potatoes 100 g pancetta 1 bone of prosciutto 4-5 cloves of garlic 1 bunch of parsley salt and pepper Cook the bone of prosciutto in boiling water. Place the beans in a pot (you should soak the beans in cold water over night but if you have forgotten to do that use canned beans or very young, tender beans) add the cooked prosciutto bone and top up with water. Finely chop the bacon, garlic and parsley. Stir well and continue to chop the mixture until you get a fine paste like pate. Put the paste of garlic, parsley and bacon (the so called pešt) in the beans and continue to cook until the beans are tender. Add young corn kernels (they can be canned) and later potatoes, cut into cubes, and continue cooking. When the soup is cooked, take out the bone, remove the meat from it and return the meat to the pot. Gently crush the potatoes. If you need to, season with salt and pepper. Since the bone of prosciutto is quite salty, we recommend adding salt at the very end if necessary. Štrukli (cooked strudel) With Cheese (Central Croatia) Dough: 500 g of flour 2 tablespoons oil 1 egg salt melted butter or oil for coating Filling: 300 g of cottage cheese 2 eggs 200 ml sour cream Topping: 100 g butter 150 g bread crumbs Knead dough out of flour, eggs, oil, salt and warm water so you end up with a dough for strudel, divide it into two parts and allow to rest for a bit. Crush the cheese with a fork, add the egg yolks, cream and beaten egg whites. Season with salt. Roll the dough into one inch thick sheets then sprinkle or brush them with oil or melted butter. Distributre the filling evenly between the two sheets then roll the sheets into a roulade. Cut the dough pieces with the blunt side of the knife, so that the edges will stick and cheese cannot escape. Boil in salted water. Fry crumbs in butter, pour over štrukli and serve. Štrukli can also be brushed with a mixture of sour cream and egg yolks and browned in the oven.

Scones With Pork Scratchings (Slavonia) 500 g of flour 500 g scratchings 2 egg yolk and 1 for coating 20 g of yeast 2 tablespoons milk 1 glass of white wine 100 g butter sugar Add milk to yeast, add a little sugar and let the mixture rise. Thouroughly mix flour, finely chopped or ground scratchings, egg yolks, white wine and the risen yeast, knead the dough, roll it out and spread butter over it. Fold the dough in half and let it rest for 15 minutes. Repeat the process of rolling and folding and let the dough rest for another 15 minutes. Repeat once more. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1 cm. Use a mold to take out the scones, place them in a greased baking dish, spread over the beaten yolk and leave in a warm place to rise. Bake in the oven until they turn golden, about 30 minutes.

Pumpkin Strudel (Central Croatia) Dough: 500 g of flour 1 egg 1 tablespoon fat milk For the filling: 800 g of pumpkin 500 g of cottage cheese 300 ml sour cream (for topping) 2 eggs cornflour salt Mix flour, eggs, fat and a little warm milk into a dough and divide it into three parts. Roll the dough into sheets and cut to the size of the baking tray. Grate the cleaned pumpkin, add salt and let it sit for a bit then drain the water and add crushed cheese, scrambled eggs and cream and stir well. Place the first sheet in a greased baking tray, brush with half of the filling, sprinkle with corn meal, place the second sheet over, brush with the remaining filling and cover with the third sheet. Pour over the soured cream. Bake in the oven at a moderate temperature.

Tripe (Dalmatia) 800 g of tripe (Fileki) some root vegetables (carrots, parsley, parsnip) 200 g onions 80 g fat or oil 2 bay leaves 10 peppercorns 50 g bacon

30 g flour 2-3 cloves of garlic 50 g tomato puree ½ bunch of parsley 1 cayenne pepper salt, pepper, ground red paprika Wash tripe under running water, place in a pot, fill up with water, add 5 peppercorns, cleaned root vegetables cut into strips and one onion, cleaned and quatered. Season with salt and cook for about 5 hours. Cut the cooked tripe into pieces. Fry the finely chopped onions on heated fat, add the bay leaf and five peppercorns. When the onion is half-fried, add flour and keep frying. Sprinkle with ground red paprika and stir in finely chopped garlic and tomato puree. Pour a little water in which the tripe was cooked and continue to cook for about half an hour. Then add the tripe and simmer for another 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve in bowls sprinkled with chopped parsley.

If you like it spicy add a chopped cayenne pepper to the tripe in the end.

Pasta With Beans (Dalmatia) (For 8 people) 500 g of beans 150-200 g macaroni 2 onions 150 g dried smoked meat 100 ml olive oil 100 g pancetta 2 cloves of garlic salt, pepper, ground red paprika, celery leaf and parsley Soak the beans in water for a day, drain the water next day, top up the beans with fresh water and cook until tender. Bring to the boil then discard the water, top up with fresh, luke warm water and continue cooking. When the beans are softened, add the oil, bacon, diced smoked meat, finely chopped onion, garlic and ground red paprika. Season with salt and pepper. When the beans are almost cooked, add the macaroni, celery and parsley and cook until macaroni are tender.

KaĹĄtradina s RaĹĄtikom (smoked goat meat with greens) (Dalmatia) 1 kg smoked dried mutton 800 g kale or greens 400 g potatoes garlic oil flour, salt, pepper Cook the smoked mutton in one pot, cook the greens in salty water in another pot and the peeled potatoes, cut into quarters, in the third pot. Add cooked potatoes, oil and chopped garlic to the cooked greens. Season with salt and pepper and cook for another 10 minutes. (Optional: fry the flour in the oil, pour the roux over the greens and cook for a few minutes.)

Serve the plates with the cooked meat on one side and greens and potatoes on the other side.

Cabbage From Lika (For 6 people) 1 kg smoked dried meat 1.5 kg grated cabbage 100 g smoked bacon 50 g fat Wash dried meat and cabbage and drain. Place alternatively a row of cabbage and a row of meat in a lightly greased earthen pot until you spend all the ingredients. The top layer should be cabbage, sprinkled with chopped bacon. Pour in a little water and cook on low heat until the meat is tender. If necessary, add more water. Serve with cooked bacon and potatoes.

Kotlovina (central Croatia) 750 g cutlet of pork 200 g onion 80 g tomato ½ liter of wine 4-5 cloves of garlic 1-2 tablespoons mustard 1 teaspoon ground red paprika 1-2 chillies 20 g oil and 20 g fat, salt, pepper Cut the meat into steaks, season with salt and pepper, fry in oil and grease, and set aside.

Meanwhile, chop the onion, fry it in the same oil, add chopped garlic, paprika and tomatoes. Fry all together. When done, stir in the mustard and chillies pour in the water and wine and cook for about half an hour. Then return cooked meat to the sauce and continue cooking for another 20 minutes.

Serve with spring onions.

Slavonian Sauerkraut Sarma (For six people) 1.5 kg sauerkraut 500 grams of beef and pork mince 2 onions 100 g sliced bacon, not dried 50 g rice 1 egg 200 g dry smoked ribs salt and pepper oil, milk, sour cream Carefully separate cabbage leaves from the head and cut out the thick core. If the cabbage is very sour, leave the leaves in cold water for half an hour. Fry finely chopped onion in oil and when it is golden add minced meat and chopped bacon. Continue frying for a few minutes, then stir in some rice, and when the mixture is lukewarm, add the egg. Season with salt and pepper. Place some stuffing into each of the cabbage leafs, tightening the cabbage carefully so the stuffing does not escape. Arrange cabbage rolls in a pan on the base of grated souerkraut, placing smoked pork ribs and bacon between them. Pour in water and cook over a low heat. Towards the end, add a spoonful

of milk and bring to the boil. Cooked sarma can be served with soured cream or plain boiled potatoes. Žgvacet - Meat Stew (Istria and Kvarner) 600 g veal 250 g butter 150 g bread crumbs salt, nutmeg, oregano, parmesan cheese, broth or water and organic lemon zest Cut meat into cubes and fry in a pan in its own juice. When the juice has evaporated, fry bread crumbs in butter and add the meat. Add water or stock to cover the meat, sprinkle with salt, add the spices and cook for half an hour. In the end, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and serve with Istrian fuži, šurlice, or a similar homemade pasta. The stew is also delicious with polenta or gniocci.

Pašticada - Beef Stew (Dalmatia) 1 kg beef from the leg 50 g fat 100 g onion 200 g of root vegetables: carrots, parsley and celery 2 cloves of garlic 50 g tomato puree 1 bay leaf 100 ml red wine mustard 200 ml oil thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper 3 figs 3 prunes 1 apple Wash the meat, dry it and stud with bacon and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, brush with mustard and oil, and let it rest overnight.

The next day, brown the meat on all sides in oil. In the same oil fry the chopped onions, carrots, parsley and celery, return the meat and cook for about 2 hours, occasionally adding some water and wine. When the meat is tender, add the tomatoes, sliced figs, prunes and apples. Proceed with simmering. Towards the end, add the bay leaf, rosemary and thyme.

Cut the cooked meat into slices and place in a dish, pass the sauce through a sieve, bring to boil and pour over the meat. Serve with gnocchi or macaroni.

Samobor Chops 700 g pork chops 500 g potatoes 3-4 cloves of garlic oil, salt, parsley Cut the meat into chops and beat them with a mallet, sprinkle with salt and fry on both sides in hot oil until golden. Wash the potatoes, peel and quarter them, season with salt, place in a baking dish,

pour the oil in which the chops were fried over the potatoes and roast in the oven.

Fry finely chopped garlic on a little oil, add a little water, bring to boil and pour over the chops.

Arrange roasted potatoes over the chops, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped garlic.

Lamb Baked in Peka Clean, wash and season young lamb with salt and place in a large roasting pan. Add a little water, and place the pan on a tripod in a clay oven. Cover the baking dish with the dome shaped lid (peka) and place ambers over it. Bake, occasionally add some water, and sprinkle the meat with roasting juices. When the lamb is almost cooked, arrange whole, washed, peeled, and salted potatoes arround the dish and continue roasting.

Remove the meat from the peka, cut it into pieces and serve with baked potatoes and bread which was also baked in the peka. Other meats, as well as potatoes, bread, vegetables and some types of fish, particularly octopus, can also be cooked the same way.

Fish Baked in Peka According to an old recipe, fish was baked in the peka using walnut leaves. For example, the eel would be cleaned, cut into pieces, seasoned with salt, wrapped in walnut leaves and baked in the peka. Other types of fish did not have to be wrapped in walnut leaves. Salted fish was placed on several walnut leaves which were lining the baking dish, and was then covered with walnut leaves and baked for twenty minutes.

Roast Turkey With Mlinci (central Croatia) 3-4 kg turkey 3 large bread rolls 50 g smoked bacon 100 g turkey liver 1 onion 2 eggs 150 ml milk 20 g butter 1 bunch of parsley 300 g mlinci (baked sheets of pasta – tatters) oil salt and pepper Fry the onion and bacon cut into small cubes in butter and oil. Add the diced turkey liver and keep simmering. Dice the rolls and add the sautÊed bacon, onions and liver mixing everything in a large bowl. Add two eggs and 150 ml lukewarm milk to the same mixture. Season with salt and pepper, or other spices, to taste and mix well. Wash the turkey and season with salt and pepper inside and out. Now embark on filling the turkey - starting from the neck, push against the skin with your fingers. Connective tissue should be carefully separated, first by the white meat and the ridge, and then the leg and thigh. For this, we can also use a spoon or a ladle. Stuff the turkey with your fingers or a spatula between the skin and the meat, put in a baking dish, pour hot grease over the turkey and bake in the oven on a lower tray, at 200ºC. Keep basting the turkey with its own juices and luke warm water and roast for 2.5-3 hours. Fifteen minutes before removing the turkey from the oven, boil the water for mlinci (tatters). Gently tear the mlinci into a tall bowl and scald them with boiling water. Mlinci must not be over salted, because we will eventually pour gravy, which is itself salty, over them. Cover and leave the scalded mlinci in hot water for a few minutes, then drain and pour roasting juices over them.

St. Martin's Goose With Chestnuts (for 6 persons) 3 kg goose 5 dry bread rolls 150 g bacon 2 onions 400 g chestnuts 3 tablespoons butter ¼ litre soup 2 teaspoons salt 1 egg 1 teaspoon white pepper 50g lard for roasting Heat the oven to 200°C. Soak the bread rolls, and finely chop bacon and onion. Make a cross shaped cut in each chesnut and roast them in the oven until they begin to peel apart, then peel them and cut in half. Fry sugar and chestnuts in some butter, pour in the soup and simmer for ten minutes. Fry the bacon and add the diced onion to it, frying until the onion is soft. Add the drained chesnuts, a teaspoon of salt, an egg and onions fried in bacon to the diced bread rolls and mix the stuffing well. Season the cleaned goose by rubbing it inside and out with salt and pepper, then fill it with the stuffing and stitch it up. Lay the goose on a roasting dish, breast side down, cover it with melted lard and bake in the oven for three hours. Roasting juice should repeatedly be thinned with a little water and used for basting the goose during baking. After an hour and a half turn it on its back.

Bake for another 1.5 hours with occasional basting.

As a side dish, serve a salad of red cabbage with apple, and potato dumplings.

Goose à la Turopolje (6-8 persons) 1 goose 4 tablespoons oil salt 1 tablespoon Vegeta (stock powder) Stuffing: 750 ml of water salt 1 tablespoon Vegeta goose liver and stomach oil 1 onion 3-4 cloves of garlic 1-2 cloves pepper ground red sweet paprika 500 g of corn grits Clean and wash the goose, dry it and rub it inside out with a mixture of salt and Vegeta few hours before baking, or even better, the day before. Before baking, drizzle the goose with oil, and add water to the baking dish to the level of two fingers. Bake in the oven at 200°C. Baste occasionally

with roasting juices and keep adding water to the tin to achieve a succulent roast. While the goose is roasting, prepare the stuffing. Add salt and Vegeta to the water, then add liver, stomach, onion and garlic that have previously all been chopped and briefly browned in oil. Add cloves, pepper and paprika and cook until the liver and stomach are tender. Towards the end, pour in the corn grits and continue to cook stirring constantly. If the mixture becomes too thick and firm, add a little hot water. Place the cooked mixture on a greasy baking tray from which you have previously removed the goose. Then return the goose to the tray and roast together for another 30 minutes.

Dalmatian Style Brudet (fish stew) (For 4 people) about 1 kg of various larger fish about half a kg onions 1 tablespoon of tomato puree 1 tablespoon vinegar 4 cloves of garlic 200 ml white or red wine 200 ml olive oil bunch of parsley salt and pepper Clean and wash the fish and cut into large chunks. Finely slice about half the onions and fry in a little hot oil until they become golden brown. Add a table spoon of vinegar, the remaining oil, salt and pepper and simmer. Insert pieces of fish and let them cook for 1 - 2 minutes, add the wine, a spoon of tomato puree, chopped garlic and coarsly chopped remaining onions (cut into rings) and gently mix all ingredients. Add water if necessary and cook without stirring for about 30 - 45 minutes. While the brudet is gently simmering, occasionally shake the pot, and at the end of cooking add finely chopped parsley To make a successful brudet never cover the pot with a lid, because the fish will fall apart. At the start of the cooking the fish should be brought to boil very quickly and only then should the cooking temperature be lowered. Brudet is best served with polenta and green salad.

Fish Paprikash (fish stew) 1 kg fresh water fish (catfish and carp), 1.3 liters water, 200 ml white wine, 500 g onion, 2 - 3 chopped garlic cloves, 3 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon sweet red ground papika, 1 - 2 small dried hot peppers (chilli), salt and whole peppercorns .

Clean the fish, wash and cut into pieces. Fry the chopped onions in hot oil until they become golden. Add chopped garlic, sweet paprika, crushed chili and whole peppercorns and cover with water. Let it boil for about ten minutes. Add the pieces of fish, white wine, and simmer for forty minutes without stirring, shaking the pot occasionally. In a separate pot cook wide pasta (like pappardelle).

Međimurje Gibanica - Strudel 500 g filo pastry 250 g cottage cheese 300 g apples 150 g ground poppy seeds 100 ml milk

250 g sugar 50 g raisins 50 g butter 20 g cinnamon 200 ml cream 3 eggs 50 g icing sugar 150 g walnuts 2 tbs vanilla sugar Lemon zest of 1 lemon 2 tablespoons rum

CHEESE FILLING: Mix cheese, 3 egg yolks, vanilla sugar and lemon zest and add half the raisins.

Beat 2 egg whites with 100 g of sugar until firm and glossy then gently blend in the cheese.

POPPY FILLING: Mix ground poppy seeds with 100 ml of boiling milk, add the rum, lemon zest and vanilla sugar and the remaining raisins. Beat one egg white with 50 grams of sugar until stiff and glossy then gently blend it into the poppy mixture.

APPLE FILLING: Sprinkle washed and grated apples with icing sugar and cinnamon and let them stand for 20 minutes, after which they should be well strained of juice.

WALNUT FILLING: mix ground walnuts with cinnamon.

Melt the butter in 200 ml of milk. Place three filo pastry sheets on a greased baking tray, and spread the butter melted in milk and walnuts over each sheet. Spread the cheese filling over the pasrty and cover with three sheets of pastry. Spread the apple filling on top of the sheets cover with three more and spread the poppy filling on top of those. The last three filo pastry sheets should be brushed with melted butter. Bake the pie at 180°C, and when it is almost ready spread single or double cream over it and brown it in the oven.

The finished gibanica should be sprinkled with icing sugar.