6 ways to savour Croatia’s slow food scene
Forget fast food. Croatia is all about slow food, as travel writer Rudolf Abraham finds out…
Discover the most authentic side of Croatia’s cuisine by taking time to head off the beaten track to uncover lesser-known food routes, enjoy culinary experiences and meet the locals. At its best, slow food in Croatia fuses a wealth of local, seasonal ingredients with a profound respect for tradition and terroir. In the words of Tea and Stiven Vunić, owner-chefs at Konoba Zijavica in Mošćenička Draga: “Authenticity is key”…
1. Get an authentic taste of Istria
If slow food in Croatia has a heart, it’s Istria. Here, fresh seafood, game, heavenly truffles and seasonal delicacies such as wild asparagus and cherries, along with some of the finest olive oil found anywhere in the world, all come together to create something very special indeed. “Our task is to respect and extract the best from all of these wonderful ingredients that our land has always offered us,” says Teo Fernetich, chef and owner of San Rocco restaurant and hotel in Brtonigla. And the best way to experience Istrian cuisine at its most authentic, you ask? Head inland. Taste melt-in-your-mouth pršut (dry-cured ham) in Tinjan, outstandingly good pasta dishes pretty much anywhere (not surprisingly, given several centuries of Venetian influence), wonderful wines from vineyards including Benvenuti, Damjanić and Fakin, and olive oils from the likes of multi-award winning Al Torcio and Mate.
2. Meet Slavonia’s farmers
Travel across the fertile plains of Slavonia in summer and the landscape is awash with greens and golds from two of the region’s main crops — corn and sunflowers. But the region’s signature food is kulen – a smoked, cured pork sausage made with the finest cuts from the local breed of pig, along with pepper, garlic and paprika. Hand-shaped in a natural casing, it’s smoked for a month and then cured for up to six months, has an irresistibly smoky-spicy flavour and has
been granted Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status.
Paprika is a defining ingredient in many traditional Slavonian dishes – try fiš paprikaš, a deliciously rich and spicy carp stew, and perkelt od soma, a stew made with catfish. For dessert, don’t miss tačkrle – traditional, plum jam-filled dumplings smothered in browned butter and fried breadcrumbs.
3. Visit the vineyards of Plešivica
The Plešivica wine region lies not far from Zagreb – a rolling, vineyard-clad landscape on the southern side of the Žumberak hills. Rhine Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Sylvaner Verde are some of the main wines produced here, and the organic Korak Winery is also known for its Pinot Noir. But it’s with sparkling wines that Plešivica has become particularly associated.
There’s no shortage of farmed or foraged produce from the surrounding region either – the mushrooms here are particularly prized – meaning there’s also plenty of delicious local food to try. This is a place where, to quote chef Bernard Korak, “the local cuisine mirrors the natural bounty of its surroundings”.
4. See how cheese is made in Pag
Paški sir is a hard, exceptionally tasty sheep’s milk cheese from the island of Pag, with PDO status. It owes its distinctive flavour to the sparse vegetation which this rocky island’s sheep graze on – a diet which includes plenty of herbs and a good dusting of Adriatic salt, blasted over the island by the Bura wind. You’ll find Paški sir in restaurants and on market stands all over Croatia – but for the best experience, join a cheese tour or tasting on the island of Pag itself. Family-run Gligora, in the village of Kolan, is now in its fourth generation of expert cheese-makers and offers insightful tours and tastings.
5. Stroll the markets of Zagreb
Dolac – Zagreb’s large, vibrant central market – remains the beating heart of the Croatian capital. It stands on two levels just behind Ban Jelačić Square – a location it has occupied since 1930, although the history of Zagreb as a market town stretches all the way back to the 13th century. Chances are, if you’re a local, you’ll do at least some
of your shopping here. And as a visitor, well, if you haven’t seen the market, you haven’t truly seen Zagreb.
In the years I lived here, my weekly routine revolved at least in part around the phrase ‘Idem na Dolac’ (‘I’m going to the market’). The upper terrace has open-air stalls heaped with fresh fruit and vegetables, with the fish market on one side; meat and dairy produce is on the lower, covered level. Open from early morning until early afternoon, Dolac is at its liveliest on Fridays.
6. Cycle for your supper in Lonjsko Polje
Lonjsko Polje is one of the largest preserved natural floodplains in the Danube basin. The River Sava unravels itself across this sprawling, verdant landscape like the coils of a silvery blue snake, framed here and there by oxbow lakes, and small villages where storks make their ragged nests on the rooftops of traditional wooden houses. The quiet country roads and tracks hereabouts are perfect for cycling, with stops at rustic, family-run guesthouses and restaurants in villages such as Čigoč and Lonja. Expect to find plenty of freshwater fish on the menu – grilled carp is really the one to go for here – along with hearty traditional fare such as venison goulash, and posavski lonac (a meaty, slow-cooked stew).
Wherever you are in the country, you won’t regret slowing down and spending some time to truly savour the food.
