Croatian Gastronomy - Nostromo

Croatian 

Gastronomy

introduction 

for thousands of years bc the tribal communities centred round 

Vuèedol used an extremely precise calendar which enabled 

them to engage effectively and successfully in agriculture. 

On the island of Vis there are traces of grape vine which 

have been cultivated from pre-Christian times, right up to 

the present day. 

The oldest coin to be found on the island of Hvar bears 

on the reverse side a depiction of a bunch of grapes, and 

on the obverse side the image of Homer – the poet who 

extolled their virtues in verse. 

Officers of ancient Rome gladly became gourmands once 

they discovered the riches of the Cetina region bequeathed 

to them by the gods: trout, river crabs, frogs, game and fertile 

land. Instead of the usual temporary camp they created a 

permanent settlement on the hills along the Cetina River. 

A thousand years ago, top quality chefs, who were equally 

expert in Oriental and Western cuisines, were a key element 

of the crews aboard the ships of Dubrovnik which sailed 

the Mediterranean and the oceans. From Istria to Konavle, 

Croats have been safeguarding dozens of centuries-old olive 

trees which still bear fruit to this day. Roman emperors 

planted olive groves in Istria because they considered the 

area as being the best for cultivation of superior olives. 

Also, recipes from the Viennese court were being prepared 

croatian Gastronomy 

3 

Each croatian 

tourist rEGion is 

a sourcE of hiGh 

quality cuisinE, 

rEGardlEss of 

whEthEr thE 

offErEd dish is 

of polEnta madE 

from whitE maizE 

or a phEasant 

patE flavourEd 

with frEsh 

istrian trufflEs.

Cultivation of certain 

varieties of grape 

on the island of 

Vis dates back to 

pre-Christian times. 

introduction 

by cooks attending to the gastronomic needs of the nobility 

and other wealthy households in northern Croatia. 

Napoleon’s cooks introduced many of their culinary secrets 

to their Croatian counterparts, and they are still with us today 

– the mustard and bermet, i.e. vermouth, of Samobor being 

two of the most famous examples. It has to be pointed out, 

however, that those French cooks did not find any absence of 

culinary skills, indeed quite the contrary; in most cases the 

local population simply added a “French touch” to some of 

their existing recipes. For instance, mustard is mentioned in 

Gazophylacium, the famous Latin-Croatian dictionary by Ivan 

Belostenec, completed in 1674. 

Italians have managed to convince a good part of the 

world that hundreds of their regional dishes deserve a place 

at the peak of world gastronomy. However, at the beginning 

of the last century they themselves claimed that the 

best Italian dishes are prepared in Dalmatia, where a great 

culinary tradition makes use of first-class ingredients. 

In the course of its travels from Persia, via Turkey 

to Croatian lands, a journey which took thousands of 

kilometres and hundreds of years to 

complete, the recipe for æevap or kebab 

was being constantly improved until it 

reached absolute perfection. And all that 

together with many other great dishes 

and culinary procedures. 

Hungarians who came to settle in 

Podravina, Meðimurje, Slavonia and 

Baranja are masters of dishes prepared 

in small cauldrons, delicacies which represent 

the essence of the identity of 

Hungarian cuisine. 

Today’s Croatia, a small Alpine, 

Pannonian, Danube-basin and 

Mediterranean country, grows all the 

same types of grape that are grown in 

the much larger France! Also, in small 

Croatia more varieties of the most highly 

valued truffles can be found than in that 

same France, including the white Tuber magnatum (pico), 

which is most sought after. For years now micologists have 

been trying to compile a definitive list of edible fungi that 

are autochthonous in Croatia, but the task is so extensive 

that they have yet to complete it. The Croatian Adriatic is 

not renowned for its great quantities of fish, crabs, shellfish 

and molluscs, but it is renowned for its rich variety of seafood. 

Indeed, it is claimed by many that some of that seafood, such as 

scampi and oysters from particular localities, are the best in 

the world. Those are subjective assessments; objective scientific 

findings have quite definitely shown that the concentration 

of elements in the Marasca black/sour cherry, grown in 

the surroundings of Zadar, make it superior to any other type 

of black/sour cherry in the world - which is more than amply 

4 croatian Gastronomy 

local BrEEds of shEEp arE rEnownEd for thEir 

mEat with an ExquisitE tastE, rEsultinG from thE 

quality of GrazinG - aromatic, and mEdical mEditErranEan 

hErBs, and thE nEar vicinity of thE sEa 

which imparts a portion of its salt to thE land. 

this comBination lEnds thE mEat of thEsE animals 

a vEry spEcial flavour. 

proved by Maraschino, the famous liqueur of Zadar. 

The varieties of small Mediterranean breeds of sheep 

scattered across the Adriatic islands, throughout the coastal 

areas and coastal hinterland, are in themselves a source of 

ultimate culinary pleasures and an excellent paradigm of the 

peaks of Croatian gastronomy: those breeds are small, some 

of them even the smallest in the Mediterranean, and their 

milk yield is equally small due to meagre but exquisitely aromatic 

grazing. On the other hand, however, their meat, milk 

and the cheese produced from it are delectable indeed. 

Croatia cannot compete in quantities and yields of fruit, 

vegetables, fungi, fish, crabs, meat, cheese or honey with 

the large world producers. But then, it has no need to. 

The incredible variety and surprising quality of ingredients, 

food-stuffs, dishes and processed products offered by these 

climes and tradition are in themselves a world monument 

of culture with which one must become familiar with, nurture, 

preserve, respect and above all savour and enjoy. 

Hence, the Croatian National Tourist Board will make 

it an ongoing project to systematically research and present 

Croatian national gastronomy to the world public in the 

deeply held belief that, alongside natural attractions and 

cultural heritage, it is the country’s national gastronomy 

that represents an outstanding Croatian attraction. It is not 

enough to learn about it only in its summer version – all four 

season offer equally exquisite gastronomic experiences. 

It can be safely said that Croatia is, so to speak, “on the 

boil”; agricultural experts and strategists of food production 

are undertaking a comprehensive inventory, and preparing 

a national strategy for the country’s road to the European 

Union. All edible treasures must be listed, described and protected 

as much as possible so as to ensure their survival within 

the strictly applied European rules. This is a massive task of

dalmatia – 

split 

istria 6-11 KvarnEr 

12-15 

invaluable significance; a high percentage of Croats fear that 

Brussels bureaucracy would not look kindly upon the ancient 

habits and customs practiced by thousands of small family 

producers, the very ones who enable Croats to enjoy hundreds 

of superb dishes prepared throughout our country. 

Preservation and advancement of that wonderful heritage 

of our forefathers is, for Croats and the numerous national 

minorities who have lived here for a long time, a task which 

carries with it the very significance of survival. From the 

holdings of our farmers, from our meadows, forests, streams, 

rivers and the sea, in every season of the year there arrives to 

the Croatian markets a myriad of produce and products: fruit, 

vegetables, wild edible plants, herbs, fungi, fresh and saltwater 

fish, shellfish, crabs, molluscs, snails, frogs, game, fresh meat, 

sausages, salamis, hams and proscuittos, breads, rolls and 

cakes; and they never fail to surprise gourmands and connoisseurs 

from all over the world. Not by quantity – Croatia 

is, as we have said, a small country – but with their incredible 

variety. Amidst this wealth of choice one can select foodstuffs 

and dishes that stand shoulder to shoulder with the finest 

in the world, forming the basis of our national gastronomy 

which the world has yet to discover in its full glory, aroma and 

flavour. Bearing in mind its real potentials, very little is indeed 

known in the world about Croatia's gastronomy. This is why 

we are working on a strategy. 

Croatia will not amaze anybody with the quantities of food 

produced here. In the Croatian waters of the Adriatic there 

are relatively small numbers of fish and other sea creatures. 

But it is the story of the Adriatic which is typical of Croatia’s 

gastronomy: neither the sea nor the seabed is overcrowded 

by massive numbers, but the variety of species living here is 

quite something. From a culinary standpoint this wealth gains 

another, yet more distinct quality: the frutti di mare of the 

Adriatic are deemed to be among the most delectable in the 

world. Pilchard, sand smelt, anchovy, tuna, dentex, gilthead, 

John Dory, red mullet, scampi, sea spider, lobster, oyster, scallops, 

calamari, squid... In the right hands all of them can be 

transformed into a feast fondly remembered with pleasure 

even by those who have enjoyed feasts all over the world. 

Croatia neither can nor should compete with the large food 

producers. Here, the holdings are fragmented; fields, barns and 

liKa - 16-19 dalmatia – 20-23 dalmatia – 24-27 

Karlovac 

zadar 

ŠiBEniK 

28-31 dalmatia – 32-35 slavonia 36-39 cEntral 40-43 

city of 44-53 

duBrovniK 

croatia 

zaGrEB 

fishing boats are small. This situation, which for decades has 

been a serious national problem, is now proving to be a first class 

potential. In Croatia, chickens do indeed peck in courtyards, 

eating what nature provides; here, sheep do graze aromatic 

herbs; tuna fish feed on live pilchards in clear seas, and in forests 

wild strawberries happily grow in the company of mushrooms – 

until bears discover them and have themselves a feast... 

Viewed against water resources throughout the world, 

Croatian waters, fresh and salt, standing and running, surface 

or underground, are all well preserved. The soil is not 

contaminated with heavy metals, nor is it exhausted by 

over-intensive agriculture. The air is considerably cleaner 

than in the majority of other European countries, and people 

are being brought up, and are therefore accustomed to, a 

traditional cuisine of first-rate nutritious properties, not only 

in the Mediterranean part of the country but in its vales in 

the north and in the mountain area extending between the 

coastal region and the Pannonian plain. 

To savour a pogaèa (round, unleavened bread) made from 

ancient varieties of grain from Meðimurje, salted by salt harvested 

on the Dalmatian islands is in itself a gastronomic experience 

fit to start a culinary feast in Croatia. An experienced 

connoisseur can follow the intricate paths of Croatian cuisine, 

and they will lead him from the rural origins, via folk tradition, 

to the intelligent concepts of brilliant young cooks in their fine 

restaurants. What a challenge for a palate worthy of its name! 

With this publication we aim to outline the gastronomic 

routes through Croatia which are of particular interest, or 

rather those which lead to singular culinary pleasures. 

The tourist map of Croatia divides the country into tourist 

regions. Each is a source of high quality cuisine, regardless of 

whether the offered dish is a polenta made from white maize, 

which takes hours of gentle cooking and stirring in a cauldron 

over an open fire in the old- fashioned hearth of a household 

that earns its living through agro-tourism, or a pheasant paté 

flavoured with fresh Istrian truffles made for the exclusive 

festival of high gastronomy called The Golden Truffle. First rate 

foodstuffs and ways of preparing them can be found throughout 

the land, and the charm of getting to know them, from one 

cluster to another, lies in the rich and colourful varieties found 

regionally and locally. 


5

01 

stria

The gasTronomy of isTria presenTs iTself 

i 

TourisT Board of The CounTy 

of isTria 

Pionirska 1, 52440 Poreč 

tel.: +385 52 452 797 

fax: +385 52 452 796 

E-mail: info@istra.hr 

www.istra.hr 

as one of complete harmony, 

characterized first and foremost by traditional folk and urban cuisine offered 

in numerous pubs, inns and cellars. as a gastronomic entity istria 

is a phenomenon of world ranking. its folk cuisine is a centuries-old response, 

on the one hand to economic deprivation, and on the other to the 

abundant generosity of nature and the great culinary models of the nearby 

italian provinces. 

stria is the first Croatian region which has long been visited by special 

type of guest: those who regard gastronomy either as the most important, 

or as one of the very important, reasons for travelling. The consequence 

of a process in which guests visiting the Istrian coast began to "discover" 

its interior, completely removed from large tourist complexes and similar 

urban interventions. Istria’s interior was, in that respect, a virgin land and 

is, in fact, described in monographs written today as Terra incognita, as 

the ancient cartographers used to describe an unknown, unexplored land. 

The coast and the interior of Istria were, indeed are, complementary not 

only in the magnificent landscapes and a dramatic change of atmosphere, 

but they also formed and form a unique gastronomic entity combining 

the sea food provided by the Mediterranean with its hinterland. Frutti 

di mare of exquisite quality were rounded off by 

produce from gardens, orchards, vineyards and 

forests in the peninsula’s interior. As a whole, the 

gastronomy of Istria presents itself as one of complete 

harmony, characterized first and foremost 

by traditional folk and urban cuisine offered in 

numerous pubs, inns and cellars. 

Istria was also the area in which the first truly 

luxurious restaurants in Croatia opened their 

doors. Tourist guides published by the Tourist 

Board of the County of Istria were the first to 

start a systematic and reliable exploration and 

follow-up, as well as offering encouragement for 

the development of quality catering establishments. 

Concurrently, the well organized Istrian 

wine growers began to set up clear criteria for 

wine roads, and soon the whole of Istria was crisscrossed 

with such roads. 

As a gastronomic entity Istria is a phenomenon 

of world ranking. Its folk cuisine is a centuries-old 

response, on the one hand to economic deprivation, 

and on the other to the abundant generosity 

of nature and the great culinary models of the 

nearby Italian provinces. Simple popular dishes 

again seem very modern: omelettes (locally known 


7

01 istria 

Oysters from the 

Lim channel are 

a renowned 

specialty of the 

Northern Adriatic. 

as fritaja), practically a trade mark of Istrian cuisine, are a 

clear demonstration of this. Based first and foremost on 

good free-range eggs, cooked to perfection, or if you will a 

point, to use the gastronomic patois. Added to the omelettes 

is one, or at most two ingredients, whose taste is a dominant 

one in the dish, and the selection of 

which is dictated by the season, as is the 

case in particular with wild asparagus. In a 

nutshell, Istrian fritaja with wild asparagus 

is a popular dish which meets all the criteria 

of modern-day high cuisine. 

Maneštra, or as some would say minestrone, 

is also a part of Istrian culinary 

tradition. Boiled potatoes and beans, 

with the addition of seasonal vegetables 

which give this particular dish its 

name: maneštra with sweet corn, barley, 

chick-peas, fennel; when combined 

with sauerkraut and turnip it is called 

yota. Specific characteristics of Istrian 

maneštra is pešt – finely chopped bacon, 

parsley and garlic. Thus prepared, paste 

is added at the commencement of cooking 

in order to ensure that the bacon is 

thoroughly cooked. 

Folk, urban and fine cuisines catering 

in Istria overlap and intertwine, which 

is no wonder since they are all based on gastronomic 

icons such as indigenous forms of pasta made from top 

quality flour; then there are oysters, sea spiders, the 

best of deep sea fish, white and black truffles and other 

mushrooms, wild asparagus, Istrian prosciutto, pancetta, 

a specially cured bacon, sausages and ombolo, spiced and 


owinG to thEir natural BEauty and archaEoloGical 

localities, the Brijuni archiPelaGo, just off 

the town of Pula, enjoys the status of a national 

parK. 

briefly smoke dried boned pork loin, and game both large 

and small. 

The interest that everyday Istrian cuisine began to 

generate in recent decades, not only among guests from 

other parts of Croatia but also among those beyond our 

borders, gave rise to the development of agrotourism, a 

catering industry in rural homesteads based on produce 

from the homestead itself. Today, agrotourism is the 

key gastronomic feature of the interior of Istria with a 

range of dishes no longer restricted to a dozen or so of 

the most typical. Alongside the standard range on offer 

many households are now expanding their production 

of high quality home grown foods, and we now have, for 

instance, small family game breeding farms. Most usual 

is the feathered variety, but in Istria it is not surprising 

to find a wild boar being kept in a pen, as is the case in 

Pladnjaki. In such cases village tourism can offer such 

delicacies as ombolo, prosciutto and sausages produced 

from such game. 

chEEsE madE 

from Goat milK 

is EspEcially 

dElicious whEn 

flavourEd with 

trufflE.

wild asparaGus Grows all ovEr thE 

northEn part of istria in thE sprinGtimE. 

omBolo- a BonEd 

porK loin first 

BriEfly smoKEd 

and thEn GrillEd 

ovEr hot coals. 

The mainstay of Istrian catering, and the guarantee of a 

good atmosphere, is the range of simple house wines - and 

wine has for centuries been the medium of socializing. In 

Istrian pubs people still enjoy the Istrian supa, served in a 

bukaleta (a ceramic jug): gently warmed red wine, most 

often teran or borgogna, is poured into a bukaleta, a slice 

of freshly toasted bread is added, together with few drops 

of olive oil, a spoon of sugar and a pinch of freshly ground 

pepper. The jug is passed around the table with wine being 

drunk, actually sipped, through the bread, which makes it 

extremely drinkable. 

Istrian supa is a custom typical of small village and town 

oštarije, or if you will, pubs. Atmosphere in those establishments 

is created first and foremost by an open fireplace 

which, although frequently set into a corner, is the social 

hub of the place; food is cooked on it, meat sizzles on its 

metal grids; people really love to gather around, particularly 

in winter time. 

Ombolo is the king of a menu prepared in such fireplaces. 

Slightly smoked pork loin is sliced and grilled over the 

charcoal. It is often served with sauerkraut, and in combination 

with Istrian sausage. 

t r u f f l E s 

It is quite usual that mystery stories are spun about truffles 

before they are accepted as a part of local cuisine. 

Istria was no different. It was only at the beginning of 

the last century that Istrians realized what a gastronomic 

jewel they had at their disposal. Several excellent types 

of truffles grow in Istria almost the year round, while the 

most treasured one, the white truffle or Tuber magnatum 

pasta sprinKlEd with GratEd trufflEs, 

whitE or BlacK, form a part of thE 

mEnu of almost EvEry rEstaurant. 

Agrotourism is the key gastronomic feature of the interior of this 

peninsula. It is based on rural holdings offering quality, home- 

cooked food served in a homely and intimate atmosphere. 

pico, a kilo of which can fetch more than 3000 euro, come 

to the market in the autumn. The truffle season lasts up to 

the end of the year. 

The main site of this undoubtedly most expensive foodstuff 

is the famous Motovun forest, located alongside the 

Mirna River, at the foot of the mount upon which rises 

the magnificent little town of Motovun. World experts 

have still not decided how 

the famous truffle from 

Alba came to have a 

twin of equal quality in 

Motovun and several 

other smaller habitats 

through Istria. But 

risottos of EvEry imaGinaBlE Kind - from 

thE rEd onE madE with radiccio, to thE 

BlacK onE with squid inK - arE anothEr 

istrian spEcialty not to BE missEd. 


9 

thE woods around 

thE anciEnt and 

EnchantinG, tiny 

towns of motovun 

and Grožnjan, are 

rEplEtE with all 

Kinds of mushrooms 

which lEnd 

thEmsElvEs rEadily 

to a variEty of 

dElicious dishEs.

01 istria 

Until very recently 

the white truffle of 

Istria was unknown 

by the elite gastronomy 

of the world. 

the international gatherings of experts and thematic gastronomic 

presentations entitled Golden truffle held in the 

Marino restaurant in Kremelje, near Momjan, arrived at 

a clear conclusion: the white truffle of Istria is in no way 

inferior to those from Alba! Indeed, an American journalist 

discovered that many “truffles from Alba” actually 

originate in Istria. 

At the special presentation of haute 

cuisine held in the Valsabbion restaurant 

not far from Pula, Bruno Clement, 

the renowned French culinary wizard, 

also known as the King of Truffles, 

publicly confirmed that conclusion in 

the autumn of 2003. The largest white 

truffle ever found, weighing almost a 

kilogram-and-a-half, was found in the 

Motovun forest. 

Until recently the Istrian white truffle 

was unknown on the world stage of 

luxury gastronomy. It was reaching fine 

restaurants of the world through smuggling, 

and was served either without its 

origin being given, or was being falsely 

presented as Italian. Today, Istrians no 

longer wish to smuggle, or even export 

their truffles. But neither do they want 

to save them for themselves. It’s not 

that they don’t like them, they want even more to be 

able to offer them to those true connoisseurs of this 

magical fungus who come to visit the small corner of the 

world from which this delicacy originates. 

Traditional Istrian dishes prepared with 

truffles are very simple, particularly 

when the best, the white truffle 

is being used. Nothing 

should be allowed 

to impair its 

EvEn thE roman EmpErors who Build thE amphithEatrE 

in pula considErEd that thE arEa of 

istria was BEst for thE cultivation of supErior 

olivEs. 

majestic gastronomic presence. Right at table, right 

before the guest, a small amount of truffle is grated 

over freshly cooked pasta, Istrian fu�i (somewhat 

similar in shape to Italian garganeli) or 

gnocchi, and there you have it! 

Omelette, or fritaja with 

truffles is served in a 

similar way.

istria is onE of thE BEst placEs for 

olivE GrowinG and for thE production 

of top quality olivE oil. 

i s t r i a n p a s t a a n d 

i t s p i c t u r E s q u E 

G a r n i s h i n G s 

In the course of its journey from Italy towards Istria both 

names and forms of pasta changed, eventually being transformed 

into authentic features of Istrian cuisine. Lovers of 

Italian pasta could probably become confused by the Istrian 

lasagna. They are not in fact rectangular sheets of pasta laid 

one on top of another with sauce in between, but simply wide 

strip noodles, a shape which makes them suitable for different 

dishes, including making tasty nests for white truffles. 

The best known Istrian pasta is fu�i, small squares of pasta 

diagonally rolled into tubes. Flour, salt and water are mixed 

into smooth dough which is rolled into a thin sheet, cut into 

4x4cm squares, the opposite corners of which are folded 

towards the middle and pressed so as to stick together. 

Suitable for a variety of dishes, fu�i are most often found 

as a welcoming starter to �gvacet – delectable Istrian goulash, 

i.e. pieces of meat in a thick gravy - chicken version is very 

popular and widespread, as well as all kinds of larger game. 

The favourite pasta in Sveti Vinæent and its surroundings are 

pljukanci, small, spindle-shaped pieces of dough, most appreciated 

when served with pieces of prosciutto and wild asparagus, or 

with gravy made with sausage or of mushroom, locally known as 

martinèica or, if you will, Clitocybe geotropa. But it is also quite sufficient 

to sprinkle this excellent pasta with good grated cheese 

– particularly if it comes from the nearby village of Šikuti. There, 

one can chance on a very strong cheese, made of a mixture of 

sheep and goat milk, but which is not easy to find. 

Home-made pasta is highly appreciated in Istria, but there 

fritaja, i.e., an omElEttE with aspara- 

Gus, is a delicacy enjoyed in istrian 

homEs 

The largest truffle ever, weighing 

almost 1.5 kg, was found in 

Istria's Motovun woods. 

supa, or istrian 

soup, sErvEd in a 

BuKalEta: rEd winE 

with a slicE of 

toastEd BrEad, a 

pinch of salt and 

pEppEr, and a fEw 

drops of olivE 

oil, is drunK from 

ceramic juGs. 

a widE ranGE of trufflE variEtiEs 

Grows in istria all yEar round. 

are a number of small producers who have earned a fine 

reputation among connoisseurs of good pasta. 

m a n e š t r a o d B o B i ć i 

(minEstronE with swEEt corn) 

The best known of the thick stews in Istria is the famous 

maneštra od bobiæi, yet another example of how a great 

dish can be born out of privation. After all, its main 

ingredient is a prosciutto bone, and tradition has it that 

it was used more than once, even borrowed from house 

to house. Young sweet corn, potatoes, red beans, garlic, 

celery leaf, pepper and panceta (specially cured meaty 

bacon) or at least its rind – these are the ingredients that 

go to make this stew, in addition to the prosciutto bone, 

of course. Maneštra of bobiæi, cooked slowly over a gentle 

heat, is now once again as popular as it was so long ago 

when some anonymous genius created it. 


11 

BuzEt, a small, 

old town situatEd 

inland, cElEBratEs 

thE BEGinninG 

of thE trufflE 

sEason with a 

GiGantic omElEttE.

02 

varner

To The Curious gasTronome kvarner 

from the livestock grazing on mountain, coastal and island meadows. 

and these are only some of the attractions, to which we must add snails, frogs, 

honey, and for many the highest ace of Croatian gastronomy, lamb in all 

its delectable variations, from Pag, Cres, Krk, Rab and other areas... This is 

also the area where the best scampi in the Adriatic are caught and prepared. 

Among the many compliments given to them is that which claims no other 

scampi in the world can compare to them! 

It is therefore logical that with such ingredients it was here in the 

Kvarner cluster that modern Croatian cuisine was being created in the 

second half of the 20th century. Today, some of the leading restaurants 

in our country, given a prominent place in the leading world guides, can 

be found here. 


of primorje - gorski koTar 

n. tesle 2, p.p. 52, 51410 opatija 

tel.: +385 51 272 988 

fax: +385 51 272 909 

E-mail: kvarner@kvarner.hr 

www.kvarner.hr 

for a detailed list of county tourist 

Boards, please refer to page 54. 

is a site of most varied opportunities. from the 

mountain of učka in the direction of dalmatia, it is a continuation of istria. the 

largest croatian islands (cres and Krk) form a part of this cluster, as do the 

mountain massifs in the regions of Gorski kotar. first class fish, crabs and other 

frutti di mare are readily available in the markets, side by side with “frutti di 

forest”: mushrooms, wild fruit, game, and to round if all off here one can savour 

some of the best cheeses in this country, made from cow, sheep and goat milk 

m a r u n i 

Growing in the foothills of Uèka, is the famous 

chestnut tree known as Lovranski marun, that is, 

the marron of Lovran, whose fruit is most commonly 

eaten roasted. Come their season sometime 

in October Lovran holds its traditional festivity, 

Marunada, when gastronomy is devoted to the sweet 

chestnut. In the streets they are eaten roasted, but in 

restaurants a range of dishes both sweet and savoury, 

including chestnut soup, are prepared. 

f r o G s 

Although frogs of excellent quality are found in 

several locations throughout Croatia, the inhabitants 

of Lokve in Gorski kotar are renowned for 

their particular fondness for frogs. These are best 

towards the end of April, during the �abarska 

noæ (Night of Frogs) when the finest frog is 

“elected” and when some very specific dishes 

can be savoured, particularly “frogs a la Lokve”: 

frog legs stewed with snails and local wild mushrooms, 

served with boiled potatoes or polenta. 

d o r m o u s E 

Few people outside the Kvarner area know that 


13

02 

lamBs rEarEd 

on thE islands 

of thE northErn 

adriatic, and 

from thE hintErland 

of vElEBit, 

arE spit-roastEd 

in many rEstaurants 

found 

alonGsidE thE 

road. 

kvarner 

Frutti di 

mare and 

fish are a 

dominant 

feature in 

restaurants 

along the 

shores. 

the dormouse is the gastro-specialty of this region. Today, 

the uninitiated tend to look at them askance, but recipes 

for their preparation can be found as 

long ago as Apicius’ collection of recipes. 

Nowadays, their flesh is mostly fried or 

spit-roasted. The most delectable of all 

is a young dormouse cooked over charcoal, 

sometimes coated with corn flour. 

Older ones are prepared in goulash and 

served with polenta. Dormouse is served 

in Kastav, Liganj, Lovranska Draga... 

On Whit Sunday (one week after St. 

Michael’s Day, September 29th) when 

the hunting season opens the dormouse 

becomes a gastronomic delicacy of the 

first order. 

u d i č 

Salted leg of an older lamb or a sheep is 

hung to dry in the bora (north wind), and 

sometimes allowed to smoke for a brief 

period. On Cres, leg of lamb thus prepared 

is called udiè and is one of the 

lesser known pearls of Croatian rural 

gastronomy. The same method is also 

practised around Dubrovnik, particularly 

in Konavle. 

GroBnički sir 

Grobnièki sir, or cheese from the Grobnik range, is produced 

from milk of sheep which graze on the mountain meadows 

of Gorski kotar, in the villages above the Grobnik range. 


This large cylinder cheese does not come in any uniform 

shape since it is shaped by hand, without pressing. It can 

weigh up to 20 kg. This is a distinctly salty cheese, which is 

why in Rijeka they call it just that: salty cheese. 

c h E E s E s o f t h E 

K v a r n E r i s l a n d s 

Grazing on the north Adriatic islands is very distinct, and 

it yields a readily identifiable aromatic sheep milk. On the 

island of Krk, people produce a small cheese weighing less 

than half a kilo, locally known as formajela. Around Vrbnik 

it is usually spherical, while above Baška it is square. If not 

sold in its fresh form it is kept in olive oil for up to a year. 

On the islands of Cres and Lošinj, cheese is larger and usually 

with a higher fat content. Sometimes it is coated with the 

residue of olives which remains after the oil has been pressed out 

it is in this arEa that thE BEst scampi of thE 

adriatic arE cauGht and prEparEd.

a dElicacy madE of thin pastry and 

fruit. 

of them, and sometimes, although more rarely, it is smoked. 

On the island of Rab cheeses are made still larger. 

These cheeses can weigh over two kg, and are considerably 

harder than the cheese produced on the more northerly 

islands of Kvarner. 

m i n e š t r a o f k o r o m a č a 

Thick vegetable soups were, to a great degree, born out of 

poverty, but that is precisely the reason why they are such 

excellent examples of folk culinary genius, particularly in the 

areas along the coast and on the islands. The old recipe used 

on Lošinj is one such example of a dish which once was a 

pauper’s meal but is today being sought after by knowledgeable 

connoisseurs. Potato and soaked beans are cooked until 

the soup reaches the desired thickness; carrots, parsley and 

garlic are added, followed by finely chopped panceta (meaty 

thE maroni, or 

rathEr, swEEt 

chEstnuts, 

arE BEst EatEn 

roastEd. 

frEshly picKEd BluEBErriEs, rasBErriEs, 

BlacKBErriEs, wild strawBErriEs, 

currants… 

a sEa-Bass fillEt in a saucE of 

rosEmary and whitE winE 

First class fish, crabs and other frutti di mare are 

readily available in the markets, side by side with 

“frutti di forest”: mushrooms, wild fruit, game... 

bacon) and finally, young shoots of koromaè, (fennel) to 

imbue the dish with its wonderful, aromatic fragrance. 

Š u r l i c E 

The inhabitants of the island of Krk take great pride in 

their indigenous type of pasta, šurlice. It is not unlike the 

Istrian fu�i, but more elongated and thinner, and is most 

often served with thick meat gravies or frutti di mare sauces. 

When a dish is prepared with lamb, as in Baška or, for 

special occasions, with game, a palatable everyday meal 

becomes a memorable gastronomic experience. The custom 

of preparing šurlice in catering establishments has also 

been preserved in Dobrinj, a charming small town in the 

interior of the island of Krk. 


15 

thE huGEly 

apprEciatEd 

caKEs and 

othEr dEsErts 

madE of thE 

maroni, or 

rathEr swEEt 

chEstnut of 

lovran 

BrodEtto 

prEparEd 

with anGlEr, 

is a spEcialty 

madE from 

fish, onions, 

tomatoEs, 

carrots and 

winE, and is a 

vEry popular 

dish up and 

down thE coast.

lika — karlovac 

03

The ConsTruCTion of new, modern roads 

ountaineering, recreational tourism linked to mountain streams, rivers 

and lakes (notably, rafting, canoeing and canyoning), mountain cycling, 

numerous paths through the protected environments of national parks 

and nature parks – which include the world renown Plitvice Lakes – have 

made Lika a delightfull discovery even for Croatian tourists. 

The centuries of neglect are now proving themselves to have been the 

guardians of an exceptional comparative advantage that the wide expanse 

of pristine nature has to offer. Among other things, the appreciation for 

the local gastronomy is growing at a pace. The selection of rustic tradition 

is presenting itself in the new light, indeed, it is being seen in the 

new light. Aimed at a true connoisseur – its recipes not being the result 

of the chef’s tricks of the trade but of the top quality food-stuffs that 

meet the highest of ecological standards – this 

gastronomy is based on indigenous, wild growing 

plants, particularly mushrooms and fruit of the 

forest. Up to now the vast majority of mushrooms 

– boletus of Lika and chanterelle – were 

exported, for instance to Italy, and sold there as 

the best Italian mushrooms. New collection stations 

and drying facilities have enabled the forest 

mushrooms of Lika to become an appreciated 

brand among the connoisseurs. 

TourisT Board of The 

CounTy of karlovaC 

Karlovac, a. vraniczanya 6, 

47000 Karlovac 

tel.: +385 47 615 320 

fax: +385 47 601 415, 

E-mail: info@tzkz.hr; www.tzkz.hr 



in croatia has brought to the forth the 

mountainous region of lika which has been neglected for many years. and while 

the new roads opened up new and impressive vistas, the old ones – the traffic 

loads and traffic jams now out of their way – were presented with the opportuni- 

m 

ty to provide services in tune with their unpolluted natural surroundings. 

Milk and dairy products, made primarily from 

cow and sheep milk, bring all the qualities of the 

first class grazing, at times superior even to grazing 

offered by the Alpine meadows. The same 

can safely be said about the fish and crabs, be 

they from streams or lakes. The fishing grounds 

for trout and some other fresh water fish are 

regarded as one of the most favoured destinations 

at the global level, and within that context 

Gacka is a trully mythical name. Roe obtained 

from the Lika trout has been recognized as the 

new delicacy which attracts both gourmands and 

gourmets with its appearance and its golden coppery 

colour, not to say anything about its flavour. 

Dried and briefly smoke-cured fillets of the Lika 


17

03 

GacKa rivEr 

lika—karlovac 

trout are now being vacuum-packed and are becoming 

available at the wider market. 

The very water in which these fish and crabs find their 

habitat is itself a first rate gastronomic attraction. Almost 

all water flowing through Lika are not only potable, but 

are also rated among mineral and spring waters of superb 

quality. More and more of it is now being bottled and 

offered at local and foreign markets. And more and more 

chefs are now using water of such fine quality to prepare 

all stews and soupy dishes, such as the famous Lièki lonac 

(or rather the Lika Stew) which will, it has to be said, be 

at its best when prepared with meat from cattle grazed 

on the local meadows, with vegetables grown in the local 


frittErs: vEry 

simplE and tasty, 

traditional 

dElicacy of liKa 

ŠKripavac, or as somE would say, “squEaKy” 

chEEsE madE of cow milK, saltEd and driEd. 

soil and under the local climate conditions, and of course, 

cooked in the waters of Lika. 

The return to the roots of gastronomy in Lika sends a 

special message: quench your thirst with fresh spring water, 

stay your hunger with a flat-bread made from wheat freshly 

ground in a water-mill, fortify yourself with plum-brandy 

„baked“ and nurtured from home-grown plums. And all

BrEad: BrEad BaKEd undEr a pEKa – a 

hEavy mEtal or cEramic lid – on an 

opEn hEarth. 

those are experiences of fundamental quality not easily 

forgotten by a gastronome worthy of the name. 

thE liKa potato 

The protection of the geographic origin 

of the Lika potato is a good example of 

the validation of culinary skills. The 

optimum quality of unpolluted soil, 

the altitude, the climatic conditions 

and the variety selection, result in 

a readily identifiable, superb quality 

potato which has now, finally, 

been branded in an appropriate 

manner. This has been a salvation 

from oblivion for some of the simple 

dishes of the region, such as the Lièke 

pole, or as some would say “potato 

halves”. Potatoes of larger and medium 

size are washed and sliced in half, 

unpeeled. Each half is hollowed out, a cube 

of bacon is placed into the potato, and potatoes 

are then baked – best results are achieved 

if they are baked in a bread oven or under a peka 

(a domed, cast iron lid that is placed over food and 

covered with live coal). They go particularly well with 

Basa, frEsh chEEsE - madE from cow 

or shEEp milK - is a spEcialty of liKa. 

The selection of rustic tradition is 

presenting itself in the new light. 

lamB and potato BaKEd undEr a pEKa – a hEavy 

mEtal or cEramic lid – Known spEcialty of liKa. 

soured sheep milk or semi-hard cheese locally known as 

škripavac (squeaky). 

t h E l i K a f r E s h - w a t E r 

fish soup 

An excellent example of a new and modern dish that 

blends well with the local culinary tradition is the cream 

fresh-water fish soup. The Lika trout is filleted, and meat is 

taken from the tails of river crabs. Heads, bones, shells and 

pincers, with the addition of onion and a whole potato, 

are covered with water and allowed to boil to a stock. The 

soup is then strained and puréed with the potato. The trout 

fillets and crab meat are placed into the soup and boiled 

briefly, a dash of butter and a sprig or two of fresh wildgrowing 

herb like wild chives or bear’s garlic are added. 

The soup can also be made with 

trout only. 

mushrooms from GorsKi Kotar and 

liKa arE a sourcE of GrEat plEasurE 

for connoissEurs and ExpErts aliKE. 


19 

sauErKraut and 

smoKE-driEd 

mEat, a traditional 

dish in 

liKa, prEparEd 

mostly in thE 

wintEr months.

almatia 

zadar 

04

norThern dalmaTia lies in The CenTre 

of the croatian part of the adriatic. islands, coastal 

areas and the hinterland provide everything that goes to make mediterranean 

cuisine one of the most popular in the world. it is just as highly regarded by 

doctors who research healthy diets, and among the most reputable 

gastro-critics in search of strong, perfectly balanced flavours. 

the two opposites of the Mediterranean clime are found in the Zadar region: 

bare rocky countryside where only the most sturdy of medicinal plants of 

the Kornati islands will grow and on which only the hardiest livestock, 

sheep, goats, donkeys, game and even bees can live, and the rich, fertile 

land of Ravni kotari, from where the most sought after fruit and vegetables 

arrive to the markets of Croatia. 

And it is in this unique area that the best black sour cherry, the famous 

maraska, grows. A natural environment of such generosity was bound to 

inspire gastronomic geniuses to create top quality recipes, ranked among 

which is undoubtedly the world renowned Maraschino liqueur. It has many 

surrogates, but only in Zadar is the liqueur produced from the indigenous 

Maraska black/sour cherry, in strict observance of an original process 

devised three centuries ago. 


CounTy of Zadar 

sv. leopolda B. mandića 1 

23000 zadar; 

tel.: +385 23 315 107 

fax: +385 23 315 316 

E-mail: tz-zd-zup@zd.t-com.hr 

www.zadar.hr 

s a r d i n E s 

The largest fishing village on the Croatian 

Adriatic is Kali, on the island of Ugljan. Kali 

fishermen catch all types of fish but the basis 

of both their trade and of fishing in general on 

the Croatian Adriatic is the sardine. It ranks 

among the most inexpensive of fish, but often 

also among the most highly rated. For most 

fishermen, and other connoisseurs, there is no 

better fish dish than the modest sardine, but only 

if the sardine meets a crucial criterion: that it is 

prepared and eaten for elevenses in the morning 

after the night it is caught. Due to its cyclic 

movement, the sardine is most difficult to catch 

during summer months, but according to experts 

it is in that very same period that this little fish is 

at its most delicious. 

In addition to being grilled fresh there are 

two other ways most frequently used to prepare 

sardines: salt-pickled or marinated. Of late, 

however, young Croatian chefs have demonstrated 

that sardines can be a part of a meal 

served to the most fastidious customers. Usually, 


21

04 

swiss chard, 

toGEthEr with 

miŠanca - a mixturE 

of wild-Grown 

GrEEn plants - is 

thE BEst sidE dish 

for fish. 

Marachino liqueur 

is prepared from the 

finest variety of black 

cherry - the famous 

Maraska of Zadar. 

dalmatia 

Zadar 

the spine is removed from 

a fresh sardine, which is 

then dipped into a variety 

of breaded mixtures with 

aromatic herbs, briefly 

fried and served with 

freshly-made light vegetable 

sauces. 

t h E c h E E s E 

o f p a G 

The most highly acclaimed 

cheese in Croatia is Paški sir, 

the cheese from the island of 

Pag. Sheep bred on this island 

are among the smallest in the 

whole of the Mediterranean and therefore 

their milk yield is low, but it is the result of 

the meagre grazing abounding with medicinal 

herbs. The fierce bora swoops down from Velebit, 

whipping up the salty waters of the sea and blowing 

them across these meadows, which at times become 

white with salt, as if snow covered. Consequently, the 

milk that these sheep give is naturally salty and needs no 

additional salt. Cheese produced on this island, particularly 

in the cheese dairy in Kolan, has in recent 

years won the highest awards at prestigious 

exhibitions in the Mediterranean. 

It is in such demand that it is sold after a 

maturing period of only a few months. On 

rare occasions is it allowed to mature for 

a year or more and it is undoubtedly one 

of the finest sheep cheeses in the world. 

The quality of sheep milk from Pag is such 

that its curd is also regarded as a first 

class specialty. The whey remaining after 

curdled fresh cheese has been removed is 

heated and gently cooked, bringing to the 

surface a product resembling fresh clotted 

cheese, locally known as puina. It is 

excellent when served with home-cooked 

polenta or pasta, and makes a delicious 

dessert when mixed with Pag honey, and 

when used as filling for pancakes. 

B r u d E t 

Brudet, brujet, brodet or, if you will, brodetto, 

is the most common dish on the Croatian 

Adriatic, but it is especially loved throughout 

Dalmatia. In the Zadar, Šibenik and Split clusters 

culinary skills are measured against one’s ability to excel in 

the preparation of brudet. The magic of a good brudet is that 

it makes the types of fish normally regarded as nothing spe- 


cial reveal their hidden, unexpected 

qualities when combined with others 

in a finely balanced blend. 

The criterion of a fisherman’s brudet is the most practical 

one: it is made from the fish caught on the day, or 

night. It is difficult, indeed practically impossible, to list all 

the variations of this dish. The basis of the recipe is onion 

fried in olive oil, to which small fish are added whole, while 

larger ones are cut into pieces, followed by vegetables, 

spices, herbs, wine, prosecco, wine vinegar, and even sea 

water. The key condition for a good brudet is that it is made 

of several types of fish. The sequence in which individual 

types of fish are added is also important; indeed, bearing in 

mind the texture of their meat it can be crucial to the final 

Brudet, Brujet, Brodet or as some would say, 

BrodEtto, is thE most popular fish dish on thE 

croatian adriatic, and is particularly apprEciatEd 

in dalmatia. thE numBEr of its variations arE many.

thE adriatic sEa aBounds in many 

typEs of shEllfish: mussEls, arK 

shEll, oystErs... 

result, i.e. its flavour. 

In order to improve the flavour still further, many cooks 

like to add an occasional crab, or at least some shellfish. 

In the past the island of Zlarin was famous for its lobster 

brudet; in Skradin it is made from eels. Undoubtedly, 

though, the most curious is the brudet known as falši, which 

contains no fish, no crabs and no shellfish – only vegetables 

and spices, and a stone taken from the sea! 

l j u t i k a 

Among connoisseurs, ljutika, a particular type of onion, is 

highly prized for its rich, full flavoured taste, while at the 

same time being less heavy on one’s stomach than other 

types of onion. In some areas of the Zadar, Šibenik and 

Split clusters, as well as in some other parts of the coastal 

region, ljutika is pickled in wine vinegar, the onion being 

unpeeled because it retains its true flavour much better and 

soup prEparEd with lEntils, chicK-pEas 

and frEsh vEGEtaBlEs is a nourishinG and 

tasty introduction to any midday mEal 

fish roastEd ovEr hot coals is a 

Gastronomic dElicacy par ExcEllEncE. 

For most fishermen and the true 

connoisseur, there is no better fish than 

the popular pilchard. 

they last longer, but peeled when they need to be pickled 

faster. In these parts of Croatia ljutika is of exceptional quality 

and really comes into its own in a brudet. 


23 

ljutika, a particular 

typE of 

onion, mild and 

rich in flavour, 

is oftEn picKlEd 

in rEd winE 

vinEGar. 

srdEla, or 

pilchards, 

thE chEap- 

Est of fish, is 

frEquEntly 

most apprEciatEd 

- and whEn 

prEparEd By 

ExpErts it is 

a top ranGE 

dElicacy.

almatia 

05 

šibenik

The landsCape of The ŠiBenik region 

is described as a unique monument of nature 

within which man has created superb monuments of culture that are ranked 

among the top of the list of world heritage: like Šibenik cathedral, a work by the 

e 

xtending from the canyon, waterfalls and the mouth of the River Krka 

to the Kornati archipelago are areas which constitute the most beautiful 

and most lovingly preserved national parks of Croatia. If one were to be 

pressed to sum up the description and experience of the magic of the 

Croatian landscape in one single place, then Skradin is a good choice. 

Skradin is a town nestling beneath the Krka waterfalls, where the river 

meets the sea. Mystics come here to meditate on the power of nature, 

while some of the world’s wealthiest people come here seeking hidden 

berths for their yachts, as Bill Gates has been doing for years. 

The art of the gastronomy of these parts is just as obsessive and links 

some of the oldest traditions not only of this area but of food preparation 

in general, with dishes that are found on the most popular menus 

of luxury restaurants in the world. Here, one 

can still find mišni sir, whose preparation dates 

back to the very beginnings of cooking: milk 

which has curdled naturally in a sheepskin. Or 

wild oysters enjoyed by man today in the same 

way as his predecessors, of long, long ago. Pick 

them from the sea, open them and swallow 

them with a sigh of unadulterated pleasure. 

Grilled fish, prepared simply but with great 

care, are offered in the same restaurants where 

one can savour the unique Skradin risotto 


CounTy of ŠiBenik - knin 

fra n.ružića bb; 22000 šibenik 

tel.: +385 22 219 072 

fax: +385 22 212 346 

E-mail: info@sibenikregion.com 

www.sibenikregion.com 

master builder juraj dalmatinac (Georgius dalmaticus). 

which, almost like an alchemist’s ritual, takes 

12 hours to prepare, and in which meat fibres 

are gently transformed into quite new gastronomic 

substances. 

sir iz miŠinE / 

m i Š n i s i r 

In the mountainous hinterland of the Zadar, 

Šibenik, Split and Dubrovnik clusters, cheese 

made from sheep milk is produced following the 

ancient method: it is allowed to age in a sheepskin. 

It is not shaped into any particular form, 

but comes in small grainy lumps and is delivered 

to markets in the sheepskins in which it has 


25

05 

GrillEd fish will 

rElEasE its full 

flavour only if wE 

BastE it usinG a 

twiG of rosEmary 

dippEd in olivE oil. 

dalmatia 

šibenik 

matured, which lends it a strong, distinct and memorable 

flavour. It is best when enjoyed as a part of a simple meal: 

with flatbread or bread baked under peka (an earthenware 

or metal lid, covered with live coals) accompanied 

by strong, red Dalmatian wine. 

KumBasicE 

Kumbasice are what the folk in Skradin call their sausages. 

Coarsely minced pork meat is combined with minced beef; the 

mixture is seasoned with nutmeg and specially prepared garlic: 

white Dalmatian wine is spiced with garlic and added to the 

mince. The sausages are gently smoked and then hung out to 

dry in the bora. They are an essential part of many dishes, but 

can also be grilled while being basted with olive oil. 

s o P a r n j a k 

This is a popular folk dish which hails from northern parts 

of the Šibenik and Split regions. Thin strudel pastry is 

stuffed with a mixture of Swiss chard, olives, figs and olive 

oil, rolled and baked (most often in a baker’s oven) and 

normally eaten cold. A campaign is now under way by the 


restaurants of Šibenik and its surroundings to save this 

excellent dish from oblivion. 

anothEr spEcialty is food - such as mEat or fish, 

or EvEn BrEad - prEparEd undEr a pEKa - a spEcial 

lid madE EithEr of cast iron or clay and covErEd 

with livE coals, which is also found in dalmatia.

in dalmatia almonds arE usEd not 

only for caKEs But also for savoury 

dishEs. 

ž i ž u l a 

�i�ula, Zizyphus jujube, or jujube, growing wild and requiring 

no special care, is greatly appreciated by people living 

in the Zadar and Šibenik areas. It would probably be just as 

popular among tourists, except for the fact that it arrives on 

the markets after the summer season, and almost the entire 

frEsh tuna fish cauGht in thE sEas 

around thE Kornati archipElaGo is 

idEal for GrillinG or for carpaccio. 

crop is consumed fresh, thus giving diligent housewives no 

opportunity to turn them into a more permanent preserve, 

such as jam. 

In Istria the fruit are immersed in rakia, with the addition 

of a small amount of sugar, and left for two weeks in the sun, a 

process which transforms the rakia into a delicious liqueur. 

the local PoPulation enjoys their 

shellfish just as much as did their 

forEfathErs down thE cEnturiEs. 

In the hinterland of Šibenik sir iz mišine, produced in the 

traditional way - allowing sheep milk to cure in 

sheep skin sacks - is still a treasured specialty. 


27 

harmony of 

tradition and 

thE modErn way 

of lifE: sandwichEs 

with homEcurEdprosciutto, 

chEEsE and 

tomatoEs. 

fiGs - a fruit 

of southErn 

climEs, 

dElicious Both 

frEsh and 

driEd.

almatia 

06 

split

The people of spliT have a very simple 

but very convincing argument when claiming 

superiority for the beauties of their city and its surroundings: Emperor diocletian 

had the whole of the roman Empire from which to choose a place for his 

magnificent palace. the location he chose is today’s split, its very heart, and the 

r 

source of its urban character, the palace, remains to this day. 

ising behind Split are the mountain massifs of Mosor and Biokovo, 

their peaks often snow-swept, which nevertheless blunt the most fierce 

onslaughts of the bora. Lying in front of it are the islands of Braè, Šolta, 

Èiovo and, in the distance, Hvar and Vis, the sunniest of all the islands. A 

wise man was the Emperor. Nature presents itself here in all its splendour 

and generosity. Before him, the Greeks cultivated the grapevine and olives 

on the Dalmatian islands, while those who did not wish to work the land 

turned to hunting, gathering and fishing: fresh and sea water crabs and fish, 

frogs and shellfish, mushrooms, blackberries and a variety of other berries, 

wild-growing edible plants... The continuity of Dalmatian gastronomy is 

impressive even by the criteria of the demanding Mediterranean cuisine. 

And what Emperor Diocletian enjoyed in his time has been preserved for 

us to enjoy, except that this bounty has been still 

further enhanced by the best ideas of generations 

of chefs. Principles of what is known as Dalmatian 

minimalism are being strictly observed: top quality 

ingredients, first and foremost the best types of 

fish, are prepared in the shortest and the simplest 

of ways – boiled, grilled or fried – so as not to 

impair in any way the perfection of the natural 

flavours of dory, dentex, gilthead or red mullet. At 

the same time recipes were created, and endlessly 


CounTy of spliT - dalmaTia 

Prilaz braće kaliterna 10/i, 

p.p. 430, 21000 split 

tel.: +385 21 490 032; 490 033 

fax: +385 21 490 032; 490 033 

E-mail: info@dalmatia.hr 

www.dalmatia.hr 

modified and perfected, which required a slow 

process of preparation over several days, with 

complex mixtures of spices, such as, for instance, 

pašticada. 

p a Š t i c a d a 

In the hand-written cookery books of individual 

families in Split, which are handed down and 

added to from generation to generation, there can 

be found as many as 20 or so different recipes for 

one dish: pašticada. This is a meat dish the preparation 

of which takes, in accordance with old 

recipes, days of patient preparation even before 

it comes close to the stove. In the first phase, 

meat is marinated in wine vinegar flavoured with 


29

06 

dalmatias plit 

Vis is the island 

of capers - they 

seem to grow 

on almost every 

stone by the sea. 

different herbs. Pašticada is prepared from 

beef or yearling beef, mostly the muscle 

locally known as orah (walnut), although 

horse meat and large game are also 

used with equal success. In the second 

phase, the meat is well browned on all 

sides, and in the third phase it is gently 

stewed in gravy containing dried fruit, 

predominantly prunes, and a number of 

spices such as cloves, nutmeg, laurel leaf, 

pepper, with the addition of a little wine 

and prosecco being added from time to 

time. Old recipes insist that the dish not 

be eaten immediately after it is cooked, 

however long and over however gentle 

a heat it had been cooked. Pašticada, the 

old masters will tell us, must be allowed to 

cool slowly, be cut into chunks, browned 

again and only then served in its own 

strained juices. 

Gnocchi, normally served with pašticada, must be cooked 

just prior to being served. Although traditional pašticadas 

have a very strong, full bodied flavour, it is not uncommon 

to grate some hard sheep cheese over the gnocchi. 

sEaGull EGGs 

Come springtime, the people of Lastovo visit the surround- 


Viška PoGača (flat Bread from Vis) is a traditional 

dElicacy from thE island of vis: BrEad stuffEd 

with tomatoEs and onion, and somEtimEs with 

picKlEd pilchards. 

ing islets, reefs and rocks in search of seagull eggs. An 

omelette made from seagull eggs is a quite unique dish; it is 

actually regarded as a fish meal, although no fish is added 

to it. The bird practically lives on a diet of small fish, which 

lends a specific flavour to its eggs. The omelette matches 

perfectly with capers. 

l u G a n i G E 

Luganige are the famous sausages from the Sinj area, but also 

known in Split and Šibenik, where they are an obligatory part 

of Christmas holiday festive feasts. Luganige are made from a 

mixture of pork and lamb stuffed into lamb or sheep intestines, 

but what makes them special are the spicings: lemon juice and 

grated rind, pepper, coriander, cinnamon and garlic juice. The 

traditional way in which these sausages are served in Sinj is 

somewhat curious: fried with rice cooked in chicken stock. In 

Šibenik they are cooked in beef stock, and the mouth-watering 

aroma of luganige being prepared heralds a festive lunch. 

s m u t i c a 

Reaching us from ancient times, possibly even from the 

pre-Slavic era, is the method of souring milk with wine and 

wine vinegar still practiced on some Dalmatian islands, Braè 

and Hvar in particular, which has developed into a very 

specific drink. A sheep and a nanny goat are milked directly 

into a glass half-filled with red wine, the result being a foamy 

beverage locally known as smutica, bikla or ðonkata. This is a 

favourite elixir of life which restores strength and good mood 

to the tired and the weary. 

inhaBitants of vis picKlE motar (crythmum maritimum 

l., family of fEnnEl), or rocK samphirE, a 

mEditErranEan plant with succulEnt lEavEs, in 

wine VineGar, just as they do with caPers.

hvarsKa GrEGada, a sort of BrudEt a 

spEciality of thE island of hvar. 

G a s t r o n o m y o f t h E 

c E t i n a 

The business people of the world have discovered the beauty 

of the canyons of the Cetina. They come to enjoy, through 

them and around them, rafting, canoeing, riding, running, 

cycling, even parachuting. All those together combined 

make for a perfect team spirit-building exercise involving 

extreme effort. The base for this unique exercise of body and 

soul is Trilj, and its catering establishments are more than 

prepared to restore exhausted businessmen with a range of 

first class culinary attractions. The sparklingly clear waters 

of the Cetina River are a perfect habitat for fresh crayfish, 

trout and frogs. Trout, larger crabs and frog legs are grilled; 

smaller varieties usually being set aside for buzara or brudet. 

But there are also special recipes, such as fried frog legs 

wrapped in slices of prosciutto, flavoured with rosemary and 

then slightly cooked with the addition of red wine. 

Similar natural and gastronomic attractions 

are provided by the River 

Zrmanja. 

octopus inK lEnds not only an 

unusual colour to a risotto, But 

also a vEry spEcial tastE. 

just as in the olden days: shellfish 

GrillEd ovEr pinE nEEdlEs. 

The continuity of Dalmatian gastronomy is 

quite something, even when compared to the 

demanding Mediterranean cuisine. 


31 

prosciutto, particularly 

that 

curEd in istria and 

dalmatia, stands 

shouldEr to 

shouldEr with its 

italian EquivalEnt. 

dalmatian cuisinE 

is inconcEivaBlE 

without BrodEtto, 

a soupy Kind of 

dish prEparEd 

with fish, carrots, 

tomatoEs and 

winE, and most 

frEquEntly sErvEd 

with polEnta.

almatia 

07 

dubrovnik

survey polls and experienCe have shown 

that there are large numbers of people in 

the world who have not heard of croatia, but have heard of dubrovnik. when 

people catch their first sight of the city, be it from a plane, car or ship, the view 

t 


of duBrovnik - nereTva 

cvijete Zuzorić 1/i, p.p. 259, 

20000 dubrovnik 

tel.: +385 20 324 999 

fax: +385 20 324 224 

E-mail: info@visitdubrovnik.hr 

www.visitdubrovnik.hr 

etches itself into their memory. 

he incredible feeling for urban harmony, the power of creation which 

enabled man to complete its construction, begun by the fierce geomorphology 

of the Mediterranean, possesses the same power to amaze as 

it did centuries ago, combined with the miracle of survival that has 

survived wars, earthquakes, fires and epidemics. The genius of the people 

of Dubrovnik has manifested itself in all fields of human endeavour, 

including gastronomy. The mighty, redoubtable walls of Dubrovnik and 

the Republic had their counterpoint in the high mobility, investigative, 

mercantile and adventurous spirit of the mariners of Dubrovnik and their 

fascinating fleet of elegant sailing ships, at times unrivalled anywhere 

in the world. Notwithstanding all the benefits of the clime and the soil 

around Dubrovnik, on the Pelješac peninsula and the nearby islands, 

the Republic’s mariners never returned from 

their voyages without seeds, plants, spices and, 

yes, culinary ideas, from distant exotic lands. It 

can therefore come as no surprise to learn that 

culinary multiculturalism has been practiced in 

Dubrovnik for centuries. In the contemporary 

catering of this particular area, this wonderful 

tradition is reflected in a wide range, from the 

popular cuisine prepared over an open fire or 

on a grill, found in the villages of Konavle, to 

the most luxurious dishes served in the finest 

restaurants where meals are enhanced by the 

view of the city walls. 

chEEsE of duBrovniK 

In the surroundings of Dubrovnik there is a tradition 

of producing hard sheep milk cheese formed 

into small, flat cakes. During the maturing period 

it is regularly doused with olive oil. Indeed, many 

Dubrovnik restaurants keep on their shelves large 

glass containers in which these little cheeses are 

stored in olive oil. 

thE nErEtva Estuary 

The wild, striking features of the Neretva River are so 


33

07 

rožata, othErwisE 

Known as 

crEmE caramEl, 

is a traditional 

dEssErt of 

duBrovniK, 

madE from EGGs 

and caramEl. 

Paradižet, a 

Dubrovnik variation 

of "floating islands" 

- that famous dessert 

of Viennese cuisine. 

dalmatia 

dubrovnik 

amazing that the visitor, cruising through the labyrinth 

of its backwaters, would undoubtedly be prepared 

to settle for a modest sandwich just to be able 

to concentrate on the constant changes 

of landscape around him. But it has 

to be made quite clear that the 

estuary of this river is just as 

much a paradise on Earth for 

gastronomes, for its land and 

its subterranean region, its 

waters and its air are replete 

with species simply made 

for an incredible culinary 

pleasure. 

The first attraction 

undoubtedly is the eel, the 

enjoyment of which dates as far 

back as the times of the Roman 

emperors, Vespasian in particular, as the 

archaeological finds in the 

village of Vid tell us. Its flavour is 

guaranteed first and foremost by the waters 

in which it lives; visitors are not a little 

surprised to see a fisherman reaching down 

to drink the water on which he is sailing and 

fishing. Eels being snakelike, swift, slippery 

and crafty, qualities they amply prove by 

the fact of their incredible survival, from 

their spawning grounds in the Sargasso 

Sea to their habitat in the Neretva estuary, 

catching them takes a great deal of skill 

and experience. The largest examples are 

always the females, males usually being half 

their size. Throughout the autumn eels are 

bigger and fatter, and for most connoisseurs 

those caught in spring are more appreciated. 

However, it is the very fat of the eel 

that guarantees the juicy texture of meat 

when prepared by a master. Probably the 

best way of preparing eels is on a small spit 

with 5-10 cm-long pieces skewered onto it. 

The fat melts slowly, soaking into muscles, 

and the surplus drains off. Eels can also be 

grilled, or prepared in a brodetto. In this 

red-coloured dish eels are often accompanied 

by frogs, which are another great gastronomic attraction 

of the estuary. Wild ducks and coots round off this list. 

t h E o y s t E r s o f s t o n 

Debates on which are the best oysters in the world are endless 

– it is difficult to establish a final set of criteria. Among the 

candidates are certainly the oysters of Ston. And while the final 

appraisal is subjective, there are, nevertheless, some objective 


criteria that set the oysters of Ston apart from the competition 

and make them distinct. The sea currents in its environment 

carry large quantities of minerals, the traces of which impart a 

very elegant and unique flavour. On the other, northern, end of 

the Croatian Adriatic the oysters of the Lim canal have made a 

name for themselves. Connoisseurs, for their part, do their best 

to, along with the cultivated ones, acquire wild oysters. Especially 

attractive are the oysters from the mouth of the Krka River where 

it flows into the Adriatic Sea. In Croatia, along with the treat 

of eating raw oysters, the younger generation of chefs is serving 

them batter-fried, grilled, in soups and as an oyster risotto. 

in thE surroundinGs of duBrovniK shEEp milK has BEEn 

usEd for thE production of chEEsE for cEnturiEs.

aisin, driEd GrapE – a tastE of... thE nErEtva rivEr rEGion is a truE 

hEavEn for any connoissEur of finE 

food. 

frutti di marE risotto is a must on thE 

mEnus of rEstaurants and tavErns. 

The ingenious folk of Dubrovnik have 

demonstrated their abilities in many fields, 

including gastronomy. 

EvEry Kind of 

fish, prEparEd 

By an ExpErt, 

providEs a tastE 

to rEmEmBEr. 

B u t a r G a 

Butarga is a fish extract, a powerful concentrate of proteins 

and hormones prepared by drying the roe of the grey 

mullet. It is highly valued not only because it is scarce, but 

because its consumption, even in small quantities, boosts 

life’s energies and vitality, and it is therefore attributed 

with powerful aphrodisiac properties. At the beginning 

of August, mullet from the Neretva estuary start out on 

their course for the Pelješac peninsula, always on the 

same day and always along the same route. On Pelješac, 

buterga is savoured in one way only: thinly sliced, and 

accompanied by bread and wine. Buterga slices resemble 

ducats, and that is how they are valued too! Alongside the 

oysters of Ston, butarga is the most outstanding specialty 

of Pelješac and the Bay of Ston. Butarga slowly melts in 

the mouth, releasing waves of 

powerful flavour and providing 

a unique experience not 

readily forgotten. 

thE old marKEt 

in thE cEntrE of 

town.

lavonia 

08

ThroughouT hisTory The role of slavonia 

has always been to feed croatia. the fertile 

pannonian plain, with its unparalleled agricultural potentials, has attracted 

civilizations since prehistory. Generous land yielded riches, riches gave rise to the 

development of culture, and an environment of high culture was an ideal 

place for gastronomy to flourish, as it has done for thousands of years. powerful 

influences from the East and the west were resolved through confrontations 

a 

on the battlefield, but also through cohabitation in the kitchen. 


of osijek - Baranja 

Kapucinska 40, 31000 osijek 

tel.: +385 31 214 852 

fax: +385 31 214 853 

E-mail: info@tzosbarzup.hr 

www.tzosbarzup.hr 

combination of Austro-Hungarian, Oriental and indigenous Croatian 

gastronomic ideas amid strongly based agriculture has resulted in a 

readily recognizable Slavonian cuisine based on top quality ingredients. 

In addition to all the previously mentioned influences, which can be 

accurately determined from the historical aspect, significant traces were 

also left by the manner in which food was prepared back in nomadic 

times and during the great migrations. Cooking in the open is still the 

most popular form of Slavonian gastronomy, and it engenders a great 

deal of passion, emotion and nostalgia. Sitting around a fire over which 

a cauldron gently bubbles away, around barbecues and spits, with horses 

and carriages not far away, on the banks of the Rivers Drava and Danube, 

in the wetlands of Baranja, to the strains of violins and tambouritzas: now 

that spells an atmosphere of some considerable 

power! All of the brightest amongst the stars of 

Slavonian gastronomy are the masters of dishes 

prepared in a cauldron, a variety of fish and meat 

paprikash, but they are just as good at preparing 

dishes cooked on the spit, from the small, forked 

spit used to cook a carp over hot coals, to the 

more majestic, where oxen are slowly turned and 

roasted throughout the night. Slavonia is indeed 



a cornucopia, which is equally generous in its 

hospitality and where dishes are rarely cooked 

for less than ten or more diners. The Slavonians 

are a jolly lot; they enjoy company and their 

gastronomy is simply tailored to that end. 

K u l E n a n d 

KulEnova sEKa 

Kulen, or kulin, is the most prestigious, most 

appreciated and yes, the most expensive sausagetype 

product, not only in Slavonia but across 

Croatia. The recipe to which it is made seems 

very simple: the best parts of pork cleaned of 

all fatty and connective tissue, ground paprika, 

garlic and salt are the ingredients used to fill a 

meticulously cleaned intestine. But as they say, 


37

08 

In Croatia the penny 

bun has always been 

the most treasured 

among mushrooms, 

and the local population 

is skilled in 

recognizing it. 

all croatian 

flour 

oriGinatEs 

from slavonia. 

slavonia 

it is not what but how something is made; every nuance 

is important in the making of kulen and can be a crucial 

factor at the Kuleniada – a national competition of the 

grand masters of the makers of kulen. 

The pig must not be too young, but 

rather large, weighing over 180 kg. The 

breeds most sought after are Mangulica 

and the black Slavonian pig. Its diet is 

the key to the quality of meat, the best 

being from pigs allowed to freely roam the 

forests and copses of Slavonia and feeding 

on, among other things, acorn of the 

famous Slavonian oak. It is believed, and 

for quite a few it is the normal practice, 

that the best results are achieved if meat 

is chopped by hand rather than minced, 

but there is also a school of compromise: 

the best parts of meat are chopped by 

hand for taste, while the rest is minced 

in order to achieve the consistency that 

kulen should possess. Garlic is usually 

strained into the mixture. Of particular 

importance is the right choice 

of top quality ground paprika, 

and the ratio of sweet and hot 

paprika used, since it is this 

spice which ultimately gives the 

product a sharpness that is mild, noble and 

in no way aggressive. The quantity of salt requires a precision 

that allows for not the minutest mistake. 

The prepared mixture is stuffed into different natural 

casings, but the best for kulen is a meticulously cleaned and 

treated blind gut of a pig. The secondary choices are the 

bladder and the small intestine of a pig, or a large bovine’s 

intestine. When the kulen mixture is stuffed into smaller 

intestines it is known as kulenova 

seka (kulen’s sister). 

Kulen being a thick 

sausage, and kulenova 

seka also never 


being a thin one, special care is required when filling the 

casing; this has to proceed slowly and carefully, since a 

single small air bubble can prove disastrous during the 

curing period. Once the filling is completed the casing is 

additionally salted in brine for up to five days; then, the 

casing is rinsed well and tied in order to retain the traditional 

shape even after a curing period of several moths. 

If the winter is cold and dry kulen is smoked every third 

day, if it is warm and damp, smoking is carried out every 

day. The smoking period takes a month, or longer, until it 

acquires a dark brown colour. The optimum curing period 

in cold, airy premises, primarily attics, is about half a year, 

but it is a longstanding tradition in Slavonia that kulen is 

eaten at Easter. When the curing is completed, the kulen 

is stored, and the best way of storing it is in cereal grain 

or in bran. Discussions and squabbles extend from the 

optimal methods of preparation, making, curing, storage 

to serving; they are vigorous and never ending. While 

most connoisseurs claim that kulen should be cut into 

finger-thick slices, there are those who believe this to be 

sacrilege and that this, the best of Croatian sausages, 

can be fully savoured only if cut thinly and served on a 

wooden platter. 

v i n E y a r d G a s t r o n o m y 

In recent years the famous wine producers of Slavonia 

have won world acclaim, which has resulted in an 

increased number of visits by gastronomes. Organized 

groups arriving for wine tasting are also offered a 

corresponding culinary array. This growing interest has 

prompted the wine makers of Slavonia to launch their 

own catering establishments. 

f r E s h w a t E r f i s h a n d 

fish papriKash 

Carp and trout are the most 

common freshwater fish

Good fish-papriKash must contain as 

many typEs of fish as possiBlE. 

frEshly Ground rEd papriKa as an 

addition to frEsh cottaGE chEEsE - a 

simply irrEsistiBlE comBination. 

intEnsE, hot flavours arE a synonym 

of slavonian Gastronomy. 

Cooking in the open is just as popular in Slavonia 

as it has always been, involving a great deal of 

passion, emotions and even nostalgia. 

slavonia is 

also Known 

for its many 

typEs of 

GrapE. 

available on Croatian markets, since they are bred in a 

number of fish farms. However, there are those who know 

that the range of fish on offer is far more varied: catfish 

and horned pout (liked for practical reasons because it 

has no small bones, just the spine) can often be found in 

continental fishmongers. Somewhat rarer is the very tasty 

pike perch and pike. Rarely, one can chance upon tench, 

a rather fatty but exquisitely flavoursome fish. Lately, in 

Zagreb’s Dolac market it has been possible to obtain, at 

more than reasonable prices, smoked common bream, 

an extremely tasty fish but best appreciated by the more 

patient connoisseur, as it is full of tiny bones. Eels cannot 

be bred in captivity but they do appear in fishmongers’ 

shops. Among other types of fish found in clear and cold 

rivers, which are of interest to gastronomes, is the grayling, 

but one has to go out and catch it as it almost never 

appears on the markets. 

There is a fish dish known as paprikash, logically named 

fish paprikash, regarded as one of the most outstanding 

Slavonian specialties, but which can also be found 

in Zagreb, particularly on Fridays. A good fish paprikas 

demands as many types of fish as possible. It is prepared 

in a small (or sometimes not so small) cauldron and 

cooked over an open fire. Its main spice is paprika, hot 

and sweet. Hungarians in Croatia are renowned producers 

of top quality paprika, both ground and crushed. In the 

vicinity of Vukovar, especially in the village of Èakovci 

(not to be confused with the town of Èakovec), hot and 

sweet paprika of the highest world quality is grown, dried, 

crushed and ground. 

s a l e n j a c i 

Today, cakes made with pork fat seem like some distant 

example of gastro-archaeology, but when those who today are 

old were young, salenjaci were one of the most common desserts 

in many parts of the Slavonian and Zagreb clusters. Flaky pastry 

was made with minced fat, and stuffed with apricot or plum 

jam, or with walnut filling, prior to baking. 

podEranE Gać e 

(rippEd pants) 

Quite apart from their taste of traditional popular cakes, 

poderane gaæe owe their survival in no small measure to their 

highly memorable name. Rectangular-shaped cakes, the main 

ingredients of which are flour, sugar and eggs, with a touch of 

rum for a fulsome aroma, are nicked in two or three places 

before being fried in hot oil, the finished article resembling a 

ripped piece of cloth. 


39 

KulEn or Kulin - 

thE most hiGhly 

valuEd salami-typE 

product of 

slavonia.

central 

croatia 

09

CenTral CroaTia Borders wiTh hungary 

in the north, slovenia to the west, with Bosnia 

and herzegovina in the east, and in the south it approaches fairly 

close to the adriatic sea. Geographical maps reflect an intricate combination 

of ethnic influences out of which issued the culinary patterns of 

small regions: Zagorje, Prigorje, međimurje, Banovina and at the southern 

c 

roatian language dialects spoken in these areas sometimes differ one from 

another to such an extent that a foreigner is often led to believe that they 

are in fact different languages. The same applies to the recipes which include 

all the wealth of middle class, popular and rural cuisines. In the livestock 

breeding areas to the south of the cluster 

cuisine is based on simple dishes such as 

polenta (localy known as pura) cooked 

slowly in the hearth for hours and, when 

done, soured milk, fresh cottage cheese 

or butter is poured over it. Until recently 

regarded as pauper’s fare, these dishes are 

today highly regarded as rustic examples of 

the culinary arts. Moving northwards, this 

pastoral atmosphere at the south of this 

cluster undergoes a complete change, as for 


CounTy of krapina - Zagorje 

Zagrebačka 6, 49217 krapinske toplice 

tel.: +385 49 233 653; fax: +385 49 233 653 

E-mail: info@tz-zagorje.hr 

www.tz-zagorje.hr 


CounTy of sisak-moslavina 

s. i a. radića 28/ii; 44000 sisak; 

tel.: +385 44 540 163 

fax: +385 44 540 164 

E-mail: tzsmz@email.t-com.hr 

www.turizam-smz.hr 



edge of lika and Gorski kotar. 

instance in Vara�din. This Baroque town 

still preserves and maintains its tradition 

of following the recipes of upper middle 

class cuisine of the age of Baroque, clearly 

evidenced in the way that game is prepared 

and served with meticulously prepared 

sauces. Castles and shepherd’s huts are the 

dividing line, both the opposites and the 

unity of cultural heritage, but also places 

where today, picturesque restaurants have 

opened their doors. 

p r G a 

The traditional cheese of Podravina, 

which has recently been rescued from oblivion 

and is now ever more frequently found 

in town markets, is called prga, or prgica. 

Several variations of its production are 

known, the most common method being 

as follows: strained fresh cottage cheese 

is mixed with cream; salt and ground red 

paprika are added, and sometimes garlic. 


41

central 

09 croatia 

The mixture is shaped into small cones which are left to air 

dry, but it can also be smoked. 

sir i Vrhnje (or as 

Ground red papri- somE would say, cottaGE chEEsE 

ka, hot or sweet, and smEtana) 

Fresh cottage cheese and smetana are so 

is the main condi- popular among Croats that this edible 

ment of these parts, syntagm has even appeared on jumbo 

posters used in political election campaigns! 

one which Croats He who cherishes sir i vrhnje most can usually 

be assured of a great empathy among voters. 

adopted from the 

The cheese in question is freshly curdled, 

Hungarians. gently strained cow milk cheese, formed 

into round cakes of ½ kg or so, the quality 

of which greatly depends on the quality 

of grazing, which in this particular case is 

excellent. Although the Zagreb cluster is the 

centre of the sir i vrhnje tradition, this type of cheese is produced 

in many locations of this cluster, as well as in certain parts of 

Slavonia. It is sold exclusively in the markets. 

Cottage cheese and smetana are eaten primarily 

completely fresh, and serving is simplicity itself: 

smetana is poured over cheese – one measure (a 

measure being an old one, amounting to c 1.5 dcl) of cheese to 

one or two measures of smetana, with a little salt and red paprika 

sprinkled over it. It is also traditional that the bread which is 

served with this simple dish is made from maize, with unleavened 

dough, and baked to produce a thick, crunchy 

crust. The bread is baked in large, round forms, 

sometimes weighing as much as 10 kg. The most 

usual side dishes for cottage cheese and smetana 

are radishes and spring onions. The mixture is also used 

to make a variety of spreads, the taste depending on the ingredients: 

chopped spring onion and ground red paprika, 

sometimes garlic - especially when young, chives 

– particularly the wild-growing variety, dill, crab 

grass, thyme or marjoram. Well mixed fresh cheese 

and smetana make a delicious topping for broad, homemade 

noodles, often accompanied by a sprinkling of small 

pieces of fried bacon, and, according to taste, with garlic. In 

some parts of continental Croatia, in particular the Slavonian 

region, pasta prepared in this way is placed in a very hot oven 

in order to obtain a nice golden, crisp crust. 

c a r p 

The large number of fish farms worldwide has made 

carp an inexpensive if undervalued fish. Sadly, it is 

often bred in poor quality water and fed a poor quality 

diet. In complete contrast are the carp bred in Vransko 

jezero (Vrana lake) near Biograd, regarded as among 

the best in Europe. Although locally it is grilled, 

some methods used in Slavonia seem much better 


warm hEartEd and hospitaBlE, thE winE producErs of 

slavonia arE always happy to invitE visitors to thEir 

cEllars to tastE thEir winEs. 

suited. Gutted and salted it is affixed to a forked branch which 

is then stuck into the ground close to live coals, thus allowing 

the fish to slowly “melt”. Larger specimens, cut into slightly 

thicker slices, are fried in pork fat. Carp from a fish farm can 

also be top of the range fish if both water and food are of good 

quality – as is the case at the fish farm in Crna Mlaka. 

t r o u t 

Californian trout have spread throughout the fresh waters 

of Europe, Croatia included. But in certain locations the 

indigenous Croatian brown trout (Salmo trutta morpha fario) 

has survived, and it is indeed a specialty of the first order. It is 

identifiable by its red spots, its meat being significantly more 

reddish, juicer and flavoursome than Californian trout. The 

brown trout is preserved in the Gacka River – a cult fishing 

ground for trout lovers from all over the world, and it can 

also be found in the Rivers Slunjèica and Èabranka. The 

locally preferred method of preparing it is to douse it in corn 

meal and to fry it (the miller’s way). There is a company 

called “Leko” which produces excellent smoked trout, 

which can be found on Zagreb’s Dolac Market. 

f r E s h w a t E r f i s h a n d 

fish papriKash 

Carp and trout are the most common fresh water fish found on 

Croatian markets, since they are bred in a number of fish farms. 

Those in the know, however, are aware that the range of fish 

this rEGion is 

Known for its 

whitE variEtiEs 

of GrapE.

cEntral croatia is rEnownEd as an 

arEa for its widE ranGE and wEalth 

of vEGEtaBlEs. 

hErE, thE pEnny Bun is most oftEn 

EatEn in comBination with EGGs, a Bit 

of Bacon and onion. 

a loaf of ovEn-BaKEd BrEad, madE 

from homE-Grown corn mEal, can 

wEiGh up to 10 KG. 

A good fish paprikash demands as many types 

of fish as possible and it is cooked in 

a small cauldron over an open fire. 

on offer is far more varied: catfish and horned pout (liked for 

practical reasons because it has no small bones, just the spine) 

can often be found in continental fishmongers. Somewhat rarer 

is the very tasty pike perch and pike. Rarely, one can chance 

upon tench, somewhat fatty but with an exquisite flavour. 

At Zagreb’s Dolac Market, it has recently been possible to 

purchase, at a more than reasonable price, smoked common 

bream – very tasty but best appreciated by the very patient 

connoisseur, as it is full of tiny bones. Eels cannot be bred in 

captivity but they do appear in fishmongers’ shops. Among 

other types of fish found in clear and cold rivers and which are 

of interest to gastronomes, is the grayling, but one has to catch 

it oneself, since it almost never appears in the markets. 

A dish known as paprikash made from fish and therefore 

logically known as fish paprikash, is regarded as one of the most 

outstanding specialties of Slavonia, which can also be found in 

Zagreb, particularly on Fridays. A good fish paprikas demands 

as many types of fish as possible and it is cooked in a small (or 

sometimes not so small) cauldron over an open fire. Its main 

spice is paprika, both hot and sweet. 


43 

fish-papriKash 

cooKEd in a 

cauldron ovEr an 

opEn firE, madE 

ExclusivEly from 

frEshwatEr fish. 

trout coatEd in 

BrEad flour and 

GrillEd arE a 

spEcialty of this 

arEa.

zagreb 

city of 

10

aBove everyThing else, ZagreB is The Converging 

point as well as being the 

intersection of all the regional gastronomies of croatia, and more 

often than not offers a selection of the best from each of them. this is clearly 

visible on the city markets – 13 larger and 10 smaller ones, but most 

of all at the central market known as dolac, ideally located only meters from 

the central square, on an elevation at the same level as the cathedral. in every 

i 

ts activities precede its very existence, since back in the 19th century lively, 

often acrimonious discussions raged over the location of Zagreb’s central 

marketplace, what it should look like, who should build it, maintain it and, 

of course, who should use it. For centuries, Zagreb has been trading in the 

open and in accordance with strict rules. Records dating from 1425 tell us 

that trading in fresh fish was defined with far more precision than it is today: 

should they happen upon fresh fish that had been on display for too long, the 

unforgiving market inspectors of the day would cut off the tails of such fish, 

thus reducing them to second class goods. 

The history of Dolac, from the first initiative for its construction to its 

opening day, provides excellent material for a chronicle of scandals, one which 

did nevertheless have a happy ending. Today, this is a market with an open-air 

section and a covered area on two levels, logically 

organized, well laid out and free flowing. The supply 

primarily reflects seasonal food production by 

regions. The most interesting in this wide selection 

of produce are products by small, family agricultural 

holdings. Although economic logic dictates that 

small producers should work together in order to 

survive the onslaught of cheap goods from the world 

markets, the logic of gastronomy shows us that small 

producers provide a fantastic impetus to quality 

produce and, in particular, to a high standard of 

gastronomy. Goods are sometimes more expensive 

TourisT Board of 

The CiTy of ZagreB 

Kaptol 5; 10000 zagreb; 

tel.: +385 1 4898 555 

fax: +385 1 4814 340 

E-mail: info@zagreb-touristinfo.hr 

www.zagreb-touristinfo.hr 

respect this is the most prestigious market in croatia. 

on Dolac than on other Croatian markets, but that 

is logical: regional markets are mostly supplied by 

local producers; to Zagreb markets they bring the 

best that they can offer. 

Dolac is therefore a daily meeting place for the 

culinary stars of Zagreb, known and unknown. In 

their own words, this is where they start cooking. 

According to Ana Ugasrkoviæ, the rising star of the 

Zagreb gastronomic stage, good cuisine consists of 

90% of good buys. The ability to select the best 

ingredients at the optimal time in the season is the 

basic art of a good gastronome, one upon which top 

quality cuisine is based all over the world. 


45

10 

on dolac, 

cEntral marKEt 

placE of 

zaGrEB, small 

producErs of 

all croatian 

rEGions BrinG 

thE BEst thEy 

can offEr 

city of zagreb 

From Dolac, chefs return to their respective restaurants 

in which they offer their guests regional specialties, first and 

foremost those from Dalmatia, but also from Istria, Slavonia, 

Prigorje, Zagorje, the best dishes from Lika and Gorski kotar, 

but also from some Croatian communities outside Croatia – in 

particular Herzegovinian and Bosnian specialties. Fish is often 

equally fresh in the restaurants of Zagreb as it is on the coast; 

the season of lamb from the islands begins in Zagreb; the first 

white truffles are just as impatiently awaited in Zagreb as they 

are in Istria; selections of top of the range kulens regularly 

arrive to chosen locations in Zagreb; a special gastronomic 

week is dedicated to oysters from the Bay of Ston and the 

Lim channel in spring, on the feast day of St. Joseph, when 

they are in their seasonal peak. But Zagreb also nurtures its 

own, authentic dishes known as “burghers’ cuisine”. This 

cuisine is the historical sediment of Austro-Hungarian cultural 

heritage. Some names and expressions are of German origin, 

some are Austrian and Hungarian, and they are still in use 

today. Grenadir marš (Grenadier March – pasta with onion 

and potato), kajzeršmarn (Kaiserschmarn, a dessert made from 

pancake batter) appear from time to time on the menus 

of Zagreb’s restaurants which delight in sailing the 

nostalgic waves of the purger cuisine. 

s a m o B o r s K a 

K o t l o v i n a 

Large pans with wide rims, sometimes 

as much as 2 m in diameter, are 

Kotlovina - thE sEcrEt of a 

Good flavour liEs in GEntlE, 

slow cooKinG, as opposEd to thE 

fast GrilinG. 


capital of croatian Gastronomic dEliGhts 

placed on specially designed stoves – usually cleverly adapted 

metal barrels. In Zagorje, Prigorje, Zagreb, but above all in 

Samobor, these kitchen contraptions, which go by the name 

of kotlovina, as does the dish prepared in them, are the symbol 

of merrymaking, good times and good food. Every gathering of 

people in the open is an excellent opportunity for a kotlovina. 

The basic recipe is simple and very rustic. Pigs’ legs are fried, 

or rather melted, in the pan, invariably with chopped onion. 

They are doused first with water and then with wine. Once 

this basic stock is prepared, pieces of meat are added, usually 

pork cutlets. The secret of a good flavour lies in gentle, slow 

cooking, as opposed to the fast grilling technique. Recipes for 

kotlovina are varied and, in contrast to the recipe for the basic 

stock, can be very complex. The meat used can come in the 

form of sausages; but it can be chicken, veal, yearling beef, 

even game. All root vegetables, tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, 

even young beans and mushrooms find their way into 

a kotlovina in order to make the flavour as rich as possible.

pumpKins from thE vEGEtaBlE GardEns 

of ZaGorje are eaten oVen-roasted or 

as an addition to Bio-caKEs. 

The Dolac central market is a daily meeting place for 

the culinary stars of Zagreb, known and unknown. 

In their own words, this is where they start cooking. 

Potato is served to soak up the juices. When the abundance 

of ingredients becomes too much, the true connoisseurs 

return to the puritan Samobor version 

PaPrenjaci(or pEppEr Biscuits) 

The pepper biscuit is an old recipe that could be found from the 

eastern borders of Slavonian cluster to the southern border of the Split 

region. Its main ingredients are flour, eggs and pepper, and its variations 

several. And since they symbolize the old, popular cuisine, the national 

airline company serves them on its flights as small, sweet refreshment. 

Today, it is produced, packaged and distributed by a pastry shop on 

the island of Hvar, and from one in Zagreb – which has resulted in 

the biscuit becoming a Zagreb souvenir. 

PaPrenjak, a 

pEppEr Biscuit 

madE from 

flour, honEy, 

EGGs and a Good 

pinch of pEppEr, 

is a symBol of 

thE old popular 

cuisinE and an 

official zaGrEB 

souvEnir. 

m i Š a n c a 

Picking, gathering or catching only what nature herself 

provides us, without any effort by the growers and breeders, 

would be enough to experience endless culinary delights. 

Frequently, such dishes are underappreciated since the 

ingredients grow in abundance across meadows, clearings 

and woods, and as a consequence do not fetch particularly 

good prices. And ideal example of this kind is mišanca, that 

is, a “mixture” of wild or semi-wild plants gathered in spring 

or early summer, particularly in the Mediterranean regions 

of Croatia. Formerly, it consisted of some 20 or more plants, 

plums untrEatEd with pEsticidE maKE 

suPerB home-made jam. 

while today its basis is various types of wild and semi-wild 

onion, certain grasses, edible flowers, and herbs. The method 

of preparing a mišanca is from a combination of popular 

culinary concepts and skills. At the start of the season, in 

early spring, mišanca can be eaten fresh, as a salad, dressed 

with wine vinegar and olive oil. It is quite 

delicious with the addition of salt-pickled 

anchovies, olives, capers and hard boiled 

eggs. Mišanca can also be briefly cooked 

in boiling water and again served with a 

number of additions, but which now extend 

to boiled potatoes, chick-peas, broad beans, 

beans, lentils. Fish laid on a bed of mišanca 

and baked in the oven in an earthenware 

dish, ranked at the peak of gastronomy, is 

becoming ever more inviting to the young 

stars of the culinary arts in Croatia. The 

richness of genuine Mediterranean aromas 

offered by mišanca, the power of essential 

oils contained in wild-grown plants, 

opens up new avenues into delightful culinary 

interpretations: mišanca in fritajas, or 

rather omelettes and pancakes, made into 

a sauce and served over home-made pasta, 

cooked together with lamb or kid over a 

gentle heat, cooked with dried mutton or 

proscuitto bone and potatoes, combined 

with olives and mixed into flat cakes... 

This wonderful mixture should be sought 

out, albeit under its different names, in all 

the regions of the Croatian Adriatic, but 

also on the markets of Zagreb. The wider 

the variety of plants included, the more 

appreciated mišanca is, and the touch for 

deciding on the correct ratio of individual plants, as per the 

recipe, is a sign of a chef extraordinaire. 

m u s h r o o m s i n c r o a t i a 

Some twenty years ago Ivan Focht, philosopher, aesthetic of 

music, biologist and a passionate mushroom expert, wrote to 

his friend: “music and mushrooms came to us from the heav- 

quality vEGEtaBlEs and fruit from 

small producErs providE ExcEllEnt 

EncouraGEmEnt for quality Gastronomy. 


Mišanca is a mixture 

of wild-grown, mostly 

Mediterranean plants 

- sometimes as many 

as 20 different kinds 

- used fresh as salad 

dressed with olive oil 

and wine vinegar or, 

briefly cooked, as a 

side dish to fish and 

meat, but also to 

other vegetables. 

47

10 

VrGanj, or the 

pEnny Bun, 

is thE most 

valuEd mushroom 

in thEsE 

parts, and is 

most commonly 

prEparEd 

slicEd, sautEEd 

with onion, with 

EGGs addEd 

at thE End of 

thE cooKinG 

procEss. 

Over the last decade 

the Zagreb region 

has nurtured and 

developed free-range 

strawberries, due to 

the beneficial climatic 

conditions of the area 


ens.” Back then this was a romantic confession of a scientist 

at the end of the road; today, it sounds more like a touristic 

slogan. In the forests of Gorski kotar and Slavonia, alongside 

rivers, in the meadows of Lika, on islands, in Istria, in short, 

everywhere, there exists the mysterious world of mushrooms 

which is an inexhaustible source of dis- 



cussion and pleasures to both mushroom 

experts and gastronomes. At a time when 

mushrooms in Europe are being threatened 

by the destruction of their habitat, and 

when some species have long disappeared, 

Croatia seems more like a botanical garden, 

a protected oasis which everybody can 

enjoy. Everybody, from tourists and mushroom 

experts to scientists and ecologists. 

And long my this remain so. 

cEp(pEnny Bun) 

When one makes mention of the mushrooms 

in Croatia, most people will automatically 

think “Penny Bun.” The cep is 

a mushroom that comes to everybody’s 

mind with its shape, divine fragrance, 

majestic cap and charming plumpness. It 

has always been a most cherished mushroom 

in Croatia, one that anybody can 

recognize despite the fact that there are 

some 30 similar varieties in the same family, 

some of which are listed as protected plants. 

Ancient tradition has it that should you ever chance upon a 

lone cep, you should ask it quietly, “where is your brother?”, 

since they invariably grow in pairs. There are several methods 

used in their preparation. In Zagorje they are best served with 

eggs: a spot of pork fat, some sliced onion, sliced cep added 

and gently cooked. Eggs are then blended into it and the 

mixture fried to a soft texture. Another highly popular, delicious 

recipe is Penny Bun soup, always with the addition of 

smetana and vinegar. Mushrooms of all types are often grilled 

over live coals, but it is the Penny Bun which is by far the best 

when cooked in this way: simply dipped into melted butter 

and placed on a grill. When done they are sprinkled with salt 

and a few drops of a fine alcoholic beverage and served with 

rye bread and a slice or two of prosciutto or ham gently fried 

over the fire. It may be widespread, and indeed common, but 

the Penny Bun still remains one of the best and most highly 

regarded of mushrooms. In the region of Gorski kotar there is 

a place called Ravna Gora, where a “Day of mushrooms” is 

organized on an annual basis: mushroom hunters spend a day 

together looking for Penny Buns which, needless to say, are 

consumed with great relish at the end of the day. 

c h a n t E r E l l E 

Should you chance to meet a peasant on the edge of a forest 

and were to ask him if there are any mushrooms there, you 

will make a mistake. Not because the man is secretive about 

his find, but because for him the word “mushroom” carries 

a different meaning. Only an edible mushroom with which 

he is familiar is a real mushroom, and this is limited to about 

ten varieties that form a part of traditional popular cuisine.

in rEcEnt yEars 

thE numBEr of 

rEstaurants in 

croatia KEEpinG 

pacE with GrEat 

achiEvEmEnts 

of hautE cuisinE 

has BEEn 

constantly 

GrowinG. 

smrčak, or morel - tradition has it that in the 

villaGEs whErE folK Eat a lot of this BlEssEd 

mushroom, BachElors arE fEw and far BEtwEEn 

and women are always jolly. 

Those mushrooms that rural folk do not know, or which are 

not edible, are simply not regarded as mushrooms. 

a G a r i c 

A common and tasty mushroom, curious for the fact that it is 

eaten on the islands. Islanders have always been oriented to 

the sea and meagre soil, putting their faith in their boats and 

their hoes. Mushrooms, however, seem to have escaped their 

attention, rujnica, or agaric, being an exception. (Indeed, on 

the island of Korèula the agaric is in fact called a “mushroom”, 

since members of that family which are not eaten are 

not regarded as mushrooms!). They are eaten on the islands 

of Lastovo, Korèula and Mljet. This is a firm-fleshed mushroom 

and is therefore suitable for a longer period of cooking. 

The traditional dish on Korèula is mushrooms in sauce: 

onion, tomato concentrate, potato, red wine, sugar and olive 

oil, cloves, salt and pepper; and there you have a delicious 

sauce. Fish is and was prepared in a similar way. 

horn of plEnty (crna truBača) 

The Horn of plenty is a mushroom which practically cannot be 

mistaken for any other. Difficult to find, but when it is found 

you realize you are surrounded by them, as if on a large, black 

carpet. The Swiss call it “poor man’s truffle”, to the English it is 

“Horn of plenty”, while Germans see it as a “deadly trumpet”. 

Regardless of its name, however mythical or bizarre it may be, 

it still smells divinely and is perfect when pickled, eaten cold 

as salad, and is at its best when dried and ground into a powder. 

This magic powder is then used as a spice, as that secret 

ingredient that every mushroom expert and mushroom lover 

simply must have in his or her kitchen. 

morel (or smrčak) 

No mushroom hunting adventure is more exciting than the 

hunt for morels, and he who hunts the morel, this magnificent 

mushroom, is a very special person. In order to be successful 

he is prepared to do what other mushroom gatherers 

do not do. This is a strange mushroom which likes those 

places that other members of its family do not like, and is 

gathered with great passion and with a certain inexplicable 

feeling verging on sensuality. Every gatherer has his own 

secret hunting grounds which he guards jealously. Spring is 

the season which makes the hunter feel restless, and as soon 

as he feels the time has come, off he goes, for if he is only 

a few days too late there will be nothing to find. It is a true 

pleasure to join the mushroom gatherers of Meðimurje or 

Gorski kotar, who organize traditional events and compete 

for the “Golden morel”, i.e. the largest and most beautiful 

specimen. Last year, the first prize was won by a 43cm-high, 

nEw olivE 

GrovEs arE 

sprinGinG up 

alonG thE 

coastlinE EvEry 

yEar, and olivE 

oils producEd 

By younG olivE 

GrowErs arE 

winninG intErnationalrEcoGnition. 


49

10 

younG culinary 

stars of croatia 

arE promotinG 

thE usE of local 

foodstuffs of 

supErB quality 

in thE liGht of 

contEmporary 

world Gastronomic 

trEnds. 

a croatian lunch 

is inconcEivaBlE 

without a soup, 

liKE this onE madE 

with phEasant. 


600g morel found in the area around Delnice. One of the 

ways of conserving mushrooms is drying. 

o l i v E s a n d o l i v E o i l 

Among the most successful revivals of ancient agricultures is the 

regeneration of olive production. There are olive groves extending 

from the westernmost areas of Istria, down the length of 

the coastline, including islands large and small, down to eastern 

borders of the Dubrovnik region, with new groves being planted 

every year. Young experts are winning prestigious acclaims both 

at home and abroad, for their oils, like that produced by multiple 

prize-winner, Sandi Chiavalone 

from Vodnjan, being at 

very peak of the 



Mediterranean olive growing industry. And it has been proved 

that the best olives oils in Croatia come from relatively small olive 

groves, where literally every tree receives special attention and 

care. Certain customs and practices, like washing the olives in the 

sea, make Croatian olive oils even more special. The most common 

and widespread varieties in Croatia are indigenous: bu�a and 

oblica. Although the practice of mixing different varieties is common, 

domestic olive growers recently began supplying a variety of 

oils, and this is where the indigenous varieties come into their own. 

The best oils are often on offer in prestigious wine boutiques. 

Among purist connoisseurs an increasingly favoured hors 

d’oeuvre is fine olive oil, freshly baked top quality bread and 

salt, nowadays becoming ever more popular even in exclusive 

restaurants. Possible additions to this magnificent simplicity 

could be capers and highly appreciated fillets of salt-pickled 

fish in olive oil, with few drops of good wine vinegar and a few 

slices of onion. Marinades made with raw fish in top quality 

olive oil, in particular anchovies, sprinkled with the juice of 

home grown lemons, are especially popular in the Split and 

Zadar clusters. Baking is the old, traditional way of releasing 

the bitter elements from olives. The baked olives are then kept 

in olive oil and aromatized with Mediterranean herbs, primarily 

rosemary, which is also the best way of enjoying them. Another 

old custom is being revived, this time among bakers: pieces of 

olive are mixed into bread dough, the result being deliciously 

piquant bread. Green and black olives are used to produce a 

spread, usually for bread, but smart chefs use it as a condiment 

for filleted fish and a variety of meat escalopes. 

G a B l E c a n d m a r E n d a 

(mid-morninG snacK) 

The meal taken between breakfast and lunch is a very

Garlic, EspEcially whEn younG, is a 

much favourEd flavourinG. 

important and much cherished Croatian custom. In the 

Zagreb region and in some parts of the central region this 

meal is called gablec, along the Adriatic coast – from the 

Istrian peninsula to the Dubrovnik region – this vital social 

institution is known as marenda. And since this mid-morning 

meal is a widespread custom, the dishes served are also the 

most popular and mostly cheaper ones, eaten with a spoon 

BarBEcuE - thErE is practically no 

food that croats would not prEparE 

on a Grill. 

and fresh bread which is usually dunked, and when food is 

especially tasty the plate is finally cleaned off with a piece 

of bread. Popular restaurants and inns frequently have 

special menus for marenda and gablec, and these dishes are 

only cooked and served in late morning hours: bean soup 

with pieces of bacon, off-cuts of prosciutto left on the bone, 

sausages (somewhat less common is dried mutton). This is a 

classic dish which comes in countless variations and is just 

as popular as gablec as it is as marenda. The second on the 

list of popularity is tripice, or fileki, or as some would call it, 

tripe. Lamb tripe, which spread to continental parts from 

the coastal areas, is more infrequently met but more highly 

regarded than tripe from yearling cattle. Kid tripe is a real 

rarity and a cult dish. Paprikash and goulash occupy the third 

place in popularity. Although cod is not dried in Croatia it 

also enjoys a cult status among Croats, literally a must for 

meals on Christmas Eve. As far as marenda is concerned, 

it is served mostly on Fridays, usually as a thick soup with 

thErE arE many variations of this 

simplE, finE caKE, BaKEd in oil, Known 

as ustipci in thE north and fritulE in 

thE south. 

Small producers provide a fantastic impetus 

to quality produce and, in particular, to 

a high standard gastronomy 

small producErs 

offEr 

thEir chEEsEs in 

Each of thE 23 

marKEts in thE 

croatian capital 


51 

spit-roastinG, an 

anciEnt way of 

cooKinG food, 

arrivEd in this 

country from thE 

East.

10 

fancycomBination of potato 

and chEEsE 

maKEs this 

ordinary mEal 

fully dElicious. 


potatoes, spiced with garlic, a la white or a la red – the difference 

being the addition of tomato. Marenda is normally 

accompanied with bevanda – wine diluted with water so as to 

be able to continue one’s labours to the end of the working 

day. Inland, white table wines with a higher content of acidity 

are diluted with mineral water and known as gemišt, and 

if soda water is added then it is called a špricer. 

r o š t i l j a n d G r a d e l e 

(Grill roastinG) 

There is practically no good food which Croats would not prepare 

on a grill (roštilj) in the continental part of the country, or rather 

on a gradele - its counterpart along the coast. And preparation is 

equally varied everywhere. All the better parts of meat are grilled, 

the meat coming from practically all kinds of animals: poultry, pig, 

yearling beef, beef, lamb, kid, game small and large, snails, frogs, 

fish, crabs, shellfish, molluscs, and even vegetables and cheese. 

Bread itself is improved on the grill to keep hunger at bay until 

the main attractions are ready. Traditionally, the grill is tended 

by men who like to boast of their skills in this department, 

everyone having some special nuance or personal method 

which sometimes goes into meticulous detail, like the selection 

of the right kind of wood and, of course, the heat of the 

live coals. Highly sought after is dry grape vine, while some grill 

for many foods, BEinG prEparEd undEr a pEKa is 

thE pinnaclE of Gastronomic ExcEllEncE. 



masters collect veritable boutiques of different dry woods, which 

are then further enhanced through the addition of aromatic 

plants, such as rosemary sprigs. Generally speaking, grilling is best 

when done over plenty of live coals which produce a gentle heat, 

whereas grilling over a fire is regarded as barbaric, or at least demonstrating 

a certain lack of good taste and manners. 

ražanj (spit roastinG) 

Although somewhat less varied than grilling, the spit also allows 

for the preparation of many dishes: from small ones for poultry 

to massive ones for oxen. Spit roasting is common all over the 

country and is the main feature of catering establishments along 

the arterial roads, where spits function as a form of live advertising. 

Most commonly spit roasted are suckling pigs, lambs and, 

less frequently, kids. This is a very ancient method of preparing 

food, being imported to these parts from the East. But in the 

good old days it was not young animals that were spit roasted, 

because the scarcity of meat dictated that an animal should reach 

its full adult size before being slaughtered. Traces of this ancient 

tradition are still seen in Croatia in the custom of spit roasting 

oxen, particularly for popular festivities. Central parts of the 

Slavonian region are renowned for their masters of spit roasting 

an ox. However, folks from certain large villages in Slavonia, 

such as Gundinci, prefer a heifer since they know from much 

enjoyed experience that its meat is considerably juicier. Gentle 

heat and good meat are the keys to every successful spit roast. 

Bearing in mind that there are practically no spices involved, the 

genuine quality of meat is necessarily a major factor. Spit roasting 

is always a slow process, its rotation being slow and steady. 

It takes an experienced cook to salt an animal for the spit, while 

during roasting it is basted only with oil, or melted pork fat, and 

sometimes with stock, wine or beer. 

pEKa (BaKinG lid) 

The majority of gourmands regard food prepared under a peka 

as the ultimate in grilled dishes. This simple accessory – a 

simple domed lid – can be made of metal, thinner or thicker, 

often of cast iron, but true connoisseurs are particularly appre

zaGorsKi ŠtruKli, thinly rollEd 

pastry fillEd with a mixturE of frEsh 

cottaGE and smEtana - savoury as an 

hors-d'oEuvrE, swEEt as a dEssErt. 

ciative of the earthenware peka. Food cooked under a peka, 

be it in a fireproof pot or directly on a stone slab, comprises 

meat with vegetables, usually veal, lamb and yearling beef, 

covered with potatoes and other vegetables. Larger poultry is 

also prepared in this way, and in the mountainous part of the 

Kvarner region. Even if catering establishments provide only 

bread baked in this way, their ratings are usually elevated. 

Blitva (swiss chard) 

The entire Adriatic area is peopled by folk who find it hard 

to imagine life without Swiss chard, so much so, in fact, that 

some have suggested (not entirely tongue in cheek) that this 

plant is of such importance for Croats, particularly those living 

by the sea, that it should form part of the new Croatian 

coat of arms. Blitva is best when young, when its leaves are 

thin and soft, of a bright green colour, and only some 10 cm 

long. Preparation of this much revered plant is simplicity itself: 

immersed in boiling water and allowed to cook for a brief spell, 

carefully drained and sprinkled with olive oil. It is often served 

with boiled potatoes, and sometimes they are cooked together, 

particularly when chard is no longer quite so young and tender. 

Thus prepared, it is most commonly eaten with fish. New generations 

of Croatian gastronomes are using chard in new, more 

imaginative ways, often inspired by old and almost forgotten 

recipes. Savoury strudels and pies prepared with Swiss chard 

and fresh cheese; sauces for pasta made from boiled chard and 

basil; minced meat rolled into large leaves of chard and cooked 

gently in an oven; larger fish stuffed with chard and herbs... 

f r a m E w o r K : n E w 

G E n E r a t i o n s o f 

c r o a t i a n c h E f s 

Today, however, there is in Croatia a veritable pleiad of 

new culinary stars from the younger and middle generations. 

Their number is directly related to the very dynamic 

national gastronomic stage which permits them a wide scope 

of research and experimentation. It also prompts them to 

reassess the culinary heritage of these parts, to seek new ways 

of revitalizing traditions and to test methods of utilizing top 

quality local ingredients in the contemporary gastronomic 

trends prevailing in the world. In other words, what we 

fish is oftEn Equally frEsh on thE 

marKEts of zaGrEB as it is on thE coast. 

have here is a deep understanding of the genesis of local 

gastronomy: it has always been a place of fruitful meetings 

between different cultural patterns. It has to be underlined, 

however, that this new generation of Croatian chefs is facing 

a task greater than any of its predecessors: their aim to 

demonstrate to the world that one of the greatest national 

assets of Croatia is her gastronomy. 

c r o a t i a n m a r K E t s 

Every town of any size in Croatia has at least one marketplace 

to which the rural homesteads from the surrounding areas 

bring their fresh produce. As recently as the end of last century 

it seemed that cheap food of dubious quality, arriving from the 

world markets, would spell curtains for the small producers 

of quality products. Instead, it has become apparent that the 

number of people willing to pay more for fresh local products is 

steadily growing. Alongside enduring treasures, like fresh cottage 

cheese and cream, free-range eggs, or grincajg (from the 

German Grünzeug) - bunches of root vegetables and greens 

for traditionally prepared soup, ever increasing numbers of 

customers are seeking indigenous types of fruit and vegetables, 

wild edible plants, forest mushrooms and many other foodstuffs, 

the high quality of which can be ensured only by small 

breeders and grower-gatherers. One of the permanent tasks of 

the nationwide care for our gastronomy is the need to preserve 

such markets, to safeguard small grower-gatherers and breeders, 

as well as the country’s traditional dishes. 

BEans, chicKpEas and lEntils form 

thE Basis of many ordinary dishEs. 

All root vegetables, tomatoes, peppers, even 

young beans find their way into a kotlovina 

in order to make the flavour as rich as possible. 

trditional fancy 

BrEad sprinKlEd 

wth salt. 


53

general information 

general informaTion 

We extend our warm welcome to you and 

we are pleased and proud that you have 

decided to visit our country. The Croats call 

their country “Our Beautiful Homeland” – 

the starting verse of the Croatian national 

anthem. 

The Republic of Croatia is a European parliamentary 

state and a part of European political 

and cultural history. By size it is classified 

among the medium size European countries 

such as Denmark, Ireland, the Slovak Republic 

or Switzerland. 

Croatia is a land of open frontiers and clear 

cut customs regulations. It is also a land of 

concord and one that is respectful towards 

its guests. We Croats strive to make Our 

beautiful homeland equally beautiful to all 

who visit it, and we do our best to ensure 

that they take with them only beautiful 

memories. 

Travel doCumenTs: 

a valid passport or some other identification 

document recognised by international 

agreement; for certain countries a personal 

identity card is sufficient (i.e. a document 

which testifies to the identity and citizenship 

of the bearer). 

information: diplomatic missions and consular 

offices of the republic of croatia abroad 

or the ministry of foreign affairs and European 

integration of the republic of croatia. 

tel: +385 1 4569 964; E-mail: stranci@ 

mvpei.hr; www.mvpei.hr 

CusToms regulaTions: 

customs regulations in the republic of 

croatia are almost completely harmonised 

with the regulations and standards of Eu 

member states, but the value of objects 

of non-commercial character for personal 

use allowed to be brought into the country 

without tax duty or pdv (vat) is limited to 

300 hrK (kuna). 

foreign and local currency and cheques are 

freely taken in and out of the country by foreign 

and croatian citizens with residence abroad, 

but the transfer of an amount exceeding 

40,000 kuna must be declared to a customs 

official. valuable professional equipment and 

technical devices must also be declared to a 

customs official at the border crossing. 

pdv (vat) is refunded to foreign nationals 

when leaving the country for individual goods 

purchased in croatia, for amounts in excess 

of 500 hrK, upon the presentation of a 

pdv-p, or rather a “tax-cheque” form verified 

exclusively by a customs official. 

for additional information please contact the 

customs administration (www.carina.hr) 

information regarding the conditions of 

import of products of animal origin in the 

personal luggage can be obtained from the 

ministry of agriculture, fishing and rural 

development – administration for veterinary 

medicine (tel.: + 385 1 610 9749, 610 6703 

and 610 6669). 

CurrenCy: 

the kuna (1 kuna = 100 lipa). foreign curren- 


cy can be exchanged in banks, exchange 

offices, post offices travel agencies and 

hotels. 

posT and TeleCommuniCaTions 

post offices are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

on weekdays, in smaller centres from 7 a.m. 

until 2 p.m.; some offices work a split shift. 

in most towns and tourist centres, on-duty 

post offices are open on saturdays and 

sundays. 

phone cards are used in all public 

telephones and may be purchased from post 

offices and from newspaper and tobacco 

kiosks. international calls may be made 

directly from public telephones. 

www.posta.hr 

shops and public services working hours 

most shops are open from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. 

on weekdays, on saturday and sundays until 

2 p.m.; in the season longer. 

public services and business offices work 

from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., mondays to fridays. 

healTh serviCes 

there are hospitals and clinics located in 

all the larger towns and cities, while smaller 

centres have dispensaries and pharmacies. 

foreign visitors who are covered by health 

insurance in their own country do not have 

to pay for services of emergency health care 

during their private stay in the republic of 

croatia if a convention on social security has 

been signed between the country they come 

from and croatia, i.e. if they have in their 

possession a certificate stipulated by such 

a convention confirming their right to health 

care. health care (including transport) is 

used for emergency cases in the manner and 

according to regulations valid for croatian 

citizens covered by social security, with 

identical participation in health care costs 

(participation and administrative duties). 

persons coming from countries with which 

no such convention has been signed shall 

personally bear the costs of health services 

rendered. 

power supply: 

220 v, frequency 50 hz 

tap water is potable in all parts of croatia. 

puBliC holidays 

1 january - new year’s day 

6 january - epiphany 

Easter sunday & Easter monday 

1 may - labour day 

corpus christi 

22 june - anti-fascist resistance day 

25 june - statehood day 

5 august - victory day and national thanksgiving 

day 

15 august - the assumption 

8 october - independence day 

1 november - all saints’ day 

25-26 december - christmas holidays 

fuel sTaTions: 

open from 7 a.m. until 7 or 8 p.m. every day; 

in the summer season, until 10 p.m. 

on-duty fuel stations in the larger cities and 

on main international routes are open 24 

hours a day. 

all fuel stations sell Eurosuper 95, super 

95, super 98, super plus 98, Euro diesel 

and diesel, and gas (lpG) is also available 

in major cities, and at fuel stations along 

motorways. 

for information on fuel prices and a list of 

centres selling lpG gas go to: 

www.ina.hr; www.omv.hr; www.tifon.hr; www. 

hak.hr 

imporTanT Telephone numBers: 

international country code for croatia: +385 

police: 92 

fire Brigade: 93 

ambulance: 94 

roadside vehicle assistance: 987 

(when calling from abroad or by mobile 

phone, call +385 1 987) 

national centre for search and rescue at 

sea: 9155 

the countrywide number for all emergency 

situations: 112 

General information: 981 

information on local and intercity numbers: 

988 

information on international numbers: 902 

weather forecast and road conditions: 060 

520 520 

croatian automobile club (haK): +385 1 46 

40 800, internet: www.hak.hr; 

E-mail: info@hak.hr 

dear guesTs, 

in order to ensure both your pleasant stay 

in our country and the observance of its 

laws, we respectfully request that you check 

whether you have been correctly registered 

for the whole period of your stay, from the 

day you arrive to the day of your departure. 

this is an important and necessary procedure, 

particularly if you are staying in private 

accommodation, both for the sake of guaranteeing 

you a quality service and in order to 

prevent illegal operations of those who are 

not registered for the provision of accommodation 

service. 

CounTy TourisT offiCes 

�Bjelovar-Bilogora, trg Eugena 

Kvaternika 4, 43 000 Bjelovar 

tel.: +385 43 243 944 

fax: +385 43 241 229 

E-mail: info@tzbbz.hr; www.tzbbz.hr 

�Brod-posavina, petra Krešimira iv br. 2, 

35000 slavonski Brod 

tel.: +385 35 408 393; fax: +385 35 408 392 

E-mail: turisticka-zajednica.bpz@sb.t-com.hr 

www.tzbpz.hr 

�dubrovnik-neretva 

cvijete Zuzorić 1/i, 20000 dubrovnik 

tel.: +385 20 324 999; fax: +385 20 324 224 

E-mail: info@visitdubrovnik.hr 

www.visitdubrovnik.hr 

�istria, Pionirska 1, 52440 Poreč; 

tel.: +385 52 452 797; fax: +385 52 452 796 

E-mail: info@istra.hr; www.istra.hr 

�Karlovac, a. vraniczanya 6, 47000 Karlovac 

tel.: +385 47 615 320 

fax: +385 47 601 415, 

E-mail: info@tzkz.hr; www.tzkz.hr 

�koprivnica-križevci, antuna nemčića 5,

*thE puBlishEr cannot GuarantEE thE 

complEtE accuracy of thE information 

containEd hErEin, nor BE hEld rEsponsiBlE 

for any Errors as may BE containEd in futurE 

amEndmEnts or chanGEs to such information. 

48000 Koprivnica 

tel.: +385 48 624 408 

fax: +385 48 624 407 

E-mail: tz-kk-zupanije@kc.t-com.hr 

www.tz-koprivnicko-krizevacka.hr 

�krapina-Zagorje, Zagrebačka 6, 

49217 Krapinske toplice; 

tel./fax: +385 49 233 653, 

E-mail: info@tz-zagorje.hr; www.tz-zagorje.hr 

�lika-senj, Budačka 12, 53000 Gospić; tel.: 

+385 053 574 687; fax: +385 53 574 687; 

E-mail: tzz-licko-senjske@gs.t-com.hr 

www.lickosenjska.com 

�međimurje, ruđer Boškovića 3, 

40000 čakovec 

tel./fax: +385 40 390 191 

E-mail: info@tzm.hr; www.tzm.hr 

�osijek-Baranja, Kapucinska 40/ii, 31000 

osijek 

tel.: +385 31 214 852 

fax: +385 31 214 853; 

E-mail: info@tzosbarzup.hr 

www.tzosbarzup.hr 

�Požega-slavonia, trg sv. trojstva 1, 

34000 Požega; tel.: +385 34 274 900 

fax: +385 34 274 901, 

E-mail: kontakt@tzzps.hr 

www.tzzps.hr 

�primorje-Gorje, n. tesle 2, 51410 opatija; 

tel.: +385 51 272 988, 51 272 665; fax: 

+385 51 272 909 

E-mail: kvarner@kvarner.hr; www.kvarner.hr 

�sisak-moslavina, s. i a. radića 28/ii, 44000 

sisak; tel.: +385 44 540 163 

fax: +385 44 540 164; 

E-mail: tzsmz@email.t-com.hr 

www.turizam-smz.hr 

�split-dalmatia, Prilaz braće kaliterna 10/i, 

21001 split; tel./fax: +385 1 490 032, 21 

490 033, 21 490 036; 

E-mail: info@dalmatia.hr; www.dalmatia.hr 

�šibenik-knin, fra n. ružića bb, 

22000 Šibenik; tel.: +385 22 219 072 

fax: +385 22 212 346; 

E-mail: info@sibenikregion.com 

www.sibenikregion.com 

�Varaždin, franjevački trg 7, 42000 Varaždin; 

tel./fax: +385 42 301 036 

E-mail: tz.var.zupanije@vz.t-com.hr 

www.turizam-vzz.hr 

�virovitica-podravina, 

trg kralja tomislava 1, 33000 virovitica; 

tel.: +385 33 726 069 

fax: +385 33 721 241 

E-mail: tzvpz@vt.t-com.hr; www.zupanija.info 

�vukovar-srijem 

Glagoljaška 27, 32100 vinkovci 

tel./fax: +385 32 344 034, 

E-mail: turisticka-zajednica@vk.t-com.hr 

www.tzvsz.hr 

�Zadar, sv. leopolda B. mandića 1, 

23000 zadar; tel.: +385 23 315 107 

fax: +385 23 315 316 

E-mail: tz-zd-zup@zd.t-com.hr; www.zadar.hr 

�Zagreb county, Preradovićeva 42, 

10000 zagreb 

tel: +385 1 4873 665 

fax: +385 1 4873 670 

E-mail: info@tzzz.hr, www.tzzz.hr 

�zagreb city, Kaptol 5, 10000 zagreb; 

tel.: +385 1 4898 555; fax: +385 1 4814 340 

E-mail: info@zagreb-touristinfo.hr 

www.zagreb-touristinfo.hr 

impressum 

puBlisher: croatian 

national tourist Board 

for The puBlisher: 

niko Bulić, m.sc. 

ediTors: slaVija jačan 

oBratoV, rene BakaloVić, 

mirjana BraBec 

TexT: rene BakaloVić 

tourist offices 

hrvaTska TurisTiČka ZajedniCa 

iblerov trg 10/iv, p.p. 251; 10000 zaGrEB, 

hrvatsKa; tel: +385 1 46 99 333; 

fax: +385 1 45 57 827 

www.hrvatska.hr; E-mail: info@htz.hr 

kroaTisChe ZenTrale für Tourismus 

1010 wien, am hof 13, Österreich 

tel: +43 1 585 38 84 

fax: +43 1 585 38 84 20 

E-mail: office@kroatien.at 


60311 frankfurt, Kaiserstrasse 23, deutschland 

tel: +49 69 23 85 350 

fax: +49 69 23 85 35 20 

E-mail: info@visitkroatien.de 


80469 münchen, rumfordstrasse 7, deutschland 

tel: +49 89 22 33 44 

fax: +49 89 22 33 77 

E-mail: kroatien-tourismus@t-online.de 

enTe naZionale CroaTo per il Turismo 

20122 milano, piazzetta pattari 1/3, italia 

tel: +39 02 86 45 44 97 

fax: +39 02 86 45 45 74 

E-mail: info@enteturismocroato.it 

enTe naZionale CroaTo per il Turismo 

00186 roma, via dell’oca 48, italia 

tel: +39 06 32 11 0396 

fax: +39 06 32 11 1462 

E-mail: officeroma@enteturismocroato.it 

ChorvaTské TurisTiCké sdružení 

110 00 praha 1, Krakovská 25 

česká republika 

tel: +420 2 2221 1812 

fax: +420 2 2221 0793 

E-mail: info@htz.cz; infohtz@iol.cz 

ChorváTske TurisTiCké Združenie 

821 09 Bratislava, trenčianska 5 , slovakia 

tel: +421 2 55 562 054 

fax: +421 2 55 422 619 

E-mail: infohtz@chello.sk 

horváT idegenforgalmi köZösség 

1053 Budapest, magyar u. 36, magyarország 

tel./fax: +36 1 266 65 05, +36 1 266 65 33 

E-mail: info@htz.hu 

offiCe naTional CroaTe de Tourisme 

75116 paris, 48, avenue victor hugo, france 

tel: +33 1 45 00 99 55 

fax: +33 1 45 00 99 56 

E-mail: infos.croatie@wanadoo.fr 

CroaTian naTional TourisT offiCe 

london w6 9Er, 2 lanchesters, 162-164 

fulham palace road, united Kingdom; 

tel: +44 208 563 79 79 

fax: +44 208 563 26 16 

E-mail: info@croatia-london.co.uk 

CroaTian naTional TourisT offiCe 

new york 10118, 

350 fifth avenue, 

suite 4003, u.s.a. 

tel: +1 212 279 8672 

TranslaTed By: volGa 

Vukelja-dawe 

language ediTing: 

anthony j. dawe, 

VolGa Vukelja-dawe 

design: mEdia KoncEpt 

phoTography: ivo pErvan, 

damir faBijanić, saša 

Pjanić, romeo iBrišeVić, 

fax: +1 212 279 8683 

E-mail: cntony@earthlink.net 

narodowy ośrodek informaCji TurysTy- 

CZnej, repuBliki ChorwaCji 

ipc Business center, ul. Koszykowa 54 

00-675 warszawa, poland 

tel: +48 22 828 51 93 

fax: +48 22 828 51 90 

E-mail: info@chorwacja.home.pl 

kroaTiska TurisTByrån 

11135 stockholm, Kungsgatan 24, 

sverige 

tel: +46 853 482 080; fax: +46 820 24 60 

E-mail: croinfo@telia.com 

kroaTisCh naTionaal Bureau 

voor Toerisme 

1081 GG amsterdam, nijenburg 2f, 

netherlands 

tel: +31 20 661 64 22 

fax: +31 20 661 64 27 

E-mail: kroatie-info@planet.nl 

offiCe naTional CroaTe du Tourisme 

1000 Bruxelles,vieille halle aux Bles 38, 

Belgium 

tel: +32 255 018 88; fax: +32 251 381 60 

E-mail: info-croatia@scarlet.be 

ХорвaтCkoe туристическое 

соовщество 

Krasnopresnenskaya nab. 12, 123610 moscow, 

1502, russia 

tel: +7 495 258 15 07 

fax: +7 495 258 15 07 

E-mail: htz@wtt.ru 

hrvaŠka TurisTiČna skupnosT 

1000 ljubljana, Gosposvetska 2, slovenija 

tel: +386 1 23 07 400 

fax: +386 1 230 74 04 

E-mail: hrinfo@siol.net 


Badenerstr. 332, 8004 zürich, switzerland 

tel: +41 43 336 2030 

fax: +41 43 336 2039 

E-mail: info@kroatien-tourismus.ch 

ofiCina de Turismo de CroaCia 

calle claudio coello 22, esc.B,1˚c 

28001 madrid 

tel. 003491 781 5514 

fax: 003491 431 8443 

E-mail: info@visitacroacia.es 

denmark 

3460 Birkerod 

activities performed by the vaGaBond agency, 

Bregenrodvej 132 

tel: +45 70 266 860; fax: +45 48 131 507 

E-mail: info@altomkroatien.dk 

japan 

ark hills Executive tower n 613 

akasaka 1-14-5, minato-ku 

tokyo 107-0052 

tel: +81 (0)3 6234 0711 

fax: +81 (0)3 6234 0712 

E-mail: info@visitcroatia.jp 

milan BaBić, damil kaloGjera, 

jasminka juG, miljenko 

klePac, stiPe surać, daG 

oršić, marko erceGoVić, 

zaGrEB tourist Board archivE, 

tZ lika-senj, tZ kastaV, tZ 

ravna Gora, tz lovran 

prinTed By: rotooffsEt - 

tiskara meić 

zaGrEB, 2009 


55

Croatian Gastronomy - Nostromo

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