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G A S T R O N O M I C K V A R N E R
30
SEE YOU AGAIN!
Fish and shellfish, lamb and kid, grapes and wine, bay leaves, rosemary and other aromatic herbs, figs
and olives, poached or grilled, cultivated and wild vegetables, asparagus and tomatoes, grape brandy
and herb-flavored brandy - these are the authentic tastes of Mediterranean cuisine.
In this region, the center of the home used to be the hearth,
komin
. In the hearth, bread, young lamb
and kid were baked under a bell, and all the other foods were cooked in the pot hanging over the fire
- polenta or pura, poached fish and meat, pasta and soups.
Pršut
(prosciutto) and cheeses were hung
to dry next to the hearth - just enough for the smoke to caress them. Octopus and cheese were left
outside to dry in the sun and wind, as were salted fish - a layer of fish, a layer of salt, a layer of fish,
a layer of salt... Sometimes fish or cheese were covered with olive oil and preserved in this manner.
Olives were preserved in brine or baked in the oven after being soaked in seawater. Every household
had all these things. It was impossible to imagine a home without a
konoba
, a cold cellar for wine, food
and refreshment.
Topography and climate brought continental cuisine within reach of the Mediterranean. In the
hinterland, where high mountains are only a few kilometers from the sea, light vegetable stews, dried
meats and bacon, game and dairy products are consumed during the summer. During the winter,
heavier dishes with beans, potatoes, sauerkraut and driedmeats are eaten. Polenta withmilk or goulash,
as well as pasta, are eaten during in all the seasons of the year. The fruits of the forest are gathered,
vegetables are cultivated, cabbage is pickled and meat is dried. Game, freshwater fish and mushrooms
are also favorites of continental cuisine, especially in Gorski Kotar. Of particular interest are hunter’s
and shepherd’s specialties, prepared in a pot.
If you are in the region of Primorje-Gorski Kotar, be sure not to miss the cheeses from the islands
and mountains (
škripavac
), as well as the
pršut
(prosciutto), black and green olives, baked or grilled
lamb, octopus salad, brodet fish stew, bear paws, dormice, shellfish, octopus, fried
frog legs, lagostines (
scampi
), red grouper, venison, asparagus, mushroms,
šurlice and gnocchi, cherries, blueberries, chestnuts, wild strawberries, yeast
pastries (
povatice
) and fritters (
fritule
)...
Youmust also be sure to try blueberry brandy (
brinjevac
),
herb-flavored brandy (
travarica
) and the local wines,
trojšćina
and
žlahtina
. If you don’t succeed this year,
we’ll see you again next year!