5 must try gastronomy jewels of Croatia

At first, I must say, I’m not the kind of a person spending my money on souvenirs and shopping for clothing and accessories, when traveling. I find every holiday trip the way to get acquainted with region’s or country’s tradition and unique way of living. And, is there a better way to do so, than try gastronomy jewels particular for each landscape?

I have spent a few vacations in Croatia and I simply adore it’s cuisine. It is a juncture of two main gastronomy streams. The basic division consists of Inland and Mediterranean cooking. Hungarian, Viennese and Turkish cuisine made a great influence on inland gastronomic offer, and Greek, Roman and Illyrian, as well as Italian and French, did the same to the Mediterranean gastronomy. Those who are even more in loved with the art of food preparation, will be pleased to find out that the roots of Croatian traditional cuisine is in numerous myths and legends; there are more than few books decanting cuisine aroma into the words.

I am, myself, quite content exploring those myths and legends scrabbling with fork and knife on my plate (and sometimes peeping over the shoulder on the plate of the man sitting on a nearby table in the restaurant).

Although, Croatian cuisine can be divided by regions, they all have few things in common. Restaurants are on every step of the land; from the little ones offering a quick snack to the exclusive dinning places with rich menus and astonishing designs and views. The staff is pleasant, treating You like a king, and most of ingredients of their cuisine is homegrown.

It would be really disrespectful of me not to mention some of the gastronomy attributes from each of the 5 gastronomy regions in particularly.

Istria stirs inland and coastal cooking reflecting the plenitude of their tastes in famous appetizers and cold dishes. Homemade pasta, risottos, cheese and unavoidable truffles. Mmmmm!

Dalmatia offers mainly boiled or grilled food with plenty of fish, olive oil, vegetables and self grown herbs picked by the sea and this cuisine is considered to be very healthy. Dalmatian are proud about fresh fish, mollusks and seashells from the Adriatic sea, as well as traditional meat meals lead by prosciutto, pork leg, smoked and dried in the North wind. Homegrown and self grown vegetables prepared in a thousand different ways spiced with the great care of the chef will please anyone not in favor of eating meat.

Inland cuisine distinguish oneself with simplicity and fertility of the land and woods of Lika and Gorski Kotar. Potatoes, or potato halves baked in their skin, pickled cabbage, broad-beans and runner beans, cow’s and sheep’s milk and delicious cheeses, fresh and smoked lamb, mutton and pork, as well as venison make their tables overflow with luscious specialties.

It is Slavonian cuisine where chefs managed to achieve a great rhapsody of aroma preparing their famous hot goulash with beef or venison, several meats sauces with pasta, fish paprika-flavored stew made with various fish: carp, pike, sheath-fish and other. Smoked and dried pork ham, sausages, as well as kulen, especially when served as a delicacy with cottage cheese, peppers, tomatoes and green onions or pickled vegetables, as the appetizer will leave small room for all the rest from Slavonian rich cuisine.

Northwest Croatia brings us many simple, delicious dishes. By visiting almost any household, You can, even nowadays, try homemade bread made from maize, barley, or a mixture of the two, or cake, similar in texture to the bread. A profusion of pasta dishes, dairy products, as well as plenty of vegetables often mixed with meat in a unforgettable broth or salad. This is where You can find food provision for the winter made in the traditional manner; pickled cabbage, cucumbers boiled in vinegar, pickled peppers, red beet, as well as sweet dishes - plum jam, rose-hip jam and bottled fruit.

And all of these regions have their own collection of beverages; quality vines from authentic sorts of grapes and brandies made in traditional way inherited from their grandfathers!

So, I’ll give myself a freedom to pick 5 must try gastronomy jewels, one from each of the Croatian regions.
 Do not pass through Istria and Kvarner and not experience the trill of tasting famous truffles. It is self grown precious mushroom sort, growing under the land, unearthed by specially trained dogs and pigs.
These fungi have the reputation of aphrodisiac properties and can be prepared in many ways, with eggs, pasta or as a part of delicious soups and sauces.
 Heading towards the sea, You’ll pass through Lika, Croatian inland. Make sure You stop to bite sweet and warm lamb or veal, grilled or roasted under the bell.
 In Dalmatia, have a light dish of fresh grilled fish or a profuse meal of pastizzada, stew with gnocchi, traditionally offered in every restaurant almost in the whole Croatia.
 Northwest Croatia, a region of hunting tours, will amaze You by it’s venison goulash merging rich and aromatic meat with mild and sweet vegetables from fertile red soil.
 Slavonian kulen sausage with peppers You won’t be able to avoid, since gracious hosts in every house make their own. You must try fish paprika-flavored stew made of different kind of river fishes and vegetables.
It was really difficult to pick just a meal or two from each region, so don’t be so hard on me ones You try Croatian cuisine and discover jewels of Your own. And I hope vegetarians won’t find themselves unattended; I am the true meat lover, although I must say, I ate mushrooms in Slavonia, herbs in Dalmatia and vegetables in Istria, tasted like meat to me. Honestly!

And bon appetit!