Sailing tips - Food & Drink
Croatian gastronomy, especially from the
coastal region, developed in a tradition of natural,
healthy food based on meals of vegetables in olive oil,
seafood and fish, accompanied with wine and sheep and goats
cheeses. The specificity of the local cooking is in its preparation
of meals. Vegetables are cooked in a small amount of water with a
seasoning of olive oil and aromatic herbs and fish is prepared by
stewing, boiling or grilling. Meat, usually lamb, is roasted on a
spit to get a unique taste.
The northern and southern areas of the Adriatic are
characterised by differences in taste and preparation of
food, meaning one can distinguish between the cuisine of
Istria, Kvarner and Dalmatia.
The distinguishing feature of Istrian cooking is in its
abundant use of the natural gifts of the given season, so
that the Istrian gastronomic experience is different at every time
of the year.
If you visit the northern Adriatic you must try Istrian
'Pršut', a ham dried in the 'Bura' wind and an
original Croatian product by geographical descent. Another local
dish is pork sausages grilled or cooked in wine,
although the most famous Istrian dish is certainly
'Maneštra', a thick soup of vegetables and dried
meat. This region also offers a wealth of fish and seafood
specialities. Salty whitebait, a mollusc salad, fresh fish
- grilled or cooked - and Kvarner scampi are some of the dishes
enjoyed by the neighbouring Italians who often visit on weekends.
Various risottos and pastas served in olive oil
and with local truffles - these first-rate mushrooms which emit a
wonderful aroma - and divine asparagus are only a fraction of the
gastronomic wealth which must be explored here.
Traditional Istrian deserts are straightforward and
modest, yet are perfect as the finishing touch of an
outstanding Istrian meal. 'Fritule' (deep-fried
doughnuts) are a favourite in winter and 'pinca'
(sweet bread) is prepared for Easter celebrations,
consisting of pastry and apples. Cooked or grilled
sweet ravioli are also enjoyed in every
season.
Dalmatian cooking is less aromatic and lighter than in
Istria. The abundance of fresh or lightly cooked
vegetables has made them the garnishing for the following diverse
dishes: grilled fish, fish soup, octopus, oysters from
Ston, scampi and mussels 'na buzaru' (stewed), 'pašticada' with
gnocchi (also known as Dalmatian goulash), barbecued meat
marinated in rosemary or the famous Pag cheese.
These are some of the specialities which everyone will love.
Olives are also inevitable - fresh or salted - and
olive oil is one of the foundations of Dalmatian
gastronomy.
A typical Dalmatian desert is a delight due to its
simplicity. The most usual ingredients include
Mediterranean fruit, dried figs, raisins, almonds;
honey and a well-known sweet is the Dubrovnik
'rožata' (caramel pudding made from eggs) or
gingerbread from the island of Hvar.
To accompany every good meal, but equally preceding or
following it, you can enjoy a glass of truly excellent
wine. The wine cultivated in the Croatian coastal region,
as well as on the whole Mediterranean, is a product which demands
hard-work, knowledge and respect. The first vineyards in the area
were first established by the ancient Greeks. The wine from their
colony of Issa (on the island of Vis) was considered the best wine
of the ancient world. The expansion of wine-making was carried
about by the Roman army when they brought seeds for grapevine and
planted vineyards. The fertile earth and the abundance of sun
enveloping every grape resulted in exceptional wines which were
exported to every corner of the Roman Empire.
The great adventurer and seducer Giaccommo Casanova has written
in his famous memoirs that he drank 'a fantastic refošk wine' in
Istria. Neither the nobility, travellers nor adventurers of the
Austro-Hungarian monarchy have resisted Istrian and Dalmatian wines
which they have tried with delight while on their journeys in the
area.
Grapevine and wine are an inextricable part of the
history and the present of this rich wine-growing region
of diverse landscapes, climate and earth, which gives such variety
to today's wines and offers to those who try them the discovery of
so many new tastes. The white Istrian Malmsey wine wonderfully
complements a wide range of seafood-cuisine. 'Teran' is a dark wine
of ruby colour which has been noted as having medicinal
characteristics and which goes exceptionally well with meat dishes,
goulashes or game. The 'Zlačani Muškat' from Istria, with an
intense smell of wild carnations, is to be drunk with sweets and
refined dishes as is Dalmatian 'Prošek' which, with its expressive
aroma, offers to every connoisseur an intense pleasure. The
renowned 'Plavac' from the island of Hvar is an inevitable choice
to accompany cooking and goats cheese. Its pleasant dryness and
distinctive bouquet stimulate every palate. Primošten's native wine
'Babić' is known worldwide and the wine-producing peninsula of
Pelješac will offer a real wealth of wines, under the names
'Postup', 'Dingač', 'Kneževo' and 'Carsko'.
The wine trails of the Adriatic will lead you to the
discovery of wine cellars and their mild wines, preserved
in the traditional manner and with centuries-long traditional
methods of preparation and which you can, after having tried them,
bring back to your friends as a part of your truly unforgettable
holiday.