A rich diversity of Croatia is guessed at by many who are guided by sophisticated flavours of its multitude of specialities.
Indeed, while sitting at a table that serves dishes which contain the names of certain Croatian regions: Paški sir (Pag cheese), Slavonski kulen (Slavonian dry pork sausage), Drniški pršut (Drniš dry ham), Istarska supa (spiced, warm wine with baked torn bread), Cres lamb, Goranski želudac (stuffing made of bread, ham, bacon, onions and eggs), Kvarner scampi, Zagorje strudel, Ston oysters, Viška or Komiška pogača (pie stuffed with tomatoes, onions and salty sardines), međimurska gibanica (Medimurje pie)… The flavors of these dishes are very different but with a clear link – they are all Croatian and all perfection.
The continental cuisine is typical of its early proto-Slavic roots and more recent contacts with established schools of gastronomy – Hungarian, Viennese, and Turkish.
Meat products, freshwater fish and vegetables dominate. The coastal region is characterized by the influences of the Greeks, Romans, Illyrians and later Mediterranean cuisines – Italian and French. It features many seafood specialties (squid, cuttlefish, octopus, shrimp, lobster…) prepared in various ways, olive oil, prosciutto, various vegetables and wellknown wines.
Photo: Damir Fabijanić / Croatian Tourist Board