Croatian food takes pride in it's natural products, its caught-that-day fish, its naturally organic vegetables, its delicious lamb, even its olive oil. The country has many amazing food delicacies that are protected at a national and European level. Here we focus on the best the country has to offer.
Scampi from Kvarner Bay are considered the best in Croatia. In Istria as well as Kvarner you’ll find them boiled, grilled, prepared in sauce, marinated, breaded, wrapped in Istrian ham, spit-roasted and even raw, embellished by some first-class olive oil.
Croatian oysters have a more intense taste than their Atlantic counterpart. The most renowned varieties come from Ston on Pelješac, Dalmatia, and the Limski kanal in Istria: unmissable.
Istria is all about truffles: look out for restaurants with the ‘tartufo vero’ sign, which means they’ve met Istria’s high standards for handling and serving the delicacy. In Livade, weekends in October see the judging of the best truffle, cookery classes and truffle auctions: it is also home to Istria’s most famous truffle restaurant, Zigante.
Inhabited by more sheep than humans, the island Pag produces lamb deeply flavoured with the aromatic herbs sheep consume, as is the trademark Pag cheese. Accompanied by local Sutica dry white wine and a digestif of travarica herb brandy, the Pag culinary experience is complete.
Though less celebrated than their rarer cousin, the truffle, wild mushrooms can be delicious and are far more versatile. In season, ie autumn, particularly after a wet spring, they are often sold at the side of the road, arranged by type – ask the vendor for cooking tips.
To try real Croatian prosciutto ham in its home setting, head to Konavle in Dalmatia and the traditional pr∫ut-producing village of Duba, where the deserted karst hills and the dry winter Bura wind create the perfect conditions for production. The finest hams come from small family estates and cost between 100kn and 140kn a kilo.
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