National cuisine of Croatia for gourmets. Authentic recipes, delicacies and specialties

Balkan cuisine is widely known outside the Balkan peninsula, but its authentic characteristics stand out in every region. Croatian cuisine can be classified as Mediterranean; it clearly tells about the Italian influence. This feature is even more noticeable in the coastal regions. On the mainland, the kitchen is closer to the Slavic traditions. There are also the features of the cuisines of neighboring countries, including Hungary, Austria and Turkey. Croatian cuisine is divided into several regional directions; sometimes they differ much. A great attention is paid to seafood and spices, such as oregano, rosemary, sage, nutmeg, marjoram, and cinnamon. Olive oil is essential in cooking. Dishes of Croatian cuisine are useful, tasty, and healthy.

In the central region, lots of meat dishes are served. One of the most traditional treats is a meat goulash, which came to Croatia from Hungary. It is cooked of veal or beef with potatoes, onions, and paprika. A special taste is due to spices that Croatian chefs add. Another traditional Croatian dish of pork is prosciutto. That’s a ham dried in the wind or smoked on the coals. Different regions cook it with their own technologies. Pears are cut into thin slices and served as a snack along with sheep cheese, olives, and onions. Sometimes it’s served with melons. An unusual combination of flavors is the peculiarity of Croats.

The Croatian cuisine has veal dishes. This kind of meat is the most popular in the country. Viskovich begavice will surprise the guests of Croatia with an unexpected taste. Its main ingredient is fresh lamb meat cooked in a sauce of sour sheep's milk. Be sure to try another meat dish - Pashtitsad. It is cooked of beef. A fragrant local wine is used as a marinade and a sauce. Croatia has its own branded sausage; it is called kulen. It consists of chopped pork with an abundance of spices. Some dishes of the Balkan cuisine may seem hot due to paprika, however this spice is one of the main touches of Croatian cooking. The cuisine on the Adriatic coast of the country deserves a special attention. The high-quality fish costs much. Local chefs create real masterpieces of seafood, so you won’t regret about the money spent. One of the exclusive dishes is angler. Another delicacy is dentex. Its meat has almost no bones, so it is incredibly juicy and tender. The taste of this dish remains in the memory of guests of local restaurants for a long time. It's worth to try scad and mackerel. They cost a little cheaper, but do not concede to the taste of other dishes. The main fish treat of Croatia brodetto. That’s a fish stew served with polenta. Once, this dish was cooked of the remains of fish and was considered a poor people's food. Today, it is the key treat in many restaurants. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Croatia is known not only for its cuisine, but also for its winemaking traditions. Croats drink quite a lot of wine. The most popular varieties are Malvasia, Pinot, Proshek, Teran, and Posip. Croatian wine has a vivid taste; it’s rated higher than Italian wine. The whole world knows Croatian tincture Slivovitsa based on plum juice. No less famous is the traditional Croatian brandy - Vinjak. To plunge into the real atmosphere of the Croatian feast, it is worth looking into the traditional tavern, Konoba, where all dishes are cooked of home ingredients. The unique homely atmosphere is complemented with a cozy fireplace, which is an indispensable attribute of such a place.