Gastronomy in Istria

Istrian cuisine will enchant you with its variety and balance. Sometimes you will experience the Mediterranean side of Istrian cuisine; at other times, its continental side. Adapting readily to the seasons of the year, it always uses the best olive oils and a variety of excellent wines. No matter what time of year you visit Istria, you will find istrian food and gastronomy to be equally strong, passionate and intense. Treat your senses with tastes and smells of the Mediterranean and enjoy the the extraodinary Croatian food prepared just for you.

Traditional Istrian pasta

According to this recipe, pasta was made from wheat flour, eggs and water, and it was served with poultry. This fact is not very well known today, even though pasta is one of the most important symbols of Mediterranean cuisine – and thus of Istrian cuisine as well. Peasant life in old Istria was most greatly marked by cuisine and dishes that have been prepared on the peninsula since ancient times. Of these original dishes, an important place has always been held by traditional Istrian pasta, which changed its form and name on the way ...

Tags : Istria , Food & Wine , Gastronomic events , Best restaurants of the region

The aromatic world of Istrian brandies

One as an aperitif, and one with dessert – Istria's aromatic brandies are authentic symbols of traditional Istrian hospitality, warmly greeting and seeing off guests at every meal. The base of all Istrian brandies and liqueurs is lozovača or komovica, a hard alcohol derived by distilling wine pomace. However, trying to list all of its flavours, combinations and variations would be a futile task. Nearly everything that grows on Istria's fertile land can end up in a glass of this irresistible elixir, which has served for centuries as a ...

Tags : Istria , Regional Delicacies , Food & Wine

In search of the shellfish of northwestern Istria

Shellfish are one of the most popular seafood delicacies in northwestern Istria. They are caught year-round, but they are most flavourful in February and March, when local restaurants design special menus as part of the Shellfish Days festival. The most prized local shellfish is the scallop, while mussels, oysters, ...

Green Istrian Superfood

A delicacy of the vegetable world, asparagus is an exceptional ingredient, jam-packed with vitamins and minerals, that can be found in many parts of Istria. The very healthy lifestyle that asparagus promotes begins from the root, right at the harvesting point of wild asparagus. The secret to finding these tasty plants ...

How to catch squid

Walking along the coast these days, you might spot a distant light on a boats shining into the sea cold from Bura (northern wind on the Adriatic). You're watching traditional squid fishing. Fishers bait the hooks, chuck them overboard and let them sink to the bottom, then pull them, yanking the line to make the bait ...

Michelin recognitions of restaurants in northwestern Istria

A great recognition was once again bestowed upon the Istrian gourmet scene this year, when the prestigious Michelin Guide 2018 listed a whopping 15 Istrian restaurants. Of the 15 restaurants chosen from the heart-shaped Croatian peninsula, 8 of them are located in our Northwestern province, a hub for traditional ...

Small glossary of Istrian dishes

You are a passionate gourmand and you want to get to know Istria in your own way? This is where you will find an overview of delicious and traditional dishes which you must taste. As the Istrian tradition orders, the emphasis is exclusively on natural ingredients, meat and fish, self-grown plants, aromatic spices and ...

Boskarin - true delicacy from Istrian traditional cattle

Boskarin is the white grey long horned cattle in Istria, a symbol the region. It was used in agriculture, to plow the fields, for towing the stones for building the houses while its meat was used by farmers as food. But when modernization took pace, the first tractors that were introduced to speed up the work on the ...

Gastro Tour through Northwestern Istria

On the plate, you can find out everything about the area where you travel. All about tastes and scents, about the people and their way of living, about historical and cultural heritage. How to get to know Istria when you don't have much time? Sit and dine at the first location that gets on your way. Luckily, you can ...

Kapešante of Novigrad

True gourmets consider the pilgrim scallop of Novigrad, or kapešante as it is called locally, to be one of the tastiest shellfish in the world, because it grows in the Novigrad marine area where salty seawater mixes with fresh river water. A gourmet festival entitled “Kapešante of Novigrad” is held each year in honour ...

Northwest Istria - an Oasis for Gourmet Pleasure

Regular events are held in nortwest Istria to celebrate the regions growing talent for providing gourmet cooking using local sourced ingredients. Specially themed events include 'Shellfish Days', 'Asparagus Days', 'Sole Fish Days' and 'Days of Adriatic Squid' during which local restaurants and taverns provide guests ...

Wine roads in Northwest Istria

Istria’s wine roads lead to the very heart of the Istrian way of life, which has cultivated a special link with wines and vines since time immemorial. In many ways, the contemporary story of Istria and wine originated in the peninsula’s northwestern region, where new ideas began to emerge some 15 years ago. Those ...

Precious Gault&Millau chef hats

Gault&Millau, one of the most influential French restaurant guides, founded as early as 1965. In the world of restaurants just as important as the more familiar Michelin, evaluates only food, on a scale from 1 to 20, while the information on atmosphere and service are given separately. Restaurants must earn at least ...

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