Croatian cuisine is heterogeneous, and is
therefore known as "the cuisine of regions". Its
modern roots date back to Proto-Slavic and
ancient periods and the differences in the
selection of foodstuffs and forms of cooking are
most notable between those on the mainland and
those in coastal regions. Mainland cuisine is
more characterized by the earlier Proto-Slavic
and the more recent contacts with the more
famous gastronomic orders of today - Hungarian,
Viennese and Turkish - while the coastal region
bears the influences of the Greek, Roman and
Illyrian, as well as of the later Mediterranean
cuisine - Italian and French.
A large body of books bears witness to the high
level of gastronomic culture in Croatia , which
in European terms dealt with food in the distant
past, such as the Gazophylacium by Belostenec, a
Latin-Kajkavian dictionary dating from 1740 that
preceded a similar French dictionary. There is
also Beletristic literature by Marulic,
Hektorovic, Drzic and other writers, down to the
work written by Ivan Bierling in 1813 containing
recipes for the preparation of 554 various
dishes (translated from the German original),
and which is considered to be the first Croatian
cookery book.
Dalmatia's gastronomy
Although you will find intriguing differences
from island to island, the cuisine of Dalmatia
is overwhelmingly Mediterranean in style,
borrowing influences from the trade routes that
have passed its shores for centuries. Many claim
that the seafood of the Adriatic is some of the
best in the world owing to the sea's unique
geographical position.
The secret lies in the simplicity of the
preparation - for thousands of years locals have
perfected the technique of grilling seafood even
down to the woods used to stoke the fire. A key
ingredient is the local olive oil cultivated by
farmers along the coast in picturesque groves of
ancient trees. Hence grilled fish, lobster and
shellfish will feature highly on most menus, but
the spit-roast lamb and locally grown vegetables
should not be overlooked.
Other specialities are the many types of island
cheeses and prsut, the local version of Parma
ham. There will be culinary delights to tempt
you but a healthy diet can still be
enjoyed.Whatever your preferences and tastes we
are confident that once sampled, the local
cuisine will provide you with ample excuse to
return.
Dalmatia 's wines
Wine is as important today as it was when the
Emperor Diocletian built his holiday palace two
thousand years ago. In his work the Banquet of
Scientists the Greek writer Athenaios writes,
“On the island of Vis a wine is produced that no
other wine equals.” The vines thrive in rocky
soil and are blessed by year round sunshine
producing high quality wines. Alternatively
locals may tempt you with their “home-brew” but
this is recommended only for the brave!
The region has a number of grape varieties that
are native to the area but the more well known
varieties have begun to become established. Some
of the more successful of these currently are
Dingac and Postup from the Peljesac peninsula,
Posip and Grk from Korcula, Marastina from the
island of Lastovo , Plavac, Plavac Mali as well
as Babic are just some of the popular wines you
may come across.
The more adventurous can aim to master the local
eau de vie, Travarica. This is a local spirit
made from grapes similar to the Italian grappa,
mixed with local herbs and flowers and hence
gains its faint amber/green appearance. It is
also highly potent and freely offered as a
welcome drink to guests, sometimes with
interesting results.
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