Archive for the ‘Croatia’ Category

Travarica: Herb Brandy

Sunday, January 13th, 2008

Rakija (RAH-kee-yah) is the catch-all term for any kind of spirit distilled from fruit in Croatia, and it pretty much translates to 'brandy'. Just as there's apple brandy, plum brandy, berry brandy and so on, varieties distilled from different source materials take more specific names. Here are a few: šljivovica ...

The Parasol Mushroom

Wednesday, December 19th, 2007

Listen to the podcast of this post: John J. Goddard - Parasol Mushroom, 12.19.2007 Mushroom hunting is so popular in continental Croatia that it's practically considered a sport. It really is terrific fun, and aside from being a good excuse to spend hours milling about in the forest like an idiot, ...

Mussels Buzara

Friday, October 12th, 2007

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhlnSewLhDo[/video]

Samoborska Medovina

Tuesday, September 18th, 2007

It's honey wine from Samobor.

Rižot = Risotto

Thursday, July 19th, 2007

In addition to the Adriatic Sea, coastal Croatia shares centuries of history with Italy. That said, it won't be surprising to learn that Arborio rice is prepared and enjoyed in much the same way as Italian risotto in Dalmatia. In fact, a few recipes are practically identical. One of the ...

Mimice: A Zagreb Institution

Wednesday, June 27th, 2007

If you're looking for more than a snack, but not quite a full-blown meal in the center of Zagreb, Mimice (MEE-mee-tseh, meaning ‘things overlooked or hidden') may be just the place for you. Set into the foundation of Ulica Nikole Jurišića 21, this mom-and-pop fish house is just a few ...

Zucchini Griddlecakes

Saturday, May 26th, 2007

My first encounter with these exquisite little flaps of vegetalia was on the Pelješac peninsula in southern Croatia, where they are known as uštipce od tikve. Now, these are pretty straightforward, down-home little numbers, so I'd be shocked, stunned and amazed if they did not exist in some form ...

Meat on a Hot Xylophone

Tuesday, March 6th, 2007

Someone decided to have roštilj (barbecue) at Igor's weekend place in Tržić, way up in the wine-growing Samoborske Gorje, about an hour from Zagreb. In true northern Croatian fashion, there was plenty of meat, including thick trenchers of GRILLED BACON. Igor pulled the requisite green onion crudite from his garden, but ...

The Grape Whisperer

Friday, March 2nd, 2007

The tradition of winemaking in Croatia dates back to the 5th century B.C., and a few of the republic's best vintners are now going to some effort to refine and adapt the knowledge and experience passed down to them through the generations. Ancient techniques of viticulture are still followed, but ...

I want the funk uncut.

Tuesday, February 27th, 2007

All at once, I'm giving a new format and a new feature a spin today. Such daredevilry is most often the jurisdiction of heros, emperors and utter fools, and I am, without question, no emperor or hero. Older articles with larger images will probably look wonky until I get ...