Istria through history shaped the way of life that was extremely hard working, and in
that manner is shaped kitchen and today's gastronomy offer. In restaurants in
Istria today you can try traditional specialties prepared in an authentic way, with the addition
of special ingredients that make the Istrian cuisine so extraordinary. On the menu is almost
always found homemade smoked ham and cheese, a variety of handmade pasta, and a large
selection of meat and fish specialties.
Intense aroma and flavor of pork, uniform red color and salty taste are characteristics of a quality Istrian smoked ham. Istrian ham is protected by geographical origin, it can be produced only in the interior of Istria, at least 12 kilometers away from the sea. Istrian climate allows the start of production of smoked ham in the winter months, his drying lasts 5 months and maturation 12 months.
Istrian cheese is autochthonous Croatian hard sheep cheese that is produced on family farms
in Istria. Although with the same technology and under the same name products such cheese
from cow's milk, its authenticity and history of production is associated primarily with sheep
milk.
In the last years very popular is meat of Boskarin (very large Istrian ox) which is served with cream of potatoes and truffle and fried onion in salt with olive oil from Istria.
Liver of boskarin on the Venetian way, batude (minced meat) from the shoulder boskarin,
boskarin cheek on the onion, big roses of boskarin served as tagliata, and in the end manner
of Maestro cioccolatiera.
Old fashioned method for preparing the food is Čripnja (large Istrian baking pan covered with hot coals) which is ideal for lamb, chick, mushrooms, octopus, rice, various kinds of fish ..With tasting a celebrated wine and legendary oil, Čripnja is one of the indispensable gastronomic delicacies of Istrian cuisine.
Fish is served stewed, boiled, baked and fried. According to the saying in Istria, fish can be eaten three times a day, never in the same way.
So: fish soup, salad of crab, oysters, mussels in wine sauce, shrimp cocktail, seafood risotto,
grilled grouper, sea bream on the grill …
The truffle is definitely one of the most specialities Istrian cuisine. It is extremely
rare and because of that is very expensive. Istrian white truffle is the most
respected in the world. The ancient Romans ate it in their time, and today it is possible to find it just with the help of specially trained dogs. The greatest aphrodisiac is a favorite dish of all who have tasted it once.
Istrian Malvasia, it is golden and fragrant wine with fruit aromas, usually dominated by
apples, plums and apricots, while in ripe wine can be felt a slightly bitter almond flavor.
Approximately 60% of wine produced in Istria is precisely the Malvasia. In 1998 Malvasia was declared the best autochthonous varieties in Croatia and one year later, the best white wine in Croatia.
Production of olive oil in Istria, are writing pages in history couple of thousand years.
Olive oil in Istria has a tradition of couple of thousand years. Due to the particular soil and climate, the Istrian land is very suitable for growing olives. They call it the divine fruit and elixir of life, and all who have tasted the Istrian olive oil, agrees that he has no equal.