| Ancient Romans used to call royal the
variety of Istrian culinary resources. Nowadays gourmets claim that Istria did not loose
any of it in the meantime. The Istrian cuisine is based on seafood and fruits of the rich
Istrian red soil: simple natural ingredients and lot of fantasy - a spoonful of olive oil,
a touch of Mediterranean herbs, a pinch of flower and salt and few drops of water - make
wanders even for the most sophisticated palates. Delicatessen worth tasting are surely not only the Istrian prosciutto and
sheep cheese, but also the traditional manestra (vegetable and smoked meat casserole),
fuzi (variety of home-made pasta) with a free-range chicken, or gniocchi with a deer
ragout, sausage in wine, pasutice (home made pasta)with stock-fish, fritaja (frittata)
with green forest asparagus or mushrooms, lasagne with truffles, goatling stewed on the
open fire, radicchio with hardboiled eggs and beans....
Before the meal, a glass of Istrian grappa with
herbs (rutha) is warmly recommended to dispose you to savour fully what is to come. After
the meal, the same good grape with a good strong espresso will make you forward to the
next meal with undiminished enthusiasm.
Seafood? There is no end to the variety Istria
offers - fish - grilled, boiled, fried, stewed, you can eat it day after day and it will
never be the same. Brodetto, seafood buzara (stew) or risotto made in traditional way
alternate with the refined scampi-cocktails and seafood salads... |
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