The country of Croatia has a representative Mediterranean cuisine. The state is officially named “Republika Hrvatska” and it is situated in south-central Europe in the Adriatic coast’s northeastern area. In the group of the Balkan nations, it is located in the west-central section. Croatia’s major territorial dominions include the Croatia proper, Istria (majority of its land area), Slavonia, and Dalmatia. The country is divided into 21 administrative constituencies. Its coastline, which is marvelous for sailing, reaches as far as 3,000 miles long.

Croatian cooking is basic Mediterranean cuisine with its individual special touch. It includes fish, shellfish, fresh vegetables and olive oil taking centre stage. Varieties of fish include dog’s tooth, gilthead, grouper, mackerel, sardines and sea bass. You will also find cuttlefish, octopus and squid, lobsters, mussels, oysters and shrimps. These are dished grilled or in broods and risottos.

The local smoked ham is very delicious. Lamb is also extremely regarded, particularly grilled on an open fire. There are whatsoever interesting local dishes, several found on individual islands, to be sought or avoided. Take Vitalec as an example – lamb’s offal enveloped in lamb bowel and spike-roasted, not everybody’s idea of culinary paradise.

Dalmatian sweets are good as well. The most common ingredients include almonds, eggs, honey, local fruit, dried figs and raisins. Try Orehnjaca, sweet bread with walnuts or poppy seeds. Palacinke are pancakes usually dished with jam or chocolate.

Dalmatian wines have been regarded highly since ancient times. Legendary wines include Babic from Primosten, Dingac and Postup from the Peljesac Peninsula and Plancic from the island of Hvar. There are as well great local brandies and liqueurs.

Mediterranean cuisine is typical for Croatia fitting to its position and climate, so to every gourmand yachtsman we recommend to find a tavern where he will be able to enjoy in the rich taste of domestic tomatoes, olive oil, and fish – all of those typical Mediterranean fruits.

In almost every spot on the islands you can discover an indigenous tavern – a small, family nest where the food is made and served in a domestic ambience. We warmly recommend you to eat in small places like that and to keep off restaurants where the food is frequently overrated and without those fine attributes and appeal that taverns are fulfilled with. When we articulate attributes and appeal we think of many home made brandies ordinarily served with dry figs, home made bread, fresh caught fish seasoned with domestic olive oil. Tavern owners produce their own veggies, have their own canned capers, onions, they tend to own the best domestic wine, sea salt, carob, oregano and the rest of the aromatic plants or any different coastal food supplements.

These taverns that we are describing are ready for yachtsmen. The offer is commonly based on traditional domestic recipes with skilled and creative ways of making original meals. Tavern has to be a family place and the owner himself or herself has to be the main cook. You have to be able to watch what’s cooking or at least be able to come to the kitchen door and watch what’s going on. After an exquisite experience suchlike that you have to have a wish to sail there again and once again.
Besides the mentioned gastronomy pictures, the other valuable tavern characteristic is the typical ambiance – stone. The offer is not the single thing that shapes guest choice, ambience is also very important.

This is one great and pretty much simple Mediterranean dish. It is ideal for summer months because its preparation will not take you a lot of time and you won’t heat your kitchen more than it is necessary. This meal is light on stomach and I think it is a perfect dinner after a day on the beach and as a start of a pleasant evening. Many restaurants on Croatian seashore will offer you this simple but delicious meal.

What will YOU need if you want to prepare this great meal;

½ kg of fresh squid with tentacles,
5 tablespoons of Olive oil,
1 large chopped onion,
1 peeled, chopped tomato,
2 crushed garlic cloves,
1 tablespoon of parsley,
¼ cup of dry red wine,
salt, pepper to taste and
2 cups of rice. Read the rest of this entry »

Besides delicious native food on Croatian seashore and islands, talking about lunch and dinner like main dish, you can also get very tasty desserts. Some of them you can get only there and nowhere else in the world. This time I’ll present to you only too of such kind.
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This is one of the finest recipes that represent Dalmatian cuisine. It can be very much simplified, but it’s suitable even for some special occasions and particular companies.
Pasticada is not a difficult meal to prepare, but it will take you some time for sure and you won’t be sorry.
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When you are making a brodetto, be sure to use the biggest variety of fish that you can. The best to use are conger eel, St Pierre, some rock fish, sea bass, tuna and dent fish. Usually it is served with rice or pasta, but its origin serving is with polenta (boiled maize-flour). You can also eat it with some home made bread.

To make a brodetto for 4 people, you will need:
- 1 kg of mixed fish – about 2 ¼ lb.,
- 125 ml olive oil – about ½ cup,
- one big onion,
- some Parsley,
- inevitable garlic,
- salt and pepper as much as you want,
- couple of fresh tomatoes,
- about two spoons of tomato paste,
- Vinegar.

How it is done;
- For starters it is good to cut those big fish into pieces to be approximately as big as the smaller fish, which you will leave in one piece. Dosage of olive oil is in a proportion with a quantity of fish – for a kilo of fish use a half of a cup.
- Stir fry the sliced onion in the oil and after that put in the fish. While frying it for a bit, add some chopped garlic and parsley. Sprinkle it all with some salt and pepper, add tomato paste and cat fresh tomatoes.
- Now pour water over the fish and wait for it to boil. When boiling, add some vinegar.
- You have to cook brodetto about one hour to one and half hours, while it simmers on the low heat. Forget about stirring – brodetto has to be shaken not stirred. So, smoothly shake the whole pan in order to give it a little stir.