May 24th 2009
Rovinj, Trg maršala Tita (Square)
A presentation of gastronomic and oenological delicacies of Rovinj and Istria hinterland, food and wine tasting (prosciutto, cheese, olive oil, wine, liqueurs, brandy, bread, baked goods, aromatic herbs, mushroom produce, pastries) and an extensive menu of Istria’s specialties on offer at the best restaurants in Rovinj.
All the best Istrian agricultural companies and organizations will be featured at the festival, along with the best restaurants, which will offer specially prepared Istrian delicacies and other traditional meals.
Apart from this gastronomic offer, the festival will also include a rich entertainment program throughout the day.
April 29th 2009 – May 2nd 2009
April 15th 2009 – 18th 2009
From March 25th 2009 till April 30th 2009 areas of Umag and Novigrad host the Days of asparagus, an interesting gastronomic manifestation.
Choice of honey is the same as with your favorite coffee brand. You choose once and never change.
It is time to pack up your bags, send your children to the grandparents, pick up your phone, and reserve your accomodation for the sweetest weekend of the year. If you visit Opatija from December 5th to December 7th 2008, you can enjoy the unique “Chocolate festival”. Visitors can choose from a wide assortment of chocolate desserts and other delicious treats. A sweet smell of chocolate will be spread all over Opatija, and admirers of this sweet addiction will have an opportunity to enjoy it and spend the greatest vacation of their lives. A wellness and spa treatment with chocolate, and a 10 meters long chocolate cake are only a small part of this year’s festival offer. Enjoy your time in Opatija chocolate fans!
For the past 5 years, Opatija has been the setting for the Croatian Culinary Days, a very interesting culinary manifestation. This year, from 16th until 21st of November, the Days of Croatian cooking and 5th National cook championship are held in Hotel Ambasador. After five years of existence, Croatian Cook Union makes the foundation of National chef team and in this way it has accomplished the main goal from its founding, the promotion of Croatian cuisine throughout the world. The most important goal of a national team of chefs is promotion of Croatian gastronomy on international basics and at many competitions. This year, only one chef will be named as the best Croatian chef, one among all of them will be the “Golden Chef”.
Gastronomic delicacies, prepared according to 19th century recipes, will be served during the month of October in twelve of Opatija’s noted catering establishments as a part of the manifestation “19th century Opatija gastronomy”. The town of Opatija began to develop as a tourist resort in the 19th century and to crown the enjoyment of many contemporary aristocrats and distinguished personalities of the Habsburg monarchy who frequented it, a special type of cuisine combining Viennese and French was cultivated which blended the local ingredients of this area. Preparation of dishes was «imperially» complex considering the noble guests of the time without any ready-made seasonings and it was quite time-consuming. The gastronomic event «Gastronomy of Opatija in the 19th Century» helps all the guests to feel like the nobility and enjoy the delicacies of a bygone era each year.
The best known Lovran gastronomic manifestation is a real feast for all gourmands. Cakes, pastry and other dishes made of chestnuts (called “maruni” in the local dialect), are prepared from old local recipes and offered to many present guests. Since the year 1973, a manifestation called Marunada has been traditionally taking place every year in the small town of Lovran and has turned into a real tourist attraction in time. For the “uninformed” readers, this is a folk festivity linked to picking chestnuts that are plentiful in the forests surrounding Lovran and part of the Opatija Riviera. Every year in the month of October Lovran is full of chestnuts, when along with entertainment programmes in Lovran restaurants and cafes of hotels “Excelsior” and “Lovran” and in the old town streets, a rich gastronomic display of chestnut sweets and cakes is provided. At the end of October every year, cafes in nearby Opatija “Grand Café Paris” and “Continental” are also full of chestnuts, offering a great variety of sweets prepared from this delicious fruit. The Marunada ends traditionally with the formal hunters’ ball which is held in the Lovran Hotel “Excelsior”. This year the Marunada starts October 8th and ends October 26th. Visit Lovran and enjoy in many delicious gastronomic specialities and a rich cultural and entertainment programme.
In Istria, in the forests of the Mirna river valley, a special sort of mushroom – truffle, has found its habitat. What is it that is so mystic and attractive in an underground, at first sight awkward plant looking like potato, that the people are willing to spend a fortune and proclaim it „king of the gastronomy“? Which one is better – the white one or the black one? What exactly are truffles in the culinary world – mushrooms or spices? Truffle is a subterraneous mushroom of intensive, recognisable odour, of distinct, unique aroma and taste. The richest finding places of this mushroom in Croatia are exactly in the region of Istria where it was firstly discovered in 1929. These finding places are located in the region of central Istria, in wet Motovun forest where the Mirna River runs through, more precisely – near the village Livade and in Buzeština, where Buzet is already known as the “town of truffles”. The biggest truffle ever found in this region, which was then recorded in the Guinness World Records book, was taken out in 1999 near Buje and it weighted impressive 1,31 kg. Although in many Istrian restaurants the truffles can be tasted in combination with different main courses and side dishes, the gastronomers will say that truffles give their maximum when they play the main role on the plate. Finally, it is worth mentioning truffles in combination with Istrian fuži or home made polenta as the truffle is here definitely in the first plan. Istria is the habitat of the big white truffle also known as “Tuber Magnatum Pico”, and three other sorts of black truffles and as their seasons take turns, in Istria you can taste truffles whole year round. And as for the story on their aphrodisiac effects…? Well… you will have to find that answer yourselves…:-)