For local gastronomes and journalists, it represents a highly cherished déjà-vu: Cooks from other countries regu­larly rave about the high-quality foods in Kvarner Bay: »What we once had to order from a gourmet food supplier, we now have essentially right outside our own front door« – this is the credo of today. And indeed, the region can rejoice in an intact environment with high biodiversity – bringing pure pleasure to the plate! Here, we present to you three families of regional products, whose uniqueness has been further confirmed by an EU Protected Designation of Origin. Certain to be followed by many more.

Winged conservationist with a proboscis

For bees, Kvarner Bay is a paradise. Anyone following current discussions about their en­dangered existence is aware that, besides producing honey, they also pollenate around 75% of all European wildflowers and culti­vated plants. In short: These busy collectors secure a large part of our food supply, includ­ing roughly 4000 types of fruits and vegeta­bles. Without bees, we wouldn't have many building materials, barely any natural reme­dies, the list is long. One more reason to treas­ure the wide variety of high-quality honey that is produced and offered along the coast, on the islands and in the mountains.

Unique and healthy: honeydew

Talking of mountains, in 2021, Gorski Kotar was able to earn a PDO for its »Medun«. This wild honey does not consist of flower nectar, but rather honeydew, a kind of tree juice re­quiring suitable conditions, meaning it is not produced every year and is quite rare. »Me­dun is by far the healthiest way to revitalize the body«, states beekeeper Branko Vidmar, also known in his home region as »the father of Medun«, explaining why locals have val­ued their wild honey as a home remedy for centuries: »It contains twelve times more minerals than nectar honey and is especially rich in folic acid.« Written records show that Medun was al­ready produced in the Gorski Kotar region back in the 13th cent. Spicier and less sweet than flower honey, this specialty is also excel­lent for cooking. With a little bit of luck, on the menu at Hotel Bitoraj in Fužine you might well find a dish labeled »Kare veprića s goranskim medunom«: rack of wild boar marinated in spruce needles and Medun, prepared like roast beef and served with grated potatoes, pureed parsley root, home­made yogurt and honey-mustard sauce.

Olive oil from unique varieties

Thanks to extensive revitalization efforts over the past 20 years, Croatia's olive oils are today amongst the world's best. Whilst the time of harvest and modern production methods mainly determine the quality of the oil, it is the olive varieties that are pressed which impact the flavor. »Ekstra djevičansko maslinovo ulje Cres« – Croatia's premier olive oil with »PDO« designation since 2015 – comes from the Island of Cres and is pressed exclusively from the indigenous varieties »Slivnjača« and »Plominka«. The fruits must be grown, collected, stored and processed on the island. One year later, the »liquid gold« from the Island of Krk also received well-deserved certification, made unique through use of native olive varieties »Debe­la«, »Naška«, »Rošulja« and »Slatka«. As dif­ferent as the flavor of these two island oils may be – their common denominator is their luminescent color along with aromas of green fruits and herbs.

Pršut – the synonym for comfort food

Also when it comes to the full-flavored ham Pršut, originality protections make abundant sense, not least because this pork leg of ham is created differently throughout the country: in Dalmatia, smoked in the skin, in Istria, air-dried with the pelvic bone, but without the skin, on the Island of Krk, also without smoke, though also without the pelvic bone, and with the skin. Similarly, the spice mix with sea salt and herbs is different everywhere. Since 2015, »Krčki pršut« is the first Croatian prod­uct to carry the »PGI« label – a pioneering achievement of the Žužić family who, in the capital of the island, run the »House of Krk Pršut« including a tavern and butcher's shop. How nice that the Toljanić family from Vrbnik has likewise become involved in Pršut pro­duction, also raising their own pigs (p.36).

www.kvarner.hr

Photo: ART Redaktionsteam, KRTB