Amateur and professionals competition in strudel making “Homemade strudel is IN” / Stevo Karapandža and culinary TV stars / Gluten-free strudel workshop by prof.dr. Ana Stavljenić Rukavina / Aunt Marica’s workshop “How to make a Guinness strudel” / Children’s corner “Mini chefs, mega delicacies” / Strudel week in 14 restaurants in the Karlovac County / Many exhibitors and participants / Straw sculpture creation by Nikola Faller
The most popular Croatian pastry finally has its own festival! The ŠtrudlaFest will be held for the first time this Sunday, September 4th in Jaškovo near Ozalj. The location choice is not random, as this village, only 45 minutes away from Zagreb, became globally known last year after making the longest strudel in the world, entering the Guinness Book of World Records with 1.479,38 metres.
The story of the Karlovac strudel continues on Sunday in Jaškovo. ŠtrudlaFest is a festival of strudel, delicious taste and good atmosphere, an eno-gastro event whose goal is to present the gastronomy of Karlovac County and to preserve and popularise Karlovac businessmen and family farms.
Strudel for Guinness project coordinator and team leader of Wine and Gastronomy PPS Destination Green Heart of Croatia Lidija Žganjer-Gržetić announced the event, while the arrival of gastronomy legend Stevo Karapandža, culinary academic Branko Ognjenović and head chef of the prominent five star Milenij hotel Josip Abičić proves the homemade strudel is “in.” This legendary trio will decide on the best strudel contest winner. It is interesting that due to high interest applications for this event were completed in record time, speaking for the large interest in displaying the ability to prepare this favourite delicacy.
Special guests of ŠtrudlaFest will be this year’s winners of the TV gastro-show “3,2,1-kuhaj” Filipa Sorko and Petra Egić. They will be joined by aunt Marica, legendary ambassador of the strudel from Jaškovo who will lead the workshop titled “How to make a Guinness strudel”, while professor Ana Stavljenić Rukavina will teach why a gluten-free strudel is healthy, but also tasty.
The “Mini chefs, mega delicacies” workshop is meant for children, while sculptor Nikola Faller will create a large straw sculpture during the event. ŠtrudlaFest has a humanitarian note as funds will be collected to help children with malign diseases at the booth of Jak kao Jakov association.
Leading into ŠtrudlaFest, Strudel Week is ongoing from August 29 to September 4 in 14 restaurants of Karlovac County (Feniks, Panorama, hotel Korana Srakovčić, Kristal, Lovački rog, Hotel Frankopan, hotel Josipdol, Gradina, AT Turist Grabovac, DP, Žganjer, Toplice Lešće, Lovački dom Muljava, Srce prirode), where guests will be offered 20 different strudel tastes all week at promotional prices.
Another interesting fact is the participation of Karlovac Mayor Damir Jelić and his strudel at the competition.
ŠtrudlaFest is the opening show of the September in the Heart programme, ending with the Dubovac Weekend on September 10 and 11.
September in the Heart is organised by the Tourism Board of Karlovac County, Tourism Board of Ozalj, PPS Destination Green Heart of Croatia and Žganjer restaurant.
Partners are Karlovac County, Town of Karlovac, Town of Ozalj, Tourism Board of Karlovac, Electrolux, Terra Croatica, Milenij Hotels-Opatija, Veli’s-Zagreb, Medven stores, Žitoproizvod and Ilovac Ceramics.
