The Vegliot Dialect - The Krk Romance Language Extinct Since 1898
January the 23rd, 2023 - The Vegliot dialect, which is also often referred to as Vegliotic, is a now extinct Romance language once spoken on the island of Krk. The last speaker of the Vegliot dialect was Antonio Udina (Tuone Udaina), who passed away in June 1898. Little is known about the dialect named after the Italian name for Krk (Veglia).
We've explored many of the dialects, subdialects and indeed languages in their own right as some linguists consider them to be which are spoken across modern Croatia. From the Dubrovnik subdialect (Ragusan) in the extreme south of Dalmatia to Northwestern Kajkavian in areas like Zagorje, the ways in which people speak in this country deviate from what we know as standard Croatian language enormously. That goes without even mentioning much about old Dalmatian, Zaratin, once widely spoken in and around Zadar, Istriot, or Istro-Venetian.
A brief history of the Vegliot dialect
Of the now extinct languages once spoken on modern Croatian territory, we've looked into Istrian-Albanian, which became extinct in the nineteenth century after being introduced to parts of Istria by ethnic Albanians settled there by Venice who spoke in the Gheg (or Geg) variety of modern Albanian. Now we'll jump back into our linguistic time machine and head back into the island of Krk's past, during which the Vegliot dialect was spoken all the way until June 1898, when the last person to speak it died.
As mentioned above, the Vegliot dialect is named after the Italian name for Krk - Veglia, and its closest ''relative'' is believed to be Istro-Romanian, another Romance language once spoken more widely spoken across the Istrian peninsula, more precisely in the nothwestern parts near the Cicarija mountain range. There are two groups of speakers despite the fact that the language spoken by both is more or less absolutely identical, the Vlahi and the Cici, the former coming from the south side of the Ucka mountain, and the latter coming from the north side.
This language has been described as the smallest ethnolinguistic group in all of Europe, and without a lot more effort being put into preservation, the next few decades to come will almost certainly result in the complete extinction of the Istro-Romanians and their language.
A Western Italian dialect of Dalmatic, the Vegliot dialect was once spoken by a group of Morlachs (pastoralists) who were engaged in herding. As each of these individuals passed away, the last remaining was speaker was the aforementioned Antonio Udina, who was often affectionately called Burbur.
Antonio Udina (Tuone Udaina)
Udina was born in 1823 on the island of Krk, and died on June the 10th, 1898, losing his life in a road mine explosion and taking the Vegliot dialect with him into the beyond. Nicknamed Burbur, Udina is deemed the last person to fluently speak in the Vegliot dialect, but he was in actual fact not a native speaker of this language. He had learned the dialect (or language, for argument's sake) from his parents who both hailed from the island of Krk and spoke it as their native tongue.
Well known Italian linguist Matteo Bartoli wrote a paper on Dalmatian/Dalmatic language(s) way back in 1897, in what was to be the final full year of Udina's life. At that time, Udina had not spoken in that language for around twenty years, and he had also suffered dental issues so severe they had affected the movements of his mouth and as such he speech, and on top of that - he was also deaf.
Despite being deemed the last speaker of the Vegliot dialect, he is not considered a reliable source in regard to this language owing to his health issues. That said, after Udina was killed in a road mine explosion, the Vegliot dialect also died and is unlikely to ever be heard again.
For more on the Croatian language and the many dialects and subdialects spoken across this small but diverse country, make sure to check out our lifestyle section. An edition on language is published every Monday.
More Questions on Missing Russian Yacht Irina Vu in Croatia
January 22, 2023 - The story surrounding the missing Russian yacht Irina VU is getting weirder and weirder. There are many questions, these are the most important by Vedran Salvia for Index.hr
TODAY's statement by the Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure, Oleg Butković, has deepened the issue of the sailing of the Russian yacht under the sanctions of Irina VU, and not resolved it.
She had to go through police and border control in Dubrovnik
What we knew until today is that the luxury yacht Irina VU, owned by the wife of Russian oligarch Ališer Usmanov, a close friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was under EU, US and UK sanctions and was prohibited from sailing.
She was anchored in Betina on Murter, and according to the information from the website, she sailed from the Betina marina on October 6 at 10:14, and on October 9 around 12:00, she was in the Turkish port of Didim. In order for the yacht to leave Croatian territorial waters, it had to go through police and border control and control by the Port Authority in Dubrovnik.
Let's also recall the words of Frano Matušić at the beginning of the text, that is, on July 13, a decision was made to freeze the yacht. How did something like that get around the police? I guess that should be more important than the remark of one employee of the port master's office to other port masters' offices.
After all, what about the employees of the marina and shipyard on Murter? How did they not see that there was no yacht that was under sanctions and how was no one informed about it for three months? Furthermore, the people in charge at the marina and the boathouse had to give permission because a yacht that is in dry dock cannot be launched just like that.
To put such a vessel into operation, as we have learned from unofficial conversations with port and marina employees, a crane must be raised, the ship lowered into the sea according to someone's request, the crew must be notified. So, you need to do some paperwork, do all those actions that precede her sailing.
How did the crew know the surveillance system didn't see the blockage?
All the entities mentioned in this text were contacted by Index, looking for answers, which apparently are still not available to the public. We did not receive answers to written inquiries, and phone calls, as usually happens on Fridays in state institutions and companies, did not bear fruit. We were only answered by SOA, writing that they cannot comment on this case.
The most important questions are the ones we asked Butković's ministry. We were interested in who was supervising the yacht in the Betina skver (we asked the skver himself), but also who issued the order to lower the yacht into the sea, as well as whether permission was issued for it to set sail.
We asked this ministry, as well as the MUP and the Dubrovnik police, how the ship passed the border control in Dubrovnik. Finally, we were also interested in how the crew knew that the surveillance system did not see the blockage that Minister Butković was talking about today.
If they had known this, some logic dictates, they would not have gone to the border control, which they obviously had to cross. We were also interested in who made up the crew and what the sealing of the vessel implies, i.e. whether it also means a mechanical ban on driving the vehicle.
Hajdaš Dončić: There is no system, no control
Another state secretary, the one in the relevant ministry of the sea, Alen Gospočić told Slobodna Dalmacija that this is pure theft, so it is unclear how it was not reported as such, which is actually the story's context.
He also said something interesting to Slobodna Dalmacija - that they cannot have security guards in the ports and that it is an open marina, where everyone can come without any problems. "In the port of Betina, everything is open to anyone's access. Both you and I can come there, walk along the waterfront and jump on any yacht that is moored there.
The Ministry informed the port that the yacht was blocked, the harbor master issued an instruction to the authorities that the yacht should not be accessed in any way, and the Ministry does not hire security services for 24-hour guarding of other people's property, nor does it plan to do so, because such a system is unsustainable ", says Gospočić.
After all, Slobodna Dalmacija rightly asked itself how it is possible for the company Brodogradilište i marina, whose founder is Adut Konzalting, a company from Split, to let a ship leave without paying its bill. Especially the one that is under sanctions and is 35 meters long.
We also called the former line minister Siniša Hajdaš Dončić. "My brown yacht sails in the basement under the manhole, that's how one could characterize the total absence of a control system in Plenković's, sorry Luj 14 administration.
The harbor master should have been informed of the seizure and then the harbor master's office cannot issue a navigation permit. As I said, there is no system, no control," said Hajdaš Dončić briefly.
Former captain Obradović: I was on two sealed ships, there were armed security guards around us
We had a long talk on this topic with the former Dubrovnik sailor, long-sea captain Đorđe Obradović, who twice found himself on ships that were sealed by the port authorities. His statements actually best suggest what kind of procedure is involved in serious countries.
"Due to debts owed to suppliers of fuel and supplies, the ship I was sailing on was sealed by the port authorities in the port of Nassau in the Bahamas. We were tied to the waterfront for about a month, and the ship was guarded by two security guards armed only with pistols, who among other equipment had portable radio devices.
The ship was sealed very simply by placing a seal similar to the ones used on electricity meters in apartments on the cabinet with the ship's master certificate and important documents.
No one was allowed to enter the ship except for the crew who were allowed to go out, but only with a port pass, while passports and seaman's books were on board, in a sealed cabinet with other documents. From time to time, the control of the security company and the port authorities would come and tour the ship. When the company settled the debt, the port authorities unsealed the ship and allowed it to sail," he says.
He said more about the second case.
"The second time I was on the ship was in Galveston, Texas, when the company sold the ship to another owner. The US Coast Guard took away the ship's most important certificates and documents, and they put seals on the helm on the bridge and on the handle to start the main engine in the engine room There were security guards on the ship and next to it.
The sealing of the ship itself is a symbolic act and in some countries it can be a simple piece of paper prohibiting sailing. The actual seizure is taken care of by the authorities of the state that seizes the ship for various reasons, and in addition to the security guards who physically guard the ship, the most important thing is radar navigation surveillance, which identifies vessels, monitors their movement and takes the necessary actions, from permission to prohibition of navigation," he said.
"The seal can be removed, but no one would dare to do that"
Was it possible to remove these fillings?
"Of course, with slightly stronger pliers, but no one would dare to do that. Not only would the security guards alert the coast guard, but the coast guard would detect even the slightest movement of the ship with radar tracking.
Another reason is that none of the crew would dare to do something like that in America, because they would be blacklisted, lose their certificates and the right to an American visa, which were then mandatory, which would mean that they would not be able to board anywhere in the world. and work as a sailor.
As soon as the new company paid all the expenses the ship had from the sale to the takeover, the certificates were returned and it was allowed to set sail," said former captain Obradović.
We ask him how the seized Russian yacht Irina VU was able to set sail.
"It is really difficult to answer that question. A detailed investigation will show that, but considering the whole strange situation, it is possible that it was a combination of unfortunate circumstances for the Croatian authorities or a well-planned action by the shipowner with the help of someone from Croatia.
Everything was certainly well planned, but the question arises as to how they dared to take away the confiscated yacht, i.e. how did they know that the other harbor authorities were not informed about the seizure, so the Irina VU sailed from the Adriatic, even though she was spotted and tracked by radar and properly signed off before leaving Croatian waters.
If other harbor authorities, except the Šibenik one, had known that it was a seized vessel, the Irina VU would not have been able to leave the Adriatic. The Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure must investigate everything that happened and provide answers to your questions, because this is of interest to the public, and causes astonishment among seafarers," he added.
Former head of SOA Letica: There is probably corruption here
Former head of SOA operations, Ante Letica, said that several elements probably came together in this case.
"It is probably, I will not say about some negligence, but indolence of state bodies and organs, there is probably also corruption in this and that is why it is necessary not only that the port captains, the port authorities, the police and so on, but also the SOA , to investigate it, to see what is negligence, irresponsibility, indolence, and what is corruption. Someone will have to answer for that," said Letica.
He pointed out that it is strange to him how the yacht got into the sea from dry mooring.
"Then the crew was there and they sailed to Dubrovnik, completed the details that needed to be done - approvals from the port authorities, refueled, and it sailed out of Croatian territorial waters. That needs to be seen and I think that the State Attorney's Office will give the legal qualification of that act. We need to see where there is indolence, irresponsibility, negligence of state bodies, and where there is corruption, bribery and so on, and everyone should be held accountable according to their part of responsibility," said Letica.
He expressed the hope that everyone in the decision-making chain woke up because of this case and noticed the irregularities and gaps that need to be filled. "Now those yachts are better guarded, there are supposedly sailors there all the time who take care of maritime safety, there are also security guards, and I hope that this has now been raised to a higher level," said Letica.
Usmanov: I'm no longer married to Irina
The reaction of Alisher Usmanov's public relations office has since arrived following the publication of this article, we'll transmit that press release in its entirety:
"Mr. Usmanov and Irina Viner are no longer married. Furthermore, Mr. Usmanov is not the owner of the yacht Irina VU and is in no way connected with the vessel's disappearance from the Betina marina.
Mr. Usmanov is not an "oligarch" either - a term used to refer to businessmen who have profited through ties to the state and, more specifically, to those who participated in the privatisation of Russian state assets after the collapse of the Soviet Union. None of this applies to Mr. Usmanov, who made his fortune by creating his own companies and making very successful deals and investments on the open market."
Snow on Islands, Chaos on Roads in Croatia
January 22, 2023 - After a very mild couple of weeks, snow has blanketed much of Croatia, causing chaos on the roads, reports Index.hr
A sudden cold snap in Croatia has covered much of the country in snow, including Dalmatian islands such as Vis, Brac, Hvar and Korcula (see Korcula in the video below), causing multiple problems on Croatia's roads.
The latest update from HAK (Croatian Roads) offers this advice (you can find the updated news on this link):
Throughouth the interior and in Dalmatia traffic is flowing with delays due to snow. Roads are very slippery too. Along the coast strong wind is blowing.
Due to very strong wind passenger traffic is allowed only:
- on the DC25 Gospić-Karlobag state road;
- on the section of the DC8 Adriatic road Karlobag-Sveta Marija Magdalena.
On the A7 Draga-Šmrika motorway there is a traffic ban on: doubledeckers, trailers, motorcycles, on the part of the DC8 Adriatic road Bakar-Karlobag, on the DC99 Križišće junction-Križišće state road and on the LC58107 Kraljevica-Križišće local road on the delivery vans and vehicles with covered cargo area too.
At Krk bridge traffic is suspended for: motorcycles, campers, campers with three or more axles, vans over 1,9 m of height, doubledeckers and passenger vehicles with a one-axle-trailer.
Due to winter driving conditions there is a traffic ban on freight vehicles with trailers and all other vehicles have to use the winter equipment on the following roads of
Gorski kotar mountain area:
- Karlovac-Zdihovo-Delnice-Kikovica;
- most state, regional and local roads in the area of Čabar, Vrbovsko, Delnice, Gornje Jelenje;
Lika mountain area and in the central parts:
- DC1 Vaganac-Korenica-Gračac-Knin;
- DC6 Jurovski Brod-Karlovac-Vojnić;
- DC23 Duga Resa-Generalski Stol-Josipdol-Kapela;
- DC25 Korenica-Lički Osik;
- DC27 Gračac-Zaton Obrovački;
- DC42 Josipdol-Plaški-Saborsko-Kuselj;
- DC50 Žuta Lokva (DC23)-Lički Osik, Sv. Rok-Gračac;
- DC52 Špilnik-Korenica;
- DC204 Pribanjci border crossing-Bosiljevo junction;
- DC217 Ličko Petrovo Selo-Ličko Petrovo Selo border crossing;
- DC218 Bjelopolje-Donji Lapac-Užljebić border crossing;
- DC220 Tijarica (Vukina Strana)-Kamensko;
- DC228 Jurovski Brod (DC6)-Kamanje-Ozalj-Karlovac (DC1);
- DC429 Selište Drežničko-Prijeboj;
- DC522 Udbina-Gornja Ploča;
- DC541 DC6-Novigrad junction (A1)
- ŽC5144 Sveti Juraj-Krasno;
- ŽC5140-Krasno-Otočac;
- regional and local roads in the county of Ličko-senjska.
Traffic is suspended:
- on the DC36 Karlovac-Sisak state road on the section Pokupsko-Hotnja, at Gradec Pokupski and Jamnica (due to flood);
- on the DC547 Sveti Rok-Mali Alan state road (due to winter driving conditions);
- on the ŽC5217 Bruvno-Mazin-Dobroselo and ŽC5203 Srb-Otrić regional roads (due to winter driving conditions).
On the DC5 Okučani-Lipik state road traffic is flowing with delays (driving speed limit of 30 km/h).
On the DC47 Trokut-Novska junction (A3)-Hrvatska Dubica-Hrvatska Kostajnica (DC30)-Dvor (DC6) traffic is suspended for vehicles over 7,5 tonnes (driving speed limit of 40 km/h).
Drivers are asked to adjust the way of driving and driving speed to road conditions, to keep the safety distance and not to start the journey without the winter equipment!
Difficulties can occasionally occur in roadwork areas.
SuperSport HNL 18th Round: Hajduk Inches Closer to Dinamo as League Returns after Winter Break
January 22, 2023 - The SuperSport HNL finally returned after a long winter break, with Croatian clubs back in action from Friday, January 20 to Sunday, January 22. The 18th round brought some unexpected results, making the race for the title interesting as we kicked off the second part of the season.
Istra 1961 v. Slaven Belupo (0:0)
Istra 1961 and Slaven Belupo opened the 18th round on Friday, January 20, 2023, in Pula, in front of 557 fans.
The match went without goals, while Istra held more possession (61%) with 15 total shots to Beluop's 5. Istra also had six shots on target to Belupo's 0.
Istra is currently in 6th place with 21 points and a game in hand, while Belupo is in 4th with 27.
Osijek v. Rijeka (1:1)
Osijek and Rijeka met on Saturday, January 21, 2023, at a snowy City Garden Stadium in front of 2,082 fans.
The second draw of the 18th round at least featured some goals. Spoljaric scored for the Osijek lead in the 9th minute. Frigan equalized from the penalty spot in the 38th minute for 1:1. Osijek's goal in the 89th minute was called offside thanks to VAR, and the match ended 1:1. Osijek held 49% of possession to Rijeka'ss 51%, with four shots on target compared to Rijeka's 3.
Osijek is currently in 3rd place with 31 points, while Rijeka is in 8th with 16.
Dinamo v. Gorica (0:0)
Dinamo and Gorica met in the second game on Saturday, January 21, 2023, in front of 3,568 fans who also had to brave the snow.
Not only was this the third draw of the 18th round, but yet another one without goals. Dinamo's goal in the 2nd minute was disallowed due to a foul after consulting VAR. Neither team was able to score for the rest of the match. Dinamo maintained 80% of possession throughout the game compared to Gorica's 20%. Both teams had three shots on target.
Dinamo is currently in 1st place with 42 points and a game in hand, while Gorica is in last place with 9 points.
Hajduk v. Sibenik (2:1)
Hajduk and Sibenik met at Poljud on Sunday, January 22, 2023, in front of 9,358 fans.
Sibenik took the lead in the 13th minute when Arai scored for 0:1. Kalik equalized for Hajduk just before halftime for 1:1. Livaja saved the day in the 85th minute with a goal for 2:1, the final result. Hajduk had 70% possession throughout the match compared to Sibenik's 30%. Hajduk also had seven shots on target compared to Sibenik's one.
Hajduk is currently in 2nd place with 38 points, while Sibenik is 9th with 13 points.
Varazdin v. Lokomotiva (0:0)
Varazdin and Lokomotiva closed out the 18th round on Sunday, January 22, 2023, in front of 785 fans.
The final draw of the 18th round also saw no goals. However, it was a close match, with Varazdin maintaining 48% of possession compared to Lokomotiva's 52%. Varazdin had four shots on target compared to 5 for Lokomotiva.
(no video available)
Varazdin is currently in 5th place with 24 points, while Lokomotiva is in 7th with 19.
You can check out the HNL table HERE.
To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
Croatia Marks THIRTY Years of Official Golf Strategy Failure
January 22, 2023 - After an astonishing 30 years of official golf strategy in Croatia, is it time for someone to be accountable?
This is not an article about golf.
I also hereby state that I have no real opinion or expertise on the merits of golf tourism, and so I offer no opinion on whether or not golf tourism is a good thing or not.
This is an article which uses the official golf strategy in Croatia to highlight the seeming incompetence and unaccountability of those in official positions in charge of charting (and delivering) Croatia's tourism direction.
While looking into the research for this article, I came across two rather unlikely anniversaries for golf in Croatia.
Did you know that Croatia is celebrating 100 years of golf tourism in 2023? And that its golfing heritage have some claiming that it is home to the oldest golf resort (please note - resort, not golf course) in the world. From the Brijuni National Park official website:
The construction of the golf course on Brijuni was finished in late 1922, and the first tournament was held on 21 March 1923, a mention of which was published in the Pula daily newspaper at the time. The course was claimed to be one of the biggest in Europe. More recent information suggests that the Brijuni course might have been the first golf resort in the world. The course certainly stood out, not only because of its climate and position (Mediterranean destination in “Mitteleuropa”), but also because of its good reputation. Namely, although European championships were never played here, if you were to read the newspapers and journals of the time, you would have got the sense that the course was exceptionally well-known and recognised, both among golf champions and the upper classes. In addition to world-class golfers, the course was frequented by members of the European aristocracy, the most renowned industrialists and artists. Up to 50 tournaments a year would take place on the course of Brijuni, and the trophies for the best players were finally presented at the New Year's Eve ball and gala dinner.
The second anniversary Croatian golf is celebrating is even more unlikely given the state of play today (unless you have an insider appreciation of the genius of the Kings of Accidental Tourism): Croatia has now had golf tourism as a key component of its official tourism strategy for THIRTY years, since it first appeared in 1993, in the middle of the Homeland War (see the official document in Narodne Novine):
The new construction of content and capacities in tourism should be focused on the construction of quality additions to the existing offer (golf courses, fitness, etc.). Likewise. it is necessary, when investing (in new or existing facilities), to especially stimulate the construction of hotels of only higher and higher categories (four and five stars), and to stimulate them with tax and communal policy.
In the development and investment sphere, at the level of full state support, several so-called "project shock". These are, above all, projects such as Brijuni, the city of Dubrovnik (a new marina and residential center in the old city center), Tustica near Zadar (a large complex of nautical, golf and exclusive accommodation), the Goli otok project. Opatija, and, possibly, the project of revitalization and bringing the castles of Hrvatski Zagorje into tourist exploitation. In addition, in almost every large tourist company (combination) until yesterday, it is necessary to define and start a basic project that affects any restructuring.
(Croatia.hr screenshot)
Croatia currently has three 18-hole golf courses, some 30 years later. Brijuni, which opened in 1922, Zapresic near Zagreb (2004), and Golf Adriatic near Savudrija near the Slovenian border, which opened in 2009. The Croatian National Tourist Board tried to have us believe there was an 18-hole golf course called Dolina Kardinala in the middle of Central Zagreb a few years ago, before they removed it when I pointed this out (read more in Tourism Quiz of the Summer: How Many Golf Courses Will Croatia Have Next Week?).
They were right to remove it. Dolina Kardinala closed in 2012, and this is how it looked from a drone tour a few years ago.
So in 2013, on the 20th anniversary of Croatia's official golf tourism strategy which had yielded just two courses in that time, in addition to the one which opened 90 years previously, the 7-years tourism strategic plan was presented. One could argue that 2 courses in 20 years was not exactly a roaring success, but it did not seem to deter the Kings of Accidental Tourism, who once more put golf at the heart of their long-term strategy.
Not only a healthy interest in golf, but no less than 30 golf courses were to be constructed over the next 7 years, by 2020. Seriously impressive stuff! The strategy document (the link used to work for me, now I get a message of Forbidden 403...):
The 2020 tourism development strategy foresees the construction of 30 new high-quality golf courses, roughly at the following locations: 14 in the northern Adriatic, 8 in the southern Adriatic, and 8 in continental Croatia.
By 2020, the end of the 7-year plan, not a single course had been started. Nobody seemed to mind or make a comment, the 7-year plan had come to an end.
Indeed, such is the relaxed pace of life in the Kingdom of Accidental Tourism that for the next two years, there wasn't an official strategy document at all, as the next 7-year plan was being worked on. I think I am correct in saying it still has not been officially released some three years later.
So Croatian tourism has been rudderless without an official 7-year plan for almost three years. Has anyone even noticed?
Back to the golf. The plans looked very pretty indeed.
The difference between Croatia and tiny Slovenia next door is that the Slovenian golf courses were actually real - here is a guide to the 13 Slovenian golf courses compiled by the Total Slovenia News team a few years ago.
Having marvelled at the genius of the Kingdom's methods over the years, one thing I have learned is that if the Kings are doing nothing, they sure know how to look busy and tell everyone how busy they are, as we explored a few years ago in No Courses Started in 10 Years, But THREE Croatian Golf Tourism Conferences in 2019.
That sure is busy.
The other thing to do to look busy if nothing is happening is to order an expensive report to show how busy you are. And so the 2017 Golf Action Plan was born.
In the redacted edition of the report, there is mention of two quite special projects - Porto Mariccio in Istria, and Srdj above Dubrovnik. The latter is currently the subject of a US$500 million lawsuit against the Republic of Croatia, from memory under arbitration in Washington in a suit filed by the Israeli investor, and Porto Mariccio is my favourite Croatian golfing story, for it involves one of the greatest names in golf, the late Jack Niklaus. The Golden Bear arrived with great fanfare in 2016 and was met at the airport by the then Prime Minister Ivo Sanadar (before he went to prison). Nicklaus announced a 200 million euro golf resort called Porto Mariccio in Istria. With the Prime Minister's very public backing, that had to be a cert, surely?
I contacted the Jack Nicklaus Course Design company in 2018, some 12 years later, while researching Whatever Happened to Jack Nicklaus' Croatian Golf Course, Approved by PM Sanader? asking about their involvement, to get this response:
Unfortunately we have not had any communication with the Porto Mariccio project in a number of years and are unable to provide any update for you.
So here we are in 2023, celebrating 100 years of golf tourism in Croatia, and analysing 30 years of official golf tourism strategy. So where are we? Director of the Croatian National Tourist Board Kristjan Stanicic took time out from issuing SLAPP lawsuits against fat bloggers and gave a quite extraordinary interview to Novi List recently. You can read my take on his interview in Croatia National Tourist Board Finally Adopts Some of My Ideas. On golf, he had this to say:
One of those contents that we may already be a little bored with, but it is certainly golf. In no way to break the deadlock, we are aware that, for example, the south of Portugal and Spain are working on golf during the winter season. Climatically, we are very similar.
We are similar, but with the difference that there are very mild winters, which means that you can play golf all year round. We can use it in some southern destinations, islands, even Istria. But nothing happens overnight. There is a lot of talk about golf, it has been worked on for many years.
The esteemed director might be a little bored with golf, but I think the taxpayer would rather see some results, or at least a focus on some other niche that will have some results.
And perhaps a little accountability for the non-delivery of 30 out of the 30 golf courses to be delievered by 2020. Indeed, what are the results of these 30 years of official golf tourism strategy?
Two golf courses and a lawsuit for half a billion dollars against. Good job!
But the final word perhaps should go to the official Croatian National Tourist Board website, which is celebrating 100 years of golf tourism. The 18-hole course from central Zagreb has gone, as have the other courses in Croatia. Here is the relevant information about 100 years of golf tourism and 30 years of official golf tourism strategy in the Kingdom of Accidental Tourism:
Your greatest hits
Despite only having a few courses with 18 holes at the moment, besides the one in Brijuni National Park and some private courses, Croatia aims to become a significant golf destination. Just relax during a game walking through fields surrounded by its idyllic countryside and enjoy its gentle climate to find out why.
Soon you’ll discover there is much more than meets the eye, they say that most company decisions are made on golf fields but the only decisions you will have to make are which vineyards to visit, where to go shopping, will you go sailing… or just keep playing one more hole!
As the Croatian National Tourist Board was keen to point out in their SLAPP lawsuits against me, I am not a tourism expert (nor did I claim to be). I don't know a lot about golf either, but one thing I do know is that they are called 'golf courses' not 'golf fields'. Perhaps we can organise another golf conference to discuss.
Read more - 10 Things I Learned from my SLAPP Lawsuits in Croatia.
Golf in Zagreb? Bring Your Own Clubs, Kilts, Whisky and Bagpipes.
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What is it like to live in Croatia? An expat for 20 years, you can follow my series, 20 Ways Croatia Changed Me in 20 Years, starting at the beginning - Business and Dalmatia.
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Croatian Desserts: Tradition, Influences, Walnuts, Figs, Secrets
January 22, 2023 - On TCN we have started sharing recipes for traditional Croatian desserts, as well as desserts that might have originated elsewhere, but are traditionally made in Croatia. Before going too far, it's only right to properly present the categories. Exploring the wealth of desserts in Croatia, enjoy this lovely Sunday read written by Morana Zibar.
Just as the landscape, culture, and customs change from one Croatian region to the next, so do the Croatian desserts. From deep down in the Mediterranean south all the way to the fertile plains in the Danube region, the map of Croatian desserts is as impressive and plentiful as the country itself.
After their first encounter with Croatia, most people are amazed to see just how much diversity there is in such a small country. For comparison, the total area is less than the size of West Virginia. The diversity in Croatia comes from its geography, mostly. However, the influences from bigger neighboring countries and their cultures (Italian, French, Hungarian, Austrian, Turkish) found their way to the sweet department, too.
Yet, the basis of traditional sweets is always similar. Their background can usually be traced to the very simple and modest recipes of our grandmas. They used what was available and abundant, ordinary ingredients like eggs, flour, fresh cream and cheese, seasonal fruit and nuts like apples or walnuts. The really fancy stuff was kept for rare special occasions, and experimenting began only after the tradition had been firmly established.
Desserts in Zagreb and Central Croatia
Although Zagreb and northwestern Croatia seems like a small and fairly compact area, things do get complicated. There are many little sub-regions with their special features: Zagorje, Međimurje, Prigorje, Moslavina, Podravina… Plenty of similarities, but also a lot of differences. A common trait is that many traditional desserts here include dairy products. And what the folks lacked in exclusive ingredients and spices, they compensated for with creativity and dedication.
Zagreb is another story. While rural areas based their sweet heritage on simplicity, the bourgeois class in Zagreb looked up to Vienna. The citizens of Zagreb greatly admired the more elaborate, fancy desserts. These two basically separate traditions – peasant food and culinary bourgeoisie – began to overlap at some point, to mutual benefit.
Photo by Zagreb Tourist Board
Many typical Zagreb dishes, as well as desserts, originally stem from Viennese cuisine. Gradually, they evolved into local variations, taking on a life and identity of their own. The ubiquitous strudels and dumplings with plums or apricots are definitive proof of the region’s Austrian-Hungarian heritage. A quaint little place with strudels and other old-school Zagreb desserts is the Jakšić pastry shop just off Kvaternik Square. In popular downtown pastry shops like Vincek and Cukeraj, you can try Zagreb's signature cake modeled on the famous Sacher cake from Vienna. Local pastry masterminds even created a rich chocolate cake and named it after the famous historical figure - Jelačić torta.
Samobor and kremšnita
The little town of Sambor is home to one of the most famous Croatian desserts – kremšnita. Even though its variants are now a supermarket item all over Croatia, the original is something special. Protected and listed in the Register of Cultural Goods, the recipe was devised in the 1920s. It consists of two layers of puff pastry and fluffy custard cream in between. The U prolazu pastry shop and the Livadić café are the only two places with the authentic Samobor kremšnita on offer.
Photo by Samobor Tourist Board
If you visit small town fairs, like the one in Samobor, have some traditional paprenjaci (pepper cookies) and medenjaci (honey cookies). Also, pancakes with walnuts in wine sauce from Samobor's Gabreku 1929 restaurant are a must-try.
Zagorje and štrukli
Zagorski štrukli are the trademark of the Zagorje region. This handmade pillow-shaped dough with a filling of cottage cheese, eggs and cream is very versatile. Štrukli can easily be a starter, main course or dessert, either savory or sweet. The sweet version contains some sugar or even fruit, fresh cream on top and into the oven it goes. La Štruk in Zagreb is štrukli heaven, while the ones at the Esplanade hotel are an institution.
Photo by Zagreb Tourist Board
Međimurska gibanica is the flagship of Međimurje, one of the richest and most complex traditional Croatian desserts. Layers of phyllo dough are the basis of the gibanica, as always. Between those layers of dough? Almost everything they could find: cottage cheese, walnuts, apple, and poppy seeds. A meal on its own, indeed. The one in the sophisticated Mala hiža restaurant is to die for.
Photo by Međimurje Tourist Board
In almost all parts of continental Croatia, especially in the countryside, orehnjača (walnut roll, sometimes also called the orahnjača) and makovnjača (poppy seed roll) are standard. It seems that each region brought its own touch to this basically simple cake. Zlevanka is a simple pie from the northern regions, boasting a combination of cornflour and cottage cheese.
Photo of orehnjača
Slavonia and the Danube Region
The east of Croatia is unfortunately not so prominent on the tourist map. It has, however, always been known as the place where people express their hospitality and friendship with food. (Think of Italian grandmas, but with heavier artillery.) Returning home with a few extra pounds is quite normal. On top of that, it has traditionally been the ground where vegetarians fear to tread (don’t worry, that’s changing now). The cuisine of Slavonia stands for a lot of meat and fat, hearty dishes and huge portions, but also a lot of comfort and happiness. The desserts follow the same principles. And they just keep coming, as almost every social gathering eventually turns into a festival of treats.
Croatian desserts in Slavonia come in all forms and sizes, from creamy and buttery cakes for festive occasions to simple little sweets. The genre of so-called wedding cookies actually served on a wider range of occasions, is true art. There are probably hundreds of them. Some of the most popular are breskvice, čupavci, oraščići, bećar šnite, vanili kifle, julka šnite, bijela pita...
Mađarica
Mađarica, the ultimate crowd pleaser and an icon among Croatian desserts is particularly good in this area. Its name literally means a Hungarian girl, but nobody knows its exact origin. Basically, it’s just layers of dough and chocolate buttercream. Seems simple, but takes a lot of effort to make. Women often compete whose mađarica will have more layers!
Mađarica, photo by Morana Zibar
Salenjak is something like a Slavonian croissant. It is puff pastry wraps, filled with homemade jam. But, it has a secret ingredient: lard is used, not butter! Dessert with the funniest name is most probably poderane gaće – torn underpants. Imagine a doughnut, but flattened, very simple, and often found as a sweet snack sold at fairs. Bazlamača is an old-fashioned pie similar to zlevanka, but often topped with jam or walnuts.
Photo of tačkrle by Baranja Tourist Board
Tačkrle or taške is a traditional take on ravioli: potato dough, filled with plum jam and topped with breadcrumbs in butter. Strudels, pies, and pancakes are an import, but nowhere are they as rich and mouthwatering as in east Croatia.
Croatian desserts in Istria and Kvarner
Istria is known as the region with a very developed gourmet scene, which goes hand in hand with its blooming tourism. This is the area where the Mediterranean meets the Alps, where Venetian and Austrian influence helped shape the local tradition into something unique. You can dine either in Michelin-star establishments or rural taverns and family farms. The style will be different, but the service and food will be equally good.
Pasta dishes are a staple of Istria, so a lot of desserts are pasta-like and pastry based. Kroštule are a simple treat, a perfect companion to a brandy at the end of a meal. In the past, these crispy deep-fried little ribbons were associated with the carnival season, but now they are here all year round. One of the most peculiar and delicious Croatian desserts can be found only around the town of https://www.total-croatia.com/labin/">Labin – labinski krafi. Basically, it’s a sweet ravioli with a heavenly filling of cheese, raisins, brandy or rum, lemon zest. You can have krafi served with a savory sauce. However, when they are meant as dessert, you get a decadent sweet sauce on top.
Povitica is a local version of the walnut roll, but made in the shape of a Bundt cake. It is a traditional part of the Easter menu. Pandišpanj is a simple, aromatic sponge cake with lemon and orange zest. One of those old-fashioned cakes that don't capture attention with their looks, but certainly do with their taste. The same goes for bucolaj, a traditional sweet bread, perfect for breakfast, with milk.
International classics with local twists
There are adaptations of some international classics. Whipped zabajon comes from the Italian zabaglione, but it's made with local Muscat wine. Likewise, the Austrian Schneenockerln (floating islands) became paradižet in Istria and Dalmatia, while it is šnenokle in the continental part. Restaurants will often serve their take on Italian favorites like tiramisu, panna cotta or semifreddo.
Šnenokle or paradižet, photo by Morana Zibar
To add a very distinctive local touch to anything, including desserts - just add truffles! Istria is the truffle country of Croatia, so don't say no if somebody offers a cake or ice cream with truffles. Most artisan shops will certainly have products like chocolate bars, pralines or spreads with truffles. The town of Lovran on the Kvarner Riviera is the capital of chestnuts. When they are in season, all will be full of chestnut-based desserts. The highlight is the traditional Marunada festival in October. To keep it simple, just grab the classic chestnut purée in the charming Kaokakao patisserie in Volosko or Opatija.
Kvarner Islands
Kvarner islands do have their own peculiarities on the dessert menu, but they are not easy to find. Bukaleta is a great little off-the-beaten-track tavern on the island of Cres. They are specialists for lamb dishes, but also have two almost forgotten traditional desserts. Combine sheep suet, flour, dried figs, raisins, and spice, mash and boil them together and then slice the result - you get olito. Grašnjaci are little round fritters, filled with jam and walnuts. Sheep-farming has a long tradition on the islands, so skuta, sheep's milk curd cheese is a common ingredient in homemade desserts. Another fine example of using fresh dairy is presnac from the island of Krk. It consists of pastry base and a sweet sheep's milk cheese filling.
Rabska torta, photo by TZ Rab
On the other hand, you won't have any problems finding the famous rabska torta, the pride of https://www.total-croatia.com/rab-island/">Rab. This beautiful and original spiral-shaped cake made from ground almonds, flour, lard, maraschino, sugar, eggs, lemon, and orange zest goes back to the 12th century. The story goes that even Pope Alexander III enjoyed it greatly when he had some in 1177. The place to overdose on it is Kuća rabske torte (The House of Rab Cake) in the old town of Rab. Muštaćoni are Rab's delicious native cookies, with almonds, chocolate, and mixed spice.
Gorski Kotar and Lika
The mountain area dividing the coastline from the continental Croatia is a beautiful green wilderness full of forests and mountains. Not much farmed or populated, but certainly has its representatives on the list of Croatian desserts. Things do grow there, but mostly on their own, in the woods. This is the land of delicious wild berries and some of the best honey in the country, among other things. These two regions gave a significant contribution to the genre of strudels and pies.
Gorski Kotar is famous for its wild blueberry strudel. Try it in Bitoraj or Volta, well-known restaurants in Fužine.
Photo by Gorski Kotar Tourist Board
The cuisine of Lika is very traditional and humble, everything revolves around meat, potato, cabbage, and dairy. Desserts pretty much follow the same direction, but don't disappoint. Masnica is a rich pie filled with cream, cheese, onion, prosciutto, raisins - it can be either savory or sweet. Lički uštipci are delicious, deep-fried balls of dough (and joy!), similar to Dalmatian fritule. Sometimes the dough includes dried plums or raisins, but originally they're just plain. Thousands of visitors flock to Plitvice Lakes, but Plitvice strudel has its fans, too. Triangle-shaped, with a bit thicker pastry, it has a rich filling that can include cottage cheese, apples, walnuts, sour cherries, or poppy seed. Lička kuća restaurant, inside the national park, offers an authentic version of cheesecake. Basa, a very local version of creamy soft cheese, goes into it.
Mediterranean Influences on Desserts in Dalmatia
On the Dalmatian Coast, you've reached the genuine Mediterranean. A lot of olive oil, aromatic herbs, figs, almonds, oranges, lemons, carob... It's all there. Obviously, Dalmatia shares a lot of basic recipes and procedures with the rest of the Mediterranean basin. The Italian influence is quite strong because, throughout history, the Venetian Republic and Italy ruled large parts of Dalmatia. Yet, every town and every island is also proud of its authentic culinary heritage. One thing almost all Croatian desserts there have in common is a lot of pleasant, seductive aromas typical for the Adriatic.
The little balls of joy you often see at street food stalls are fritule. Simple round fritters aromatized with brandy were once a staple of any festive season. But since they are easy to make and irresistible, they are now here all the time. On the other hand, sirnica (pinca is its continental counterpart) is still traditionally prepared only for Easter. It's a simple sweet bread, with the wonderful aroma of lemon zest and rum, or brandy. On the more exotic side, baškotini are one of the best-kept secrets of the island of Pag. These toasted biscuits, perfect for dipping in latte, have been baked in St. Margaret's Convict in Pag for centuries.
Fritule, photo by Šibenik Tourist Board
Korčula desserts
When it comes to small everyday cookies, the island of Korčula is the champion. Its most famous sweet treats are cukarin, klašun, and amareta. Unusually shaped, crisp, and simple, cukarin needs to have a companion: a glass of sweet wine called prošek. Crescent-shaped and tender klašun is filled with almonds or nuts, including rose liqueur, lemon zest and spice. As the name suggests, amareta is made from ground almonds. Meet them all, as well as some original creations, in the legendary Cukarin pastry shop.
Photo by Korčula Tourist Board
There is yet another crisp and aromatic cookie in many Dalmatian places, especially in Trogir. It is called rafiol. Although the name suggests a connection with the ravioli pasta, the two are totally different. Rafiol is actually a sugar-coated, crescent-shaped cookie with an aromatic filling. The recipes for the filling vary; usually, it includes ground almonds or nuts, but also chocolate.
Rafioli by Morana Zibar
Trademark cakes in Dalmatian cities
Split, the largest Dalmatian city, impresses with its ancient architecture, but also with splitska torta - Split cake. Layers of meringue mixed with almonds, dried figs and raisins are filled with orange-infused buttercream. Yes, it's a calorie bomb, but one you can't refuse. Oš kolač artisan pastry shop is a great place to try modern interpretations of Split's favorite desserts. Many Dalmatian cities have their trademark cake; rich, luxurious and made for special occasions. This tradition usually doesn't go to far back: just like we mentioned before, the trademark cake comes with the rise of the middle class. When the expensive ingredients like chocolate, refined sugar, or mixed spice became widely available, desserts were taken to the next level.
Skradinska torta from Skradin is something really special. Special enough to be served to the newlyweds before their first nuptial night. A mixture of eggs, sugar, rose liqueur, honey, ground walnuts and almonds is baked and glazed with dark chocolate. Imotska torta, from Imotski, is a tart, consisting of a pastry base and almond filling with spice and aromatic liqueur.
Torta Makarana by the Makarska Tourist Board
Torta makarana, from Makarska, is the queen of any festive occasion. The pastry base is filled with a mixture of ground almonds, eggs, sugar, citrus juice and zest, spices, and aromatic liqueur. This one has an interesting history, traced back to 1838. It was served to Frederick Augustus III, the last king of Saxony, who was so delighted that he named it.
Endemic cakes, found in one place only!
A very endemic cake is still around on the island of Brač, more precisely - in the village of Dol. Hrapaćuša has a layer of sponge and a layer of thick sweet nuts, sugar, and egg whites mixture. The name comes from a type of stone used for building houses in Dol. And don't even try getting the recipe: a handful of local families guard it with their life!
Hrapaćuša cake, photo by Morana Zibar
And speaking of strange desserts, nothing beats Stonska torta, the cake from Ston. It's made from a local pasta called makaruli, similar to penne tubes. They are joined by a mixture of ground almonds or walnuts, grated chocolate, cinnamon, and lemon zest, plus eggs and butter, all coated with more dough.
Everywhere you look, there's a fig
The south is full of fig trees, offering their sweet soft fruits in the summer. Of course some of those will end up in Croatian desserts! In Zadar, there's a charming little festival dedicated to figs, and in Pet bunara restaurant you can taste their original creation called Šinjorina Smokva cake. Dried figs are used to make smokvenjak, a great way to preserve memories of summer on long winter days. How do you make it? Ground dried figs with a bit of brandy, maybe some almonds or herbs. Either flat and round or shaped like salami, you cut it little by little. Smokvenjak loves the company of homemade herbal brandy. On the island of Vis it is known as hib.
Rožata, photo by Dubrovnik Tourist Board
Something a bit lighter and wobblier than all those heavy cakes comes from Dubrovnik. Rožata or Rozata is usually defined as the local version of crème caramel. Nowadays you can find it all along the coast. It is a delicious custard pudding with caramel topping, but the secret lies in the local rose liqueur. And all those beautiful bitter oranges that don't make it as zest? Arančini are the candy of Dalmatia - candied orange peel. The version with lemon is called limončini.
Arancini
Throw in some candied almonds while you're at it as well - bruštulane mendule. Let's not forget, Hvar is the island of lavander. So why not use it in artisan chocolates and pralines, together with other Mediterranean ingredients? At Gamulin Chocolates they can show us how.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated Lifestyle section.
Croatian Ski Resort Platak Finally Welcoming Visitors for Ski Season 2023
January 21, 2023 - Platak is one of Croatia's famous ski resorts, located near Rijeka, not too far from Zagreb either. It is perfect for a little winter family getaway or just a weekend in the snow. After a slightly longer wait, the 2023 ski season seems to finally be here. Platak is being prepared and will be welcoming visitors from Tuesday, 24 January.
As Index reports, after the much-needed cold weather arrived, the snowmaking system was started on Platak. If everything goes according to plan, the ski resort will be open on Tuesday, January 24, according to the regional sports centre.
There is 25 to 30 cm of natural snow on Platak
The director of the Regional (Goranski) sports centre, Alen Udovič, told Hina that the snowmaking system was started last night to prepare a high-quality snow surface in time and enable as many skiing days as possible, and it will work until Monday.
There is now 25 to 30 centimeters of natural snow on Platak, which, he added, had first fallen on the wet and warm ground, but now, after cooling down, it is slowly compacting. Udovič said that, according to the weather forecast, Platak can expect several cold and windy days and that additional amounts of natural snow are possible.
He announced that even during this weekend, skiers and ski schools would be able to use a baby trail on Platak, while sledders would use the baby lift to take them to the lower part of the Pribeniš trail.
Next week, depending on the weather, night skiing on Tuesdays and Fridays will be possible in addition to day skiing every day. Udovič also announced that from January 27 to 29, the 2nd edition of the international race European Skibike Cup would be held on Platak for the second time, expecting 40 competitors from 11 countries.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated Lifestyle section.
Makarska Volunteers Help Rebuild a Banovina Family Home
January 21, 2023 - Three Makarska volunteers, the people behind the initiative "Makarska Riviera and Friends - With Hearts for Petrinja" truly deserved the "Pride of Croatia" award. Their kindness of people gathered around the action helped restore the house of Božidar Boltužić's family of six in Jabukovec near Petrinja.
As HRT / Poslovni write, this is the first completely renovated home in the area affected by the earthquake.
"After the earthquake, the structural engineers came, followed by Mijo Pašalić, Škaro and Jovica Šegan who told us that they would help us rebuild the house," says Božidar Boltužić, Jabukovac.
Four months after they made that promise, the old house was demolished, and the work on the new one lasted until the beginning of September. The fully equipped two-story house was ready to move into. All good things happen spontaneously, and so did this story, according to the friends who started the initiative and, despite numerous obstacles, finished the job brilliantly. And it all started - the day after New Year's Eve. Over a coffee.
"At one point, it dawned on me - look how nice we have it here, we're having fun, and just two days ago, unfortunately, a huge tragedy happened in Petrinja", said Josko Šarić Škaro, Makarska.
On the second day of New Year 2021, Josko and Jovica headed to Petrinja. There was no time to waste, they knew, and they wanted to help at least one unfortunate family. The home of the Boltužić family was completely unusable, and the family had no alternative accommodation.
"We collected the documentation and when we had everything according to the construction law, we demolished the existing building. It is important to point out is that we wanted the facility to be in the existing dimensions that the family had before, not to make a smaller facility," says Jovica Šegan, Makarska.
The 230-square-meter house cost almost HRK 1,400,000. Seventy-five Makarska volunteers joined the initiative of these three successful entrepreneurs. "We are proud of how it started, how many people we gathered and how it all ended beautifully. After eight months of preparation and construction, we are incredibly proud", concluded Mijo Pašalić.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated Lifestyle section.
Croatia Receives First World Accreditation for Medical Tourism
January 21, 2023 - The prestigious "Gold Seal of Approval®" certificate is awarded by the world's leading accreditation institution, Joint Commission International (JCI). Sveta Katarina received one, sure to boost medical tourism in Croatia.
As Poslovni writes, the Special Hospital Sveta Katarina is the first healthcare institution in Croatia to receive the prestigious "Gold Seal of Approval®" certificate from the world's leading accreditation institution in the field of healthcare, the Joint Commission International (JCI). This opens the way for them to the American market, increases the competitiveness of the Croatian healthcare system, and can also serve as motivation for other players in medical tourism; they pointed out at a press conference in Sveta Katarina, which Minister of Tourism Nikolina Brnjac also attended.
As explained by Igor Borić, director of the Special Hospital Sveta Katarina, it became the first Croatian healthcare institution accredited by JCI. It is determined to work in accordance with the most demanding global healthcare standards, both in the provision of healthcare and in the area of patient safety, which includes prevention, early detection, elimination, and improvement of protection against unwanted events during the healthcare process. JCI accreditation represents the highest accreditation standard in healthcare; it is highly demanding, the evaluation process is multi-year, and it is held by the world's leading healthcare institutions, including the Mayo Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic.
All holders, including Sveta Katarina, receive their certificates for three years, followed by re-accreditation.
"This accreditation also means that all American citizens who use the services of our hospital will have the right to reimbursement from their American insurer, which is a significant step that many larger institutions in European countries do not dare to take, partly because it is public information if you do not pass the accreditation. This procedure involves many participants, effort, and investment. In it, we compare ourselves with the most successful in the world", said Dragan Primorac, president of the hospital's Administrative Council, pointing out that this accreditation opens the door for other institutions in Croatia to follow the same path.
Minister Nikolina Brnjac reminded us that medical tourism is an important component in the new tourism strategy and the project financing program from the National Plan for Recovery and Resilience. Jadranka Primorac confirmed that Sveta Katarina has projects that can compete for subsidies from NPOO.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated Travel section.
Bread Club Zagreb to Represent Croatia in Its First Baking Olympics
January 20, 2023 - Bread Club co-owners Darko Kušić and Andrija Pernar will represent Croatia at an important baking competition this weekend in Rimini, Italy. They're going with traditional Croatian recipes, soparnik and čvarkuša.
As Jutarnji writes, along with masters of gelato and coffee, SIGEP, the World Dolce Expo, also hosts an international competition, a sort of Olympic Games of the baking world. Nine countries are participating this year, and one of them is none other than Croatia. The nation's representatives are a team from the super popular Zagreb bakery Bread Club - its co-owners Darko Kušić and Andrija Pernar.
"The whole thing works on the principle of invitations, and Croatia was invited to participate for the first time this year. All competitors must be members of the Richemont club; that's one of the conditions," Andrija Pernar told Jutarnji in a short phone conversation just before leaving for the competition.
The competition will be held over two days, and on the first day, the contestants only have an hour to prepare their dough. The next day, they have to finish the products in five categories in only eight hours.
"We will make ciabatta, one of the default categories, and it is made to exact weight, according to the Italian recipe. There is no compromise. Another category is freestyle bread, and we will make our porridge bread, a bread inspired by proja (corn meal), our white Grandfather's bread, and another bread with horsebean protein. In the tarts category, we will make two sweet varieties, inspired by the Croatian poppy seed roll and the Dubrovnik rožata, as well as two savory kinds, which we have made based on the traditional recipes of Viška pogača and Soparnik.
We will also make Margherita pizza, along with our version with cheese, sour cream, and kulen; while some of our other dishes include čvarkuša, a bread roll with Croatian bacon and cheese, Croatian kiflice and a sandwich with škripavac cheese and Nin šokol (dried cured pork neck). We decided to focus on tradition; we believe that to be the recipe for a good ranking," explained Darko Kušić.
They added that the grading system is quite strict and look at every detail. Each product must be precisely the specified weight. Precision is key, and any deviation is penalized with negative points.
For example, the team of bakers from China has been preparing for this for the last year, and they're sending three teams to Italy in case the first line-up is prevented from performing for some reason. This only goes to show how serious this competition is. By the way, the Chinese representatives also designed a replica of their kitchen just for this competition to make their work easier.
"Everything is done from scratch; we are not even allowed to bring a mature starter. We will knead the puff pastry dough on the first day and laminate it on the second. We must ensure we get it all done in eight hours, which is quite challenging. Given that we only recently opened our new production facilities, along with another branch, we have only been practicing for the competition for the last two months", commented Darko and Andrija and added that they believe their biggest competition is the Italian team. "We met them, and they are absolutely the masters of the craft," they added.
In the end, Jutarnji asked if they planned to keep any products from the competition in Bread Club's permanent offer.
"Extremely intense months are behind us, during which we prepared and tested new products with our team. All our products are made with filigree precision and with special love, so we are looking forward to putting everything we worked so hard on into production," they said. Good luck to Bread Club, and we're looking forward to tasting more of their world-class pastries soon!
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated Lifestyle section.
