April 7, 2023 - It is Good Friday. In Croatia, that could mean a few things. If you are religious, you are likely to go to church and follow the Way of the Cross (beautiful traditions tied to that, for example, Za Križen in Hvar), you might be fasting, or you just might be realizing that Easter is only two days away. YouZa Križen in Hvar), you might be fasting, or you just might be realizing that Easter is only two days away, and you need to get started on your food prep. If you live in Slavonia and have a grandmother, you are more than likely to be served tašci, also known as taške, also known as tačkrle, also known as "don't bother preparing them if you're not making a hundred."

Following the Catholic tradition, most households in Croatia will be fasting or at least staying away from meat on Good Friday. Having moved away from the religious rigidity, what ends up happening on days like that (another prime example being Christmas Eve), is that the finest fish meals end up being prepared, along with desserts, to make it a little bit more special. And you end up a long way from fasting. For that purpose, as we said, none is better than the traditional little pockets of happiness that are taške. They taste the best if made by grandmas or at least mothers, but all versions are more than good enough. Though the recipe is simple, the preparation is quite labor intensive and does take a little bit of time, so make sure to account for that. 

Taške is a simple dough filled with jam, cooked and rolled in poppy seeds or ground walnuts. Enjoyed by the dozen. They originate from Slavonija and Baranja but are also popular in parts of Hungary and Serbia. The dough can be just flour and water or a potato dough like gnocchi. It would always be the simplest version in my family, so that is the recipe I'll share today. 

Dough

- flour

- water

- salt 

- optional: egg

Filling

- jam 

Toppings

- ground walnuts + sugar

- toasted poppy seeds + sugar

* The traditional filling is a special type of plum jam, which is just plums and a little sugar cooked for hours in the oven - once it cools in the jars, it hardens and becomes perfect for fillings as it doesn't leak out during cooking.

Preparation

1 Knead your dough with a pinch of salt and enough water to bind it together. Add one egg for extra elasticity and flavour, but feel free to skip. The consistency should be hard but uniform. There are no exact measurements; you'll use more or less flour depending on how many people you're trying to feed (about 1 kg used for a family of 6 with plenty of leftovers).

2 Dusting it with flour, roll out the dough into thin sheets (about 2-3 mm thick), fill with jam, folding it over row by row. Tip: glue it together using a little water between the individual taške. 

3 Cut into squares, pinching the ends together so your filling stays in place during cooking. During the process, keep your prepared taške separate so they don't stick together (flour your trays and use baking paper between layers).

4 Bring your biggest pot of water with a pinch of salt to boil. Taške should be cooked in small bunches, about six at a time, but if (like me) you're trying to cook about 90 of them, feel free to dump as many as you can comfortably fit into the pot. They are cooked in rapidly boiling water very briefly, for a minute or two after they've risen to the surface.

5 Take them out and let cool for a few minutes, after which you can layer them into glass or ceramic dishes with their toppings - ground walnuts with a bit of sugar or toasted poppy seeds with sugar.

Taške are best eaten warm, following a nice fish dinner.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated Lifestyle section.

December 18, 2021 -  Food is the first thing everyone thinks of when talking about the Mediterranean Diet, and while it's food that weaves all the elements of the Mediterranean diet together, over the past three months we've learnt that the Mediterranean diet is so much more than just food.

Healthiest Food Choices

Chances are you have heard of the Mediterranean diet, not only for its deliciousness but also for the fact that the Mediterranean diet has long been known as one of the healthiest food choices. 

The US News & World Report rating the best diets for 2021 had the Mediterranean diet top the scales as the best diet overall in the annual best diet rankings for the fourth consecutive year being described as extremely delicious, easy to follow, easy to get started, and very sustainable.

Uniquely Croatian Twist

Living in such a beautiful region as part of the Mediterranean, tourists flock to Croatia to taste, if just for a few days, the Mediterranean diet. A big part of that is enjoying the amazing fresh fare that is on offer, with its own uniquely added Croatian twist. All the way from the top north regions of Istria to down south of Dubrovnik you can find delicious, fresh, and healthy food.  

Sure, you can try Mediterranean cuisine halfway across the world, and the key to your enjoyment is in the ambiance that comes along with the fare. Take your pick, anywhere you choose, whether inland or on the islands, you will find a treasure trove of specific ingredients that are still being grown and prepared using traditional methods. Along with Spain, Italy, Greece, and Morocco, the Croatian islands of Brač and Hvar are centres of protected Mediterranean cuisine, since a part of the ingredients and spices, as well as the customs surrounding the preparation of some dishes, represent a shared cultural heritage.

“Your body is not a temple, it’s an amusement park – enjoy the ride.” These are the words of one of the world’s most famous and beloved chefs, Anthony Bourdain, and words to live by when it comes to the Mediterranean cuisine on the Adriatic. 

More Than Just Food

Take the time and you will realise that the Mediterranean Diet goes beyond being only an exceptional dietary pattern. There is an entire culture around the production, preparation, presentation, and consumption of food. The real Mediterranean diet is so much more valuable to us than just eating fresh, wholesome food. From buying or growing, to preparing and eating Mediterranean meals can vary across the region, with Peka here in Croatia to Paella in Spain.

The Mediterranean Diet involves a lifestyle, a Mediterranean dynamic cultural complexity, which includes traditions concerning agriculture, fishing and livestock, food processing, preservation, cooking techniques, food sharing, and consumption. Cooking and meals are perfect social meetings to exchange ideas and communicate with family, friends, and neighbours, to forge closer ties, in cordiality and respect.

The Mediterranean Diet has a main role in culture, being present in festivities, celebrations, and daily life, represented in crafts, in markets, as places for exchange, or inside the familiar nucleus, where techniques and recipes are transmitted.

Med Diet Declaration

The Med Diet Declaration aims to achieve greater visibility and significance of the Mediterranean diet across all sectors, such as agriculture, food production, health, culture, sport, education, economy, tourism, rural development, and sustainability.

Endorsing this declaration is an opportunity for local and regional actors to demonstrate the crucial role they can play in strengthening the economic potential of the Mediterranean diet in rapidly changing landscapes and lifestyles. This call is therefore an invitation to join the Med Diet Declaration community, a badge that highlights an active role in DEFENDING, PRESERVING, and PROMOTING the Mediterranean diet.

Med Diet Endorsers

We were thrilled to be chosen to be part of this project and work with the first Endorsers of the Med Diet Declaration here in Croatia. To meet families who for generations have been sustaining their lifestyle by promoting and living the true Mediterranean Lifestyle. In this video we introduce you to two of the Med Diet Endorsers:

MALI RAJ, BOL, ISLAND OF BRAČ

Mali Raj translated into English means little paradise. And that's exactly what you feel as you arrive at the restaurant with it being located in a most beautiful setting just above the beach 'Zlatni Rat'.  It's not just the setting that creates this atmosphere. The food is heavenly too, reflecting traditional Dalmatian cuisine with some of the most interesting recipes being added to the menu, with various types of tartar, carpaccio, and buzara. 

RESTAURANT TRICA GARDELIN, VRBOSKA, ISLAND OF HVAR

Another island favourite is Restaurant Trica Gardelin, a family-run restaurant in the picturesque village of Vrboska. Their love of the Mediterranean diet is seen not just in their business, it weaves its way through every aspect of their lives. And their motto "from the sea to your plate" has been confirmed by us on many occasions and by many of our guests, both local and visitors to Croatia.

For more information about the Med Diet Declaration - read here

For more information Travel/Lifestyle in Croatia follow TCN's dedicated pages -  Lifestyle | Travel

If you have questions on anything sailing in Croatia, feel free to ask below in the comments or check out Total Croatia, Sailing in Croatia: Your One-Stop-Shop for everything sailing.

Feeling peckish?

Meet Her Majesty, the Sarma!

Following their recent visit to Croatia, the royal couple gladly used the opportunity to enjoy some delicacies produced in these parts

Continuing TCN's look at the bloggers of Croatia, whose posts are helping shape the international view of the modern Croatia. TCN met the phenomenon that is Taste of Croatia on February 8, 2016.