Visiting Istria and not leaving a couple of kilos heavier seems to be an increasingly harder task these days.
When it comes to food, it's an unwritten rule to feast on the best that the ongoing season has to offer. We've all enjoyed plenty of sweet, juicy fruit this summer, and now it's only right to make the most out of the autumn gourmet palette.
In case you decided to drop by the record-holding Zigante Truffle Days in Livade this weekend (if you don't make it, you still have three more weeks ahead of you to mend that mistake), why not round up the experience and head on to Brtonigla as well? On October 28 and 29, this charming town in western Istria will host the 15th edition of Mushroom Days. Have some truffles first, then go on and sample the rest of the mushroom family.
On both days, you can take a look around a themed exhibition and learn more about the wondrous variety of the mushroom world. If you consider yourself an expert, you can take part in the mushroom-picking competition that starts on Saturday at 11; three hours later, the bounty will be turned in to the judging panel, followed by the award ceremony at 3 pm. The jury will make their pick (pun intended) in three separate categories, choosing the most beautiful mushroom, the biggest mushroom and the best designed mushroom basket.
Not that confident about your knowledge of mushrooms? In that case, it's better not to play around with fire – stay away from the potentially poisonous hunt, stick close to the fair and enjoy a hearty meal. We're all coming to eat anyway, and there's an additional advantage to the festival lunch – part of the proceeds will be donated to charity that works with people in need who live in Brtonigla Municipality.
Come for another round on Sunday, when the gastronomy programme kicks up a notch with an international competition in preparing mushroom dishes in the pot over open fire. To make it more entertaining for everyone in the audience, competitors will include not only local experts, but also multiple mayors of towns in the wider Buje area.
The entire programme will be accompanied by live music performances, and visitors will also be able to buy some delicious local produce at the festival fair.
You can find the detailed schedule (in Croatian and Italian) here. Bon appetit!
