A Postcard from Istria, Croatia
Amazing midnight blue sky and an olive tree in Istria
A very brief dip into my weekend in Istria in Northern Croatia. It has been fairly busy, really good, the only downside is that the internet has been lacking. But maybe that is a good thing?
There is lots more to come, I am here for the week. They love food and wine here, are passionate, and very particular when it comes to quality. I am gathering recipes as I go too. I love this kind of trip.
Roman Amphitheatre in Pula – one of only 3 remaining in the world, including the Roman Coliseum.
Fish at the fish market in Pula
Chillies at the vegetable market in Pula
Young Croatian winemaker, Marko Gerzenic, making terrific, very clean and delicious wines in Istria. His father is a hunter, and cures meat and makes sausages. A common occupation in Istria, as there is lots of game, grapes and olives, and lots of passion for good food and drink.
Some photos from the Boletus (Mushroom Festival) in Brtonigla. This guy was so lovely, he’s proudly displaying a small section of their haul.
Some mushroom and beef stew at the mushroom festival
Mushroom Festival madness
Traditional Istrian cured pork, made from the “beef of the pig” and cooked over an open fire at Morgans in Brtonigla.
Traditional Istrian sausages, homemade and cooked over the fire, also at Morgans. Delicious. I think chitterlings stuffed with sausage but I need to confirm.
My new favourite thing! Fried apple yeast doughnuts – fritole. Recipe soon.
Comments
Brilliant, you make me want to visit Croatia right now!
Amazing pictures Niamh – Istria looks fabulous. Specially loved the enormous mushrooms and the mushroom man and the apple dumplings – making me very hungry at 7.00am. You certainly get around on your travels – have you friends all over the world, or just someone who enjoys new places? Your site just gets better and better.
Lovely pics, can smell the sausages and looking forward to the apple yeast doughnut recipe.
Great article, really shows off the rustic food, charming locals and stunning architecture. I used to stay in a small house by the sea at the southern tip of Pula, and trudge into the market every morning to pick up the fabulous fish and vegetables from the market there (once bought a bag of dandelion leaves though, which was a mistake). I was always there in spring/summer, but the mushroom festival is tempting me to take an autumn trip. Pula is such an amazing city too, there seems to be Roman buildings scattered on every corner, and with the beautiful forests leading down to the sea, a perfect combination!
Mmmmm Mushrooms, I love them. So jealous.
GREAT! Croatia has some delicious foods and wines. Look forward to your next posts from here and hope you enjoy the rest of your visit. Where are you spending the rest of your week?
Really nice pictures, god i have to go to Istra again soon. I am also a total fan of the Fritule, there is a small restaurant 6 km outside of Porec, name of restaurant starts with B…., they make some amazing Fritule (and food in general).
Cheers, Morten
On my list of the next countries I’ll visit! Seem interesting from an historical and culinary point of view! One can clearly notice the influence of Roman art and culture from the pictures you took.
The Colosseum in Rome remains inimitable though ;P
I’ve only been to Istria briefly, when studying in Udine, in nearby Friuli. It was very lovely and of course the food and wine were stellar, and at the time incredibly cheap, even for someone on an Italian government scholarship. Pula is “Pola” in Italian and many Italians left after the Second World War (the Fascist regime discriminated against Croats and other Slavs, and the Nazi occupiers did far worse, so there was natural resentment against the Italians in the wake of the war).
Yes, Joyce there and in nearby Trieste…
Those Parasol Mushrooms look amazing. I had some Hedgehog mushrooms on Sour-dough for breakfast. Semi Stopfen Piltz, meine Deutsch is awful.I am in Bavaria, its cool.Yey, I am in London tomorrow, then South UK, then London again.
You travel more than me though. Your pics and words are a joy to read.