Dalmatinka in the Kitchen

Wine

2011-02-24T11:26:00.000-08:00

Surprisingly, good wine is not easy to come by here. My parents being the biggest wine connoisseurs I personally know were typically never satisfied with Croatia’s offering of reds and whites. But we have to remember that we San Franciscans are lucky enough to come from one of the richest wine regions in the world, so naturally our taste for good wine is above par. I find that most of the wines here taste vinegary, or too homemade (domaci) tasting, which is ok when you’re having a glass of it diluted with water, but no way you can down half a bottle plus.

Oh how I miss the delicious varieties of Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon of the central coast and Napa, so I have been on a mini mission to find some good red wine here. Since I am on a non existent income I can’t buy the bottles that I have been longing to try here that are over 100 kunas (20 bucks), so I stick to what I can afford, around 3-5 dollars. Oh so sad, but can’t forget on a mission here. After many a nights of pouring whole bottles of wine down the drain for their lack of smoothness and flavor, I finally stumbled upon a couple decent bottles of red.

One is known as “Plavac Hvar” (translation Blue Hvar). Hvar is an island off the central Dalmatian Coast and a very popular tourist destination for its beautiful beaches and old Mediterranean villages. The island is known for its red wine made from a small blue grape. It is a pretty good bottle of red for the $6 price tag. The other is “Laguna Merlot” from Istria, a region on the North Dalmatian Coast. It is not as complex and rich as other the merlots I am used to , but for $5 it isn’t bad.

Most recently, as in this week, I discovered a Pinot Noir from the Povardarie region of Macedonia at a great price, 17 Kunas/3 Dollars!!! This was just too good to be true. Knowing I was more than likely wasting my $3, I just had to try it, and good thing I did. It’s a flavorful, light, smooth wine that goes perfectly with just about any meal. Apparently Macedonian wine is good and cheap. My kind of wine. Thank you Macedonia!

Deep Fried Stuffed Crepes

2011-02-24T10:55:00.000-08:00

Oh you can fry a dirty sock and I would eat it. Deep fried food is like a little angel and devil sitting on my shoulder. Every bite is “died and gone to heaven” good, but the aftermath on the digestive system is “died and gone to hell” bad. This does not keep me from eating or making deep fried foods that’s for sure.

I stumbled upon some savory palacinke/crepe recipes in my Croatian Cuisine cookbook. As soon as I laid eyes on the deep fried number I was sold. “Fried Breaded Crepes with Turkey Filling”. The recipe seemed easy enough, but a bit time consuming, so I made what I could ahead of time as I knew this would be way too much to do all at once.

I started with the crepes themselves. The batter is the same as when making sweet crepes here in Cro (typically we do not add sugar to the batter as the filling is sugary enough.) Speaking of I should really write an entire entry on making crepes as they are tricky. That’s to come! I then made the filling with ground turkey, pickled cucumbers and red peppers, sour cream, with a dash of nutmeg. The crepes are stuffed, rolled like an egg roll, dipped in eggs, coated with read crumbs, and then deep fried. Oh so good! I forgot to take a pic because I wanted to eat them right away, so I leave you with the one below instead. The recipe can be found under recipe tab above. Enjoy!

Eggs Benedict “A La Dalmacija”

2011-02-21T12:05:00.000-08:00

I am so proud of myself right now! I just recreated the breakfast/brunch classic Eggs Benedict to suit the taste of a Dalmatian! My victim was no other than D, a true Dalmatian, born and raised in Zadar, who likes his eggs fried with a drizzle of olive oil on top with a hunk of bread. Fair enough, but I have been trying to get him to eat new things, especially dishes from the States that I love and he has never tried. Before going to soccer practice tonight I ask him what he wanted for dinner. “Fried eggs” he says. “Uhhhhhh again” I thought, so I took it upon myself to make something different of these fried eggs of his, while taking the chance to experiment myself.

Egss Benedict has been a long time favorite of mine. How I miss a full plate of this soggy egg and english muffin combination smothered in Hollandaise sauce. My birthday lunch of choice for years was Eggs Benedict with a mimosa from the Cliff House in San Francisco. I decided to make it tonight, but knew I had to modify it a bit for D’s taste. I have made Hollandaise sauce before and it is surprisingly easy; lots of butter, egg yolks and a little lemon juice. Instead of the butter I used olive oil, the quintessential Dalmatian cooking ingredient. A bit hesitant at first, I poured about a cup of olive oil to use (if this doesn’t work what a shame as the olive oil is gold here), and began the process of making hollandaise sauce. Once the egg yolks were done I slowly added the olive oil, saying a prayer after each little pour. After about a minute I saw that this was going to work, and once the entire amount of olive oil was beaten into the egg yolks I had my Dalmatian-Hollandaise sauce.

No English muffins here in Zadar, so a thick slice of white bread with a coat of olive oil on each side then toasted in a pan is the substitute. Instead of poaching the eggs I fried them, just the way D likes them, then pan fried a few slices of soft prsut (bresaola would also work well.) Put this together like you would your average Eggs Benedict with a dash of paprika powder on top and viola! It is still very reminiscent of the classic, just with a Dalmatian twist.

Back By Popular Demand – My Childhood!

2011-02-19T11:59:00.000-08:00

At Cheleas's BDay party in 5th grade

The list is endless when it comes to things that I was embarrassed by beyond belief as a Croatian American kid living in San Mateo, California. All I wanted was to be like the other girls who were wearing pink sparkly cowboy boots, with divorced parents, and able to sleep at friends houses over the weekend.

The sparkly pink cowboy boots were out of the question because western wear was beyond comprehension to my family, and cowboys were reckless and easy, not to mention the boots themselves were way too expensive (a whopping 12 bucks at Payless.) My alternative was knee high white socks with white keds. There are endless photos of me wearing this quintessential outfit; white socks over my black leggings with dirty keds, a 49ers sweatshirt, side pony, with a look on my face saying “watch out cowboys!” How I made friends in school is still beyond me.

But it’s the food that my dide (grandfather) made on a daily basis that hit a “just shoot me” nerve once I turned 10. As a little girl I loved my grandfather’s food. He had been a chef for years so he knew what he was doing, and made the most delectable things. One of my favorites was fried Girice (a small white fish). I would come home from first grade to a plate full of these little deep fried fishies, eat them, bones and all, while watching after school cartoons such as Inspector Gadget. He also made the best goulashes (rich meat stew) with polenta, and fish brudet (fish stew), all things I adored before I realized they were not as cool as tuna casserole and cheeseburgers.

Fried Girice

Friends would come over after school (shout-out to Chels, Pam, Carol, Renee and Nicole) and my Dide was more than happy to serve up a plate of his fried little fishies. I of course was more than willing to eat them, but played cool for my friends.

I will never forget the day I came from school to such an amazing Dide feast, telling him I was not hungry and secretly snatching a bag of chips to watch my cartoons with. I would do anything to have one of his famous Dalmatian homemade meals today. He was such a good cook, but more importantly he loved to eat, and to share his delectable creations with others.

Love you my Dide!

It's a Beautiful Day

2011-02-19T05:48:00.000-08:00

Not a cloud in sight. Here are a few pics I took from our balcony earlier. The nice weather has made my little tomato plants sprout too! So excited. Off to the beach for some fun in the sun.

Mini Trick when Making Meat Sauce

2011-02-18T11:03:00.000-08:00

This is one I learned from my Teta (Aunt) Dragica, and she learned it from my Barba (Uncle) Mario. When making a meat sauce, whether for pasta, rice, or what have you, put the meat and the onion on pan together at once. Many people tend to add the onion to simmer on pan first, then add the meat, but putting the two together keeps the onion from burning and allows the two to cook together, getting the fullest potential of flavor. Below is my red meat sauce recipe.

My Red Meat Sauce Recipe: 2 people (for all you couples out there!)

· ¼ - ½ pound of ground beef or turkey (depends on how meaty you like it)

· ½ medium onion

· 1 carrot

· 2 cloves garlic

· 1 cube or 1 tbsp chicken bouillon (Trader Joes has a good one)

· 1/2 cup Extra Virgin olive oil

· 2 cup water

· 1 Large can Tomato Sauce or Puree

· 2 Tbs Cream Cheese

Finely chop carrot and onion. Add olive oil into deep pan or pot under medium/high heat. Add meat, chopped onion and carrot, stir to make sure each piece is coated in oil. Mince garlic then add to pot. Add 1 cup water after garlic. Stir, and let sit for ten minutes. Add chicken cube/bouillon to pot and stir. Reduce to low/med heat. Stir and let simmer for another ten minutes. Add tomato sauce/puree. Stir for a couple minutes. Add the other cup of water. Let it simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Turn off heat, add cream cheese, and stir till it dissolves.

Sauce is ready to go, refrigerate for next day, or freeze for another time.

Enjoy all!!!!!

Favorite Things

2011-02-17T13:21:00.000-08:00

There are so many delightfully delicious things to find in a Croatian grocery store, especially when you get to the super stores like Konzum, Kaufland, Interspar, Mercator and Kerum. Croatia imports goods from the whole of Europe and Asia Minor, so there is a vast novel assortment of things for me to try. This has been such a treat, and since I have legitimately relocated (going on five months now) I have comprised a list of food that I absolutely adore and would have a hard time living without in the States.

1. Ozujsko Pivo (Beer)

My go to beer! Light, crisp and refreshing. It is a Croatian marzen (pale-amber) lager, brewed in Zagrabacka Brewery for over 112 years.

2. Tomislav Pivo (Beer)

A darker, stronger brother to Ozujsko. Made in the same brewery, and named after King Tomislav, c910.

3. Kroki Krokets

This is the closest Cro comes to cheese puffs. They’ve got the puff part down, but no cheese flavor. They offer instead peanut or ketchup flavor. Both are surprisingly delicious and very addicting.

4. Kinder Maxi King

This is heaven in a small shiny package. These amazing refrigerated bars are a cross between Snickers and an ice cream sandwich. I could easily eat a dozen. They are beyond decadent, not to mention full of calcium!

5. Frozen French Fries

I know we have frozen fries in the States, but there has to be something in the potatoes here because I have NEVER had such better fries. I sometimes insist on making fries at home instead of ordering from our burger takeout joint. Super easy, somehow better tasting (since you know they are using frozen fries too), and cheaper in the end.

6. Canned Blue Fish

Also known as sardines. Sardines in a can here are SO tasty and better than any can of tuna I have had in the states. I can make a mean sandwich salad using them, and they are even good alone.

7. Puffed Rice Chocolate

As a woman it is somewhat sad to say that I am not a fan of chocolate. However I do enjoy enjoy this mix here. It's puffed rice covered in milk chocolate. Not too much chocolate and a nice crunch makes it the perfect sweet tooth fix.

8. Tuna Pasteta

Pasteta is a meat paste/pate. They come in these little tins or tubes filled with meat paste from chicken, pork, beef, and fish. I enjoy the tuna variety. It is perfect on crackers with a few green or black olives. An easy and delicious h’orderve to serve.

9. Sauerkraut

I adore sauerkraut, and had the hardest time finding it ready made (pickled) in the States. You can make it yourself, but it’s a bit of a hassle and takes time. Here in Zadar it is beyond abundant at the grocery store, and it costs no more than two dollars for ½ a kilo (I once found sauerkraut in a small jar at Whole Foods for 5 bucks, rip off!)

10. Salami

Nothing compares to the variety and quality of salami here. My favorite is Zimski (Winter) Salami. I like to get my very own whole piece (not pre or deli sliced) to cut at home and add on fresh baked bread. Yum!

11. Rakija

Oh Rakija! This stuff can bring me from the lowest of lows some days (mom you didn’t hear that.) Rakija is a very strong brandy. It is typically made from plums, and is even used for a wide range of ailments including, stomach aches, ear infections and yeast infections. I like taking a shot, or two, with a little honey and a lemon. My version of a tequila shot here J

They Don’t Fit No More

2011-02-15T02:44:00.000-08:00

That my friends, is a big old pile of clothes that no longer fits, and there is more where that came from. After almost two months of my wardrobe arriving from its long voyage across the Atlantic to Zadar, I have decided to completely remove the items that are essentially useless. This includes all things tight, unzip-able, unbutton-able, undoable, and abominable (abominable because of the way I look in them, not the clothes itself.) I suppose this is ok because as they say “out with the old, in with the new”. This is a new chapter in my life that apparently comes with a new body, so hanging onto clothes that no longer fits and reminds me of a time before is a bit ridiculous right?

This doesn’t mean that the wardrobe left is something to be excited about. I don’t know what it is but I dread getting presentable these days. Comfort is my top priority and anything that is in the slightest bit uncomfortable seems to be unbearable. So I do my best when getting ready in the morning, but it is somewhat of a dramatic scene. This is a clip of what a typical morning getting dressed is like for me and my entourage. I can totally relate to little Mackenzie. “Take it off people!”

Nothing says “I Love You” like Fish and Crepes

2011-02-14T10:37:00.000-08:00

D is making me dinner tonight and his choice of fare is leso riba, with boiled potatoes and a green salad. He is boiling fish, with the head on my friends (there is a lot of deliciousness there), then adding garlic, parsley and olive oil to the mix. Cooking fish is somewhat of a challenge for me because the meat is very delicate and temperamental, and I don’t do well with delicate and temperamental. I’m no ballerina in the kitchen to say the least. I like to get my hands dirty, and I like to cook food that is forgiving for my lack of patience and carefulness. Good thing I have D because he is a true ballerina in the kitchen, and has the physique to boot (Natalie Portman eat your heart out, no pun intended.) He takes time when making food and is very careful, so this is truly the perfect meal for him to make. Just need to get him in a tutu and tights.

I on the other hand made strawberry and cream crepes, known as a palacinke here. The recipe is fairly easy, but most important you need a good skillet/pan. I received an actual palacinka/crepe pan as a gift for Christmas, but you can use any old (the older the better seems to be the case) non-stick shallow skillet. Crepe recipes vary from place to place. Here in Croatia we add rum extract and vegetable oil to a more watery batter, where in France butter replaces the oil and an extra egg does the trick. The recipe I used for Strawberry and Cream Crepes can be found under the Recipe tab above. Hope you enjoy it!

Our dinner! Happy Valentines Day to all, and to all a good night!

It's Valentines Day!

2011-02-14T02:34:00.000-08:00

The day is gloomy here in Zadar, but my heart is anything but, and that’s all that matters on a day like today. It’s Valentines Day, the day of love, romance, chocolate and flowers. I’ll be lucky to get any form of the latter three because D is not a fan of the Americanized, moneygrubbing holidays (V Day being on the top of his hate list) but I’ve forced him into cooking me dinner and picking any flower from the side of the road to present to his pajama attired princess waiting patiently for him to get home from work.

This morning I decided to get all V Day crazy and have my usual cup of jo in an appropriately themed mug, with a side of cookies and chocolate, while reading my newest paperback. I just finished reading “A Walk in the Woods” by Bill Bryson, a tale of travel on the Appalachian Trail, and thought what better way to start my next read “My Life in France” by Julia Childs, a story about her love of food, France and hubby Paul, on a day like today.

After reading a few more chapters and doing my twenty minute workout with Gillian Michaels (my celebrity trainer for the week), I’m off to the market to buy something to make for dessert. I’m thinking strawberry and cream crepes. Sexy huh? Be back to report soon.

You say tomato, I say growing tomatoes in my apartment!!!

2011-02-12T01:30:00.000-08:00

I LOVE tomatoes/rajcice/pomadori, and every time I’m at the market I make sure to buy some since they are always fresh and always delicious. I eat at least two a day. I eat them with eggs, in sandwiches, in salads, with cheese, with fish, alone, you name it baby. Recently a garden aisle has replaced the old Christmas aisle at my grocery store, this was sad at first because I never want Christmas to end, but it does mean spring is on the way and people are starting to plant, so I decided to start growing my own tomatoes. I’m such a great story teller.

I had plenty of plants in my previous apartment, but those were so easy to take care of and basically refused to die on me, so to call that experience is somewhat of a joke. I have no idea what I am doing when it comes to growing my own food. Apparently tomatoes are really easy to grow, so that was a relief, and you can grow them indoors by a sunny window, another sigh of relief. I can do this!

There were several varities to choose from, which did not make it easy to pick just one since I love all tomatoes, so I bought one pack of each, thinking this could also be a fun kind of experiment to see which one grows best in the conditions I provide. My little tomato legion includes Rutgers, Marmande, Saint-Pierre and San Maranzo. After taking five minutes to watch a couple how to videos online, I began planting my seeds, each in its own labeled pot.

Today is day one of the germinating process. Apparently a little stem with a couple leaves will grow in no time. They need lots of sunlight and lots of heat which is why they work so well indoors by a window. I’m so nervous! “Please grow healthy and happily my amazing little tomato legion.” I hear talking to plants helps them grow better. Wish us luck!

I Hate You Tracy Anderson

2011-02-11T07:19:00.000-08:00

and so does Gwyneth

This is not food related, but I had to write about how soar my flabby arms, gut, and butt is after doing the Tracy Anderson Mat Method. Recently I acquired some exercise videos to counter act the effect of eating things like potato burek (see last post.) It’s still very much cold outside and running in such conditions is beyond discouraging, so I bought a few top rated workout videos online. I started with Tracy Anderson’s workout as she promises a size two dancers body in just a few weeks (uh huh) as long as you’re consistent. Half way through the first set of exercises I felt like puking then dying. This stuff is hard.

Don’t be fooled by her “stand in one place and flap your arms like a bird” routine. This may sound easy but after a minute of that, then another couple minutes of flailing your arms from left to right you begin to lose all feeling, and think “this b!tch is crazy!” I have never in my life over exerted my arms this much. I could barely lift a glass of water when the bit was finally over.

She has a similar uncoordinated routine for abs. At first glance it looks like she’s just sashaying her hips while doing a sexy little tummy roll to the new age elevator music in the background, easy peasy, but do that for a minute or two and you feel like puking and dying all over again.

I should add that I am extremely out of shape, so this may be easier for some of you, but man did it kick my a$$. My abs hurt when I cough and my arms are essentially useless, but I plan on staying consistent for the size 2 dancers body I’ve always dreamed of. Longer legs would be nice too J

Carb Overload

2011-02-11T02:48:00.000-08:00

I typically avoid the frozen food section when grocery shopping. There is a much better variety of fresh food, so no need to waste my time there. That is until I stumbled upon Krumpirusa, aka potato burek. Burek is a fried filled pastry made from phyllo dough. I am used to the cheese and apple variety, and I will most definitely be back with a post entirely dedicated to the two, but today we are talking about frozen potato burek. When I first saw the box I laughed. That’s like eating French fries with bread. Why? But of course, I bought it (3 bucks for 6 buns!)

I immediately wanted to try one when I got home, so I popped two in the oven and waited patiently for the dough to crisp up. Twenty minutes later I had an apartment smelling like fried bread and hash browns, and a stomach growling for what was baking in the oven. Out came these cute looking swirled buns, and just one bite made me a believer in the Croatian frozen food market. This is not to say that I will eat frozen prepared food on a daily or weekly basis, but definitely more willing to try what they have to offer, and of course report back to you folks. Until next time, I’m going back for my second warm potato burek. See ya!

Grocery Shopping

2011-02-08T09:32:00.000-08:00

"that's it?"

A fully stocked fridge is not so common in these parts. Generally speaking, you buy what you need for the days meal the day of and never buy in excess. I’ve had a little trouble adapting to this style of food shopping as I come from a place where you visit the grocery store once a week, buy in bulk for that week, and load up the fridge. I laugh to myself at the difference between my freezer here, and the stockpiled freezer I once had when I lived alone in San Francisco. As my friend Lindsay once put it, “it’s like Tetris!” Where to fit the next doomed frozen piece?!

Here in Zadar most people don’t drive to the grocery store and/or outdoor market. You walk, and walking restrains you from carrying more than a couple bags, so you buy what you need for the day, at most two days. Luckily there is a grocery store or two on nearly every block. No joke! Of all the cities in Croatia, Zadar has the most grocery stores for its number of inhabitants.

This makes grocery shopping for the day convenient, however limiting to a certain extent. Most stores are small, so you aren’t going to get a whole lot of variety, especially when it comes to fresh produce and meat, so I find myself going to a couple of different locations to finish the job. I try to shop at the open market for all its magnificent fresh food as often as I can, but I must admit it’s beyond intimidating. The old pushy vendors just want you to but THEIR blitva (swiss chard), for example, not from the guy in the next stall, so you miss the opportunity to become comfortably acquainted with the local produce.

There are a few items I like to keep in the fridge at all times, mostly because it’s consumed on a daily basis. This includes; tomatoes, sardines, chocolate, yogurt, cheese, eggs, lemon, milk, and a few condiments. Everything and anything else I buy is on a day to day basis. This keeps me from snacking, which WAS a huge vice of mine. I sure do miss cheese puffs though L

Weekday Breakfast

2011-02-07T10:53:00.000-08:00

Here I am writing about breakfast again. Breakfast isn’t so popular here in Zadar. It usually consists of a cup of coffee and something from the bakery next door. D eats cookies before work. I have never been a big breakfast fan myself, but it’s always been a priority of mine to get something wholesome in my tummy before 10AM. It’s been a bit of a challenge here to find something that fits the bill. Recently I discovered “Fitness Bread”. It’s this super dense, super grainy, super thin bread made in Germany, and it’s the only “healthy” bread around. My favorite thing to eat for breakfast on weekdays is a piece of fitness bread with a few crumbly slices of homemade Slavonski soft cheese, drizzled lightly with honey. The cheese is something between ricotta and feta, and the honey is produced locally on the island my family is from Dugi Otok, about an hour ferry ride from Zadar. It’s perfect with a cup of coffee, and it’s all I need to start the day off well, which usually starts with dishes, yuck!

Sunday Brunch and Doughnuts

2011-02-06T05:20:00.000-08:00

D and I typically never eat breakfast together because he is up for work by 6AM while I lie in bed stuck somewhere in “la la land” limbo. We do however have Sundays (his only day off) where we eat much later in the morning after making a trip to the bakery/pekarnica downstairs for fresh doughnuts and bread. The pekarnica (bakery in Cro) is full of sugary baked goods, but we always go for the doughnuts and a loaf of bread to smear with butter and honey.

This may surprise some of you who know me well because Doughnut was no friend of mine after he ruined my dream of becoming the next ice skating super star. Put yourself in my skating shoes. You’re 8, at a MALL with an ice rink (Fashion Island to be exact), looking cute in your magenta leggings and oversized white sweatshirt. Ice skating is your “passion”, although you have no clue what it is to be passionate and your idea of good skating is going around the rink once without falling. Along comes Doughnut, you eat him thinking yummy, sugar. Get back on the rink and within minutes feel the nauseating taste of Doughnut coming back up for more sugary fun, but in the form of vomit. I got off that rink, barfed my brains out, and cursed the day.

Needless to say I avoided doughnuts like the plague. Once in a rainbow colored moon I would eat one, but all it did was bring back the feeling of failure and vulnerability. The doughnuts here in Zadar do not cause the same emotional effect, thank god! A filling of chocolate or marmalade rests in a bed of soft spherical dough, which is sprinkled with sugar, fried, then dusted with a layer of powdered sugar. It’s more like bread than cake, not too sugary, and never glazed.

Preference is just that, preference, and my preference is the Croatian doughnut for its preparation, taste and lack of making me feel like a complete failure. Lola is a fan too!

Friday Night is Pizza Night!

2011-02-04T09:44:00.000-08:00

It’s funny, I’m not working full time, or part time for that matter, but when Friday rolls around I am still doing the happy dance and singing ABC networks old TGIF tune! Technically everyday is a TGI day for this unemployed girl, but here Friday means pizza, and it’s really something to be excited about.

Pizza is just as popular in Zadar as it is in the States. There are dozens of pizza delivery joints, and almost every restaurant has pizza on the menu. The difference, is in the pizza my friends. Pizza sort of lost its ability to amaze me after my personal pan Pizza Hut days in middle school. Don’t get me wrong, I still ate and craved the stuff, but I never seemed to be satisfied with taste, or delivery service. Who can forget my screaming match over the phone with Irving Pizza for getting my address wrong? There was always a problem. Too saucy, too cheesy, too thick, too chewy, TOO FUSSY. I would like to make a quick shout out to Tommaso Ristorante in North Beach. They make exceptional pizza, except still not as good as it is here in Zadar. Sorry Tommaso.

So what makes the pizza so good here? Is it the tap water, as some believe that’s what makes Manhattans pizza the best? No, what makes it so delicious is its simplicity. The dough is never too thick and it’s always made in an authentic pizza oven so the crust is perfectly crisp. A thin layer of sauce that is not overly seasoned or zesty, and just enough cheese to cover the slice, makes it my kind of pizza. Not to mention it costs only $7 for a whole pie!

We typically get it delivered, and have made a habit out of it on Friday nights. My favorite place to order from is Mama Rina’s because the crust is just a little crispier and their dough is perfect. They even use it to make bread. Their take out menu includes everything from hamburgers to squid to tripe, but their pizza is what I go for (menu below). We typically order the Capricciosa pizza, which has ham and mushrooms, and that’s it! Sometimes we get crazy and get the Frutti di Mare, which means fruit of the sea, all seafood. Other than Mama Rina’s, Pizzeria Giardin, just on the other side of the foot bridge from old town, is an ideal restaurant for its pizza and scenery. The side terrace houses its brick pizza oven and I love watching it bake under the fire.

One of the may things I love about this city is I know that I can go just about anywhere to get a good slice. It may seem boring in appearance, but the taste is anything but.

Bakalar - The Ghost of Christmas Past

2011-02-03T06:29:00.000-08:00

My very first entry! I decided to take you back in time a bit. This past holiday season was my first away from home, and the first Christmas Eve dinner I hosted. The time of year calls for many culinary traditions, but Bakalar reigns supreme in my opinion.

Oh Bakalar. The word alone sounds like something being hacked from a lung, while the product itself looks like a prehistoric alien fish with lock jaw. The dish; made from dried Norwegian cod fish (above picture) that is boiled for hours, and then added to potatoes, garlic, parsley and lots of olive oil, is a Dalmatian classic!

As a kid I dreaded Bakalar. It meant a stinky house for days. It would start with my grandfather soaking the fish in the garage (of all places) a day before Christmas Eve. The smell of fish and feet would begin to linger into the house within minutes. Friends would come over and I would have no words to explain what was happening and why. Once the finished product ended up on our Christmas Eve dinner table I wanted nothing to do with it. My grandfather and father would pile their plate sky high with Bakalar only. At the time I just didn’t get it.

Fast forward ten some odd years and my mouth waters for the stuff. It is so tasty, and comforting. This past Christmas was the first time I made it. Preparation is as overwhelming as the smell and as ugly as the fish, but with the aid of D’s mom and dad as a kind of "Bakalar Help Line", and my tenacity to turn that alien into something edible, the end result was surprisingly delicious, and it is now one of my most favorite dishes to cook and eat.

Making it brought back so many wonderful memories. Yes wonderful! All the family customs I dreaded and was humiliated by as a kid become special and cherished as an adult. Bakalar is just one of them.

The link to the recipe is below if you dare.

http://www.dubrovnik-excursion.com/restourants/bakalar-(dried-cod)/25