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The Istrian cuisine
The Istrian cuisine is a confluence of various cultures that have either ruled the place or settled down in this beautiful region in the times of yore. Though the Italian culture’s traces are the strongest in the culinary preparations of this region, there have been infusions from the Austrians, Hungarians, Romans, Slavs and Germans as well. Istria’s chaotic and chequered history has influenced the gastronomy of this area and has left its mark on the cooking and serving style of the region.
It is hard to decipher the history of the Istrian dishes. It could be food that was prepared and eaten by the peasants working in the fields, or on the other hand it could have been the cuisine of the aristocracy, or perhaps it is a wonderful combination of both along with imaginative ways of using the local ingredients to turn them into gourmet delights. Traditionally the culinary delights in Istria hotels and restaurants include wildly grown local plants, abundant fresh fish with plenty of spices, vinegar and wine thrown in and all of it is cooked in pure olive oil only.
The cuisine of Istria is characterized by the preference of boiled food over well roasted cooking. Wine too is an important ingredient in the food making process and most of it is home grown. Since there has been a strong Venetian influence on the food of this region, most dishes are attractively presented and most of the food that’s served is a labour of love to make the dishes extremely appealing and easily palatable. Sea fruits specific to the region along with seasonal vegetables and fragrant spices and flavours are used to create dishes that are local in their flavour yet have a uniqueness that can’t be replicated anywhere else.
The Venetians introduced the region of Istria to many unknown condiments due to their sea faring nature which encompassed Europe and Asia. Asian spices like the pepper, cloves,cumin and cinnamons began to be added to the food of the region thanks to the Venetian rulers who brought back ingredients from their various commercial trading. Besides locally caught fish, the stockfish began to appear on the tables of Istria due to the mutual exchange of the cuisines between the two cultures.
The Venetian culture was similarly influenced in reverse by the Istrian cuisine. The Italians learnt to make various food preparations from the local fishermen who taught them how to make the delicious meals out of crabs, limpets and other local vegetables. Italians on the other hand introduced Istria to Rizoto(rice) and buzara (sauce) which are now highly integrated in the Istrian cuisine and eating habits.
Accommodation Scotland
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