The Croatian Appetite

Next we went to the Lotrščak Tower from where we had a perfect view of the whole of Zagreb. We could see the mountain of Medvednica and the Sava river. On top of the tower is a canon which is fired to mark midday. We continued walking and there was a booth with “Licitar” which is a heart-shaped gingerbread cookie with the symbol of love and affection and is mostly bought as a souvenir by tourists.

We then passed a statue on the Strossmayer Promenade illustrating the poet Antun Gustav Matos and we had a “schnapps” made of honey, a Medovaca. In Croatia people drink now and again all kinds of self-made schnapps: Sliwowitz (plum), Lozovaca (grape), Kruskovaca (pear), Jabukovaca (apple), Smokovaca (fig), Travarica (herb plants), Orahovaca (walnut) or Visnjevaca (cherry).

As a guest you’ll get offered it and it’s a sign of politeness to drink the whole glass of schnapps. What is a typical Croatian meal?

Cevapcici may come first into people’s mind, a meat balls dish. Some might say a dish with fried snails. I tried it, but I did not like it; I prefer the way the French cook it with garlic.

Roasted lamb on a spit with big onions and chips is a must for a tourist, as well as the grilled fish Bakalar or a tuna steak, the Dalmatian pot roast “pasticada” and the pancake served with ice cream, Palacinke.