ISTRIA - Croatia and Slovenia - page 266

earthed the biggest white truffle the world had ever seen—2.9 pounds, as verified by The
Guinness Book of World Records . (In 2007, the record was broken by a 3.3-pound Tuscan
truffle.) Zigante's hunk of fungus—now revered as though it was a religious relic—kicked
off a truffle craze that continues in Istria today (see sidebar on here ) . Today Zigante has a
virtual monopoly on Istria's truffle industry, producing a wide range of truffle goodies. If
you're a connoisseur, or just curious, make a pilgrimage to this truffle mecca. The valley is
enlivenedbyLivade'sWhiteTruffleDays,whichtakeplaceonweekendsfromlateSeptem-
ber through early November; white tents are filled with local producers showing off their
truffles, wines, olive oils, and more. While here, you can also drop into Livade's little mu-
seum about La Parenzana, the railway that once linked these hill towns.
Eating in Livade: Zigante's large facility here is divided into two parts: The Zigante
Tartufi shop offers shelves upon shelves of both fresh and packaged truffle products (plus
local wines, olive oils, brandies, and more). There's also a little tasting table where you
can sample the earthy goods, and a brain-sized replica of that famously massive chunk of
white truffle. A small jar of preserved truffles will run you 85-270 kn, depending on the
size,typeoftruffle,andpreparation.Youcanevenpickuparecipesheettellingyouwhatto
do with the precious stuff once you get it home (daily 9:00-21:00, off-season 10:00-20:00,
Livade 7, tel. [phone], www.zigantetartufi.com ). The adjacent Restaurant Zigante,
one of Istria's fanciest (and most expensive), dishes up all manner of truffle specialties.
The decor—inside or out on the terrace—is white-tablecloth classy, the service is deliber-
ate but friendly, and the truffles, as if on a cooking game show, are prepared in a dizzy-
ing variety of ways. If you want the full dose of this local delicacy from a place that
knowsits truffles, this isaworthwhile splurge(85-160-knstarters, 190-300-knmain dishes,
400-600-kn fixed-price meals—even more during white truffle season, daily 12:00-23:00,
until 22:00 in winter, Livade 7, tel. [phone]).
Eating near Livade, in Gradinje: A five-minute drive east of Livade, in the hamlet
of Gradinje, is a rustic, unpretentious eatery serving up the most affordable truffle dishes
around. Konoba Dolina (“Valley Inn”) has a nondescript interior and a pleasant terrace out
front. Because it's just beyond the tourist trail, the prices are reasonable and the ambience
is more authentic (45-95-kn meals, truffle splurges up to 120 kn, Wed-Mon 12:00-22:00,
closed Tue, tel. [phone]). First make your way to Gradinje (go into Livade and turn
right at the main roundabout, then drive through the countryside for a few minutes). Once
in Gradinje, go all the way through town, then look for signs on the left.
• Motovun hovers on the hill just across the valley from Livade (described earlier in this
chapter).
Once you've seen this area, if you have more time and interest, you can carry on another
40 minutes to reach Hum (follow the main valley road east to Buzet, then to Ro č , then look
for the turn-off on the right to Hum, along the Glagolitic Lane). Most people won't find the