Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
threetimes:firstinthesea,theninoliveoil,andfinallyinwine—whenyoueatit.Ifyousee
something described as “Dalmatian-style,” it usually means with lots of olive oil, parsley,
and garlic.
You can get all kinds of seafood: fish, scampi, mussels, squid, octopus, you name it.
Remember that prices for fish dishes are listed either by the kilogram (1,000 grams) or by
the 100-gram unit (figure about a half-kilo, or 500 grams—that's about one pound—for a
large portion). While this is a land of fisherfolk, frozen fish is not unheard of—if you want
something fresh from the market, ask. When ordering, be prepared for surprises. For ex-
ample,
škampi
(shrimp)oftencomestillintheirshells(sometimeswithcrayfish-likeclaws),
which can be messy and time-consuming to eat. Before you order shrimp, ask if it's shelled.
Themenuitemcalled“smallfriedfish”isgenerallyaplateofdeep-friedminnows.Ifyou're
notclearonexactlywhatsomethingis,feelfreetoaskforclarification(thoughsomewaiters
are more forthcoming than others).
Croatian Wine
For gourmands, one of the most pleasant surprises about a trip to Croatia is the
quality of the wines. While much of the industry was state-run and focused on mass
production during communist times, today vintner families are returning to their
roots—literally—and making Croatian wines something to be truly proud of. Thanks
partly to the interest and investment of American vintners, Croatian wines are gain-
ing respect worldwide. Because very few Croatian wines are exported, a visit here is
a good chance to sample some new tastes.
