A Croatian White Christmas

In the kitchen the holidays come to life slowly but surely.

Flour is the foundation for everything from traditional sweets to pastas. 2017 ©Mariette Papic

As we explore the Croatian kitchen we will share recipes from our homes, many of these traditional foods have been made by our families for generations. Some of the recipes will change over time. Some will be adapted for food allergies, or for tastes acquired by living in different countries, but some of what we hope will remain is the true backbone of our culture, and that is the love of making things from scratch. 

“In a Croatian kitchen making things from scratch is as much about art, as it is tradition, and our grandmothers were appreciated for this talent they expressed.”

No matter the climate or the country we live in, our memories of family, of how we cook and how we bake remain timeless when we ground them in the practice of making what is now called, "slow food." Slow food means things that go from local farms to family tables, it means taking time out to make whatever you can from scratch. It means not worrying if you can't get everything to make the recipe perfect. It means putting in the effort to get the freshest ingredients, even if you no longer have your own chickens for eggs. For us it means, adapting traditions developed in simpler times, to the busy world we live in now. It can even mean taking a vacation day for baking instead of shopping at the mall.  

Photo Mariette Papic

Croatian kitchens include old tools and new gadgets. They incorporate new recipes while holding tradition, and sometimes it take three languages just to understand the recipe. It might take an afternoon or two talking about the feel of the flour, the size and shape of the eggs. A lot goes into our holidays and we hope to share our recipes and memories with you, after all, it's all about sharing.

A photo from Cucina Triestine which you could find in many Croatian kitchens from the northern coast. Photo: Mariette Papic