I almost wasn't able to make this meal tonight, we had some excitement around these parts this afternoon. I've posted about our baby birds...we went to the grocery store this morning for the supplies I needed to make this meal and came home to the baby birds leaving the nest!
Croatia is located in Europe at the crossroads of Central Europe, the Balkans and the Mediterranean. The capital and largest city is Zagreb. It has a total land area of 21,851 square miles. The population is 4.29 million.The Adriatic Sea coastline contains more than one thousand islands that belong to Croatia.
The area known as Croatia today was inhabited throughout the prehistoric period. Fossils of Neanderthals dating back to the Plaeolithic period have been discovered in the northern area of the country, with the most famous and best represented site being Krapina.
Croatia borders Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia, Herzegovina and Montenegro to the southeast, Slovenia to the northwest and the Adriatic Sea to the southwest. It is the 127th largest country in the world. The highest point is Dinara Peak at 6007 feet.
Most of Croatia has a moderately warm and rainy continental climate. The Adriatic coast has a Mediterranean climate. It is one the richest biodiverse countries in Europe. Forests cover roughly 44% of the country. Nine percent of Croatia (444, in total) is protected areas. There are 8 national parks, 2 strict reserves and 10 nature parks. The most famous protected area and oldest national park is Plitvice Lakes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Big Bad Bob with an itty bitty baby bird...too cute! Croatian cuisine varies from one region to another. the coastal regions are influenced by Greek, Roman and other Mediterranean cuisines and it features seafood, pasta, olive oil and garlic. The continental cuisine of Croatia has Hungarian, Austrian and Turkish influences. Croatia also has 2 wine-producing regions.
This was the start of the pork chop dish. When reading up on Croatia's fascinating culture, I learned that (like I said ^^^ up there) there is definite Turkish influences in the food. I used my Turkish spice blend from Penzey's to jazz these up. I also used an oaky chardonnay as my white wine. It was a Washington wine...I looked for a Croatian wine to no avail today. I wanted to be as authentic as I could be. That wasn't in the cards...
As this simmered, it smelled so good. Bob spent the afternoon keeping baby birds on the clothesline until they got their wings and could fly. We have a newly adopted cat now and she lives outside. Her name is KiKi and we like her. But she likes birds. Not nice!
This pork was delicious! I used my Hungarian half-sharp paprika and the flavor was amazing. I used to think, prior to my world culinary tour, that paprika was just something you shook onto deviled eggs...boy! Was I wrong! Different types of paprika taste, well....different. I really dig the half-sharp stuff and the smoked Spanish paprika is super good, too. Don't go for that 50 cents a bottle stuff at Walmart...that's not the good stuff. That's the stuff to shake over deviled eggs.
The next recipe, actually...it was the first one that I made today...was the Serbian Reform Torte. I'm not sure why it's named Reform Torte, but I'll go along with it! I creamed an entire pound of butter in ol' Helen Waite, my trusty KitchenAid stand mixer (I love, love, love that thing!).
I melted 2 types of chocolate in the nuker...
The recipe called for sponge cake. I went to Fred Meyer and could not find a sponge cake. I found angel food cake and pound cake. Both were pretty expensive. I was going to look at another market, but I found 3 pound cakes that were marked down to $1.29 each. I made a judgement call and bought the damn things.
I'm not entirely sure why I had to whip egg whites and sugar in a double boiler, but I did. I bought a carton of egg whites to use for this recipe. It calls for 5 of them.
I'm no cake decorator...that's for sure! If they were to give out an award for the crappiest looking frosted cake, I'd totally win that sucker!
See what I mean? I try, really I do...some people are just better at different things...frosting a damn cake is just not my strong point. I'm ok with that as long as it tastes good.
And did it taste good? Damn straight it did! Thanks for a new frosting recipe, Croatia...we really dig this one!
This is the start of Aunt Fran's Croatian Potato Salad...I found this bag of mixed baby potatoes last week in Portland, OR at Trader Joe's. They were very reasonably priced so I brought them home with me to use for something...this was that something.
I also shook a little of that Turkish seasoning from Penzey's into this.
Pretty tasty...I added a bit of cider vinegar on mine. I like potatoes with vinegar. Try it sometime.
This is Croatian Swiss Chard...two pounds of it...
Cooked up with potatoes and garlic...again, a little cider vinegar helps a lot! I really liked this dish.
Our Croatian dinner!
Dixie Doodle was on Baby Bird Watch.
I'll leave you all with sweet dreams of Croatian cuisine tonight...ok, so...maybe it looks like a nightmare, but it's not about looks, it's all about taste!
This was the start of the pork chop dish. When reading up on Croatia's fascinating culture, I learned that (like I said ^^^ up there) there is definite Turkish influences in the food. I used my Turkish spice blend from Penzey's to jazz these up. I also used an oaky chardonnay as my white wine. It was a Washington wine...I looked for a Croatian wine to no avail today. I wanted to be as authentic as I could be. That wasn't in the cards...
As this simmered, it smelled so good. Bob spent the afternoon keeping baby birds on the clothesline until they got their wings and could fly. We have a newly adopted cat now and she lives outside. Her name is KiKi and we like her. But she likes birds. Not nice!
This pork was delicious! I used my Hungarian half-sharp paprika and the flavor was amazing. I used to think, prior to my world culinary tour, that paprika was just something you shook onto deviled eggs...boy! Was I wrong! Different types of paprika taste, well....different. I really dig the half-sharp stuff and the smoked Spanish paprika is super good, too. Don't go for that 50 cents a bottle stuff at Walmart...that's not the good stuff. That's the stuff to shake over deviled eggs.
The next recipe, actually...it was the first one that I made today...was the Serbian Reform Torte. I'm not sure why it's named Reform Torte, but I'll go along with it! I creamed an entire pound of butter in ol' Helen Waite, my trusty KitchenAid stand mixer (I love, love, love that thing!).
I melted 2 types of chocolate in the nuker...
The recipe called for sponge cake. I went to Fred Meyer and could not find a sponge cake. I found angel food cake and pound cake. Both were pretty expensive. I was going to look at another market, but I found 3 pound cakes that were marked down to $1.29 each. I made a judgement call and bought the damn things.
I'm not entirely sure why I had to whip egg whites and sugar in a double boiler, but I did. I bought a carton of egg whites to use for this recipe. It calls for 5 of them.
I'm no cake decorator...that's for sure! If they were to give out an award for the crappiest looking frosted cake, I'd totally win that sucker!
See what I mean? I try, really I do...some people are just better at different things...frosting a damn cake is just not my strong point. I'm ok with that as long as it tastes good.
And did it taste good? Damn straight it did! Thanks for a new frosting recipe, Croatia...we really dig this one!
This is the start of Aunt Fran's Croatian Potato Salad...I found this bag of mixed baby potatoes last week in Portland, OR at Trader Joe's. They were very reasonably priced so I brought them home with me to use for something...this was that something.
I also shook a little of that Turkish seasoning from Penzey's into this.
Pretty tasty...I added a bit of cider vinegar on mine. I like potatoes with vinegar. Try it sometime.
This is Croatian Swiss Chard...two pounds of it...
Cooked up with potatoes and garlic...again, a little cider vinegar helps a lot! I really liked this dish.
Our Croatian dinner!
Dixie Doodle was on Baby Bird Watch.
I'll leave you all with sweet dreams of Croatian cuisine tonight...ok, so...maybe it looks like a nightmare, but it's not about looks, it's all about taste!Groceries for tonight ran me $17.87 which left $2.13 for the Beach Bag. The week 29 total is $175.85.
You all voted and the majority, by far, want to see Tanzania next week. The tribe has spoken. So, I am off to Africa...I really enjoy African food, so thanks for voting that in!
Make sure to vote for Week 31 by scrolling up ^^^ and over --->>> and cast your vote.
Some parting words before we meet up in Tanzania next week...I just want to let the creepy stalkers, and you know exactly who you are, know that I thank you for making what I write about in this blog so important that you must wake up every morning with no other thought on your mind other than seeing what I have written about. That makes me pretty damn important in your world. In my world, I sit here, in my little trailer and LMFAO because you ain't crap in my book! But thanks for the boost of confidence that my Around the World in an RV project must be some mighty fine reading for you...since you've taken the time to print it out and send it around and all. Pathetic...the whole lot of you. Peace!
Not bad...not bad at all! :) I think I'd really like to taste of f of that!
ReplyDeleteYou already know it, GF!
DeleteAll sounds really yummy as always! Will have to make the pork. Love those potatoes but you can't have leftovers because the purple ones bleed color and it doesn't look very appetizing. Of course, you never have leftovers!!! Hadn't mixed potatoes with chard and it sounds good too. I'm hungry!!!
ReplyDeleteI love apple cider vinegar on potatoes that I use in potato salad. Pour over the potatoes while still warm, chill and then make however you like. It adds a wonderful tartness to the salad. My mom's recipe was sparse but delicious. Just potatoes soaked in apple cider vinegar, eggs, onion, pimiento, chopped parsley, mayo(I can't remember but are you the one who dislikes mayo?)
ReplyDeleteNaw, I'm the one who hates ketchup....ICKY! ICKY! PUKE! VOMIT! GROSS! ;)
Delete