The gastronomy of the Šibenik area

The gastronomic tradition of the area of the Šibenik-Knin County is widely known. The similarities with the Italian cuisine are significant (risotto, spaghetti), which we can connect to the long Venetian rule on this area during the Middle Ages.  
The main characteristics of the Šibenik’s cuisine are fresh food and simple preparation with not so much spices and aromatic plants (except parsley, garlic, onion and bay-leaf). The cuisine of the Šibenik’s area can be devided in two varieties – the one concerning the litoral and the insular part, and the one characteristic for the continental part of the Šibenik-Knin County.

The sea on a plate 

The cuisine of the maritime part of the Šibenik-Knin region is based mostly on ingredients deriving from the sea: fish, shells, different sea fruits. Homemade olive oil is the main spice used, while salt and pepper are being used in minimal quantities. The most famous specialities of this part of the Šibenik area are without doubt roasted fish, “buzara” style mussels, brodetto, as well as the risotto with sea fruits.                 
The Šibenik’s bay is one of the best-known places on the Dalmatian coast for mussels breeding. It is generally known that the mussels of Šibenik grow three to five times faster than mussels anywhere else in the world. The main condition for the mussels breeding is the brackish water (the mixture of the salt sea water and the sweet one – either the natural water springs or the river nearby), and the position of the town of Šibenik speaks in favour of this fact, since the town was founded exactly on the mouth of the river Krka, widely known for the Krka National Park located in the Šibenik’s hinterland. 

The continental cuisine of the Šibenik’s hinterland 

The hinterland of Šibenik inclines to the continental cuisine, which means that the basis of the cuisine is meat, and not fish. The specialities of this part of the Šibenik-Knin County are roasted lamb and pork with roasted potatoes and a salad, which you can find on the menu in every restaurant, of those not only in the hinterland, but also on the coast. They are traditionally preparated under “peka” – the iron bell under which the meal is being put, and then it’s altogether covered by ember. Such food preparation lasts for a couple of hours. We must certainly add to this list the autochthonous cheese ripened in a lamb sack and the smoked ham as the most famous specialities of the region.        

The awarded specialities

Also, very important and widely known speciality of the Šibenik region is the smoked ham from Drniš, awarded many time before, recognized as one of high quality products in the whole world, together with the Babić red wine of the highest quality, produced of the vineyards of Primošten. A picture featuring Primošten’s vineyards is permanently exhibited in the main building of the UN in New York representing the hard human work through the centuries and struggle with the Dalmatian stone.

Traditional aperitifs and desserts of the Šibenik’s cuisine

Traditional desserts in the Šibenik’s cuisine are rožata – the cake made of eggs, milk and caramel; fritule – made of raising dough with raisins and liquer (little balls are being formed in the size of a plum and they are fried in hot oil; and kroštule, made in the same way as fritule, only in the form of long bands, also fried in oil.  
The local rakija (homemade brandy) in many varieties – lozovača (grape brandy) and travarica (fruit brandy with aromatic herbs), and dessert wines – prosecco and maraština are characteristic for the Šibenik area. As aperitif, rakija is mostly served with dried figs, representing the symbol of hospitality to all the guests.