Indigenous cuisine must be paired with wines from indigenous local varieties.
This catchphrase serves as a bait for all lovers of good and healthy food in any part of the world, including here. It is somewhat more difficult to apply in our country because for now there is still no consistency in the procurement of indigenous foods, although certain positive developments are visible. We are very lucky that our county extends from the sea to the mountains, which provides us with a colorful array of useful indigenous foods: wild edible herbs such as asparagus, garlic shoots, wild garlic, chicory, dandelion, nettle, fennel, marigold, etc. Meat: meat of the Lika-Gorski Kotar cattle, Pag-Cres lamb, fish, crabs, cephalopods, shellfish... Cheeses, cottage cheese, whey, Lika bass...
Kvarner shrimp in all "aggregate" states, lamb offal in "toć" with Kvarner aromatic herbs, Kvarner squid stuffed with young nettle and chicory, cottage cheese ice cream with local honey and olive oil "salted" with Kvarner herbs.
I love it primarily because it is expertly made from grape varieties that grow in the Kastav area and are unique, truly special. I love drinking it during the summer heat because it has a fresh, fragrant aroma with light alcohols... for long-term enjoyment.
Caslav Matijevic – a private entrepreneur from Rijeka who most often cites traveling, wine tasting, and socializing with like-minded people as his hobbies. Known in the media as a participant in Masterchef, Dinner for 5, and In the Same Pot. He is the originator of the idea for the private gourmet club SOS in – Gourmet Club Kastav. He is a ubiquitous visitor and participant in almost all eno-gastronomic events in the country and region. A great wine and culinary connoisseur, a great chef, and always smiling and positive. He likes to say: „I gave everything in my life for beauty, for beauty, and for wandering!“
