Collard Wanderings

Anyone for fish stew?

This weekend we attended a Croatian small-town event that centered around prizes for the best tasting fish stew. Yes, just another opportunity for more cultural learning!



As an American friend of ours explained, it is the Croatian equivalent of an American "Chili Cook-off". Except instead of chili, each contestant is trying to make the perfect fish paprikas stew (often made spicy). Everyone has to use the same type of fish, but they use their own secret, carefully guarded recipes. Some add noodles, and it's sometimes served with bread for dipping.


In the afternoon, the fish is roasted and the teams get to work. For several hours, the teams cook up their concoctions. Then the judges taste them all, and everyone attending the event gets free fish stew too! (What could be better?) Later in the evening, the results are carefully tabulated and the winners are announced. Yes, there are medals given out, and trophies too. They do not mess around. I think one guy even won a ladder as a prize.

While this is all going on, there are also a few stalls set out with vendors selling their local wares--homemade cakes and breads, olive oil, rakija (homemade liquor--brandy, I think?), and some hand-sewn or crocheted things. Of course we acted embarrassingly American and had our picture taken with some of the ladies wearing their traditional dress.

Naturally we had to try some of the soup/stew (not sure what to call it??) Actually, it was pretty good. The one we tried was nice and spicy. I was unsure how to navigate the large chunk of whole fish carcass floating in mine, so I left that alone and ate the parts I could better identify. Overall it was a fun family event. Enjoy the pictures!

Fish roasting.

posted by Amy C @ 2:25 PM