Zagreb Archives - Culinary Croatia

Olive Oils of Istria

Explore Olive Oils of Istria!

The story of Chiavalon is the story of a boy who followed his grandfather into an olive grove. Enchanted by the olive’s slow growth, immense beauty and many gifts to those willing to work hard to reap them, the boy set out to continue his grandfather’s legacy. Thanks to the support of the entire family, Chiavalon today picks olives from over 7.500 olive trees, gaining international awards every step of the way. Between the listing on the prestigious Flos Olei list “Top olive oils of the world”, to the spot among the top 25 eco-olive oils by World’s Best Olive Oils, Chiavalon oils are the ones to take home from Istria.

Olive Oils of Istria

Explore Olive Oils of Istria!

Truffle Hunt

Try the Elusive Delicacy!

Buried deep in clay, entangled in the roots of oaks, the Istrian truffles have for long remained a secret well-kept from the world. While their counterparts from Alba and Piedmont regions reaped international fame, the Istrian truffle market remained largely government-controlled throughout the 20th century. But as Croatia marked its spot on the travelers’ bucket lists, the Istrian truffle hunt became one of its hallmark experiences. The peninsula’s potato-like mushroom made it to some other lists too, topping the one of the most expensive truffle ever sold, for the 1.31kg white truffle found in the forest around Motovun in 1999, which auctioned for 330.000USD.

Truffle Hunt

Try the Elusive Delicacy!

Wines of Istria

Malvazija, teran, muškat...

The first written records of Malvazija cultivation in Istria date from 1891, but the sort was probably brought over much earlier, by Venetian merchants from Greece. Known all over the Mediterranean, and especially so in Italy, this white sort of grapes thrives on the largest Croatian peninsula and has become somewhat of the Istrian wine country signature. A gem in many local winery collections, Malvazija is a true summer delight: straw yellow with hints of golden or green, and a unique flower-fruit potential, Malvazija most often features apple, plum, and apricot, but can venture all the way to acacia flower fragrances when grapes are grown on sunny hilltops.