Mountain Cheeses Jams and Preserves Spirits and Wine
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The Presidium established an association of sound. Škripavac is made with milk from the Jams and Preserves Croatia 12 laborious process. The vegetables are first promote the island’s natural resources, espe- surroundings give the wine unique aromatic producers who adopted a production protocol Busha (Buša) cow, a small, hearty indigenous Dubrovnik Bitter Orange Marmalade roasted for a long time in the oven then cooled cially the pristine maquis, vast expanses of ju- notes, famous around the world. Sadly, the in order to obtain a recognizable, high-quality breed of cattle, which produces a high qual- The wealth of diversity in the region’s un- Producers slowly so that the seeds and skin can be re- niper, sage, rosemary and thyme. wine’s fame has led to arrival of industrial, stan- product. Its aims include the preservation of ity milk with a high percentage of fat. To date, spoiled forests and meadows, plus centuries of Bitter oranges have been cultivated in Dubro- moved by hand. Leskovac, in the heart of Ser- Production area Unije Island dardized viticulture, driven solely by profit and three native breeds, the Pramenka sheep and there is only one young producer who, with history of fruit-growing, have made the Balkans vnik, in southern Dalmatia, for centuries. bia, is renowned for the quality of its meat, Coordinator Robert Nikolic 21 with little connection to the local area. A few 4 Gatacka and Busa cows. courage, is still breeding this ancestral breed a true treasure trove of jams, compotes and Every garden has at least one tree of this native particularly a type of hamburger called pljes- tel. +385 98801049 – [email protected] years ago, a small group of local producers de- and producing this unique cheese. variety, which uses no chemical treatments. kavica. An unusual variation of ajvar is made cided to commit to traditional, environmentally Production area Ljubinje, Prozor-Rama, Konjic, Ljubuški, preserves. From recipes of Turkish origin (like Macedonia 19 Nevesinje and Berkoviši Villages in Herzegovina here from peppers, oil, vinegar and garlic. friendly viticulture, in order to give consumers Production area Dalmatinska Zagora e Lika Bosnian slatko or Albanian gljko) to those from A group of women has decided to turn their Bukovo Red Peppers Presidium Coordinator Miroslav Glogovac Coordinator Ivo Kara-Pesic Saxon tradition (like the Transylvanian pre- bitter orange marmalade production into a Production area Leskovac a taste of the real flavor of this unique wine. The tel. +387 65731228 tel. +385 959295764 – [email protected] Coordinator Dragana tar – [email protected] Peppers are central to Balkan gastronomy, fea- Spirits and Wine [email protected] serves), they offer an original way to discover small business, and they have joined together same producers also distil rakija from the pips turing in almost every meal. In September, the and skin of plavac mali grapes, a little-known the riches of the Balkans. in a cooperative. For the last three years, Feb- Rakı in Turkey, raki in Albania, rakija in Slavic Bulgaria 3 ruary 2 has been designated “Bitter Orange Medicinal Herbs and Seasonings markets are filled with dozens of varieties of product with great potential. widely varying colors and forms. Each of which countries: From deepest Anatolia to the Dalma- Karakachan Sheep Help us protect the rural landscape Day,” a day for celebrating local traditions. tian islands, all across the region this quintes- Production area Pelješac peninsula Mountain Cheeses has a distinct use. Bukovo, a small village a few Coordinator Denis Marusic In the past the Karakachan sheep breed (which of the Balkans! Production area Dubrovnik Women are the most important guardians of sential spirit is given a similar name. Coordinator Ivo Kara-Pesic biodiversity, and it is thanks to them that an kilometers from Bitola in southern Macedonia, tel. +385 91 2116974 – [email protected] 6 The seasonal migration of livestock has takes its name from an ancient Balkan ethnic tel. +385 959295764 – [email protected] is famous for producing the best pepper sea- No one in the Balkans buys it at the supermar- long been practiced in the Balkans. Mil- group) was common throughout Bulgaria. At unparalleled knowledge of aromatic and me- ket. Instead, everyone has a trusted supplier, Macedonia 25 Albania 9 dicinal herbs is still preserved in many Balkan soning, used to flavor soups and meat dishes. lions of animals, mostly sheep, were once the beginning of the 20th century there were Raki and the Përmet Gliko Presidium Macedonia 13 Grown from self-produced seeds, the Bukovo a friend or a relative living in the countryside. Kavadarci Z’ta Rakija Producers taken between the Aegean, the Black 500,000 animals but by the end of the 1950s communities The only way to really discover Rakı/raki/rakija is the ultimate symbol of con- Përmet is a region in Albania, close to the Wild Figs Slatko pepper is harvested and then tied into long Tikvesh is one of the areas best suited to grape Sea and the Mediterranean. Now the last their numbers had reduced to 150,000, and this region’s gastronomy is to be invited into viviality, and represents a way of consumption border with Greece and what was the Italian- On the banks of Lake Dojran, along the Greek wreathes to be dried in the sun and then ovens. growing in all of Macedonia, and its wines are guardians of these ancient traditions are by 2007 only 400 had survived. The sheep is a home, where you can sample ancestral reci- based on direct knowledge of the producer Greek front line during the Second World War. border, the production of slatko (meaning When the peppers are ready, they are ground inspiring great interest among connoisseurs. the herders and cheesemakers who still small in size with a long, thick coat whose color pes and typical products that cannot be found and the product’s true value. It is here that Gliko is produced: a preserve “sweet” in Macedonian) from wild figs is an in traditional wooden mortars called kutle to ob- Lesser known but equally interesting, z’ta raki- spend the summer making cheese up in changes with age from black to brown and fi- elsewhere. similar to Slatko from Bosnia and Macedonia. It ancient tradition. It is mainly women who con- tain a coarse mix which is sieved. Intense ruby ja is a traditional brandy, made from selected the mountains, amidst pristine meadows nally to gray. Its excellent high-fat milk is used Help us promote a short supply chain! is composed of whole fruit, obtained by mac- tinue to use the traditional recipe for transform- Help us to promote rural communities red in color, it is sweet, aromatic and slightly grapes of excellent quality fermented between and breathtaking landscapes. to produce Sirene, a white brined cheese simi- 6 erating fruit in water and lime, followed by a ing an otherwise inedible fruit into a consum- in the Balkans! spicy with a long and pleasant finish. November and January. After aging in oak bar- lar to feta, and an extraordinary yogurt. Bosnia-Herzegovina 22 rels, this brandy takes on its typical dark color Help us protect small-scale mountain subsequent slow cooking. The ingredients are able product, which involves boiling the fruit Production area Bukovo, Bitola municipality Production area Vlahi, Pirin Mountains, Blagoevgrad nine times. Only then do the wild figs release Bulgaria 16 Coordinator Elena Karovska Stolac Winemakers and acquires an unusual flavor and fragrance. production! province, southwestern Bulgaria diverse: from green walnuts with prunes to wa- 20 Macedonia 6 termelon skins. The region is also known for the their sugar, after which they are immersed in Kyustendil Medicinal Herb Gatherers tel. + 389 75 791001 – [email protected], Herzegovina is directly influenced by the Adri- Many small-scale producers in Tikvesh, in- Coordinator Sider Sedefchev Mavrovo Reka Mountain Pasture Cheeses cluding z’ta rakija producers, helped by the 1 tel. +359 886839137 – [email protected] production of raki (a spirit made with mulberry, agda, a syrup of water and sugar, and cooked A fertile plateau with a mild climate extends 20 atic Sea and enjoys a relatively dry and sunny Albania Romania members of the local Slow Food convivium, Lepushe Mishavin and Çai Malit In Mavrovo Park, kashkaval, possibly the an- plum or dogwood) and wines, especially white for another hour. Lemon is added to the result- across the Konoyovo Mountains, not far from Brusturoasa Palanca Medicinal Herb climate. This typically Mediterranean weather cestor of all stretched cheese, is still produced. ones from the Debina grape variety. ing slatko to maintain the fig color. It is finally the Macedonian border. The plateau is his- Gatherers means that viticulture has been practiced are working to set up an Earth Market with z’ta At 1,250 meters above sea level, Lepushe here for centuries. Some of the region’s best rakija as its symbol. It looks like a pecorino, a 4-5 kg round, aged Production area Përmet cooled and put into jars. torically known for fruit growing, and the local The municipalities of Brusturoasa and Palanca, in the highest village in the Albanian Alps, wines come from the native grape varieties Tikvesh for a long period in cool, damp rooms and Coordinator Nikolla Vasillaq Production area Dojran, Bogdanci, Valandovo and people have been cultivating apples, pears in Bacau county, are dotted with enchanting Production area and indeed in the whole country. Most tel. +355 813 23725 – [email protected] Gevgelja villages žilavka and blatina. Blatina, from the Dubrave Coordinator Goran Dimitrov obtained through a complex technique.