December 16, 2018 – The third advent candle was lit on Sunday for Gastroadvent at the City of Split Museum, complete with the flavors of the distinguished Split restaurant “Perivoj” and chef Braco Sanjin.
Sunday’s candle was lit by the help of portal journalists alongside exclusive guests and representatives of the Split Tourist Board and Split-Dalmatia County. Gastroadvent organizer Olja Martinic again introduced the theme for this year’s favorite event: garlic and thermal water.
Specifically, this year’s Gastroadvent aims to highlight the importance of consuming garlic and water and their role in the prevention and treatment of many diseases.
“Water is the source and the base of everyday life on earth, a prerequisite for human biological survival,” reads the first sentence in the book about Split water by Stanko Piplović.
Scientists investigate the existence of creeks, sea life, wells, cisterns and fountains, and sanatoriums marked by sulfur water. Our region is well-known for Diocletian’s aqueduct, a nine-kilometre-long flawless construction that is admired by the most modern designers, which brings water from the source of the Jadro river to the proximity of the palace. Split is the city of water (seawater, thermal water, spring water, and rainwater), which anticipates a great economic and tourism future.
Garlic, on the other hand, is a plant known for its robust flavor – and it helps to know that it carries top quality culinary and medical properties. The main ingredient in garlic is allicin, which possesses miraculous antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic and antioxidant properties. Just some of the benefits of garlic are that it stimulates circulation and acts as anti-hypertensive, anti-atherosclerotic, and anti-cholesterol, and thus promotes the formation of H2S in the body. Garlic has anti-malarial activity, especially for the digestive system and regulation of the intestinal flora – and its sulfur compounds protect against stress and act as an antioxidant!
The medicinal properties of garlic come in direct contact with the soil where it grows, and because the area around Split is rich in thermal springs, garlic, as well as other vegetables are considered extremely healthy. Thermal waters soak in the soil, making it unique for vegetation while its volatile components improve the air quality at the same time. Sulfuric thermal waters are used in therapy for dermatology, respiratory problems, and especially in chronic rheumatism and neuralgia. Sulfuric thermal water is also helpful in chronic fatigue and anti-stress programs.
At Split’s famous Gothic Renaissance palace, the Museum of the City of Split, journalists enjoyed the creations by Braco Sanjin of Perivoj, who prepared pljukanci with bakalar and collard greens, smoked shrimp and mussels, fuži with shrimp, garlic, and chilli, gregada, and pasta fazol in a brudet.
The desserts were made by Dolcemania, who prepared six different cakes, including the famous Split cake, Trogir cake, and Kaštela cake.
And for the wine, guests enjoyed Rukatac Pilač, Pošip Krolo, and Plavac Violić from Wine Box, which specializes in promoting small vineyards and native Dalmatian wine varieties.
The Gastroadvent manifestation this year includes Konoba Lučac tavern, Movi, Pizzeria Galija, Bokerija, Bakra-Steak & Pizza Bar, Zora Bila, Marvi Hotel, Hotel Vestibul, Hotel Park, ZOI, Brasserie on 7, and Apetit.
To learn more about Gastroadvent, follow TCN’s dedicated page.
