The fans of good food and wines, journalists Renata Cisar and Mustafa Topčagić, with the help of gastro-specialist Domagoj Jakopović Ribafish, presented an interesting wine-and-culinary concept called “Wine and Spoons” at the Aperitivo Bar in Zagreb.
Photo by Marko Čolić
Their goal is to promote the habit of consuming wine with boiled and stewed meals, which has been entirely neglected in Croatia. In making this idea happen, they were much helped by Podravka and its culinary promoters Dražen Đurišević, Zlatko Sedlanić and Zoran Delić. The popular chefs presented the Vegeta Maestro and Vegeta Natur mono-spices through six courses of meals that pair well with top-quality wines. They used the following spices: Vegeta Natur, Vegeta Natur Vegetable Cube, Vegeta Chilli, Vegeta Maestro Garlic, Vegeta Maestro Majoram, Vegeta Maestro Pepper, Vegeta Maestro Red Pepper, Vegeta Maestro Parsley, Vegeta Maestro Rosemary, Vegeta Maestro Basil, Vegeta Maestro Bay Leaf and Vegeta Maestro Cinnamon.
They created recipes and prepared delicious meals “for the spoon” for about fifty guests who, before enjoying the food and wine, refreshed their palates with Feravino’s sparkling wines Grasecco and Francesca, and aperitif liqueurs from Drinkoteka – based on honey, hazelnut and prunes.
And what was offered to eat and drink at the Aperitivo bar by its exceptional host Pepo Zorić? It all started with the Zagorje soup, which was accompanied by the joyful 2017 Škrlet Ilovčak. Spoons remained in the hands to welcome the next dish – štrukle in a soup – along with the elegant 2017 Pinkert Rose. Then, seafood risotto was imaginatively paired with the continental 2017 Trdenić Pinot Blanc, while the wild game goulash was lavishly “doused” with Poletti’s six-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon. “Her Majesty” sarma was solemnly accompanied by the Feravino’s “French-style” red coupage 2015 Miraz Cuvée. The most persistent guests managed to save themselves for the delicious chocolate dessert, which was readily welcomed by two Raak fruit wines – made from three types of black currant and two varieties of sour cherry.
At the end of the pleasant evening, the media representatives expressed their enthusiasm for, as well as their critical opinion about, pairing the “for the spoon” meals with wines and spices. According to their votes, the best combination was the 2013 Poletti Cabernet Sauvignon wine with the goulash made of wild game and spices Vegeta Chilli, Vegeta Maestro Pepper and Vegeta Maestro Bay Leaf.
The get-together at the Aperitivo bar continued after the official part of the promotion of the “Wine and Spoons” event, and the organisers announced that we would soon meet at another venue with a similar, but a slightly different selection of food and wines.
More news on Croatian wines can be found in the Lifestyle section.
Remaining hotos by Goran Šerbula
