Monday, August 9, 2010

Hunting for Cheese

Cheese on a side street in Pag Town
One of the things I miss most when I'm away from Croatia is really good cheese.  If you ask locals to recommend a cheese, they will almost invariably suggest Paški sir.  Made on the island of Pag, it is the most famous Croatian cheese, made of sheep's milk rubbed with olive oil and ashes and aged from 6 to 12 months .  One local brand, Sirevi Gligora, was awarded the Superior Taste mark from the International Taste and Quality Institute in Belgium.  Sirevi Gligora has a tasting room in the factory open to tourists, but this is not my favorite way to find cheese.  I prefer stopping at roadside stands or exploring tiny "stores" in alleyways.  You'll find plenty of both on Pag.  But I have to admit that Paški sir is not my favorite cheese.


Now I am the first to admit that I am an amateur foodie and perhaps my tastes are due 1. to the fact that I have spent a really long time in Croatia and am tired of hearing about Paški sir and 2. I tend to root for underdogs.  My personal favorites?


First up is Istrian Truffle Cheese.  I should admit that I am definitely over the appeal of truffles, having spent so many weekends in Istria that I am no longer impressed by them, think they are often ill-used, and very expensive (in the sense that they're not always worth it).  However, Istrian Truffle Cheese is really a treat.  It's a semi-hard cow's milk cheese with truffles added and with some prosciutto, bread, and a glass of wine, it's really all I need for a meal.  I'd definitely suggest tasting some before buying, as I've had varying qualities and it's not a small purchase.


Roadside Cheese Stand


My very favorite cheese, škripavac, is produced in Lika, though it is also sold in the Gorski Kotar region.  This cheese is a full-fat soft cheese made from cow's milk.  It has a distinct flavor - a little bit smoky and a hint of nut flavor. It's quite salty, too, which is a quality I happen to like though I understand some people may not.  I'm not sure I know of any commercial producers of škripavac.  It is usually purchased at roadside stands or out of the trunks of cars at gas stations.


I've had the best luck at the gas station off the highway in the Gorski Kotar region.  During the tourist season you'll always find two or three vendors selling cheese and sometimes dried mushrooms from their trunk.  The best cheese I ever had was purchased there - a pity purchase of all things, because the vendor was a nice little old man standing outside his car on a damp blustery day in March.  In the end it was he who did us the favor.  Had I known how good the cheese was, I would have gotten his phone number and tracked him down again.


Though I still haven't found any cheese to rival this mystery man's, I still like this variety of cheese and find it perfect with crusty bread and fresh tomatoes.


We also purchased some cheese from roadside stands.  Any exit from the highway in Gorski Kotar or Lika should provide you with plenty of choices.  There are dozens on the way to Plitvice and you used to have a good selection in the Plitvice parking lot, though they've formalized this somewhat and the vendors who pay for the stands there are not as good as those on the roadside (at least in my opinion).  You can bargain with these roadside vendors though they won't always have samples.  If you'll be doing some serious cooking, purchasing some homegrown vegetables from them is a good idea as well.


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