Every country has its traditional food they prepare and eat on Christmas holidays. Croatia is no exception. Croatia has a rich history and tradition. Although it is a small country, there are five regions, every region has its traditional food. This is mine. In this article, you will discover my favorite Christmas holiday food.
Dalmatia Region
I grew up in the Dalmatia region. We have the sea but we don't prefer seafood. At Least I don't. I am more of a sweet tooth type of girl, and luckily for me, the Dalmatian region is rich with traditional holiday treats. Every year, my family prepares special foods and treats for holiday celebrations. You can find a lot of sweets, dry meat, and olives.
Other than that, every dalmatian household MUST have the fritters. Every Christmas eve, my mother prepares traditional fritters for the whole family. I love them so much that every year I gain a few pounds just from fitters. I am looking forward to this Christmas Eve and a few extra pounds I will not mind at all.
Fritters
Fritters are a traditional Croatian pastry and my personal favorite. Fritters are made every Christmas eve, or if you are a huge fan like me, the whole month of December. As soon as December hits the calendar, fritters are a must. I either make them or buy them. They are so popular you can find them on every corner in this region.
Every time I go to a coffee shop during December, I am sure to find free fritters there. They serve you a free bowl with every order. This is why I like my people so much, they are so giving and kind.
Especially during the holiday season. If you visit Croatia during the Christmas holiday, you can be sure you will have a chance to taste them,
It is a tradition that every household has. Even beauty salons( don't ask how I know :D ). They can be made plain or with raisins, and with or without powdered sugar. It is a matter of personal preference. I prefer mine with raisins. It is how my mom made them when I was a child and they are one of my favorite Christmas memories.
Luganige
Since traditional food from my region is a mix of Italian and Turkish food, the next food we traditionally make on Christmas holidays is Luganige. It is a mix of pork meat and spices, traditionally from the Italian city Lugano. It is made traditionally only in the Šibenik area. I had a chance to try it and I was amazed.
It was the best meat dish I ever tasted, and I am not very big on meat. Especially not pork. But when I tried Luganige I couldn't get enough. It is traditionally made in restaurants more than in households, but since it is something only made in Šibenik, it was worth mentioning. If you are traveling to Šibenik this holiday season, make sure to try it.
Chocolate Coconut Balls
Not exactly traditional, but in modern days, more and more people are preparing coconut balls in all shapes and sizes. I am not sure how old this tradition is exactly, but all I know is that I don't mind it at all. They are sweet, easy on the stomach, and I love them.
They are the perfect decoration for every holiday table and I simply enjoy them so much.
They have become so popular they can be found on every Christmas market stand, and every year they are bestsellers.
Every year, when I go to the Christmas market, I buy some coconut balls. They go perfectly with a hot cup of tea. We either make them or buy them, but for every holiday family launch, it is a must.
Christmas is a special time of year in Croatia. Every region has its traditions and foods. It is worth trying each one of them. If you ask me, I just love Christmas foods and traditions in my area. Every year, my family comes together and we eat traditional foods and watch Christmas movies.
My mother is the one who makes all the delicious foods we all love, and I am thankful for having her in my life. All the foods and traditions are carried through generations and I believe it is amazing. Even though you can get all these foods outside or in the store for a couple of euros, homemade is still the best.
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