On 13 and 14 November, the Croatian Project from JRE-Croatia “How we cook” was held in Istria. The purpose and idea of the Project was of an international level, it allows the chefs to transfer knowledge, experiences and get to know their fellow restaurateurs from all over the world. This project is co-financed by the Croatian Tourist Board.

The Masterclass

JRE members gathered in Istria to learn about local ingredients and cook with them in a Masterclass. The Cattunar winery, located in Brtonigla, provided a perfect combination of Istrian tradition, gastronomic heritage and connection with the sea and the land.

The masterclass is based on local and seasonal ingredients, each guest chef prepared one dish from start to finish with local ingredients.

Chef Veselin Kalev used local ingredients, namely Istrian beef called Boškarin - beef tail from the producer Azrri.

Chef Mark Dixon used the main ingredient sea bass from MarFish producers who are partners of the JRE-Croatia association.

Other local foods could be found on the kitchen table, including Karlić truffles, local mushrooms, various Latus cheeses, and Azrri cured meat products. After the masterclass, a joint dinner was prepared by all the pirsut chefs. The dinner was made from local ingredients so that each of them would give a touch of their locality, tradition and the preparation of dishes that they normally do in their restaurants where they come from. The fresh assortment of food and other kitchen supplies needed for every cooking was made possible by Metro Hrvatska, with which the JRE association has a long-term cooperation.

Local Products: Truffels and Oysters

In addition to the masterclasses, the chefs visited the Karlić truffle factory and toured the forest with expert guidance and enjoyed the search for Istrian truffles.

After the truffles, the chefs were delighted by the farm Tony oysters, where they tasted fresh oysters with a glass of wine.

Day 2

The second day of How we cook is reserved for a visit to the oil mill and the Ipša winery! The Ipša wineries are part of the JRE-Croatia association of small producers and winemakers. The tour of the oil mill, olive grove, vineyard and wine cellar ended with lunch prepared by the Ipša team. Along with the local "spiza" we enjoyed Ipša wines, and just for us they presented and opened new special editions of wine that they will soon present to the public!

About Cattunar Winery

The Cattunar winery likes to say that they are a winery in four countries! The unique locations of the vineyards on four different soils: red, white, gray and doe soil.

 Franco Cattunar and his wife Vesna started producing wine professionally in 1985 as one of the first private winegrowers and winemakers in Croatia. The vineyards cover 40 ha, and they produce local varieties like Istrian Malvasia, Teran, Muscat white and Muscat rose. But they also have international varieties such as Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc!

In addition to the wine story, the Cattunar residence boasts a hotel section of 11 rooms, wellness, fitness and an outdoor pool.

About MarFish

MarFish is an coal-based premium sea bass farming company known for its Ike Jima technique. Ike Jim's method is the best-known method of quickly killing fish, which consists of quickly paralyzing the fish by perforating the brain with the help of a metal rod and immediately draining the blood from it. When done correctly, this not only preserves the flavor and texture of the fish, but also allows the body to develop an umami dimension when aged.