“Poljički soparnik”/ “Poljički zeljanik”/ “Poljički uljenjak” is a thin rolled-out dough in the shape of a round loaf that is filled with chard and red onion and baked in a red hot, open hearth in a bed of coals covered with ash. It is round in shape and has a diameter of 90 cm to 110 centimeters. The surface of baked product is coated with olive oil and crushed or finely chopped garlic. After baking and coating, Poljički soparnik is cut into pieces shaped like a rhomboid. Its color ranges from light yellow to light green, the crust is burnt and has minor cracks, and has the scent of wood burnt on an open fire and of garlic. The edge pieces are partially crispy, while the pieces further from the edge are soft and have a unique taste due to the combination of chard, olive oil and garlic.
“Poljički soparnik”/ “Poljički zeljanik”/ “Poljički uljenjak” is a baker's product served at ceremonies, which comes from the area of the former Poljica Republic and whose production dates back to the period of the Turkish raids of the coastal strip and the Dalmatian Zagora. It can be inferred from the stories passed down through the generations and from the old records available that soparnik was a product intended for the poor. The harsh conditions in the rocky area of Poljica and the poverty of the population led the women of Poljica with their inventiveness and skill to start making that simple baker's product from the simple vegetable crops that were available to them (chard, red onions and garlic), olive oil and flour. The local population's special skill in preparing this product is particularly evident in the specific method of forming the edges of the dough, in which the women fold back the upper and lower pieces of dough by hand and join them together so that the filling remains inside. Before the baking begins, soparnik must be skillfully and carefully transferred from the wooden board called sinija to the hearth. Since it is very thin, if soparnik is transferred too hastily or without proper care, it could become deformed or cracked, i.e. it would lose its distinctive shape.
The geographical area of Poljica, in which “Poljički soparnik”/ “Poljički zeljanik”/ “Poljički uljenjak” is produced, is delimited in the north-east by the river Cetina, in the west by the river Žrnovnica and in the south by the Adriatic Sea. The area of Poljica comprises Lower, Central and Upper Poljica.
VARAŽDINSKO ZELJE
“Varaždinsko zelje” is a vegetable derived from the autochthonous conservation variety of Varaždin cabbage. The cabbage head is flat, compact in the upper part and somewhat looser in the lower part. The leaves are tightly wrapped around the head, and when the cabbage is at technological maturity, the edges of the outer leaves will usually begin to curl upward. The leaf blades are thin and have prominent veins, and the leaves are of light olive colour. A leaf of “Varaždinsko zelje” is so thin that when placed on the palm, one’s fingertips can be seen through it, yet it is also flexible and resilient. “Varaždinsko zelje” has a bitter taste, with sharp notes, and a pungent smell of fresh cabbage. It is a late variety that tolerates cold well and can also be grown as spring cabbage. It is characterized by its high dry matter content and exceptionally high sugar content.
Its flexible and thin leaves along with its bitter taste with sharp notes make “Varaždinsko zelje” a vital ingredient for the preparation of traditional Croatian dishes. The essential element in the production of “Varaždinsko zelje” is the skill of the local producers, particularly during harvest, in which family members of different generations take part, handing down the experience and skill needed for hand picking the product. The hand picking relies on the picker’s own judgement on the basis of his/her experience and knowledge required to assess the maturity of the heads. Using his/her sight and touch the picker inspects the heads and performs a selective hand picking, which ensures that the heads are picked at the perfect technological maturity level. Hand picking also ensures better protection of the crops and prevents any damage that would be caused by machine harvesting. After many years of cultivating the plant and learning about its production under these specific conditions, the producers of “Varaždinsko zelje” have managed to create a product with unique characteristics that, as a result of specific soil, climate and relief, but also of the influence of the human factor, do not prevail elsewhere.
One advantage of “Varaždinsko zelje” is its suitability for open-air cultivation. Thanks to its resistance to low temperatures, “Varaždinsko zelje” can be left in the field until late autumn, which eliminates the need for extra storage. The production of “Varaždinsko zelje” is strictly limited to the area within the administrative boundaries of Varaždin County.
ZAGORSKI PURAN
“Zagorje turkey” is fresh turkey meat from the autochthonous Croatian Zagorje turkey breed, obtained from free-range turkeys and pasture-raised turkeys. The meat is exceptionally juicy and soft and has the mild and pleasant aroma resulting from grazing and roaming freely in the open air. Zagorje turkeys have been reared in Hrvatsko Zagorje since the second half of the sixteenth century. According to the records of the Venetian municipal authorities, the first Zagorje turkeys were brought into Hrvatsko Zagorje from Italy and the first roast turkey was served at the table of the Pavlins of Lepoglava on the Feast of the Assumption in 1561. Zagorje turkeys are reared in the traditional way, using free-range methods, which rely on turkeys spending the majority of their life in the open air, moving about freely in meadows, orchards and grove, and other habitats rich in vegetation.
Zagorje turkey has always been recognised as a speciality on the market, with meat of singular quality, and as linked to the traditional rearing technique for Zagorje turkeys, which has been developed and preserved in the region of Hrvatsko Zagorje to this day. The meat of Zagorje turkey is traditionally served on special occasions and remains a favorite roast dish for holidays and family celebrations.
The name “Zagorski puran” is closely linked to the name of the rearing area of the breed of the same name, Hrvatsko zagorje, inhabited by four varieties of Zagorje turkey used to produce “Zagorski puran”, namely bronze-feathered, black-feathered, grey-feathered and light-feathered varieties. Zagorje turkey is produced in the geographical area of Hrvatsko Zagorje which includes the whole territory of Krapina-Zagorje County, the whole territory of Varaždin County and the edges of Zagreb County that border on Krapina-Zagorje and Varaždin Counties, specifically the municipalities of Brdovec, Marija Gorica, Pušća, Dubravica, Luka, Jakovlje, Bistra and Bedenica.
