An evening stroll by the sea isn’t complete without the delightful taste and smell of this tasty Croatian food.
While the delicious meat and fish from local farms and fish markets make up some of the meals the country is most proud of, Croatian cuisine isn’t lacking in the sweet department either! One of the most popular desserts is a kind of simple fritter called fritule. Made of plain flour, eggs, dry yeast and warm water, milk or yoghurt, the dough is formed in small balls, fried in oil and covered with powdered sugar. The taste of these warm puffs is similar to doughnuts, but Croatian fritule often have some special ingredient in them that makes them extra tasty, such as raisins, lemon zest, rum or apples.
A legendary pastry
Fritule hold an important place in the culture of the coastal region, as they are considered a must during holidays in Dalmatia. Decades ago people had less options for desserts than they do now, so when Christmas came around, mothers and grandmothers of every house made fritule for their children. A legend says there was a huge fire on September 12th of 1752 threatening to destroy the whole Zadar area, but the people prayed to their protector, Our Lady of Health. The fire miraculously stopped, so the people organized a procession to thank her, and the abundance of fritule filled the town with the sweetest smell. The children were so happy for getting to eat fritule before Christmas, they even started calling her Our Lady of Fritule!
The best snack of them all
Making fritule is fairly easy, but one of the charms is eating them on the go: you can buy them from street vendors when you’re taking a walk, going out, or coming home from the beach after a whole day of swimming. Those often come with a syrup or topping of your choice (sugar, chocolate, caramel and such), but real homemade fritule are always the best. You can try them in one of the pastry shops and bakeries in Camping Village Šimuni.
Guilty pleasure
Traditional Dalmatian cuisine has various elements of the healthy Mediterranean diet, so indulging in this Croatian pastry from time to time isn’t sinful as you might think! Moderacy is key: treat yourself to some fritule after you try some of the healthy meals full of fish, fresh produce and amazing olive oil, a staple of most meals in Dalmatia.
The restaurants in Camping Village Šimuni offer a wide selection of Croatian specialties, so don’t hesitate to book your stay in our beautiful resort.