In this area, the main food found on the dining tables of all homes during winter is sauerkraut, kiseli kupus, also called the doctor of the poor as it thrives well, there is plenty of it, and for this very reason it is inexpensive and available to everyone. Sauerkraut holds a large amount of nutrients which is why it is an extremely healthy and nutritious food. The most popular dish made of sauerkraut is sarma or stuffed minced meat wrapped in cabbage leaves; then there is sekili goulash, which is a fine combination of pork and chopped sauerkraut.
Sauerkraut is usually served with either grilled sausages or buncek ham - dried pork forearm, or with blood sausages and hash-browns. Beans are a winter gem as they are also plentiful and ever so popular when served with sauerkraut in a stew; they can be combined with barley in a ‘broth’. And last but not least, turkey with dumplings is a slam bam seasonal special.
So when in Zagreb, do as the Zagrebians do and your appetite will become a lot more wholesome. Winter is simply not the same without these hotly prepared tender foods that keep us resistant to the outside cold and prepared in traditional ways to be enjoyed by all! We can’t remember ever having a single bad meal in a mountain lodge. The smell of sauerkraut, sausages, cottage cheese with cream, strudel, turkey with mlinci, mulled wine...and the list sumptuously goes on! Mountain lodges are places where you can still eat ‘old school style cuisines’ just as our ancestors used to in old Zagreb pubs - and still do in many homes today. Without a doubt, you will often see families of all generations, friends and people who still have that one thing in common – a love of hiking and good food that awaits them at the end of the road ...