After a recent presentation of the oeno-gastro project "Wine with a Spoon" at the Aperitivo Bar in Zagreb, a new gathering with the media was organized at the Sofra restaurant, located within the Green Gold shopping centre. Before enjoying the meals and wines, the palates were refreshed with Mladina's sparkling wines Poy along with the Bosnian finger food - buredžik (small burek, of course, with meat).
Restaurant manager Selmir Bešić presented Bosnian cuisine through seven courses of cooked meals that were accompanied by top quality wines. Dinner began with the popular Begova čorba, warm creamy soup with ocra, chicken meat and vegetables, along with a pleasing selection of the Moslavina’s Škrlet Trdenić private collection 2017. Bosna has ravioli too, and even some skeptical tasters were convinced, but unlike Italians, Bosnians call it Klepe. It is a cooked pasta stuffed with ground beef in cream sauce and garlic, which was "covered" by Jakovac Chardonnay 2017.
Then he tried Japrak, which is more popular in Herzegovina, and we would best describe it as a small stuffed collard leaves. In the season, it is usually wrapped in vine leaves, but the collard green in this case proved to be a good choice. Sirovica Rhein Riesling Rizling 2017, the promising wine maker from Plešivica, was quite well maintained with the sweetness and mild bitterness of this specialty.
The Bosnian pot is traditionally a dish that is cooked for a long time on light fire, and the softness of meat and various vegetables gives a special richness of smell and taste. The recipe is very simple - all in one. It is a dish of everything, and is a mouth-watering experience! With such a powerful delicacy, only the top champion could be worn out, such as the Jakovac Cuvée black 2013, blended sweet merlot and cabernet sauvignon with lots of sunshine from the Erdut vineyard. In an unofficial rating, this combination was the most adored among journalists, winemakers, and other guests.
The most eloquent were the food that was named for this occasion – Ocra Queen. Those plants from the mallow family are attributed with the aphrodisiac properties, and one says there is no shortage of such things in Florijanović’s Frankovka, a top-quality wine from Moslavina, which we had with this dish. Ocra is, in other words, an indispensable ingredient of most Bosnian specialties, and in Sofra it id combined with soft carrots, carrots and rice. It was really a top hit!
The sweet ending eventually came to apple, cooked and stuffed with ground nuts, which we know as Tufahijs. Traminac Radosh 2016, of the Ilok’s winemaker Mladen Papak, followed elegantly with this calorie bomb. Istrian liqueurs and brandy distillery Aura (Teranino, Biska and Moscato) were served as a delicacy.
At the end of the evening, filled with wonderful food and wine, those who did not mind dreaming enjoyed the Franck Jubilarna Sensual's delicious coffee taste, traditionally served in Oriental-Bosnian cups.
Photos by: Sofra