The fifth edition of the oeno-gastro project 'Wine by the Spoon' took place at the ReUnion restaurant at the Canopy by Hilton Hotel in Zagreb. The concept of 'Stews from Dolac' was designed by the chef of the restaurant Marinko Topalović. The menu featured fresh food from Dolac, the most famous market in Zagreb. Gastronomic journalist Domagoj Jakopović Ribafish presented the meal prepared for the media and was initiated by journalists Renata Cisar and Mustafa Topčagić.
The Aura distillery from Istrian Buzet offered Biska, Moscato, Teranino and Wild pear and a Gin Karbun cocktail with pieces of coal, with Teranino and tonic, to start with. Welcome snacks were Soparnik, Kulen donuts on peppers coulis and Dalmatian prosciutto 22 months old with the Međimurje sparkling wine of Zlatni zvir pušipel, Tomšić Wineries from Železna Gora near Štrigova. The warm entree, Parmigian with burata, parmesan and hazelnut crust, was accompanied with its freshness and aroma by Sauvignon Blanc 2018 from Kolar Winery. Wine from the family winery was described to the guests by Mr and Mrs Kolar and oenologist Samir Nađ from Suza in Baranja. Graševina 2018 from Petračeva Hršak breg near Krapinske Toplice blended well with roasted pumpkin soup and Toulis (cartilage) with pumpkin and thyme salsa. Fish dish, Maki rolls with Kali Adriatic tuna is made with the help of the powerful but finely balanced Pošip 2018 from Hvar Hills Winery in Svirče. This dish was prepared by chef Tika Sharma from Nepal.
Served with beef stew with cavatelli pasta, Frankovka Miraz 2017 of Feravina, gave us a pleasure to enjoy a champion wine from the recent Frankovka Festival in Feričanci. Many winemakers remember 2014 as a really bad year, but not Ivo Brzica from Erdut, whose red wines are just coming into shape. For this occasion, he brought the mighty Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 from his winery with the most beautiful view of the Danube, which melted brilliantly with Spring rolls of stewed beef cheeks on a half-pint of curd. Pumpkin ice cream was also tasted with a crown of seeds and honey, which made OPG Mladen Cesarac's oil pumpkin drops from Oroslavje more attractive and tasty.
Cesarec presented its top quality oils and other products made from Zagorje pumpkin. With ice cream we savoured the wine from Plešivica Traminac red 2017, by Dominik Jagunić. This variety (originally: rotten traminer) is a little represented in our country, and this was a premiere show. The Jagunić family have built a new winery and are increasingly committed to producing orange wines like this. Finally, Franck's Superiore espresso was served.
Chief Executive Chef at Conopy Marinko Topalović explained that there are only 48 Hilton hotels of this type in the world and that all must meet the set criteria in layout, space design, guest placement and access to their meals. Local foods are preferred, so the concept of 'Dolac stew' was born. 'Every week we have a new menu. We go scouting on Sundays, and on Mondays in procurement, ”he explained. Food preparation is exclusively a la carte, and family Sunday lunches are especially popular, says Topalović.
Photos by: Julio Frangen