The sponge is a unique gastronomic feast in Vrgorac: from snails from vineyards, they work the finest frita.
Last weekend, a unique gastronomic feast was organized in the town of Vrgorac, where the first and last words had snails, those vineyards that the Vrgoracans had been gathering abundantly in the past few days so they could prepare the real festival of snails.
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SPUZIJADA held in Vrgorac
More than a thousand servings of snails made in several ways have been prepared at the festival dedicated to the creep of snails, which they call « spraying » lovers of this delicacy. This dish that is deeply rooted in the history and customs of the Vrgo Krajina is prepared in various ways, but still the most famous recipes are sprayed on the anger, then baked with the backs and scrambled eggs with spurs. This year, students and professors of the Tin Ujevic High School in Vrgorac and the Kula Restaurant in Vrgorac were in charge of preparing dishes from snails. The smell of anger and snails is comfortable with the nostrils while many lovers of this delicacy have been waiting for the snails to be prepared so that they can taste and enjoy their taste. The sponge, as Zeljka Opacak told us, the director of the Vrgorac Tourist Board, is not only a gastronomic event but also an opportunity to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of Vrgorac.
Spuziada held in Vrgorac |
It all started last year when they came up with the idea of organizing a gastronomic festival of snails for the first time, which were records of a hundred -year -old tradition of snails in the Vrgo region.
– Last year we started to mark a hundred years since the documents found by the President of the Society of Friends of Vrgoška Antiquities Branko Radonic in the Dubrovnik archives wrote that there were nowhere to be made throughout the Makarska coast and the then Dubrovnik area except Vrgorac. Vrgorac was part of the Makarska district and according to official records it is written that they have been spinning nowhere to eat for decades, except in Vrgorac – Director Opacak tells us. On this occasion, the records started with the event that continued this year, and if judged by it will become traditional as long as there are snails. In this area, we find out from Vrgorci a lot and people are happy to collect them.
Spuziada held in Vrgorac |
– Most of them are when dew rains small drops in spring and fall. Then our suite goes to the hill and collects spuns that can be prepared in many ways. The most famous is the preparation of spokes with anger and eggs. One has to get a little mindful to find and collect them. The snails are then placed in water with salt and vinegar to stand for several hours and to wash away from the mucus. Then the snails are put into heated water and boiled for about ten minutes. The meat is most commonly separated from the cottage with a fork or a toe. Only horns and white meat are left for consumption. After cooking and cleaning them, lightly yellow in the oil, which has plenty of domestic angry, which there are plenty on this spring days. When the anger is slightly « sown », we add cooked snails and dinstate a little more. Finally add the eggs that make the scrambled eggs. We mix everything, salt and snail are ready to consume – chief chef Neven Antunovic told us, while the impatient Vrgorci and their guests were waiting for the first portions of this delicacy. Antunovic prepared and crawled with truffles with a snail with Ljutik.
For this portion, many were eagerly waiting in line because as they told us, Neven is a true master of « Kužina », and when it comes to snails, he has no time. Considering that it was the most famous gazing of snails in the eggs with eggs among Vrgoracans, it was more interesting to taste them to a different one, the Vrgorcani would say – a more modern way.
Spuziada held in Vrgorac |
– The red onions are stewed first and the small cubes are cut tomatoes. Then the cooked snails are added, a profuse butter and continued for a few more minutes. The truffles are added to the end, salted and eventually everything is mixed in the previously cooked « Al dente » rice – Antunović explains the process of making snails with truffles. In this way, as with Angry, it is about twenty minutes enough for snails to be consumed. How delicious are the best witnesses were empty portions. It was also identical to the tables of Tin Ujevic High School, where « tails » were sought. There was also another grocer, such as asparagus with cooked eggs. All of these foods from asparagus to snails were collected by the Vrgorac people so that they could show the public how much in the ancient times of these poor foods were so simple and how our ancestors could save them in a simple but delicious way.
Spuziada held in Vrgorac |
With their manifestation called Spongery, the Vrgorcani is a unique way to write an interesting gastronomic offer and say that snails as food are an extremely healthy dish because snails are rich in protein, there are many mineral salts and essential amino acids and is extremely low -calorie food. In addition, aphrodisiac properties are also attached to snails. So whoever loves it.
