:: Croatia Blog ::

The unique gastronomic manifestation “Nin šokoladija” in whose final stages once annually tourists of the ancient town of Nin may enjoy, has a significantly greater effect than organising an attractive tourist event. The entire project was initiated five years ago by the Tourist Board of the City of Nin to promote the organised production of Šokol (an traditional smoked and cured meat) and through the hospitality offer promote the autochthonous values of their own region. Šokol is an original smoked and cured meat product which has been linked for centuries to the Nin area and is produced according to an traditional and well kept original recipe in the north-western part of the Zadar County. It is made from fresh pork neck from home reared pigs in a procedure similar to the production of pršut (smoked ham) – three to seven days it sits in clean sea water, then it is placed into cooked red wine and is then covered with a number of different spices (pepper, cloves, nutmeg) which is then “pushed” into the meat. It is tied with string in a special way, then after a few days it is smoke cured, an then place in the bura (special type of wind), which according to the inhabitants of the Nin region is the most important part of the curing of Šokol.

Namely, the unique microclimate which in itself joins together the bura wind brought from the sea and mountain air enriched with the scents and ingredients of medicinal herbs from Velebit affect the curing process and quality of the Nin Šokol.

The production of Šokol has many hundreds of years history and is part of the family gastronomic tradition of the Nin region in which once livestock breeding and in its making even the youngest generations took part. Given that it was produced in very small quantities it was once served only to selected guests, and even today it is offered as a special delicacy. According to maintained tradition Šokol is eaten on the occasion of celebrating the apparition of Our Lady of Zecevo in 1516, where every year on the 5th of May and the 5th of August the faithful make pilgrimages by boat and on foot to the Island of Zecevo and after the holy mass traditional feast on Šokol. By stimulating its organised production for which the local inhabitants of the Nin region are showing increased interest, is a guarantee that in the future an increasing number of tourists will be able to enjoy in the flavours and scents of this original delicacy.

Source: ?Croatia Tourist Board?