Restaurants in the Požega-Slavonia County create a new story to differentiate their offer. A great rounded story

The Tourist Board of Požega-Slavonia County presented a new project aimed at differentiating the gastronomic offer through catering facilities. 

Namely, it is a presentation of Hallstatt cuisine, which was created through the project Creation of new tourist programs as part of the development of the "Experience culture" brand. 

Projects Creation of new tourist programs as part of the development of the brand "Experience the culture" implemented by the TZ of Požega-Slavonia County (TZ PSŽ) aims to offer the possibility catering facilities in the area of ​​PSŽ offer differentiation in relation to the environment and to present cultural heritage with quality, work on its development, protection and sustainability.

Namely, we are working on development and implementation Hallstatt kitchens by creating dishes that are based on scientific records resulting from the research of archaeological sites from the Iron Age in the localities around Kaptol. 

For over 20 years, there has been systematic archaeological research at the site of Kaptol from the Early Iron Age period, led by Prof. Hrvoje Potrebica from the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Zagreb, while Jacqueline Balen from the Archaeological Museum in Zagreb works on the popularization and interpretation of this cultural and historical heritage.

TZ PSŽ collaborated with a chef with decades of experience for this project Branko Ognjenović, who entered into the research and creation of recipes Hallstatt cuisine, but extremely important, using only scientifically proven foods which were known in the Iron Age in Europe.

The reconstruction of the former eating habits of the Hallstatt community found in Iron Age graves revealed that the eating habits were based on grains, fruit, animals and other foods.

Ognjenović designed and prepared 12 recipes:

• Barley porridge with meat, nettles and chives
• Scones made of wholemeal flour with and without rye, nettles and chives
• Bean and millet porridge with nettles and spring onions
• Baked pork and apples
• Wheat with hazelnuts and honey
• Millet with baked apples and honey

• Liver with chives and baked apples
• Pieces of pork fillet with apples
• Circle
• Lentil spread with bacon and chives
• Barley porridge with smoked trout
• Wild game in a kettle with beans and nettles

Preparatory actions in the kitchen included the study of knowledge obtained from archaeobotanical and zooarchaeological analyzes of found materials and the selection of foods that are still available today, and which are interesting and challenging enough in terms of creating an attractive and tasty menu. The food was cooked in metal cauldrons, baked on a heated stone, baked under the oven and smoked.

To the owners and representatives of catering establishments from the inn Zlatni Lug, Stari Fenjeri tavern, Shhhuma restaurant and restaurants Schön blick who showed an interest in including certain presented dishes in their catering offer, the Požega-Slavonska County Tourist Board awarded baking stones made according to the example of the dishes used at that time.

An excellent story that connected history that is based on a scientific approach, a top chef who interpreted old dishes in a modern way (the base must always be authentic food), an authentic and different story - from the menu of dishes to the dishes, and ultimately the catering facilities that thereby raising the quality of the catering offer and creating a differentiation of the offer compared to the competition. 

A great rounded story and ultimately a new tourist product.

Photo: TZ PSŽ