wine and food

Forest of Flavors by Lake Fužine! A gastronomic adventure featuring Kvarner wines in the heart of Gorski Kotar

Published: 19.07.2026

Pro Wine
Pro Wine
Vinski svijet

Ječmik or jačmik is the local name for barley, but it also refers to a traditional coastal dish, a maneštra stew made with barley and cured meat. Budel, also known as budla, goranski nadjev, goransko nadelo or želudac, is a specialty from the Gorski Kotar region. It consists of a mixture of cured pork, bacon, eggs, bread, and spring onions stuffed into a pig's stomach, which is then either boiled or roasted. These dishes will be part of an authentic forest dinner held in the woods opposite Vrelo Cave.

A hearty stew of bear, venison and wild boar served with homemade polenta, a traditional Gorski Kotar cauldron stew, a homemade dough roll filled with venison in a rich, aromatic porcini mushroom sauce and local aquatic delicacies such as brook trout and frogs... These are among the authentic Gorski Kotar dishes that teams from the Arnika Mountain Lodge, Konoba Volta and the Bitoraj and Kauzlarićevi Dvori restaurants will prepare on Friday, July 24, in the forest opposite Vrelo Cave by Lake Fužine.

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Coastal-style barley and cured meat maneštra

The cold-food section will feature cheese and meat platters from small-scale producers in the Gorski Kotar region, including traditional cured pork products, game charcuterie and local cheeses. The sweet corner will showcase blueberry strudel, the queen of Gorski Kotar desserts, made with handmade, home-style puff pastry. Als, there will be cookies and cakes prepared by local women using old family recipes that evoke the flavors of the past.

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Stomach stuffed with cured meat, eggs and bread, then boiled or roasted

The drinks will come from the Gorski Kotar and Kvarner regions! Upon arrival, guests will receive glass tumblers into which hosts will pour refreshing cocktails based on Gorski Kotar gin infused with local fruits and herbs, traditional regional liqueurs and natural juices made from local meadow plants. Alongside these regional drinks, a selection of Kvarner wines will also be available.

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Mushrooms of all colors

Space for the open-air forest dinner beneath the Gorski Kotar tree canopy is limited. Tickets are available via Eventim for €38.50, a price that includes all food and drinks. Guests are advised to wear comfortable clothing and footwear and to bring something warm for the evening hours. The forest dinner runs from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM. A return trip on the same train is provided for those arriving from Fužine.

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Honey for connoisseurs

Photos: Maja Danica Pečanić