Zadar
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The Logic of Food: Best Croatian Desserts


The word "dessert" actually comes from the meaning to desert the dining room and move to the drawing or entertainment room for some sweets and drinks.




I've tried frutele on the streets, berry strudels from bakeries, and to our amazement, these three places offered desserts that brought wonders to our eyes and tantalizing bewilderments. The cakes are ranked based on execution, look and finally taste. Being a baker myself, it is always interesting to dissect and analyze how the different ingredients string to harmony.

Here are our top recommendations:

[------Creme de la Creme-------] Split
Honestly, I've only been back to this store twice, and basically ransacked through its latest season of cake collection from Cake Opera to Tiramisu to its Charlotte. You name it.

1. Tarte od Jakube (Apple Crumble Tart) 
I've had apple strudels and tarts in Austria, the city of dessert, but I have never had an apple tart as good as this. The tart shell is crusty, easily broken by fork (unlike some thick, harden shells that I could almost break the plate just to eat it). The bottom layer is coated with caramel, which balances off perfectly with the acidity of the cinnamon apples, cooked to tenderly perfection. It is then topped with almond and crumbles, giving it an additional kick of pizzazz.



 2. Splitska Torta (Dried Fig cake)
I've been told that Pet Bunara has the best dried fig cake, but I want to highlight that the ones served at Creme de la Creme has set high bar of standard. It tastes almost like carrot cake with in-between layers of sponge cake of raisin, walnuts, dried fig, nutmeg and honey as well as buttercream. Such a festive cake, and perfectly suitable for Christmas celebration in my opinion.








[--------Pet Bunara---------]  Zadar

 3. Pistachio Cheesecake
I've never been a big fan of cheesecake, but this was a homerun because it broke all conventions that the crust of a cheesecake needs to be thin. In fact, the crust of this cheese cake is about 1.5cm and it did not bother me a single bit. The crust is dense and creamy at the same time, which somehow melts into your mouth instantly with its light and airy pistachio cream cheese mousse. The pistachio dressing on top is rich, but not overpowering, in fact, it accentuates the cream and marks the high tone of this dessert!




[--------Kod Damira ---------] Stari Grad

4. Marmalade Crepe 
This is a commoner's food, but it is delightful nonetheless. The crepe is crispy around the edges, and soft on the inside with marmalade oozing out from the crispy edges. Egg, milk, butter and marmalade. Simple ingredients, big pleasure.














Other worth mentioning and trying:

- Forum Bakery's Marmalade roll 



 - Samobor Kremsnita (Custard vanilla cream cake)
- Makovnjaca Poppy seed cake 
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[Zadar, CROATIA]Day 7: Greek forum, pillar of shame, Museum of Ancient Glass, Sea Organ & Greeting to the Sun, Cafe Bruschetta

The funny thing about Croatia is that all the attractions (including churches) have the weirdest opening hours. They are usually open for a short window of time (i.e 12-1300 and 17-1900) and because it is a small city that every place can be done by foot, we often have to detour and go back to places as when they are open. 

Zadar is very famous for its glasswork, and we decided to stop by the Museum of Ancient Glass. Museum of Ancient Glass, is housed in Cosmacendi Palace, overlooking Jazine habour. The permanent exhibition displays goblets, jars, vassels that are used to store perfume, essentials oils in the Middle Ages. The discovery of blowpipe for glass-making really increased production and it is amazing how glasses made in the 1st or 2nd century in Zadar has such variety in shape.  Many of them comes with Art Nouveau like features, or motifs of fruits and fish. We also got a VIP view of the actual glass making process! 

The St Donatus Church is built on the ruin of an ancient Greek forum, and inside it you can still see inscriptions and altars It is constructed on early Byzantine architectural traditions with a round rotunda, and although no longer used as a church anymore, lots of music concerts are held here due to its marvelous acoustics. 


Pillar of Shame and Greek Forum 
So apparently for any evildoers, they are chained under the pillar of shame for public display, to instill guilt and shame to never do any bad doings again. This actually reminds me of the exhibition we saw at the Fortress in Salzburg, where people have to wear these masks of shame with crazy animal faces or monster faces. 

In 1st BC when the Roman started to settle here, the colony was probably found by Julius Caesar himself at the end of the civil war with Pompeius. The city is constructed according to principles of Roman urban planning. It consists of 5 longitudinal (Decumanus) and 8 transversal (cardo streets), which interesects at 90 degrees. The intersection of 2 main streets, so here you will find the city square (forum) and a piazza. The Zadar city has essentially kept this layout and hence the Greek Forum is right at the intersection of the two main streets: Kalelarga and Simuna K. Benje. 

Sea Organ 
The sea organ is designed with 35 pipes ending with whistles with opening on  quayside floor. Depending on the size and velocity of the wave, the movement of the sea pushes air through the whistles to form a continuous chord. It plays 7 accords of 5 tones.


Next to the Sea Organ is Greeting to the Sun by Nikola Basic, a solar powered floor panel that illuminates at night. The biggest panel represents the sun, and the smaller circles represent the solar systems and is inscribed with names of Zadar's saints. 

This is the perfect place to see the beautiful sunset of  Zadar, and listening to music composed by nature. The melody has such a calming effect that I could take a nap on the sea organ stairs! 

As we walk down the Riva promenade, we notice Cafe Bruchetta, cafe which is famous for local Croatian Cuisine. 

[-------Our Order----] 

- Mixed Salad
- Filet Mignon with mushroom 
- Braised leg of lamb with rosemary and potatoes 
- Meat Lagsagna 

We didn't order any dessert since the menu isn't really attractive, but the braised leg of lamb is very tender and sweet, and the roasted potatoes are one of the best that I've had so far! The potatoes is crisy on the outside, and still moist on the inside, without it being overly oily. 

The view of the seaside, is wonderful, and it is a good place for people watching as many would just sit by the small park right in front of us. 






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