Varaždin County area has a rich gastronomic heritage and tradition, which represent the identity of this region.

Autochthonous and traditional dishes are part of tourist offer.
Throughout history, this part of Croatia was under great influence of Austria, Hungary and Turkey.

The influence has left marks in political and social life, including cuisine. Mainland cuisine is therefore today very diverse and heterogonous.

Varaždin County has always been known as a popular hunting area. This is why there are many dishes made with the game.

Some of traditional dishes and beverages are mentioned in the following text:

VARAŽDIN PASTRY
- Wheat rolls, which has become popular throughout Europe.

ŠTRUKLI (strudel)
- baked or boiled pastry filled with cottage cheese, pumpkin, turnip or apples and wiped with sour cream.

ZLEVKE (poppy seed strudel)
- traditional cake. They are often made from cottage cheese and sour cream.

PURICA Z MLINCIMA (turkey with boiled pasta dish)
- traditional dish from Zagorje, usually prepared for Christmas holidays. Zagorje turkey (or Bednja turkey) is the only indigenous turkey breed in Croatia. They are bred on family farms in traditional way. They live and move freely outside. This is why they have special meat quality.

VARAŽDIN SAUERKRAUT

- is used as side-dish, salad or main-dish (for making of sarma –cabbage rolls)

BLOOD SAUSAGES AND GREAVES

- Blood sausages are made of fresh blood with addition of boiled and fine chopped innards, boiled pig head, buckwheat porridge, onion, salt, pepper and allspice.
- Greaves are made of bacon, which is melted in a big kettle. When the bacon turns golden-yellow, the fat is pressed out of it and what is left are greaves.

BUCKWHEAT MASH – BUCKWHEAT MUSH-BUCKWHEAT CAKE
- Besides potato, buckwheat was the basic food of peasants. Flour is made of buckwheat, which is then used for making of hard-boiled mush, noodles, strudels and “zlevka”. Peeled buckwheat seeds are used for buckwheat mash which is eaten as main-dish or side-dish.

COTTAGE CHEESE AND CREAM

PUMKIN OIL

Pumpkin oil is produced from the seeds of special kind of pumpkin.


BEVERAGES

WINE

The tradition of wine growing and wine production dates back to the Roman period, although it is mentioned for the first time in the document called Zlatna Bula from the year 1220, when the wine had already become part of tradition and everyday life. The wines from this area were presented on exhibitions in Vienna and Zagreb in the 19th century.
There are two traditional customs regarding wine: St. Vincent’s Day is celebrated on 22nd January and marks the beginning of work in vineyard, and St. Martin’s Day is celebrated on 11th November when people celebrate the baptism of new wine.


ŽGANICA (BRANDY)

Žganica is primarily referred to plum brandy, but the term is today used for all sorts of brandy.

MEDICA (mead)

Medica is a brandy made of honey, or to be more precise, honey-liqueur.

In order to present the cuisine of this area, there are numerous international culinary events “Zeljarijada” and “Golden nymph” held every year. This is how the idea of forming the Association of cooks and Croatian Culinary Association was born. They present our cuisine throughout Croatia and the world.
In 2004, “Academia cullinarica croatica” was established in Trakošćan. The main task of this association is training of chefs.