Categories: Gastronomy

Mostar

Traditional cuisine in Bosnia and Herzegovina represents a combination of tastes from both East and West. Other than various types of meats, including veal, lamb and chicken, a large number of meals include numerous fruits and vegetables, as well as various spices like salt, pepper, hot paprika, etc.

This local cuisine uses many different spices in small amounts but is easily digestible because of the amount of water used during slow cooking. The sauces are completely natural because they are based on vegetables. Yogurt is often served with meals. Herzegovinian cuisine is slightly different from Bosnian cuisine. It uses more vegetables in preparation of meals, it is tastier and easier on the stomach. Turkish and Greek cuisine influence is an integral part of traditional gastronomy. Lately, however, more European tastes are also becoming popular, particularly Italian cuisine. Mostar is full of facilities where exceptional food can be tasted at reasonable prices. It is enough to enter one of the many restaurants or caffees in the old part of the city. The most economic options would be Buregdžinice (a Burek bakery) where salty and sweet pies can be bought, or Aščinice (a type of restaurant) where traditional meals that can be eaten at the restaurant or bought as takeaway.

Herzegovina has a long winegrowing tradition dating back to the Illyrian times. The hot and dry climate is good for the cultivation of grapevines and medicinal herbs, as well as the renowned beekeeping. All these elements contributed to the creation of wine-making tradition and other alcohol-making cultures, whose development is proudly continued and determined. The Mediterranean climate is suitable for the growth of exotic fruits like kiwis, figs, pomegranates, apricots, etc. Other than that, Herzegovina is rich with medicinal herbs and spices like marigold, chamomile, hawthorn, thyme, lavender etc.