Cuisine of Mediterranean Slovenia

The Slovenian part of the Istrian peninsula, the Goriška Brda hill region and the valley of the river Vipava are among the northernmost areas where olives grow. For this reason, the extra virgin olive oil from these areas is of remarkable quality and flavour, as confirmed by numerous prestigious international awards. This oil is obtained using exclusively mechanical methods, undergoes no heat treatment or chemical treatment and contains no additives. Attention is paid when picking the olives to ensure they are not damaged. Olive oil from Slovenia is a highly prized ingredient, in particular as part of the so-called Mediterranean diet and in cosmetics, and has many beneficial effects.

Unlike the jota of the Karst and Trieste, traditional Istrian jota does not contain potato and is mainly eaten as a warming winter stew (this does not, of course mean that the potato-less variety is the only kind of jota prepared in Istria). The best accompaniment for jota is polenta, either white or yellow. Istrian jota also includes beans, although they have only been part of the recipe since the seventeenth century.

The Fonda fish farm in the Gulf of Piran, famous for its sea bass, is located at the southernmost point of Slovenia’s territorial waters, an area characterised by clean, deep seawater and a strong marine current, which means that the water here is constantly replaced. The ideal local climate and low salinity of the seawater have a positive effect on the quality of Piran sea bass and the firmness of its meat. The fish are fed the finest natural feed, based exclusively on planktonic and benthic organisms. All these factors mean that the Piran sea bass farmed by Fonda are fish of the very highest quality. Fonda also farms mussels. These are farmed on ropes that float freely in the sea, attached to buoys.

The historically diverse and ethnically mixed area between the Friuli region of Italy and Istria also has some notable characteristics in the area of wine and viticulture. The two most notable wines of the Slovenian part of the Istrian peninsula are Refosco (refošk) and Malvasia (malvazija). Refosco is a domesticated grape variety that produces wines of a characteristic dark purplish-red colour with acidic and pleasant fruity flavours suggesting blackcurrant and raspberry. Some authors consider it to be native to the area extending from the Karst to Istria. On the Karst plateau the wine from this grape is called teran (Terrano). The Refosco grape does not only grow in the Slovenian part of Istria but also in the Goriška Brda hill region, on the Karst, in the Vipava Valley, in Friuli and in the Croatian part of Istria. The biggest Refosco-producing winery in the world is Vinakoper in Koper. The Malvasia grape is of Greek origin but is a domesticated variety in Istria. Malvasia is an excellent dry white wine of a golden-yellow colour, with an intense bouquet and full flavour. It goes well with white fish, shellfish, poultry and mild cheeses.

Janez Bogataj

TECHNICAL DETAILS

1. EUROMED POSTAL – Traditional Gastronomy of the Mediterranean /

Stamp Design

Olive Oil, Istrian jota, Gulf, Refosco, Malvasia

Photos – Stamp

Tomo Jeseni?nik

Photo – FDC

Dragan Arrigler

Designer

Edi Berk

Face Value

D

Size

42.60 x 29.82 mm

Printing Process and Layout

4-colour offset in sheets of 25 stamps

Perforation

Comb 14 : 14

Paper

Tullis Russell Chancellor Litho PVA RMS GUM, 102 g/m2

Printed by

Agencija za komercijalnu djelatnost d.o.o., Zagreb, Croatia

Date of Issue

13 July 2020

Quantity

40,000 stamps