“A drink to share with friends.” “The original red-bull.” “Not what I expected.” These are all things I heard around a table at the highly recommended Konoba (Tavern) Astarea near Novigrad, Croatia when a local specialty “Suppa” was being served.
As it turns out this warm, wine/bread soup sort of drink is actually very good and does pack a bit of a punch. Probably best served on a cold winter night in a gathering of friends I thought I’d pass on the simple recipe for you to decide.
What you’ll need:
• 9/10ths of a bottle of full, thick red wine. Traditionally made with the Istrian variety of Teran wine, you may not be able to find this at home. Try to find a hearty red with a high content of lactic acid. A French Boudreaux or California Cabernet Sauvignon are reasonable substitutes.
• 1 ½- 2 cups toasted bread- pulled chunks from a loaf would be best
• 1 Tsp- olive oil
• 1 Tsp-sugar
• 1 Tsp- pepper
• Some kind of serving container- Traditionally a bukaleta, an earthenware jug, is used.
Putting it all together:
First warm the wine a bit. Not too hot but comfortable to drink. Then add the toasted bread, olive oil, sugar and pepper. Give it a stir and serve at the table with a spoon and tumbler glasses (avoid serving in a wine glass since part of the enjoyment is spooning out the chunks of bread).
Enjoy with a group of friends after a nice dinner and memorable conversation to get the full Istrian experience.
Sounds like an interesting drink. Shame there are no Croation restaurants here in London to try it out.
It’s definitly not to hard to make at home if you’re in the mood, but the trip south would definitely be worth it. The guy who told us about it said he would drink this before heading off to class like kids today drink redbull! Seemed to work for him; he’s now a very successful winery owner.