CROATIA-Dinner is ready plus Fun Facts!

 

 

 

 

 

We really enjoyed making our Croatian dinner this evening. The Roasted chicken with Lemons was absolutely succulent and juicy. The citrus provided a very fresh and light note to the savory chicken.

 

 

 The girls loved scooping out the meat, rice, and onion filling and rolling up the cabbage leaves. We served them with mashed potatoes and sour cream. They were savory and delicious! Thank you again Maria for generously sharing this recipe with us!

 

Here are some interesting facts about Croatia we really found really neat!

1. The first tie came from Croatia and today it is worn daily by 600 million men around the world. The cravat or tie has been a part of the Croatian national costume from ancient times. According to Croatian tradition, before a soldier set off for war, his girlfriend or wife would give him a narrow scarf to wear around his neck to remind him of her love. Its modern variety originated in the 1630’s, when Croatian mercenaries enlisted as a support to the reigning king Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu came to France. One particular detail of their military attire caught the Parisian attention. It was an unusual scarf knotted at their necks. The French readily accepted the new fashion and switched from ruffs to the new loose cravats under the shirt collar. The word cravat itself actually reveals its Croatian origin, since the French version cravat derives from the mispronunciation of the word Croat.

2. The famous Dalmatian dogs originally came from Croatia. Thanks to its eye catching white coat and black spots, the Dalmatian is one of the most easily recognizable dog breeds in the world. The breed takes its name from Croatia's region of Dalmatia, where it is supposed to have originated.

3. Croatia is the homeland of the world renowned traveler Marco Polo. 13th century explorer is known as one of the first Westerners to travel the Silk Road to China and visit the Mongol Empire. The journey took 24 years, he passed some 25,000 km - became a confidant of Kublai Khan, and he served 17 years. According to a local tradition, he was born on the island of Korčula in 1254 to a family of merchants. The surname is still found on the island.

4. The White House was built of Croatian stone, from the island of Brač, as well as the New Palace (Vienna, Austria), the Parliament building (in Vienna, Austria), the Parliament Building (Budapest, Hungary) and the palace of Roman emperor Diocletian (Split, Croatia).

5. There is a world rarity in the Archeological museum in Zagreb, the Zagreb mummy. Nesi-hensu, the wife of Aher-hensu, „the divine tailor" from Thebes, is the name of a mummified woman who was wrapped in cut ribbons of Zagreb linen book which represents the longest preserved text in Etruscan language and the only preserved sample of linen book in the entire Ancient world.

6. The city of Zadar is home to the world's first Sea Organ that creates its music only by the action of the wind and waves.

7. The oldest communal theatre in Europe was built in Hvar in the year 1612.

 

8. First hydro power plant in the world was "Iskrice", made in the city of Šibenik, on the river Krka, Croatia - 1895.