MONTENEGRO - NJEGUŠKI VEAL STEAK with KAJMAK CHEESE BALLS, SAČ BAKED POTATOES, SHOPSKA SALAD AND PROJA CORN BREAD
Known for its diverse landscapes that stretch from dreamy, sun-drenched Adriatic Sea beaches up to wild, jagged mountains dotted with medieval cave churches, Montenegro is said to be the ‘hidden gem’ of Southeast Europe. This geographical diversity is mirrored in Montenegro’s culinary history which has two parallel stories from contrasting landscapes; the mountains and the sea. Along the Adriatic, Montenegrin cuisine grew under the Mediterranean sun. Olive oil flowed where butter could not, seafood replaced red meat, and dishes of grilled fish, black risotto made with squid ink, and mussels steamed in wine echoed Italian shores. Fig trees, citrus, and vineyards linked and tied coastal Montenegro culturally and gastronomically to the wider Adriatic world. But travel inland into the high mountains and the food story was one of survival. Life was harsher and food had to withstand winter and isolation. Here emerged a cuisine of preservation and strength: smoked lamb, hard mount...