MarsOvca - another skillful branding of the Island of the Moon while raising the quality of gastronomy based on authentic food

A statement that says a lot about all aspects of tourism.

"You must never forget who you are, what you are and where you come from and your skills with local products. I would not want Croatian chefs to make the same mistake as Italian or Spanish chefs, who try to please tourists and forget about tradition. It is important to protect and defend the recipes of your ancestors, otherwise they will be lost. I understand that you want to survive as a tourist, but you have to speak realistically to tourists.”

- said the Chef Lionel Levy In 2017, when he held a workshop in Croatia.

He added that French cuisine, although it has a huge tradition, was once heavily influenced by foreign cuisines, especially Spanish, but they managed to break away from these influences and return to their roots.

What do we offer our guests in terms of gastronomy? What is Croatia on a plate? Do our guests try it? 

Our biggest advantage is the incredible diversity in culture and way of life, including gastronomy, from region to region. It is our greatest treasure and capital. That is the base around which we have to play at the plate. 

And that's why we have great support for Novalja, which is announcing a new hedonistic gastronomic event on the island of Pag, Novalja Ubed - traditional cuisine in a top-notch performance with an interesting name. Martian Sheep. In the enclosure at Novalja Škuncin apartments April 26th The story of MarsOvca begins at 11 am.

With top Novalja caterers at noon, the organizers will present to their guests and the media a real "Novalja conviction", made from lamb with biži, koptrlica, intestines and tripe. These are dishes with an original chef's signature, prepared according to an indigenous, traditional recipe, in the way they were prepared in the past.

Pag sheep There is one special animal, a special sheep, we can freely say – the sheep of sheep, Mars Sheep, which has proven that it is possible to live on bare rock, enjoying salt seasoned with fragrant immortelle and aromatic herbs, and to create the best cheese in the world from it – Pag cheese.

The newcomers therefore decided to put their sheep on the throne where it belongs and thank this humble animal for feeding them for centuries. Therefore, with the gastronomic event of MarsOvac, they set out to present their traditional gastronomy, for which the Pag sheep is very much to blame.

As a reminder, Pag lamb and Pag cheese are protected in the EU common market, i.e. they are included in the register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications at the EU level.

In connection with this story, it should certainly be noted that the premiere presentation of young Pag cheeses was recently held in Novalja, along with gastronomic specialties from the island of Pag. The first En primeur was a gastronomic show where you could taste the first cheeses of this year from Paška sirana, Gligora sirana, Mih sirana, and three OPGs: Krunoslav Vidas, Branimir Čemeljić and Franjo Zubović.

Along with the moonscape, salt and lamb, Pag cheese has greatly contributed to the branding of the island as a tourist destination. A story that correlates perfectly with MarsOvca, if we are talking about raising the quality of gastronomy to a higher level or to the place where it deserves to be. Let's not forget that gastronomy is definitely a reason to come, especially outside the peak season. 

But let's get back to MarsOvac - otherwise, another skillful branding with Moon Island.

The destination is the key - not the individual.

Lovers of indigenous cuisine will be able to taste dishes prepared by even 12 famous restaurants from the area of ​​the city of Novalja. And that is a key element, that more caterers get involved with the same offer based on sheep. Of course, each restaurant will present the dish in its own way. And that is the charm of it all. 

Also, an important element for both branding and positioning is that MarsOvca will be available for the first time this year in restaurants in Novalja. from April 26 to May 26, when it is at its freshest and tastiest.

I emphasize, not only as part of one day, that is. holding an event - but a month. That's how a brand and a destination are built. An event is just the icing on the cake, and it shouldn't be the only feature of a destination brand.

No matter how big an event is, it always has a one-time effect if the destination doesn't live up to that story. 

All guests eager for new and ancient flavors can expect traditional and somewhat forgotten dishes on the menus of certain catering establishments in Novalja, such as tripe, koprtlo, entrails with capon and grilled lamb, along with homemade ingredients and side dishes made of cabbage and potatoes, as well as cottage cheese, cheese and whey.

Cover photo: Museum of Taste / Novalja Tourist Board / illustration: hrturizam