Fruit from Brkini
Brkini is well known for its apples and cherries.
Brkini has always been known as a land of exquisite fruit. This idyllic, beautiful and hilly world is characterised by its flysch soil and special weather conditions where continental and Mediterranean climates come into contact. The natural conditions for fruit-growing are absolutely perfect here. For centuries, agriculture was the main source of income in Brkini, while fruit-growing began to develop in earnest at the end of the 18th century. The locals soon recognised which types of fruit thrived best on the Brkini hills. By the 19th century, fruit growers from Brkini were already well known for their apples and plums, which they sold in Trieste (IT) and Rijeka (CRO), but also cities farther afield like Vienna, Paris and London. Some of the tried-and-tested varieties of the time have survived to the present day, despite the arrival of new ones. Apart from apples and plums for which it is best known, Brkini produces pears, cherries, sour cherries, and peaches. Planted in typical meadow orchards, fruit trees continue to be the most recognisable element of the Brkini cultural landscape.
The people of Brkini use home-grown fruit to make excellent products. The best known and most popular product is “Brkinski slivovec”, a natural plum brandy made from local plums whose designation of origin is protected. The locals also produce pear brandy and fruit brandy. On the edge of Brkini, where the landscape is already turning into the karst world, local people produce “Kraški brinjevec”, a natural juniper brandy made using a special technological process involving fermented juniper berries. This process can only be found in Slovenia, which is why “Kraški brinjevec” holds a protected designation of origin. Today, juniper berries are also used to make the popular juniper gin, a grain distillate to which juniper berries are added during the distillation process.
Apples are a special hallmark of Brkini. The local apples are used to make exquisite apple juice. In recent years, Brkini has also started to produce a high-quality apple cider, which is becoming ever more popular around the world. Alongside their top quality, the locally grown apples also come with a special aroma, which makes Brkini cider quite special. The locals also like to offer dried fruit and jams to visitors.
Fruit plays an important role in the cuisine of Brkini. The best-known local dish is sweet plum dumplings (“češpljevi njoki”) made from potato dough, with a succulent plum in the middle. Apple strudel is also very popular.
