Phenomenal Adria ajvar made exclusively from roasted peppers

Article author: Cult of Plava Kamenica, November 2022.


Ajvar is not just a local product or just a condiment. Good ajvar is a category unto itself and one of the noblest inventions of Balkan cuisine. The origin of the term Balkan caviar, as ajvar is sometimes called, is somewhat complicated, but here we will only say that this term well reflects the value of ajvar in regional cuisine. 
In recent years, ajvar has experienced a renaissance. It has made its way onto the menus of serious restaurants, and better, artisanally produced ajvars are appearing in stores, which taste like professionally prepared winter preserves. Another advantage of ajvar is that good ajvar is easily recognized by the unmistakable smell and taste of roasted peppers. 



The most appreciated Macedonian and some Serbian ajvars in Croatia are getting serious competition. In the Deliiicije chain of stores, these days we have purchased Adria Ajvar. Adria is a brand under which different Croatian manufacturers produce very good wines, especially malvasia and teran wines, gingerbreads, condiments, and traditional sweets. 
Ajvars are new products from Adria and come in a mild and spicy variant. They have a surprisingly fresh, natural taste.
Ajvar is made from peppers, chilli peppers, aubergines, and garlic, in different compositions and ratios. Adria ajvar is made exclusively from peppers and is roasted in Serbia. The procedure is artisanal. They use only first-class Vojvodina peppers, which are roasted in smaller containers of 40 liters and are peeled by hand. They use old recipes that require moderate boiling and very mild seasoning, to preserve the sweetness and taste of the pepper. 



Mild Adria ajvar is the soul of ripe roasted pepper, sweetish, juicy, with a lot of vivid, almost fruity flavors of pepper and mild deep notes of roasting. The ajvar is extremely creamy, fragrant and has no traces of heavy smells of garlic or acidity which even ajvars advertised as homemade and artisan often suffer from. Ajvar similar to Adria's we have eaten so far only in homemade versions or in some of the best Croatian restaurants of national cuisine like Tač.
Mild Adria ajvar is made without any additives, it is pure roasted pepper (94%) with sunflower oil, salt, sugar, and a little vinegar. It is excellent, of course and always, when spread on homemade white bread, but also on more intense variants like mixed sourdough bread or even good rye breads or crackers, as the sweetness of ajvar and the mild nutty-sour taste of rye explode in the mouth. 
We tried Mild Adria ajvar with young cow and sheep cheese, it goes well with different smoked products that are not intensive, so with sausages or cooked ham, but not prosciutto. You can also use mild ajvar for flavoring baked goods and savory pies (in thin layers), with omelettes and as an addition for flavoring risottos.



Spicy Adria's ajvar is a special sensation. It is not spiced with chilli peppers but with a little chilli powder, which means that nothing in it disturbs the taste of roasted pepper, with a touch of specific pure heat of chillies that develops gradually and is precisely dosed. Spicy Adria ajvar is ideal for all types of grills and for burgers. For informal occasions, you can serve this gorgeous ajvar for watching movies and matches as nachos, with a little melted cheese and tortilla chips. A 580-gram jar costs 69.99 kuna.

Article author: Cult of Plava Kamenica, November 2022.