Istarska supa

Istarska supa is a hot drink of red wine, almost always teran, warmed by the fire with olive oil, sugar and a pinch of pepper. Slices of homemade toasted bread are placed in the pitcher and scooped out with a spoon, eaten soaked in the wine. The remaining wine is drunk directly from the pitcher.

The pitcher is the bukaleta, a wide‑mouthed ceramic vessel, often decorated. It is passed from hand to hand around the table, and it is this gesture of sharing that makes the supa more than a recipe. According to Istria tourism, the Istrians take pride in the bukaleta, which has become a symbol of the tradition.

Supa is drunk mainly on cold, dark winter days, beside the hearth in a konoba, in good company. Istria tourism notes that the mixture of red wine, olive oil, spices and bread recalls drinks described in Homer’s poems, and that the supa, almost forgotten, returned to tables through the efforts of those who keep the tradition alive.

The practice of istarska supa was inscribed in Croatia’s Register of Cultural Goods, at the initiative of an association from Rovinj. In Rovinjsko Selo, in the Rovinj area, a festival dedicated to the supa is also held.