Food related family photo

Something I’ve noticed that only comes out on special occasions in Croatia is a plate with an array of cheese and prosciutto. Although I’ve never lived there for more than one consecutive year, when I do visit, and even from childhood memories, I recall how important it was to have this plate out.

It wasn’t something put out every other day, it is usually to celebrate something or someone. I haven’t done the research to be able to say that this is something that’s been a cultural marker for some time now, but I wouldn’t be surprised to find that there is a connection to cheese and prosciutto being hard to acquire and that it shows wealth to be able to offer such delicatessen to a special visitor or to celebrate a family member.

Actually, prosciutto is quite expensive in Croatia (Split specifically, as I can’t say for the rest of the country), as I remember buying some from the market. Cheese and prosciutto was something I ate quite freely while in Croatia, not really following this rule of thumb. It was only until it was asked of us to find a food related family photo that I noticed this plate in two pictures on 2 occasions where my father and I visited family before leaving for Canada.