CROATIAN PROTECTED AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD PRODUCTS, Varaždinsko zelje

VARAŽDINSKO ZELJE “Varaždinsko zelje” is a vegetable derived from the autochthonous conservation variety of Varaždin cabbage. The cabbage head is flat, compact in the upper part and somewhat looser in the lower part. The leaves are tightly wrapped around the head, and when the cabbage is at technological maturity, the edges of the outer leaves will usually begin to curl upward. The leaf blades are thin and have prominent veins, and the leaves are of light olive colour. A leaf of “Varaždinsko zelje” is so thin that when placed on the palm, one’s fingertips can be seen through it, yet it is also flexible and resilient. “Varaždinsko zelje” has a bitter taste, with sharp notes, and a pungent smell of fresh cabbage. It is a late variety that tolerates cold well and can also be grown as spring cabbage. It is characterized by its high dry matter content and exceptionally high sugar content. Its flexible and thin leaves along with its bitter taste with sharp notes make “Varaždinsko zelje” a vital ingredient for the preparation of traditional Croatian dishes. The essential element in the production of “Varaždinsko zelje” is the skill of the local producers, particularly during harvest, in which family members of different generations take part, handing down the experience and skill needed for hand picking the product. The hand picking relies on the picker’s own judgement on the basis of his/her experience and knowledge required to assess the maturity of the heads. Using his/her sight and touch the picker inspects the heads and performs a selective hand picking, which ensures that the heads are picked at the perfect technological maturity level. Hand picking also ensures better protection of the crops and prevents any damage that would be caused by machine harvesting. After many years of cultivating the plant and learning about its production under these specific conditions, the producers of “Varaždinsko zelje” have managed to create a product with unique characteristics that, as a result of specific soil, climate and relief, but also of the influence of the human factor, do not prevail elsewhere. One advantage of “Varaždinsko zelje” is its suitability for open-air cultivation. Thanks to its resistance to low temperatures, “Varaždinsko zelje” can be left in the field until late autumn, which eliminates the need for extra storage. The production of “Varaždinsko zelje” is strictly limited to the area within the administrative boundaries of Varaždin County. Source: Ministry of Agriculture (from the PDO product specification “Varaždinsko zelje”, https://poljoprivreda.gov.hr/UserDocsImages/arhiva/datastore/filestore/96/Izmijenjena_Specifikacija_proizvoda_1.pdf)