The natural world is a wondrous thing. We're so lucky that one of the world's largest flying birds, the Dalmatian Pelican, with its 3m wide wingspan, is a resident species at our base, Lake Skadar. These giants of the sky take centre stage whenever we catch a glimpse, whether it's on the school run or out on tour. In the Springtime, pelicans can often be spotted fishing and feeding by the lake's main settlement, Virpazar. We had an incredible chance meeting with a group of 22 just the other day as Ben and I edged our kayak through the rushes by Virpazar port. There they were, quietly bobbing on the water, surrounded by more than a hundred of their fishing buddies, the Pygmy Cormorant. Watching them reminded us what an amazing place we adopted as our home 13 years ago. Back then, though, spotting Dalmatian Pelican anywhere outside their remote breeding area just didn't happen. Numbers were seriously depleted, with the species classified as endangered on IUCN's red list. Fast forward to May 2021 and Lake Skadar's pelican population may be close to 300 or more (this year's census is still on-going!). It's a brilliant result for conservation work now in its fifth year, helping them breed more successfully using artificial rafts and with video monitoring to ward against human threats. We've been glad to be a part of this project over the years, helping out with donations and as volunteers and friends of the "team" (a diverse group of local and international partners united by one goal - ensuring Lake Skadar's pelicans can thrive). It's because of this close relationship and our commitment as responsible tourism practitioners that we've been able to pioneer a very special eco-tour indeed - kayaking to Lake Skadar's pelican breeding colony - in careful
The natural world is a wondrous thing. We’re so lucky that one of the world’s largest flying birds, the Dalmatian Pelican, with its 3m wide wingspan, is a resident species at our base, Lake Skadar. These giants of the sky take centre stage whenever we catch a glimpse, whether it’s on the school run or
As the pandemic has forced us all to slow down and take stock, more of us are beginning to consider the food we eat, our supply chains and how we can produce and make things at home. Learning how to identify and harvest wild asparagus with our friend Ilija in woodland by Lake Skadar connected us even more closely with the goodness of nature. Not only did it taste delicious in the three ways we prepared it (scroll down for the recipes), but it's loaded with health-boosting nutrients, especially folate and the vitamins A, C and K, as well as antioxidants. Wild asparagus is a delicacy adored by foodies in Montenegro and all over Europe, so our volunteer and forager-in-chief Beth is going to show you two classic ways to prepare it Montenegrin-style - as salad and with egg - plus a French favourite, quiche. She writes: "So many of us live fast-paced lives and have widely stocked supermarkets at our fingertips, so never thought to spend time and energy outdoors seeking and collecting edible food. Here in Montenegro, foraging never went out of fashion. It's also commonplace to have a productive vegetable garden, cramming every bit of fertile land with edible plants. Home produce even commonly extends to cheese, honey, wine and the distilled spirit, rakija (a bit like Italian grappa). "Now the cooler days of spring are beginning to fade and the summer heat is gearing up, the foraging season for wild asparagus has drawn to a close, but this is a local secret guests are going to love on next Spring's lake activity holidays! Wild Asparagus Salad Recipe 1x bunch of wild asparagus 1x clove of garlic, finely chopped (or a handful of wild garlic flowers) Olive oil Red wine vinegar Salt Break the asparagus stalks at
As the pandemic has forced us all to slow down and take stock, more of us are beginning to consider the food we eat, our supply chains and how we can produce and make things at home. Learning how to identify and harvest wild asparagus with our friend Ilija in woodland by Lake Skadar connected
How we've started 'foodie foraging' and a recipe for Wild Greens Pie Foraging for wild edible food is a huge and popular tradition here in Montenegro! So many of our local friends know exactly where and what to pick in nearby woods and fields, from wild leafy greens like nettle and garlic to serve in a pie or soup, or herbs such as sage, thyme, mint and oregano. This year we've decided to follow in their footsteps! This post is the first in a new blog series we're calling “Undiscovered Tastes” and we'll always include a recipe. Today our volunteer Beth is going to show you how to cook up Wild Greens Pie or 'Zelena Pita', a dish beloved throughout the Balkans (scroll down if you can't wait for the recipe!). Beth's become our forager-in-chief, helping us identify so many wild edibles right in our garden at Villa Miela. We're really getting into it and using a couple of brilliant plant-identifying apps for reference - PictureThis and iNaturalist. Future guests, expect to get roped in! Beth says “With blooming flowers and the new growth of spring at Villa Miela, now is the perfect time to learn foraging – especially if you're not a massive fan of dressing up like a bank robber every time you need to do a grocery run! It's amazing what you can find on your doorstep if you know what to look for...I've noticed that many of the lush new leaves sprouting around Villa Miela's gardens are actually edible! Most abundant and easy to spot is garlic mustard, (also known as jack-by-the-hedge), rampaging through the shadier corners, emitting a subtle oniony garlic smell when disturbed. Although it can be an invasive weed it’s actually a super nutritious plant and most elements of it can be eaten
How we’ve started ‘foodie foraging’ and a recipe for Wild Greens Pie Foraging for wild edible food is a huge and popular tradition here in Montenegro! So many of our local friends know exactly where and what to pick in nearby woods and fields, from wild leafy greens like nettle and garlic to serve in
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