We recently received an order for a peka to ship to US. It was ordered through our Culinary Croatia web site that specializes in cooking tours and classes in Croatia but we also ship some unique products from Croatia. We hope to establish a web store but that can wait with World economy like this…
Luckily, we still have some people who can make custom size peka when ordered. The real one. There are some offered by a company from inner Croatia like these: click here! Looking nice and shiny but actually bad solution. These are heavy and peka is never heavy. Also, these look casted from some scrap metal of car engines and that is a big no! They are not healthy to use since they are constantly dropping microscopic dust bad for health. Peka should be made of tin metal and light.
So I headed to Zadar to order a peka. Only 34 cm in diameter, it is a fairly small tin dome that took some modifying to make it usable. The blacksmith had to ad an extra ring to make it higher. The only problem will be where to find the pan small enough to fit underneath…
This is one of the very few blacksmiths left in Dalmatia! There are some in different regions and some in the hinterland but very few are still active. They are technically advanced compared to the old generations but that is still hard work. The problem today is that they cannot survive only on horse-shoes or tools.
As you can see, there is a wide range of tools these guys are making! Bestsellers are, of course, peka domes – of all sizes. I believe worst selling are mattocks – called motika in Croatian. Definitely the symbol of Dalmatia! Everything has been dug by mattock and human muscles! Cursed daily by thousands, mattock is slowly fading in the legend…
It is said that you can leave them in the field without worrying someone will steal it.
Blacksmith’s store in Zadar looks like a treasury. Treasury of traditional tools and objects that were once part of everyday life.
Learn more on www.culinary-croatia.com or see our peka cooking lesson at: http://atomic-temporary-6581387.wpcomstaging.com/2009/08/12/food-tours-in-croatia-peka-cooking-lesson/
and for ordering peka, contact us directly to info@culinary-croatia.com
Cost for medium size peka (feeds up to 6) starts from 150 E with shipping and handling.