No, the milk doesn’t come from the supermarket. And no, the cows are not white-purple as Milka shows it. And yes, these are mostly the messages revealed to children today. Astonishingly, we lost the touch with nature in such substantial way that our children haven’t seen ordinary things like cows or chickens. For families that do care for their offspring, and for those who care for an excellent cheese, a visit to Family Homestead Mrvoš is a must!
It is situated in Ljubošina, a small mountain village near Gomirje, where we’ve been spiritually lifted in the Orthodox monastery. Ljubošina is a typical village of Vrbovsko area, settled in the rolling hills above the Dobra river, on a local road to Ogulin. Surrounded by woods and grassy plains, it is a good place for forestry and herding. Unfortunately, most of the houses are now empty. People moved to better places to live, and forestry is slowly developing. Herding is in an even worse position, but some families resist this trend. One of them is family Mrvoš.
Prizes for their cheese achievements abound. Golden and silver plaquettes, national and international rewards, these are the external appreciation for their work which is, sadly, not recognised by the authorities. Still, a large smile appears on Mrs Senada’s face when we talk about cheeses. Together with husband Nino and two daughters, she cares for cows and other domestic animals which we have encountered on the farm. Sometimes the cows gaze the pasturelands, and the rest of time they live in the stall. So, is there any difference between the two? We learned there is. Cows feeding freely give low-fat milk, more watery flavour, and can have different aromas depending on the grass type.
These noble animals give milk used by the expert hands of Senada Mrvoš and turned into cheeses full of flavour and aroma. The family makes smoked cheese, škripavac, smoked cheese with olives, cheese with hot peppers, highlander cheese, cheese with dill, etc. Most of them got medals and awards, but the specially valuated prize is the silver award given on the international cheese festival Käsiade in Austria’s Tirol. No wonder, as the cheese is without any additive, clean and fresh, made in a dairy whose cleanliness is immaculate.
And cheese tastes marvellous. Full of freshness and milky flavours in some cheeses is remarkable in comparison to aged smoked cheeses, and especially those with additions. Our favourite is plain smoked cheese and one with hot peppers and both can be enjoyed at the same time! The Mrvoš family tradition goes deep here and we hope the new generation will keep producing excellent cheese from Ljubošina!
If you’d like to feel the spicy taste wrapped in cheese mildness, turn left on the crossing after the highway Rijeka-Zagreb Vrbovsko exit, pass next to the Orthodox monastery and picturesque villages of Gomirje and Ključ, wonder the highland nature of Gorski Kotar, and in no time you will see the sign of OPG Mrvoš on the left side of the road in Ljubošina.
OPG Mrvoš
Ljubošina 3b, 51327 Gomirje
00385(0)51879818, 00385(0)996852746
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