May 2018
It has been a pleasure to participate in the Radio Si Scout programme.
We have been at The Home of Butul!
They received us with a warm smile and open arms. For me a as a Latin-American the warmness and friendly way of the host and how he treats his guests, is very important. And I definitely found that and a lot more!
When we first, took the tour around the house farm, with hundreds of aromatic herbs, bees and olives, the passionate way that Mitja Butul talks about the process it takes to make every single herb a masterpiece of spice took my attention, from the selection of the seeds, the picking, drying and serving. Later on during brunch, we could taste those natural and colourful tastes. The tea and coffee were great! A delightful morning we had.
We proceeded with the program they had prepared for us, and went to the place where, for first time I saw how cheese was made. It was a lovely farm in the outskirts of Koper with plenty of cows. A kind and smiling lady, Karmen, was preparing a delicious fresh skuta cheese. We tried 3 different cheeses, yogurt and milk. All of them home made. As a cheese lover, I can tell you it was the place to be.
Then we went to the wine tasting, the passionate expert, Matjaž Babič, took us to the eco wine yard and explained how they produce an optimal quality wine with zero herbicides. The tasting was superb. You do not need to be a sommelier, to notice the class and quality of the Monte Moro wines. Then I said, Nina, you drive J
Back to the Butul farm house, we definitely needed a rest, in order to continue with a magnificent four hours dinner. This was the ultimate slow food experience. The best was to share the dinner with other international and Slovene guests and with the owner. Once again, Tatjana prepared a culinary masterpiece. They never made us feel as visitors, it was more like being part of the family and so we enjoyed.
On the second day, the fresh rainy morning greeted us with an amazing view to the hills, and to the Koper bay in the other side. Then, that aroma from the kitchen: Coffee! We were served like a royal family, in a warm familiar environment. The other guests took Matic as their own nephew, it could not have been better! We had a delicious breakfast tailored by Tatjana Butul.
The rest of the day, we spend it at the sea side, visiting the salt-pans of Strunjan, and we were immersed in a national natural park, preserved and cared for with professionalism and great responsibility for the environment. We then learnt about the growing of mussels and their importance for the ecosystem. A master class!
The final destination, was at the sunny Istria Tapas bar, at one of the Lifeclass hotels in Portorož and it was absolutely delicious. We were amazed by the way how the regional cuisine was presented in the best Spanish way, Tapas. The personalized service we impressive and it was the cherry on the top of the cream. They were simply awesome!
We definitely recommend to visit the Butul family farmhouse, because it is a trip you deserve to experience!
Edwin and Nina Munoz
Photos: Edwin & Nina
