Tonci PRUSAC

GEELONG - More than 500 people had their tastebuds tantalised after enjoying the delicacies from several different Croatian regions on Saturday night at the second Croatian Cusine Festival in Geelong.

The event, held at the Croatian Dom Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac in Bell Park, was assured of a massive audience, with tickets having been snapped up for the highly anticipated event a good two weeks prior to last Saturday.

Catering for the 400 hungry guests and ensuring the logistical side of the massive function went smoothly was a gigantic undertaking by the volunteer members of the Dom based Croatian Cultural Association.

In the end, the group, ably led by outgoing president Tonka Devcic-Saric and newly elected president Ivanka Baric, not only did a superb job, but have left punters eagerly awaiting the next edition of the immensely popular cultural/gastronomic festival in two years' time.

Unlike the inaugural festival in 2006, the official part of the program was kept decidedly shorter and speeches kept to a minimum. This was greatly appreciated by the large crowd in audience, who were more than eager to start devouring the various delights from southern Dalmatia, Istria, Medimurje and Bosnia.

The two MCs for the evening, Tonci Prusac and Sladana Jakovljevic, took the guests on a delightful and informative trip through the various regions, before introducing the VIP guest speaker, local state politician Ian Trezise, as well as Tonka Devcic-Saric and Ivanka Baric.

Speaking on behalf of the organising committee, the two ladies held short speeches in Croatian and English respectively before officially declaring open the 2nd Croatian Cuisine Festival.

In her speech, newly appointed president Ivanka Baric touched on the importance of culture and tradition in contemporary Australia.

''No memory or history can be completely erased. Rather, memories always remain linked to fond times and irrecoverably tied to one's fond childhood,'' she said.

''Those memories conjure images of smiling grandmother, mothers and aunties who nurtured and developed our culinary tastes. Those aromas are responsible for us being here tonight. Through this very nostalgia, our memories are awakened with these culinary delights from the past, which we enjoyed with our family, relatives and friends.

''Croatia, with its vast varieties of ingredients and culinary preparation, has one of the greatest and most developed kitchens in Europe. When Croatian were forced to leave their birthplace and homeland, not that long ago, they took with them their traditions which they nurtured in far-off lands,'' explained Ivanka Baric.

All the proceeds from last Saturday's successful Cuisine Festival have been earmarked for the building of a much needed Croatian community administered Aged Care facility in Geelong.

It is believed the local council is set to tip in $30,000 for a consultant who will prepare a report on the feasibility and development path of the Aged Care facility in coming months.