Desserts and Sweets
My favorite cakes are those that incorporate some kind of fruit. Even better if there’s Plazma Keks involved. This recipe is not only no-bake (ok, you’ll have to make the raspberry sauce), but it’s delicious and light which makes it the ideal finish to any rich and filling Balkan meal. […]
While it may not look like early spring outside my window yet, I can almost smell the strawberry fields basking in the sun. Every year I pick strawberries and then for weeks after make various strawberry recipes. And even though it may still be early for strawberry picking, I couldn’t […]
One of our favorite desserts and one we buy often is Tres Leches, or Three-Milk Cake, a Mexican delicacy that can be found in basically any store in our area. Growing up in Chicago, I was exposed to lots of different cuisines and over the years find myself gravitating and […]
When I think of special occasions and what that looked like growing up, I always remember the cakes being the best part. Everyone eagerly awaited to see “The Cake”. Tall, short, fancy, or very simple, someone was always either bringing a cake to an event or there were so many […]
A tried and true recipe, Tufahije are the perfect end to any meal. While I don’t remember eating them often growing up, they were a staple in every Balkan pastry shop I visited and they were sometimes served when we went over to someone’s house for dinner or as a […]
When Fall rolls around, it’s a pumpkin bonanza everywhere you go. Back home, fields are littered with bright pumpkins in various shapes and sizes and it’s quite a sight. I’m from a small village so whenever I’m visiting as summer slowly transitions to fall, all of the preparations for winter […]
There are some cookies that are just staples, and Lešnik Gnezda/Hazelnut Nests are just that. Found on most cookie platters, these are identifiable by their chocolate-filled center (ganache is traditional, Nutella is preferred). They’re so iconic across the region, that I’m surprised I haven’t shared them with you yet! Did […]
All cuisines have staple, tried and true recipes and the Balkans are no exception. Granted, a lot of our most traditional recipes were heavily influenced by the Ottoman occupation but I guess that’s what happens when a region is occupied for hundreds of years. Šampita, a very familiar sight in […]
When you are served coffee at a Balkan home, you’ll most likely be offered Turkish coffee. It’s the preferred coffee type and is widely consumed across the region. Children are started young, being served Bela Kafa before they’ve even started school and up until they start drinking the real stuff. […]
There’s nothing quite like being gifted a Milka chocolate bar as a child. If you’re from the Balkans then you know all about the significance of the chocolate bar. Balkan countries are known for their hospitality after all, so it’s not surprising that some form of gift is usually being […]