Whether you’re making it to enjoy during the week or for a weekend family meal, Gibanica is a staple in Balkan households, especially Serbian households. Layers of soft phyllo dough sheets are layered with an egg and cheese mixture and baked until golden brown, puffed up, and delicious. Gibanica is […]
When I think of winter, I think of traditional comfort food. For me, that’s sarma, various stews, thick kačamak and popara, and kiseli kupus, or pickled cabbage. In the fall, when families are canning and preparing for the winter months, they usually fill a very large barrel with whole heads […]
Who doesn’t love Jafa Cakes? That dark blue box brought so much joy when we were young and now I sometimes see them sold by the foot in my European supermarket! You know I just have to get myself one, and because they are often sold during the holidays, we […]
This is one of those recipes that stick with you over the years. Sure, I’ve had many different styles of ćufte/meatballs over the years, but this is the one I keep coming back to. It’s something about the flavor that is so familiar, so comforting, that other meatball recipes just […]
When I think of celebrations, I think of Princes Krofne. No, neither cake nor savory delicacies come to mind. There’s something about Princes Krofne that makes me so happy. Even when the person making them isn’t very experienced, they still come out beautiful. A tray of these will take any […]
I’ll admit I haven’t had Restovan Krompir in a very long time. During my childhood, my mom made this for us very often; it’s one of her favorite potato dishes. We always smelled it before we saw it; paprika and onion sauteing in the pan, and then the bright color […]
Celebrations, holidays, and slava season would not be complete without the first course, obligatory appetizer tray, or as it’s called in the Balkans predjelo or mezze. Predjelo is a combination of 2 words, pred (before) and jelo (food), so the word itself tells you it’s something you eat before food […]
Ruske Kape/Russian Hats or Šubarice in some areas, are one of those interesting desserts that you find at most Balkan special occasions such as weddings, slava dinners, or at Balkan bakeries. The name comes from the dessert’s resemblance to Russian fur hats of the same shape. A Šubara is the […]
Last weekend, my husband and I went apple picking, one of our favorite Fall activities. As much as we love picking apples, we go for the apple cider donuts if we’re being honest here. The donuts are absolutely amazing at County Line Orchard in Hobart, Indiana. If you go early […]
Dining at a Balkan restaurant or “Kafana” has its own charm. White tablecloths (most of the time), a menu full of traditional dishes, including grilled meat of course, and sometimes live music, depending on where and when you go make up a good Balkan Kafana. Read more about Kafana culture […]
