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 […]
Fall is here, and with it comes crunchy bright leaves, hot comforting drinks, and pumpkin everything. While pumpkin is very popular every year, it seems this year it’s on a whole another level. Brands are coming out with all kinds of pumpkin-flavored products and I must admit I’m not totally […]
When I was growing up and a holiday would roll around, or there was a celebration of some kind, us kids would be very excited, not only for a chance to play with our cousins and friends but also to eat as many sweets as possible. At these gatherings, grandmas […]
One of the most symbolic dishes in Serbian culture and cuisine is Žito or wheat. This dish is used for many events throughout the year, such as the Slava, Orthodox Christmas, and when holding memorials for the dead, in which case the dish then gets a different name, Koljivo. And […]
Who doesn’t love Plazma keks, or as it’s called in the USA, Lane Biscuits? If you’re from any of the former Yugoslav countries, this was probably the first solid food you ate. Because it’s so versatile, there are thousands of recipes using these cookies/crackers/biscuits ranging from cakes to something as […]
It’s hard to find real Kajmak in the USA. Often restaurants and Balkan stores will try to recreate it by whipping together butter and cream cheese but it’s definitely not the same. Kajmak, a type of clotted cream found in the Balkans, is made by cooking raw milk to a […]
Is there really such a thing as too much garlic? Probably, but when it comes to Belolučene Paprike, garlic is the 2nd most important ingredient after the peppers of course. Roasted peppers are popular all over the Balkans, so it’s no surprise this dish is one of the most widely […]
We like to stuff our vegetables in the Balkans. Not only do we stuff cabbage and grape leaves, but we stuff a variety of peppers as well. There are a variety of stuffed pepper dishes in the Balkans. My favorite is the sweet bell pepper variety and also the pickled […]
If you asked me what my favorite food is, I’d probably take a while to answer. You see, it all depends on the season. During the Summer I can pretty much live on watermelon and cantaloupe alone and don’t like heavier, richer foods. During the Winter, anything creamy, comforting, and […]
There’s nothing quite like the sweet smell of roasting peppers. The sweet smell of the pepper cooking mixed with the smoky smell of charring is truly the most satisfying, comforting, smell in the world. It’s one of my absolute favorite smells and every time I roast peppers, I close my […]
