Slavka Bodic

I was born in the Balkans, and I lived in the former Yugoslavia. We never talked about food that much since we were happy and good food was a normal part of our lives. After the fall of communism and dissolution of Yugoslavia, Balkan become (yet again?) a place with negative associations for people around the globe. Some of them barely know where Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, or Turkey are, but they know that there is something wrong with that part of the world. Unfortunately, when I ask my friends from around the globe about positive things in the region, they always mention only two things. Very good food and nice people. “I love your sarma,” or, “Your mom is preparing amazing musaka,” is something I have heard so many times. I tried to present only recipes that our mothers have made for decades, without adding “modern food.” I will continue sharing Balkan traditional recipes so please visit www.balkanfood.org and subscribe for free newsletters.