Serbian /unbeatable and irresistible/ cuisine is spectacularly savory, tremendously flavorful and tastefully stimulating to the appetite. Serbian gastronomy is derived from mixed traditions mostly influenced by the neighboring Mediterranean /especially Greek/, Hungarian, Turkish, Bulgarian and Austrian cuisines what makes it a heterogeneous one. Meat /especially grilled, baked or roasted meat/, herbs /peppers, basil, horse radish, dill/ and vegetables are used in abundance in Serbian cuisine and one-dish meat meals occupy an important place in the collection of recipes. Serbian dishes are very nourishing, inexpensive and easy to prepare. Serbs enjoy cooking, often modifying old Serbian recipes or creating new delicious dishes... Most people in Serbia will have three meals daily, breakfast, lunch and dinner, with lunch being the largest. However, traditionally in Serbia only lunch and dinner existed, which was/is practiced in monasteries and Nikola Tesla wrote that it is normal to have two meals per day so breakfast was introduced in the second half of the 19th century. A number of meals which are simply bought in the West are often made at home in Serbia as autochthonous dishes. Those include kajmak, ajvar, smoked ham, smoked beef, rakija /fruit brandy/, corn-bread /proja/, beans, jam, slatko-jelly, various pickled food, notably sauerkraut /sarma, kiseli kupus - pickled cabbage, cabbage casserole/ and even sausages. The reasons for this range from economical to cultural. Due to turbulent history of the Balkans and majority of Orthodox population nowadays “charming” and almost forgotten customs of food preparation in open fire and hearth still exists in Serbia. This common feature in Serbia comes as the remembrance of family gatherings in central part of the house for celebrations on religious holidays /Family patron Saint slava that is only celebrated in Serba/ and Sundays. The result is the most memorable savoury Serbian “rostilj” /wellknown “cevapcici” served in irresistible portions - rolling around the country and greeting every visitor to Serbia. Cevapcici is desirable spicy chopped /minced/ meat mixed with garlic, paprika and onion grilled on charcoal grill. What a suicide attempt for a romantic evening or a huge assembly, isn’t’ it? Anyhow “rostilj” is widely implemented throughout Serbia and strongly recommended to every guest ! Slow home-made cooking in covered ceramics /pottery/ over fire of ingredients grown in private gardens on farms or every-day supply from the green markets /meat, wheat, vegetables.../ is the part of Serbian tradition and pride. .... ”Lot of meals are prepared only on water thanks to fasting that is often habit of Serbs /winter and summer religious fasting, non-fat food days on Wednesdays and Fridays obeying different rules regarding the fast – when fish is eaten, when food prepared with oil or dishes only cooked in water/. “Orthodoxy, in contrast to modern Western civilization, does not preach enjoying in general, neither enjoying food, as a value. Excessive food enjoyment is considered a great sin, primarily since it links us to things of this world, taking away from us already endangered freedom. However, preparation of food and common meals in respect of God gifts, making special efforts for the benefit of others and unselfish sharing may be considered as an unique practical school of love. Fast, as a specific self-discipline suggested to us by the Orthodox Church, helps us, together with prayer, to turn to God – to God who gifted us with everything that surrounds us, while we do not have much to give in return. Renouncing, be it a basic one /food of animal origin/ is the expression of respect, and together with renouncing selfish and bad deeds, a common exercise in our love for God and surprising the nature as an absolute power over us.” /quotation from “Consecration of Time” – “Esnaf” Serbia/. Slava - patron saint is divine form of Orthodoxy, which is so deeply inborn into the Serbian traditional soul. Slava is special feature of the Serbian nation because it is celebrated only among Orthodox Serbs. The Deep sense of celebrating slava lies in the most enlighten ideal of the Serbian nation - the ideal of the holy man which is : man free from the earthen life, the man clean from injustice and vanity, the man fulfilled with love towards God and people, the man fearless to death, in one word - the soulful man ! The occasion of slava brings all of the family together, and a feast is normally prepared, including traditional foods: slavski kolač and koljivo. Slavski kolač literally means the Slava cake, although it is actually more similar to bread., because it is clear, the bread symbolizes the gathering together of the entire community. Depending on whether the celebration falls during fasting, slavski kolač is prepared with or without eggs, butter and milk. The top of the kolač is adorned with the sign of the Cross the Dove of Peace and other symbols that relate to the family. Koljivo (also called žito) is made of boiled wheat. It can be prepared in a variety of ways but most usually includes walnuts, nutmegs and/or cloves and honey. The wheat is a symbol of the Resurrection of Christ and deceased family members. Depending on whether the celebration falls in a period of fasting, the rest of the feast consists of animal-free (posni) meals or not (mrsni); thus, colloquially, slavas can be referred to as mrsne or posne. On the day of the slava, the family attends church services and partakes in the Holy Communion. Following the service, the parish priest is received in the familys home. He performs a small service which entails venerating the Saints memory, blessing the slavski kolač and koljivo, as well as lighting the slava candle. Though not necessary, it is common for the priest to bless the house and perform a small memorial service for dead relatives. The most common feast days in Serbia are St. Nicholas /falling on December 19/, St. George (May 6, Djurdjevdan/, St. John the Baptist /January 20/, St. Demetrius /November 8/ and St. Michael /November 21/. Serbian Orthodox Church uses Julian calendar. Julian calendar remained in use until the 20th century as the national calendar, especially in the Orthodox countries, but it was changed into the new version of the Gregorian calendar. Still it is used in some national Orthodox churches amongst them is the Serbian Orthodox Church, The Holy Mount Athos in Greece and Berberi in the South Africa. In Serbia which used to respect Julian calendar as the official calendar according to the tradition of the Serbian Orthodox Church the New Year on the 31st December was first celebrated in 1919 when King Aleksandar Karadjordjevic accepted the Gregorian calendar as the national calendar.
Posted on: Mon, 13 Oct 2014 07:08:13 +0000
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