Ajvar, burek, ćevapčići: A Serbian food primer

It's snowing, and we're snowed in out here at the house where we are house sitting (in the NoVA 'burbs). Both M. and I aren't going in to work today. The roads were pretty treacherous last night, and it's currently (lightly) snowing like the dickens (love that phrase, definitely underused) and windy to boot (another great phrase). School was canceled for me (not D.C. schools though, maybe in part because of what our president had to say the last time DC public schools closed for inclement weather? ).

What can I say? It warms this Minnesota ex-pat's heart. I'm enjoying my day of cooking (for the first Bento Society bento, to be delivered tomorrow) and catching up on blogging and work and such. Hopefully we can take the dogs out later for a snow walk when M. gets up.

M. and I had a great weekend, food-wise. On Saturday A. threw a belated birthday dinner party for him, a Twin Peaks-themed vegan meal complete with homemade cherry pie (her first, definitely an achievement!) and home baked bread. Pretty awesome - thanks again, A.!


Twin Peaks Meal - Pie not pictured...

Then, last night we drove back into town for my Serbian teacher's party, complete with buffet spread, which was also amazing. It was my first time having a Serbian meal. Our hostess did a commendable job - it was a lot of food, and I believe there were over 20 guests there!


Loading up our plates


Bread, ćevapčići, and burek (in the back)


Here's a sampling of the menu, with links for the curious:
* ćevapčići (my teacher told me it was from Restaurant Cosmopolitan in Alexandria) with delicious fluffy-chewy bread reminiscent of ciabatta but fluffier, and raw onions and sour cream-butter
* burek (also from Restaurant Cosmopolitan)
* gibanica - really buttery and delicious
* sarma - Serbian cabbage rolls. I was told by another dinner guest that they are made with pickled cabbage leaves, unlike the Russian/Polish versions (golubtsy/golabki). The Wikipedia article I've referenced here states that sarma can be made with either fresh or pickled cabbage.
* proja/projara - mini muffin style
* several different salads: green salad with radishes, potato salad with peas (was too full to try that one), and a cucumber and tomato salad topped with grated kefalotiri
* ajvar - I finally got to try it! Roasted red pepper spread - delicious.
* a stewed dish of chicken, carrots, and potatoes whose name I did not catch
* two desserts: "the prince's doughnuts" (basically cream puffs) and this layered creamy nutty bar that was really good. I can't remember all of the food names, unfortunately...
* all kinds of alcohol including šljivovica. We also tried this Serbian Coke (Cockto) and red wine concoction called bambus ("bamboo"); I had heard the term calimocho before for the Spanish version of the same

While poking around Wikipedia, I learned that the word sarma is derived from the Turkish verb "sarmak," meaning "wrapping" or "rolling." A different etymology from the Polish term for the same dish, golabki, which means "little pigeons."

Made me want to go on a food tour of the Balkans. So good. I also miss Serbian class...that was a great semester.

To my Serbian teacher: Hvala for the odlicno meal!

New Bento Blog

I mentioned recently that I was thinking about starting a blog devoted to the bento lunches that I will be making for my coworkers. The blog is now up and running; you can view it here. I am only offering my bento lunches to my coworkers, but anyone is free to comment on the contents of my bento lunches and the blog posts in general.

The first set of menus is up next week, for March 3-5.

Here we go...Wish me luck!

JK Bento for today

Whew, busy. First I was sick, and now I'm (still sick) busy!

I have just enough time to post about today's bento for my coworker, "JK," including a link to the original recipe. She loved this particular one, and at least one other coworker is also interested in the recipe. So, here it is - if you click on the name it will take you to the original recipe, which I basically followed as written. The only difference? More fish sauce for me (love that fish sauce. What can I say; I'm my father's daughter). Oh, also, I used water instead of vegetable stock.

JK Bento #5:
*Thai tofu and squash curry
*Steamed jasmine rice
*Accompaniments: Crushed peanuts (never again; it's a peanut-free school!), lime wedges, and chopped cilantro

No photo, unfortunately - I forgot to take one! I was so involved in planning and cooking this bento lunch that photographing it slipped my mind.

A word on the red Thai curry paste that I use: I usually use Mae Ploy brand (cheaper, and it comes in a larger tub - it's the one on the right here at this link), which Dad always uses, but this time I had to grab something from Harris Teeter, so I ended up with a small jar of Thai Kitchen red curry paste. Good in a pinch, but I think I'll go back to Mae Ploy when I get the chance to buy some more.

Lately I've been thinking about starting a new blog devoted exclusively to my work bento lunches. Stay tuned...