UKUSI SRBIJE / TASTES OF SERBIA
Naziv „mućkalica“
potiče od načina pripreme, jer se sastojci mešaju tokom kuvanja The name “mućkalica” comes from the method of preparation, because the ingredients are mixed during cooking
GASTRONOMIC JOURNEY From salaš to mountain peaks, the story of Serbia is told through specialities Every morsel tells you something about the land whose soil yielded peppers from Leskovac, the Stara Planina wind that dried sausages, the hardworking hands that kneaded the dough for gibanica, a traditional cheese pie and the fisherman who outwitted the trout
2. Užice-style stuffed flatbread (Western Serbia) Užice’s stuffed flatbread is an energy bomb and a gastronomic legend. It all starts with bread baked under a bell, after which it is sliced and soaked in meat dripping. Kajmak and egg are then added, with everything baked in the oven. It is said that it used to be served as breakfast for long distance lorry drivers, as they were thus able to drive until the evening without a break. The best versions are found in the small bakeries of Užice, where the aroma of freshly baked bread and kajmak entices passersby from the street. 3. Ajvar (South/Central Serbia) The king of winter, ajvar originates in southern Serbia and the city of Le- skovac is its main ambassador. Made using roasted red bell peppers, every housewife claims to have the best rec- ipe. During early autumn, the roast- ing of peppers becomes a real neigh- bourhood gathering that is perhaps the most beautiful aspect of its pro- duction. Ajvar can be spread on bread, served alongside barbecue or simply eaten with a spoon – and without regret.
N o tour of Serbia can be complete without the foods that bear the stamp of the region you’re traversing. Each region of the country has its own aroma, taste and story, and the lo- cal cuisine represents a fusion of his- tory, geography and tradition. From the spicy sausages of Vojvodina, via Zlatibor bread buns packed with curd cream, to the cheeses of Pirot and fish from the Danube — each speci- ality reveals part of the soul of these lands. Get ready to take a culinary tour from north to south and east to west, through flavours that simply mustn’t be missed.
1. Kulen sausage from Vojvodina The pride of the salaš farmsteads of Vojvodina, kulen is a dry, smoked sau- sage made using the best pork and bell peppers, which is cured for months until it takes on its full aroma. The towns of Bačka, like Bač and Kovilj, protect their family recipes as a closely guarded secret, while this delicacy was once so highly prized that it was only served at weddings and major celebra- tions. The old maestros insist that a real kulen “can be heard” while it’s be- ing cut – the knife should squeak. Ac- companied by a chunk of homemade bread and a glass of wine from Srem, this is the right introduction to Vo- jvodina cuisine.
Serbia » Srbija | 93
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