S hrouded in mystery and fair- ly isolated, Albania has long concealed from European eyes its beautiful mountain landscapes, colourful capital of Tira- na, beaches reminiscent of the Med- iterranean ... Only a few have heard of the island of Sazan at the entrance to the Bay of Vlorë, but it is this mi- ni island that separates the Adriatic and Ionian seas. Since 2015, this communist-era military base, intertwined with bun- kers and tunnels, has been open to visitors, and curious tourists began flocking to Albania. And when it was declared the tourist hit of the Balkans by “Lonely Planet” in 2016, many mo- re people started to speak about Al- bania as a holiday destination. There are many reasons to visit this amazing country, and one of the most beautiful is its cuisine. Albania developed its gastro- nomy by absorbing the tastes of the nations that have conquered it, but it was unable to avoid the impa- ct of world-famous cuisines, mostly Italian. The two seas that encompa- ss the Albanian coastline, the Adria- tic and the Ionian, are rich in fish and seafood, while the climate is su- itable for growing oranges, lemons and figs, and there are pastures for livestock grazing. Grapes and wild berries are used to make fermented beverages. Aubergines, courgettes and okra form the basis of various dishes. Salads, like in Serbia, are ma- de from cucumbers, bell peppers, to- matoes etc. Most commonly found on the Albanian table are lamb and mutton, while liver and kidneys are a special delicacy. Albanians also li- ke spreads with garlic, to which they
It is a big offence for Albanians to say no to a coffee. Coffee is their favoruite beverage Za Albance je velika uvreda odbiti kafu. To je njihov omiljeni napitak add walnuts, almonds, pine nuts and hazelnuts. Like the dialects, Albania’s spe- cialities also vary from place to place. Thus, Krujë is recognised for “kabu- ninu”, a meal made of rice, northern Albania is known for “flita” pastry ro- asted under a ceramic bell, while in southern Albania they serve speciali- ties made from fresh fish taken from the Ionian Sea and roasted on skewers. In the decades of the dictatorship of Enver Hoxha, Christmas, Eid al-Fi- tr, marking the end of Ramadan, and other religious feasts were removed from the calendar of Albanian holi- days. New Year was for years the big- gest celebration. It is impossible to imagine how much housewives sa- crificed to procure ingredients at any cost during this period. They had to wait in line for hours to buy a single chicken or a kilogram of meat, which was the family ration. And then they had to come up with a way of making a feast from such small quantities of food. Some dishes also originated du- ring this period, such as “Pershesh” (ground bread cake covered with soup from offal and onions and the stock of roasted turkey, served with slices of roasted turkey). Hiding their efforts, Albanian wo- men gave their all to ensure their fa- mily’s happiness. They have now left that time behind them forever, but so- me customs have remained... In the weeks before the New Year, women gather in villages and cities to make huge quantities of baklava, the des- sert of desserts. After the holidays, they do not even try them, nor do the guests for whom they are intended, as they don’t even know what they will do with those they have at home. And it is like that throughout January... Whoever you visit, you will be served baklava.
ALBANIJA, VAŽNO TRŽIŠTE ZA ER SRBIJU
Er Srbija je ponosna što je u okviru svog tima na beogradskom aerodromu zaposlila agenta za putničke usluge koji govori al- banski. Er Srbija smatra da je Albanija važno tržište sa značaj- nim potencijalom rasta, posebno u vezi sa novim letovima do Amerike. Kada je nacionalna kompanija počela da leti u Tiranu, pre više od dve godine, bilo je samo tri leta nedeljno, dok sada Er Srbija svakodnevno leti do albanske prestonice. ALBANIA, AN IMPORTANT MARKET FOR AIR SERBIA Air Serbia is proud to employ specialist Albanian-speaking staff at Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla Airport. Albania is an important mar- ket with significant growth potential, especially regarding Air Serbia’s flights to New York. When Air Serbia launched flights to Tirana, it was only three times per week, but now the air- line flies to the Albanian capital daily, showing the populari- ty of the route.
že specijaliteti od sveže ribe iz Jon- skog mora i pečenje s ražnja. U decenijama diktature Envera Hodže Božić, Bajram i ostale verske svetkovine bile su izbrisane iz alban- skog kalendara praznika. Nova godi- na je bila najveća fešta. Ne može se ni zamisliti kakve su žrtve podnosile domaćice kako bi po svaku cenu na- bavile namirnice u tom periodu. Bilo je potrebno satima čekati u redu za jedno pile ili kilogram mesa, koliko je bilo porodično sledovanje, a onda je trebalo izmisliti način kako da se s tako malo hrane napravi gozba. Iz tog perioda i potiču neka jela kao što je pršeš (usitnjena pogača prelivena supom od iznutrica i luka i sokom od pečene ćurke, koja je služena s koma- dićima pečene ćurke). Krijući napor, albanske žene su či- nile sve za porodičnu sreću. To vre- me je sada zauvek za njima, ali neki običaji su ostali. U nedeljama pred Novu godinu skupe se žene po seli- ma i gradovima, pa prave ogromne količine baklave, poslastice nad po- slasticama. Posle praznika one ih i ne probaju, a ni gosti kojima su name- njene, jer ne znaju ni šta će s onima kod kuće. I tako ceo januar. Kod koga god da odete, posluži- će vas baklavom.
O vekovnoj tradiciji gostoprimstva govori i poruka koja se prenosi s generacije na generaciju: „Buke e kripe e zemer“ (Hleb, so i srce) The centuries- long tradition of hospitality is transmitted from generation to generation with a simple message: “Buke e kripe e zemer” (bread, salt and heart)
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