Food -- Ajvar, scampi buzara, cevapcici, slivovicz, Vegeta seasoning (r)

Food.

1.  AJVAR. 

The national relish. Ajvar: pureed red pepper and eggplant spread. Bright red. Served with salads, meats, on its own. Everywhere

Buy at Balkan food supply stores, or the international section of a big supermarket. Now, our recipe: Take half ajvar, half crushed tomatoes, some rice wine vinegar (or balsamic) splashed to taste, and it beats ketchup.

See how to make ajvar at www.necessaryjourneys.blogspot.com/2005/10/walking-on-my-stomackor-how-to-make.

2. BUZARA

Scampi buzara: www.croatiatraveller.com/Recipes/buzara.

This uses Vegeta, a seasoned salt used in so many Balkan dishes. It has dried vegetable bits and is available at our supermarkets now, in the international section. Does have msg. I use it even in eggs now.

3. CEVAPCICI

This is a sausage shaped ground meat dish with beef, lamb and pork. Cevapcici.  Or shape them as patties/sausage with Vegeta, cevapcici, at www.xpat.nl//journal_archief/.  There are variations with lamb, beef and pork, egg white, garlic, baking soda, cayenne and regular pepper, and paprika, this from Serbia. See://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Serbian-Cevapcici/Detail.aspx/  Comments included to add the Vegeta. These are not fried, just grilled. Other recipes fry; or specify more garlic cloves and to grind seasonings together before adding to the lamb, beef and pork mix.

We keep Vegeta on the shelf like any other mixed seasoning - gives a deeper flavor than other mixes. It comes in foil bags folded over at the top, a little lasts a long time.

4.   TUICA

A shot of cheer. Croatia as well as Romania.

In Romania, tuica. Home made clear brandy. Should never be opaque, or white, or milky looking. Recipe? Hard to find because often homemade. Wikipedia offers one, specifying a brass still, placement on hill or in barn, and close attention to the sounds coming from it as you go. Age it 6 months to 10 years, in oak. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%A2uic%C4%83/

Flavors - Some licorice, plum (possibly other fruit like quince, sour cherry, fig), ginger, coriander, perhaps some cinnamon, See http://www.ask.com/bar?q=tuica+recipe&page=1&qsrc=2994&ab=5&title=A+DRINKER%27S+GUIDE+TO+EASTERN+EUROPE+|+More+Intelligent+Life&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.moreintelligentlife.com%2Fstory%2Fa-drinker039s-guide-to-eastern-europe&sg=7Ae5qVPwaocbbeH6TraUa8HZUcN%2BJ1UKQ7RvWiJjtos%3D&tsp=1256155108900/

In Croatia, slivovicz.
Or slivovitz. See www.yourdictionary.com/ahd/s/s0478600/  Try a home brew, ://www.ask.com/bar?q=slivovicz+recipe&page=1&qsrc=2417&ab=3&title=Sir+Benfro%3A+Prejudice+and+Plum+Brandy&u=http%3A%2F%2Fsirbenfro.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F09%2Fprejudice-and-plum-brandy.html&sg=OAkU98IlEnydJvRshttbwMY1vbJYfo31XO60L2XWIqw%3D&tsp=1256155400660

And a history of spirits-making at www.abbeville.com/Products/Excerpt/0789201658Excerpt.htm.
Excellent.