September 2011
3 posts
27 tags
Kolac (ko-lach)
We spent many a day around the kitchen island with baba. The bread in the profile picture is called a slava kolac (ko-lach) or slavski kolac. She also made the “prosfora” every Saturday afternoon for Sunday liturgy, or sometimes during the week for services no matter which parish she belonged to. For her, it went without saying, contributing her humble part, prepping what would...
22 tags
Protinica's Protocol
Baba was otherwise known as Protinica (Prrro-ti-nitz-a) to the Serbian community, a title given to a priest’s wife once he is consecrated with certain senior status by the church based on his accomplishments. Although our mother is now a protinica, she is known by most as Popadija, because it’s just easier that way, kind of like, the queen mother and the queen… except we’re not actually royalty,...
23 tags
"Coming Home" to Baba 9/6/11
Who says you could never come home again? Maybe not to 1984 in the kitchen in Alhambra CA with my four siblings and baba making the bread for the Sunday liturgy, but the smell of bread rising, always triggers the memory of what it was like growing up with the privilege of being nurtured by a classic Serbian homemaker. What makes a good homemaker? In my opinion, one that welcomes all walks of...
