We’ve made it to another Friday! If you live in the United States, have a wonderful holiday weekend! We’ll be celebrating Miss Ava’s first birthday on Sunday…. 🙂

"Stari Most," or Old Bridge. Photo Courtesy of the CIA World Factbook

Photo Courtesy of the CIA World Factbook

Here are our fun facts for Bosnia & Herzegovina:

Have a heart!

Bosnia and Herzegovina is nicknamed the “Heart Shaped Land” due to the country’s slight heart shape.

What’s in a name?

The name “Bosnia” comes from an Indo-European word, “Bosana.” Bosana means”water.” Bosnia is full of beautiful rivers, lakes, waterfalls (one is well over 3oo feet high), and a strip of the Adriatic sea. Herzegovina is named for Herceg Stjepan, an ancient ruler.

Culinary Traditions

There are three culinary traditions in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Croatian, Serbian and Boshniakian.

Forget fast food! Try a Bosnian “hamburger”

The meat for Cevapi sausages (a recipe will be provided on Monday) can also be used to make Pljeskavice. Just add peppers and onion to the ground mixture! Although difficult to pronounce, they are easy to eat! Simply put the patties in a thick Bosnian Pita with some onion and tomato!

Agriculture

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a fertile country and can support growth of wheat, corn, fruits, and vegetables. In the Herzegovina region they grow figs, pomegranates, grapes, kiwis, rose hip, and mandarins. To the Northeast they use more than 50% of the land for agriculture.

Coffee Customs

Coffee drinking is a daily social activity for many people in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Condiment Crazy

Ajvar: pureed roasted peppers & eggplant, seasoned with salt and pepper and slow cooked.
Pickled vegetables: most commonly pickled produce includes peppers, onions, cucumbers, and tomatoes.
Kajmak: a salted, canned dairy spread, similar to cream cheese.  The flavor, however, is more smoky.

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