by Krista | Feb 2, 2012 | Fabulous Friday
It’s been a week marked with pain and sadness, both personal and in the lives of those dear to me. Yesterday was one of tears and that tightness in the chest that comes from grief and anxiety over things you cannot change, but wish with all your heart that you could.
I want to fix, heal, restore, and I can do none of them.
As I worked through my sadness yesterday, I sat in Bear’s big green armchair and edited photos from my trip to Bosnia from a couple of years ago. Seeing these images, so soft, green and intensely peaceful, helped me move from deep grief to deep peace. I let myself have a good cry, spoke aloud the things laying heaviest on my heart and then read moving and inspiring things like this post from my friend Rain.
As the day came to a close I was wrung out but at rest. My hope was restored, my joy intact. It’s a lovely thing to be able to hope again. To see the pain in this world and hope for those broken relationships to be restored, those shattered bodies made whole, those places of darkness illumined with light.
I cherish those hopes and thought of the family motto of my Mum’s Welsh family line: “While I breathe, I hope.” All is not lost while there is still life. The broken things can be healed.
I put on the kettle and slid ginger cookies into the oven. I smiled as the sun came out after days of rain and cloud. And I just shook my head and chuckled when my dear, wretched goats found another hole in the fence to escape through.
Life is devastatingly painful sometimes. And scary. And sad. But somehow it’s still beautiful, with friendships and experiences that restore, comfort, and cheer.
“Be brave enough to hold onto the hope that life will be beautiful again.” – Brave Girls Club
I wish you a beautiful weekend, dear ones.
by Krista | Jul 20, 2010 | Spring
It was our last night in Bosnia as we ascended the hills above Mostar and drove along the coast toward Croatia.
The sea was smooth and gray like polished steel, and the sky glowed softly in gentle, velvety colors. The dramatic scene seemed the perfect way to leave this country that had so surprised, gutted and thrilled me. I didn’t want to leave but other countries, stories and adventures beckoned me on, so I left, carrying a heart full of memories and a camera full of pictures.
After the devastating conflict that left communities shattered, families torn apart, and thousands of people struggling to rebuild their lives, a new national anthem for Bosnia Hercegovina was adopted on June 25, 1999.
It had a melody but no words, for no words could be agreed upon.
For ten years there was only a tune but finally, in February 2009, the national parliament settled on lyrics. I found several translations that differ slightly in everything but the last few lines. To me they are the most important:
“We go into the future together!”
How I wish that for Bosnia. May it continue to grow into a place of peace, healing, and much hope.
by Krista | Jul 13, 2010 | Spring
It was late afternoon in Mostar, Bosnia as we dashed laughing through a sudden rain storm that turned streets into rivers and our merry band into drowned rats. Gasping and dripping we arrived back at our van, shook ourselves like a pack of dogs and clambered in.
I didn’t want to leave.
Mostar is a city of rich culture, rebuilding itself emotionally and physically after the devastating trauma and upheaval of the Bosnian conflict in the 1990’s. Some buildings are too battered and gutted to do more than simply exist. Others are being transformed from places of rubble and devastation to ones of beauty and significance. I suppose the same could be said of the people.
I do not claim to understand this beautiful country, but I am grateful to have experienced it. I can’t stop reading about its history, geography, ethnography, even agriculture. I am in awe of people who go through such heartache, loss, and indescribable grief, and wake up each day doing something to make their life beautiful again.
The storm passed quickly and the sun came out as we drove up into the hills above Mostar. We looked back in amazement at the watery fields now glistening in the setting sun.
We drove in silence for a while, no small feat with 5 chatty girls in the car, processing what we had seen, learned, and felt during our time in Bosnia. I felt grief, hope, peace, and deep gratitude.
We crested the hill on our way to Croatia and my heart swelled at the sight.
It was a perfect farewell.
Today I’ll share with you a recipe for one of my favorite Bosnian dishes: ajvar. Varieties are also found in Germany, Russia, and Croatia, and they’re all fabulous. A blended condiment of roasted eggplant, red bell peppers, onion, garlic and olive oil, ajvar is a rich, savory sauce that goes beautifully with so many things. I love it as a dip for Bosnian Cevapi, or spread thickly on dark rye bread topped with bacon or salami.
Bosnian Ajvar
Ingredients:
2 large eggplants, washed and dried
6 large red bell peppers, washed and dried
1 sweet onion, skin on, brushed with olive oil
2-3 garlic clove, peeled and minced
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper
Directions:
- Heat oven to 475 degrees F.
- Place eggplant, onion and peppers on baking sheet and roast until their skins blacken and blister, about 30 minutes.
- Put roasted vegetables in a heatproof bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow them to steam for 10 minutes. This will loosen and moisten burnt skins.
- Peel off and discard blackened stems, skins and seeds.
- Place vegetables in large bowl or food processor depending on the consistency you want. Mash in bowl if you want it chunky, puree in processor if you like it smooth.
- Add garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir until well mixed.
- Store covered and refrigerated. Can be canned to last longer.
by Krista | Jun 29, 2010 | Spring
Storm clouds loomed threateningly above Mostar, Bosnia and winds whipped flags and awnings as we walked cobbled streets towards Stari Most, an ancient bridge destroyed during the Bosnian conflict in the 90’s and rebuilt.
Before it was sent crashing into the Neretva River, Stari Most had stood for 427 years. Nearly from the beginning, the bridge was irresistible to divers who wanted to show their bravery by plummeting into the frigid river below. The first recorded jump was in 1664, and in 1968 a formal diving competition was formed and held every summer until war made it impossible. Diving has resumed at Stari Most, and I hope it will continue for another 427 years.
As we approached Stari Most, we passed this intriguing gentleman who hollered warnings about the end of the world as he strode through Old Town Mostar. He made quite the dramatic figure all in white, his gray hair flying in the wind as he shouted.
The stones were slick under my sandals and I held on tight to the railing as we walked up the steep incline to the other side.
I loved looking at the city from Stari Most. The rumble of thunder, black clouds and strange sunlight made for a gripping vista.
We lingered awhile until suddenly the sunlight disappeared, the heavens opened and raindrops the size of large grapes pelted us with fury. Dry streets were rivers in minutes and we laughed in disbelief as water streamed off us, utterly drenching hair and clothes before we could find shelter. We splashed our way to the van, not even attempting to avoid puddles, and arrived soaked, dripping and laughing like mad.
It would’ve been the perfect night for Bosnian Spinach Pie. Similar to Greek Spanikopita, this phyllo pie features olive oil instead of butter, and a mixture of cheddar and feta cheeses. It also has a topping of sour cream and milk that keeps the pastry soft instead of brittle. It’s my new favorite thing.
This is my contribution to Wanderfood Wednesday hosted by the lovely Beth.
Bosnian Spinach Pie
Ingredients:
1 package thawed phyllo pastry sheet
2 bags washed fresh spinach
2 medium eggs
1/3 cup sour cream
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
- Wash and drain spinach. Chop and place in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and toss until incorporated.
- Let spinach rest for 10-20 minutes.
- Squeeze excess water from spinach and transfer to glass bowl.
- Add eggs, sourcream, feta and cheddar. Mix well. Set aside.
- Grease 9″ by 13″ pan with olive oil. Lay one sheet in bottom (won’t fit exactly, but just press one layer) brush
- with olive oil. Fold over excess dough and brush with olive oil. Repeat with 3-4 sheets.
- Add third of filling and spread over oiled phyllo.
- Top with sheet of phyllo and brush with olive oil. Repeat with three sheets.
- Add next third of filling, three more sheets of phyllo, remainder of filling, and top with final 2-3 layers of phyllo,
- each layer brushed with olive oil.
- Place in oven and bake 45 minutes.
- Combine milk and sour cream. When timer goes off, pour over pie and bake another 15 minutes.
by Krista | Jun 15, 2010 | Spring
The sun was still shining after we finished our delectable Bosnian feast in old town Mostar, Bosnia. Our whistles wet and tummies filled we joined the lovely man we’d met on our way in and he lead us around town with a steady stream of stories and history of his beloved Bosnia.
I was charmed by this stream, bricked in serpentine fashion as it splashed and gurgled its way down to the Neretva river.
Sunbeams warmed us on our side of the Neretva but storm clouds were brewing in the distance, looming closer and closer with ominous darkness.
At last we clambered down large concrete steps to the pebbled beach of the Neretva and gazed up at Stari Most, the Old Bridge. Built in the 16th century, it stood for 427 years until it was destroyed in 1993 during the Bosnian conflict. A massive restoration project funded by Spain, Turkey, Italy, the Netherlands, Croatia, and the United States allowed for the restoration of the bridge and surrounding historic buildings and neighborhoods. They did a splendid job.
It is a beautiful part of the city now, children race over the slippery stones of Stari Most, Muslims and Christians pass each other without incident. It’s hard to believe that only a few years ago the citizens of Mostar suffered mass executions, ethnic cleansing, and rape as their city was demolished by heavy artillery.
Now it’s the sort of place where you want to linger, visiting with locals in a cafe, sipping demitasse cups of Bosnian coffee, strong and black, sweetened with lumps of sugar.
(For more information on the lovely Bosnian coffee tradition, I found this post to be fascinating)
Bosanska kafa (Bosnian coffee)
(Inspired by Bosnian Recipes)
Serves Two
*traditional Bosnian coffee is made in a dzezva, but I do not have one so I used a small pot.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup water
3 Tbsp coffee, ground to fine powder
Sugar to taste
Directions:
- Fill pot with water and heat until it just begins to boil then remove from heat.
- Add coffee powder and stir until well mixed.
- Return pot to heat until foam rises, but doesn’t boil, and remove from heat.
- Spoon a teaspoon of foam into two demitasse cups, add coffee and sugar to taste.
- Let coffee sit a minute or two after stirring to allow coffee grounds to settle.
