At beginning we drink RAKIJA. It can be made from plum, apricot, apple, pear...and my favorites quince❤️. You start with rakija and MEZE. Meze is a starter: smoked meat (different types), chees, KAJMAK and some salad. Then you go for a main meal (soup or čorba, than some meat) and wine or beer. At the and some dessert and coffee. And you should seat in kafana for a hours😉😉😉😂
This is awesome information. I'm pinning your comment so everyone can see it! We had meze in Turkey, but it changes in every country in the area, even in Spain we have something similar (tapas, aperitivo) but we don't have a dedicated drink, in Turkey was Raki and in Serbia is Rakija. Lieles prefers Rakija over Raki and I like them both 😁😁😁 We just love learning about each individual country, its people and especially its food. Thank you for this information!
@@mariaandbryan In Serbia kafana is a cult. It's about socialisation. You go to restoran for hour or two. But in kafana you go by day and go out by night... or day but another😂😂. Depends of music💃💃💃. Is't live that means hole night stay. One more thing. We have summer and winter meals. For exp. Sarma is a winter meal..
@@mariaandbryan every family in Serbia has own Saint. That day we call SLAVA. My Saint day is Saint Nikola (Nicolas), 19th December. On that day my cousens, friends come to my house for a lunch or dinner. In Serbia half population celebrate the Saint Nikola and the another go as a guests. And for Saint Nikola we eat only fish and vegiterian food beacouse of lent.
That's so awesome! We also celebrate saints in Spain but it's a tradition that is dying more and more every day. I love how strongly traditional Serbian families are.
Lieles and Mary .. Greetings to you and all your followers and viewers of your channel. Greetings from the waiter who hosted you in 200-year-old restaurant, and still one of the best .. Thank you to everyone who praised me and you are always welcome too us ..✌️
Hello Enis!! We are so happy you found the video! We looooved our time with you there! Thank you for being so great and genuine! Can't wait to visit you again next year !
Great video guys, glad you had fun in Belgrade!I wanna correct some of the things about the customs here if you guys don't mind.We don't look at each others eyes the whole time while drinking, it would have been very weird :D Just when you say "cheers" (živeli) and after that it's all back to normal :D And rakia is not really for "slow" drinking in my mind, if you take one large sip or two the flavor is much more pronounced whereas while just taking a small sip doesn't let you feel it the proper way.Long rant indeed, hope it shed some light.Hope you guys visit again and make another awesome video.Cheers!
Awesome!! Thanks for sharing this!! We have heard so many things about drinking rakija We feel we need to be adopted by Serbian parents and learn all from the beginning lol Good thing we have you all!! Much love
"Goulash" is Hungarian origin and it literally means translated from hungarian "cattle meat" or correctly "meat(dishes/soup) made by herdsman". So many neighboring countries like serbians, croatians, slovaks, romanians, ukrainians/russians, etc...accept it and changed a bit on their own style in comparison with original hungarian and called it by their own name but the root hungarian name "goulash" keeped. Sarma is Turkish/Middle Eastern origin, and it has meat variations in other regions by religion's customs and their traditions. In balkans we usualy use sour cabbage for making rolls but I've seen in middle eastern that they just cook a half raw cabbage just that it became softer so it could be stuffed and rolled. Also we have domestic (home-made) "Pilav" which is baked rise + onions with usually chicken meat. I think it's turkish origin also, cuz I've seen Uzbekistan meal called "Pilaf" which is made with beef I think and lots of carrots, peas, raisins and many spices. You just type on Google "wedding big pilaf" you will see how it's all made for I dunno 300 ppl, on wedding. Another real Balkan dishes is "Prebranac"(pronouncing "Prebranatz") in Serbia which means "well picked beans", in Macedonia they call it "Tavče na Gravče" (pronouncing "Taav-che na Graav-che" ) which translates as "Beans in baking Pan" but in reverse order and in Diminutive context.
Love your comment. Yes, I am sorry I should have said that the dish is Hungarian and share I ate Goulash at a Russian restaurant, not that it is Russian. Yes pilav comes from Turkey but just like your example with sarma, it has tons of variations all over the Middle East and some Balkan countries. We made a video about pilav and other rices around the world earlier this year. Prebanac is probably my (Maria) favorite Serbian dish. I love beans and I can eat Prebanac every day. THANK YOU so much for all the info, clarification and food facts! We know this is super helpful for people who watches our videos and for ourselves as well.
We did: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-1n1irQ_G51U.html We ended living in Serbia for almost a year, and rescued a dog and a cat there. Thank you!
Hi there, we are going back in September, hope we get to try them homemade 😊😊 We are also going to go and learn how to make homemade rakija... as you say... connecting people!
the best food in Serbia is regional food, made locally. However food in Belgrade is tasty as well, The best way to enjoy our food is as guest to locals at Slava family gathering :)
Good to know, we are planning to go back next year and explore the small cities and nature of Serbia. We would love to be invited to enjoy a Slava family gathering
@@colinafobe2152 thank you so much! Yes we are planning to go back in September next year, we heard is a good month to go for many traditional things like rakija making 😊
@@mariaandbryan yeah people here still makes these things at home rakija, wine, cheese, jams, pickles etc... while i am writing this the woman across the street is actually preparing cabbage for pickling... sarma: step 1
You guys are the most down to earth and respectful tourist bloggers I've seen reviewing Serbian food. I can see a real reaction instead of the usual Oh Pljeskavica is awesome, lets talk about something random right away. It takes open minded and soulful people like you to really enjoy Serbia and centuries of tradition behind even the smallest things. This is a big step up to bring the culture closer to a reputaton it deserves. God bless you.
Wow, thank you! What a wonderful message you are leaving us here. We love what we do and like to be as honest and respectful as possible. Fingers crossed, next year we will be going back and do a road trip to explore other smaller towns and cities along with the nature. We truly enjoyed our time there
@@mariaandbryan Heated rakija is literally the best thing in winter. You also melt some sugar before you add the rakija to the pan, so it's sweet as well.
@@abc-eq9so we live life, not he us .. the economy is a relative thing .. we all have as much as we need .. .. and a smile always .. best regards .. relax ..
@@mariaandbryan Thanks for having me! You guys really have a lot of personality, can't wait to watch many more of your adventures :D I am currently watching you from Vienna, the heart of Austria :D
That waiter was such a cool dude, and he seemed so full of life. It was nice that he took the time to explain everything to you guys and recommend the best dishes. Wow.. that drink looked so strong and we know it was strong, if Maria sipped even til after your food was finished LOLOL!!
Wow guys, you've tried my favourite serbian dish, sarma🤩 I really didn't expect them to serve that dish in the middle of summer😂 If I knew I'd definitely recommend you to try it first 😊
Yes we didn't find it anywhere before that day but when I saw it I knew we had to try it. You made our trip amazing! Thank you for sharing all your reccomendation and knowledge
@@mariaandbryan idk if I would translate it as toast (not in the meaning of classic toast when smb is speaking)... when we "chin chin" our glasses that is when we look into each other's eyes. Idk if there is any history about it but it is considered a bit let's say rude not to do it, not trustworthy.
@@freee8838 toast is correct. To toast is to chin chin hahahaa And yes we have the same in Spain but we actually have to keep eye contact whole we drink lol Strange customs lol
@mysterychemistry yes that's what we heard but we have several comments here on the channel saying we are wrong and it must be drank at once!!! We are so confused now lol 😂
Now imagine all that food home made, 10 times at least tastier than any restaurant, mom's and grandma's know how it's done :) Also warm recommendation to everyone visiting first time as for Rakija, first taste one's made of honey or quince, those are newbie friendly and tastier than plum.
Actually, I would never go for sarma in a restaurant, homemade (and, I agree, only in winter time) rules. As for meat dishes, Serbia is the paradise country,
@mysterychemistry omg I can't remember why I typed bread a month ago! I think I meant the mashed potato in my head but typed bread. Oops sorry, my bad!
Looks like Goulash is recommended by you guys. It does look like a winter meal which is served hot and it's comforting too. We would love to try that one day!
Sarma and the goulash looks yummy!!! 😍😍😍 Lol Lieles trying to remember the name... sarma hahaha!! Oooof!! U had me at that mash potato and that gravy meat, fat is my friend, love them fats 😝
what a hidden gem! People don't know what they are missing and we didn't even get to scratch the surface, we have to go back and visit Nis, Novi sad and more
Hahaha I don't like to go fancy on the veggies. I'm more of a traditional veggie eater hahah There's a restaurant in NYC call Kafana, in case you ever go
"Sometimes they say drink it before food, during food after food..." And all three of these statements are true! Rakia is just like Hungarian pálinka when it comes to the rules of drinking it. You should only drink it if one of these four conditions are met: it is morning, it is noon, it is afternoon, or if you feel like drinking one. :D
@@mariaandbryan you're welcome. :) I'm a Hungarian person with Croatian, Serbian, and Austrian ancestry. Love your channel and your enthusiasm to try out all things truly local! Please do reach out if you ever choose to visit my country, would love to be a free guide!
@@MrZebeda we truly wanted to go to Hungary this year but Lieles isn't allowed yet as an American citizen. But we will def let you know. It would be an honor to have you as guide. We will let you know
Sarma! Queen of every meal :) If you didn't feel cabbage, it means that sarma was not good enough. Unfortunately, from your videos I can conclude that both of you didn't visit right places. I mean, "?" place is great but not for full enjoyment in meal :) And gulaš or gulash is not Serbian origin meal. It came from Hungary.
Please fell free to send us some recommendations of good places so we can visit again next time we go to Serbia, which will be pretty soon. Thank you for your feedback
Kako da vam se zahvalim za taj vaš nesebični trud u kom moju zemlju prikazujete baš onakva kakva i jeste ...... nego samo da vam posaljem hiljadu poljubaca....HVALA VAM
About rakia.... as Snoop Dogg say's drink it evry day. There is no need fo special time or you dont need to eat before you drink... best food when you drink rakia is hard cheese and dry meat (like pršut), ćevapi isnt bad but this first combination is magical... also to add, Sarma meat is mix of pork and beaf... also kafana is more modern term, original term was KAVANA the plase for koffe, there is also other names like mehana, krčma (maby oldest term), taverna, konoba, gostionica.... its got diferent name because of diferent purpose like if you are in konoba you are probably in montainius region and there is restaurant+hostel (some sort of), or if you are in Krčma you are probably come in perifery or vilage and you drink there (rakia, medovina (honey spirit) or vine), taverna is in town, gostionica is just place where you can eat... also we got vilage (selo on our language), and katun (its tribal "vilage" on montains)...
Ohhh all this information is so cool! We hope to experience some of those on our next visit. We visited some konobas in Croatia and saw that they also used those places as winery and supply rooms back in the days. We must try it with the hard cheese and dry meat... that has to be so yummy
The fat on that meat looks DELICIOUS haha. One of Selena's fave meals is Spanish stew beef, so she's all about try stew beefs in different cuisines. - KA
Serbian waiters never write down your order. They remember everything you order. Doesn't metter how many people are at the table, they will remember everyones order and drinks and at the end they will sum everything in their head and give you the bill. You drink rakija/moonshine before meal for a better digestion since food tends to be on a heavy side, 🙂 but since we walk everywhere and are very active, we don't suffer from obesity.
Yes, we truly enjoy how well we were treated in every restaurant in Belgrade. I think the walking part is very typical from most European countries, we also walk a lot in Spain. And my husband, Lieles, pointed it out a few times as well, he said "you, Europeans just walk too much" 😁😁😁
wow over 100 years!! hahaha rakija "it'll wake you up" the waiter is so nice! Yummmm sarma and goulash looks so good! wow that is a huge lens on the canon camera! what specs? oooooh that's what kafana is lol. hahahhaa magic camera, need to learn that one!
The goulash with the mashed potatoes looks delicious! I can see how the meat is just falling apart. The best goulash I've ever had was in Hungary. Watching your video just reminded me how good it was 😅
I believe that's where is from, Hungary. We might have to take a trip to Hungary and check the sources lol Maybe when things get better, if you guys go back to Poland, we can meet in Budapest and check together 😁😁
Serbian Kafanas were probably the first coffee houses opened in Europe...a place where you could order small “meze” (a sampler plate with cheese, prosciutto and fermented olives) a Turkish coffee or Slivovitz...be alone or with your friends, and spend the whole day talking about different issues or just relax...before going home to relax...hahaha Kafanas were places where only celebrities and important people of the past would go to. Before, you could see actors, writers, painters, sculptors, musicians...etc. ...and they all would have their special table where they would sit and enjoy. Unfortunately, nowadays in Belgrade there are only few Kafanas left that are in business... :’( Thank you guys for sharing this great video ...I’m originally from Belgrade, however I haven’t been back 25yrs... :’(
Thank you for sharing all this important info we didn't share! Love how much character there is in the Kafanas. Something to enjoy and celebrate! In what part of the world are you these days? 25 years is a long time!
@The Mamuchos my pleasure :-)... there’s an old tradition in Belgrade (older generations know it...something that’s being forgotten now) when you start going to one Kafana you “claim it” as your spot, and that would transfer to your son and grandson as it would become their spot as well... also there are “Birtija” (Bir-tee-ya) these are not real Kafanas, back in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s a bunch of these Kafana copies would open up so regular Joes could go, listen to some live loud “pop-folk” music and get drunk.... My great grandfather’s, then grandfather’s, and father’s spot was Orashac Kafana :-D www.restoranorasac.com I live in California :-)
@@doconfriends that is amazing! Wow Thank you so so much for sharing this Really, so cool! What a nice place. I pinned it in my maps so we can go next time we go. Stay safe out there! California is such a beautiful state. Thank you so much for sharing this. ☺️☺️
It's not hot, but it burns down the throat lol I guess it's more of a appetitive drink. We learned that people usually drink it with appetizers before the meal, so people spend 3 hours eating, you know like in Spain lol Lieles doesn't understand how we don't get kick out of restaurants hahaha
Its quite strong so if you dont want to end up totally drunk you need to eat after it, so it became a drink you have before you eat or if you want to party really hard. Or if you live in a village you would have one in the morning with your coffee. Serbians will kill me but to me it is similar to tekila and russian votka but there is like 10+ types of rakia it deppends on fruits it is made from.
Greetings from Serbia. When you cheer with someone it is tradition to shot like any shot all in one shot, you look in eyes when you cheering, also you make cross sign 3 fingers connected and you start from forehead then to belly then right shoulder then left. (3 fingers joined represent holy trinity, father, son and a holy spirit)
Oh it was a much shorter trip than I thought. I thought you guys were there for long term. Really cool how you have all this history while you guys are eating.
We were there for a month and 3 days hahaha so it was slow travel. Hahaha but it really flew by. I (Maria) love the history of the Balkan countries and I get obsessed reading about it more as we landed there
So, to explain, Goulash is stew, mostly mixed meat(pork, beef), Rakija is fruit brandy/schnapps, Sarma is meat with rice wrapped in sour cabbage, Kafana is Bar, and yes all people from Serbia is proud of its country.
Hi just you must tell that in Serbia average salary was 500 dollars then when convert to average salary in USA and meal in there we come to same... In Serbia gallon gas was 6 dollars...
Put some rakija on your palms and rub, if your palms are not sticky, there is no added sugar which is good, and then smell your palms, if they smell too much of alcohold and kinda like factory, not good. If they smell fruity It's good domestic rakija. Also, drink it like a shot, don't sip, it bites your lips, It's not tea lol. If you plan on drinking about half liter, or 1 liter of it, eat strong greasy food before or you will regret it. Greetings from Republik of Srpska, the Strong Serb state
@@mariaandbryan It depends on the area really, city folk like to sip in bars ,people in villages drink it like a shot with morning coffe before chores, on working fields during breaks, on weddings, on funerals. It's said a good household is nothing without good Rakija. And best rakija you can find is in villages where it's made. The worst thing you can do is drink it directly from the still. People even give their little kids to dip their finger in rakija and taste it to "toughen" them up, haha
Goulash is Hungarian. Sarma is from china went through the mid Asia and the Mid east all the way to the Balkans fusioned and changed to its final form, what you are eating now
Wow!! I (Maria) had never eaten a big breakfast growing up, in the US I would have pancakes and other stuff every now and then, but I wouldn't be able to eat anything bigger than a toast lol
That is a fascinating story. We had no idea, but it makes sense. Yes today's technology has us all very disconnected from nature, family and rural life. It's good to advance but without forgetting our roots and how our parents and grandparents built our nations. Thank you so much for sharing this information with us!
Ooh all that looks so good 😍😋 I’ve never seen Serbian food before. Any dish with rice is usually pretty good, that cabbage dish would be delicious, if love that one.
If you're an Aussie who still lives in Australia, there should be plenty of Serbian restaurants. Serbian population in Australia is pretty high so you shouldn't have much trouble finding a place that serves Serbian food. Cabbage dish is called sarma.
