American botanist Ashley Glenn travelled through BiH and she stayed with Bosnians and Herzegovinians who live in the American town of St. Louis, in order to get to know BH culture, tradition as well as culinary specialties.
” Bosnians and Herzegovinians are people who love good bread, barbecue and fresh salad. Some of those who came to the USA found it very difficult not to be able to access fresh products like they were used to while living in BiH. When I first went to that country, I was surprised by the quality of the food. There was plenty of gardens with organic food. People are simply taking their food from their backyards and making a lunch. That is completely different from the lifestyle in the US, ” said Glenn.
She also mentioned a slower way of life as a great thing in the life of BH citizens.
“Especially in rural areas, people get up very early, they work, and then they make a great coffee break. While we, people in the United States, are mostly looking for a coffee to go, it is a ritual in BiH to sit and drink your coffee. During that coffee break, family members gather and talk about how was their day, ” said Glenn.
She added that the young Bosnians and Herzegovinians in St. Louise are looking at food in a bit different way in comparison to their parents, and BH tradition is slowly disappearing.
“Young people do not have time for a big coffee break or to make a lunch on a daily basis. Some of them admit that they drink coffee to go on their way to work, and they do not make burek (meat pie), sirnica (cheese pie) or zeljanica (spinach pie) because it takes a lot of time. Sometimes it takes a whole morning to make a pie, in order for everything to turn out as it should,” stated Glenn.
Glenn is planning to organize a culinary workshop in the United States in upcoming period, which would be entirely dedicated to BH cuisine. As she said, her goal is to make a social event in a real time.
“BH Community in St. Louise is so strong and vital, and some Americans do not know much about it. That is why my goal is to explore this community through the eyes of the Bosnians and Herzegovinians themselves,” stated Glenn at the end.
(Source: fokus.ba)
