Food for the Soul: Desserts from Bulgaria
by Qian Leung
@ 06 Apr 2018
Bulgaria is a land of contrasts, with snowcapped ski resorts in winter and sun, sand, and sea in summer. Three Bulgarian ladies who are currently residing in Singapore tell us more about the desserts from home.
“I remember fondly my mom and granny preparing praskovki for birthdays and weddings,” says Eugenia Toteva, 34, who moved here from Bulgaria last August. While they are shaped like peaches, no peaches are actually used in the treat. Bulgaria is a major grower of roses; the derivative of rose hip is customarily made into jam, used to join the two halves of the cookies together. “I watched my granddad as he prepared rose hip jam at home.” A whole bucketful of rose hips is needed to produce just one jar of jam.
For fellow Sofia native Assia Turner, 40, who has lived here for seven years now, it is tikvenik which brings back memories of childhood. During pumpkin harvest in autumn, pumpkins are washed, peeled, grated, and seasoned, mixed with sugar and walnuts, wrapped into filo pastry, and baked in the oven. “This is a treasured family recipe,” says Turner. Her grandmother usually baked it on Christmas Eve. “Nothing raises the holiday spirits like the aroma of tikvenik fresh out of the oven, sprinkled with snow-like confectioner’s sugar, and served with love.” The flakiness of the pastry reminds me of baklava; the pumpkin paste within is velvety, warm, and comforting.
The longevity of Bulgarians has been credited to their consumption of yoghurt. In fact, the probiotic used to ferment milk, lactobacillus bulgaricus, is named after Bulgaria, where it was discovered. “Yoghurt can be served with honey or jams,” says Gergana Pozgay, 36, a wellness consultant. “Today we serve it with a rare Bulgarian green fig jam.” As sweet as honey, the tender fruit is a lovely accompaniment to the tanginess of the creamy sour milk.
To remember loved ones who’d departed from this world, aside from lighting candles, or leaving flowers and wine out, Bulgarians also make a dessert of boiled wheat with lemon zest, sugar, walnuts, and breadcrumbs. To finish, icing sugar and cinnamon are dusted over, in the shape of a cross. I’m reminded of hiking up a mountain with my cousins as a kid to sweep the tomb of the grandfather we never knew, our parents carrying food and joss sticks. Isn’t it amazing how food memories transcend culture? Each time you prepare a meal for someone, you are not just feeding their body, but also their soul and spirit.
Adapted from the
Mar Apr 18 issue of Cuisine & Wine.
