A Vibrant Introduction
“Katerina Nitsou’s Macedonia is a vibrant introduction to a Balkan culture and cuisine that is ‘modest, simple, and honest.’ Though there is a present-day country of North Macedonia, Nitsou’s work identifies Macedonia as a larger region that covers the kingdom of Alexander the Great astride the Balkan Peninsula. It was later overlaid with fragmented borders fixed by eras of ethnic and political conquest. Nitsou describes the culture as unique in its blend of Mediterranean, Eastern Orthodox, and Ottoman influences, and grounded in strong connections to farming and foraging. Meat was often a luxury ingredient in Macedonia, reserved for holidays or for selling in local markets, so these recipes center on vegetables and grains. Peppers are a special favorite; they show up roasted, stuffed, tucked into soups and stews, and blended with eggplants into Ajvar, a popular dip and condiment. Beans also feature into many recipes, including Tavche Gravche, the white bean stew that is Macedonia’s national dish. Other flavors thrum throughout this ‘rustic and unassuming’ cuisine, including lemon, cinnamon, mint, and garlic, which is used as a cure-all by Nitsou’s relatives: ‘they amped it up any chance they could.’
Birthdays, name days, and religious holidays call for serving more elaborate foods. Chapters on breads and satko (sweets) showcase the beautiful pull-apart braids of Pogacha, which is served at weddings, as well as savory and sweet coiled pastries stuffed with spiced feta and ricotta, and syrup-drenched baklava and Ravanija cake. The clear recipes are introduced with bits of family and cultural background. Most are accompanied by instructive color photographs of the finished dish, while endearing photographs of Nitsou’s family members, and others of Macedonian landmarks and its mountainous, sun-dappled landscape, are welcome additions to this personal interpretation of a distinctive culture.”
FORWARD MAGAZINE
Purely Macedonian Cuisine
“Many regions boast of their own take on Mediterranean cuisine, often involving an infusion of other countries' food traditions into its staples, creating recipes that are similar yet distinctive. Nitsou's family hails from Macedonia, a southeastern European country nestled between Albania, Greece, Bulgaria, and Kosovo/Serbia. Traces of all these nations plus Italian, Turkish, and more influences are evident in the 100-plus colourfully photographed dishes Nitsou provides here, like pita and watermelon salad, cabbage rolls, and roasted leg of lamb. Some customs she shares (as well as seasonal and regionally available ingredients) are purely Macedonian: the wedding ‘pig’ dance; putting salt on a baby’s tongue to protect it from the evil eye. Readers will find recipes for leek crepes, strudel with pears, and pastrmajlija, the Macedonian version of meat pizza. Nitsou’s passion for her heritage is evident throughout as she explains her family exodus to Canada, her personal variations on dishes, and her unassuming perspective on life and on food.”
BOOKLIST
A Connection to Her Roots
"A descendant of Macedonian immigrants to Canada, Nitsou combines a connection to her roots with a strong handle on culinary skills in her intriguing debut. The ‘rustic and unassuming’ food of Macedonia, she writes, assimilates Turkish and Greek flavors and even echoes the cuisine of Tuscany, but the results are distinct, as evidenced in her mezze of crepes filled with leeks, ricotta, and feta, and a meat pie with traditional pastrma (‘salted dried meat’) replaced with a juicy pork tenderloin. Nitsou, an alum of the Los Angeles Times test kitchen, has a knack for tweaks—such as roasting meatballs for extra flavor before floating them in a lemony soup—and her instructions are clear and direct. She provides an involved recipe for a coiled savory pastry, a ‘labor of love,’ then thoughtfully follows up with a version using store-bought puff pastry that’s ‘as close as you can get to homemade dough.’ Homey desserts include an orange peel–infused rice pudding and a sour cream Bundt cake with cinnamon, walnuts, and brown sugar, while a snappy chapter on preserves features fig jam alongside instructions for making yogurt, a key component in everything from her chilled cucumber soup to marinated chicken skewers. By turns inviting and professional, this shines a spotlight on a little-known cuisine with eminently doable results."