CROATIAN CHRISTMAS IN AMERICA

By Sjor Adam Eterovich

Christmas is a very happy time of year for Croatians and the celebration of the Birth of Christ. Croatians express themselves thru their food and cuisine. These recipes are a very important part of their culture and have been passed down for generations. Bozo Bozic says “the ingedients contain no fat or chemical additives and have been approved by the Hrvatski Institute Za Pijanchina”.

CROATIAN VIRGINS BRIDAL RIBBONS

(Hrstule)

6 eggs

1/2 cube butter

1 tablesoon oil

6 tablesoons sugar

1 tablespoon lemon rind

1 tablespoon salt

6 cups flour, unbleached

2 tablespoons sour cream

3 tablespoons plum brandy

3 tablespoons brandy

3 tablespoons whiskey

3 tablespoons gin

3 tablespoons orange juice

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix together eggs, butter, sugar, oil, and flavors. Use blender or wooden spoon until well blended. Add flour and knead until well blended.

Divide into four balls, working each ball until smooth for about 5-10 minutes. When handling dough, dust with flour to keep from getting sticky. Place each ball into a container with lid for about 2 hours or overnight. Keep covered at room temperature.

Heat oven and turn off. Place balls in lukewarm oven for 1 hour. Roll out first ball from center to edges, turning as necessary, until thin. Cut into into strips 1 1/2 “ wide. Hang strips on sheet or tablecloth over backs of chairs. Stretch each strip before hanging. This will allow for slight drying. Repeat with other balls.

Cut each strip and make 2 bows or knots and drop into moderately hot oil turning to keep from darkening. When a light golden color, remove from oil, drain and place on tray. When all have been fried, use equal amounts of granulated and powdered sugar in sifter to dust finished Hrstule. Will keep for several weeks.

BRAC DOUGHNUT HOLES---THE HOLE, NOT THE DOUGHNUT

(Prsurate)

Place 2 pounds of flour in large bowl. Into hole in the middle, add gradually

about a quart of hot water. Beating as you go, and sides are cleaned of batter. Whip the batter thoroughly with the wooden spoon and add water until the mixture begins to ball. Gradually add:

1 cup raisins

1 cup sugar

1/2 Army cup brandy or whiskey, or vodka or gin or scotch or cognac or...........

1/2 nutmeg, grated

Zest of 1 lemon (grated peel)

2 tsp. vanilla

Blend in and whip 1/2 cup tepid water in which you let soak 6 teaspoons of dried yeast as you begin the recipe. Let batter stand (about 15 to 20 minutes while oil heats). Heat about 1 1/2 plus quarts light cooking oil in pan. Whip the dough again. Have teaspoon and cup warm water handy.

When oil is hot enough (stops speaking), take a small fistful of dough and squeeze upward a ball about double, filling the teaspoon that had been dipped in the warm water, then drop in hot oil. Continue, dipping spoon in water before scraping off the ball of dough, until your pan surface is nicely filled but not crowded. Whip some more air into your dough. Turn your prsurati when they are golden brown. When both sides are golden brown, remove and let cool slightly before rolling in confectioners fine sugar to coat.

CROATIAN BIRTHDAY PARTY

SONNY’S WINE AND BRANDY MIXER

(Vino i Vinjak Gemished)

2 barrels

2 bottles, empty

37 corks

2 glasses, large

2 Croatians,1 male,1 female

Serves two, mixed company

Mix ingedients as needed, sing; say Hvala Bogu (Thank God) often

2 aspirins, later

1 Church, go in morning, take female, confess, repent, sing

Empty contents of barrel into bottles, sing; cork at room temperature, sing; dip Kolaci, Hrstule, Prsurate, Kifli into full glass, large, sing; drink and eat before chilled, sing.

Vinjak served best on Birthdays; Wine as chaser. All of the above can be repeated on New Year’s Eve.

Vocabulary: trezan-sober; pijan-soused; aspirin-ahspereen; wife-zena, don’t sing; cura-girlfriend, sing; confession-ispovijed, sing Thank God-Hvala Bogu.

Adam S. Eterovich