Desserts

After a good lunch or dinner with cold wine, the waiter will ask if you would like something sweet. The answer should of course always be yes! Serbia is a major fruit producer and exporter, but in national restaurants you will never get fresh fruit as a dessert, but only as an ingredient in cakes.

Every good Serbian kafana (traditional restaurant) wishing to live up to its reputation ought to have suva pita sa orasima (Walnut Pie), which has a layer of pastry, then a layer of ground walnuts. It is very refreshing after a heavy meal, and goes well with a glass of wine. Alternatively, you could try orasnice(finely chopped walnuts, sugar and egg, in the shape of a horseshoe). Men in particular are fond of them!

If you do not like walnuts, then try strudla sa jabukama, visnjama or makom(Apple/Cherry/Poppyseed Strudel), which is made from flour, oil, eggs, vanilla essence, raisins, yeast and either apples, cherries or poppy seeds.

You cannot overlook palačinke (pancakes), made from flour, sugar, eggs, milk and oil. You can eat them with walnuts, jam, or chocolate, baked or flambéed in wine. For special occasions, pancakes are eaten with walnuts, chocolate, butter, almonds, orange syrup, some maraschino cherries and a dash of cognac. This is set alight in front of you and your flambéed pancakes are ready.

Once you have finished your meal, you will be offered some coffee before settling the bill. Should you take a Turkish coffee or an espresso? You really should try a Turkish coffee, which is actually Serbian coffee, as this kind of coffee has never been drunk in Turkey. Simply say how you take your coffee, with or without sugar, or simply ask for an “ordinary coffee” (običnu).