Wedding in Belgrade

Rosemary Bread

Sep 21, 2022

When our son became engaged to his lovely girlfriend, a native of Belgrade, Serbia, we naturally wondered about the traditional wedding customs of her culture. Nevena jokingly informed me that her father would place an apple in the highest branch of a tree in their yard for Ryan to pierce with a bow and arrow before the wedding could take place. Of course, this event never happened in the days leading up to their wedding earlier this month. However friends and family that traveled from the United States were introduced to new sights, sounds, and tastes of a different culture.

Some wedding guests began the trip in Dubrovnik, Croatia along the turquoise waters of the Adriatic. Dubrovnik is home to the preserved medieval walled city known as Old Town, once a rival to Venice as a famous trading port and now a destination for fans of HBO’s Game of Thrones seeking out locations where the show was filmed. Walking around Old Town or looking back from our boat ride to Lokrum Island was like being transported to another era.

On the evening of our arrival Nevena and Ryan took John and me to a traditional Croatian restaurant, recommended by Nevena’s mom who grew up in the area, in the town of Konvale. Konavoski Dvori is on the grounds of an old mill where our table was along the river Ljuta, the lamb was roasted for hours in a clay pot in an open fire, and the trout was netted from the river after your order was placed. The wait staff were decked out meticulously in traditional garb that I personally would not have been able to keep in such pristine condition while serving food. Despite our jet lag, this was a relaxing end to our first day.

In Belgrade we stayed a stone’s throw from the National Museum of Serbia where I discovered the touching portraits of Uros Predic and the landscapes of Kosta Milicevic. We enjoyed a traditional and lively Serbian style dinner with other wedding guests two nights before the big event, and had our breakfast each morning at a restaurant on one of the wide pedestrian-only cobblestone boulevards that are lined with outdoor cafes. A guided walking tour gave us an overview of the city, and dessert at Hotel Moscow was a treat during an evening stroll.

A charming Serbian tradition was revealed on the evening of Nevena and Ryan’s elegant wedding. All of the men were presented with boutonnieres and the women with bracelets, both made from rosemary and baby’s breath. Rosemary is a symbol of fidelity and love in many cultures and the fragrance is believed to enhance memory. Students in ancient Greece wore garlands of rosemary during exams to improve their performance. The legend goes that rosemary will prevent the bride and groom from forgetting the love that they feel on this day.

Rosemary bread is delicious toasted and works well for sandwiches as it slices easily and does not crumble. The actual preparation takes only minutes, but 8-10 hours needs to be factored in to your planning for the bread to rise. So, mix it up before going to bed and bake it in the morning, or make it in the morning and serve the bread hot with dinner.

Ingredients

3 cups unbleached white flour

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2 t. dry yeast

pinch of sugar

2 t. kosher salt

2 cups warm water, 105-115 degrees

2 T. chopped rosemary, plus 2 t. chopped rosemary

shortening to grease loaf pan

Directions

Pour water into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle yeast and sugar on top of the water. Allow to proof for 5 to 10 minutes until bubbles begin to form. Add salt. Add flour and the 2 T. rosemary. Mix with a rubber spatula. Dough will be slightly wet. Cover the mixing bowl with a damp tea towel, place in a warm spot, and allow to rise for 8-10 hours. Grease a glass loaf pan. Dust a cutting board with about 1/4 cup of flour. Knead the dough for one minute. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Let dough rest for 20 minutes. Place dough in loaf pan. Sprinkle the 2 t. of rosemary on top of the bread. Bake for 35 minutes.