Inside Grandma’s Kitchen

Exploring the source

This is where I grew up: my grandmother’s kitchen in Berkovitsa, Bulgaria. Here, I prepared my first banichka* — with her. Years later, I am back to explore the quiet corners which shelter the recipes of my childhood and grandma Snezha’s ways of preserving the authentic taste of meals.

Day one, I arrive at the house. It is warm. The fire is burning and the lunch meal has just come out of the oven. The table is all set. They have been waiting for me.

The kitchen stove cracking as the wood that grandma and grandpa chopped themselves burns. Photo/Millie Krasteva

Grandma Snezha dishing a freshly prepared rice and lamb meal in the kitchen. She received the meat from a friend in her village who is a shepherd. Photo/Millie Krasteva

A mouth-full of cabbage and carrots salad from grandma’s garden. Salad is a must for each meal. Photo/Millie Krasteva

Grandma pouring her homemade plum juice from her “formal” ceramic kettle put out only when special guests visit. Photo/Millie Krasteva

Grandma Snezha (76) and grandpa Kolio (79) watch a TV show after lunch in their home in Berkovitsa. Photo/ Millie Krasteva

It is 3PM. Time for afternoon snacks. Grandma always prepares well for my visits. Two trays of banichka* — one with pumpkin and one with cheese. She has not forgotten the secret cabinet either. “Take some, take more,” she kindly beckons me.

Grandma’s secret cabinet. There she hides candy and other sweets from grandpa’s sweet tooth. Photo/Millie Krasteva

Grandma’s pumpkin banichka*. Prepared in the woodstove with pumpkin from grandma’s garden. Photo/Millie Krasteva

Day two. Eggs are bio. Grandma Snezha and grandpa Kolio get them from the chicken coop. Yesterday, grandpa brought in five. Today, I saw another three. There is a whole ritual that goes around the “egg picking and preservation.” Collect them, wash them, store them, boil them, dry the eggshells, crush them, and finally feed them back to the chickens.

Grandma Snezha’s basement where she keeps the eggs her chickens lay. She uses them to cook nutritious, healthy meals. Photo/ Millie Krasteva

Grandma rinsing one of the newly collected eggs. Photo/Millie Krasteva

Grandma drying a boiled egg as she explains that when an egg has such a spot, it means it is the first egg a chicken has ever laid. Photo/ Millie Krasteva

Eggshells left to dry on the woodstove. Grandma later feeds them back to the chickens to supply them with minerals and nutrients to prevent them from breaking the eggs they lay and drinking the yolk. Photo/Millie Krasteva

Grandma crushing eggshells on the kitchen table. Photo/Millie Krasteva

Time for another meal. We need a ladle and a pot, herbs from the garden, a jar with tomatoes… what else? Let it simmer on the stove and voilà. Oh, pickled cabbage and pork, I have been waiting.

Grandma’s cooking utensils: some metal, some plastic, some wooden from the time when she came into the house as a newly-wed. Photo/Millie Krasteva

Jars of tomatoes and green beans all canned by grandma. Express winter food delivery from the basement to the kitchen. Photo/Millie Krasteva

“Faithful plates” drying on the rack. They have served the past generations and they keep serving meals to family members and guests up to present days. Photo/Millie Krasteva

Grandma’s jar of dried oregano. She picks it out of her garden, dries it in bundles, and then crashes it before storing it. Photo/Millie Krasteva

Grandma’s pickled cabbage and pork. Photo/Millie Krasteva

It is almost time to go. On the train, away, yet another month. I walk around the kitchen as grandma prepares Tupperware boxes so I can take food with me. I take more banichka*, I will treat my friends. Then everyone will love grandma.

“I will be back,” I tell her, “another month and I will be back.” Until then a big heart and two tireless hands will be waiting for me.

The trays with banichka* waiting to be distributed in Tupperware boxes. Photo/Millie Krasteva

Grandma in her kitchen which grandpa built before they got married in the ’60s. Photo/Millie Krasteva

*Banichka (a.k.a. banitsa) — a traditional Bulgarian pastry made from layered phyllo dough with eggs, feta cheese, and yogurt. It could also be sweet whenever made with pumpkin or apple.