The creative force behind this blog-meets-organic-bakery is Sanda Vuckovic Pagaimo. Born in the former Yugoslavia, Sanda, a self-confessed maths nerd, began her working life in IT, then threw it in to explore another calling: food and photography. Now living in Portugal, Sanda sells her beautifully packaged baked goods online and also works as a freelance photographer and stylist. In her free hours, she updates her blog with evocative travel and lifestyle images of her adopted home, and wholesome recipes from her homeland. Join Sanda as she recalls the traditions and must-try dishes of her childhood in Eastern Europe.
“I was raised in Yugoslavia in a large family where food was our core. My childhood memories are of the smell of fresh bread and vanilla, and of family gatherings, when we shared food around a big table under the walnut tree in my grandmother’s garden. Food was always present. In summer, we roasted corn over the fire. In winter, my grandmother prepared pies from filo pastry and, during autumn, my aunts made grape juice and jam. The best moments were spent alongside my mother taste testing. Today, I live in Portugal, but my kitchen transports me home again.”
I started my blog to...
“Share my favourite recipes.”
The must-cook recipe on my website is...
“Orange and white chocolate cookies.”
I can’t wait to go back to...
“Italy to eat great pasta dishes every day.”
My current food obsession is...
“Galette.”
Eating...
“Takes me back home.”
Nugget of cooking wisdom...
“When you enter the kitchen, just relax; let your hands work and your mind wonder.”
I learnt to cook from...
“The female members of my family.
When I go back to my home town...
“Banja Luka, the first thing I eat is cevapi [sausages].”
Friends always ask me to cook my...
“Burek.”
The one thing I can’t cook is...
“Fish.”
If I ever met...
“[Yugoslav novelist] Ivo Andric, I would ask him to enjoy a ritual of strong Turkish coffee with me.”
I always have...
“Spelt flour in my pantry, tomatoes in my fridge and pie dough in my freezer.”
My favourite biscuit to dunk in a cup of tea is...
“Carob cookies.”
My most sauce-splattered cookbook is...
“A Piece of Cake by Leila Lindholm.”
The most difficult food to shoot/style...
“Risotto.”
Beyond my own blog, some of my favourite reads are...
“Blogs Local Milk, La Buena Vida, Everyday Musings and Herriott Grace.”
Top picks from Little Upside Down Cake
1. Pogacice
4. Healing soup with semolina dumplings
Blog Appétit Editor Yasmin Newman
Blog Appétit is our curated list of go-to food blogs we love, with a focus on high-quality photography, trusted recipes, strong editorial themes and a unique voice and personality. View previous Blog Appétit entries.
SBS Food is a 24/7 foodie channel for all Australians, with a focus on simple, authentic and everyday food inspiration from cultures everywhere. NSW stream only. Read more about SBS Food
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