About me

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Hi, my name is Sibella. I love to bake. Baking relaxes me, it brings out my creativity, and most importantly, it makes my family and friends happy!

I was born and raised in Bosnia. I had a great, great childhood! Life was simple and good! In my family most of the foods were always made from scratch, so this is the way I learned to cook and bake. I  was mostly influenced by my grandma who would make most delicious dishes just by “throwing a few things together” and without all modern kitchen gadgets. My mom encouraged me to start my first recipe collection and my grandpa taught me how to make bread. Here I would like to save these familiar recipes from disappearing and follow in my family’s footsteps of creating delicious, homey foods from scratch.

Except baking and cooking, I am also pursuing art (I paint in soft pastel and watercolor). I have many other hobbies, I love spending time with my family and friends. I am constantly busy doing something! 🙂

Welcome!

Sibella

 


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109 thoughts on “About me”

  4. Hi Sibella, thanks for visiting our blog. I love european baking so I will be bookmarking your blog on my reader. Also, I lived in Bosnia (Sarajevo) for one summer and loved it. (Our mom’s grandparents were from various parts of ex-Yugoslavia as well so I have a long interest in the region). Hope to see some Bosnian treats up here soon too! Hvala lijepo!

    Reply

  5. Hi Sara, I am so glad you stopped by! 🙂 How great, that you were able to live in the country of your great grandparents!!! Sarajevo is truly an amazing city, a place where Eastern and Western cultures meet and people are warm and welcoming. 🙂 I sure plan to post more Bosnian recipes here and I am developing another blog that will include a “Bosnia” page!
    Molim lijepo! :))))

    Reply

    1. Thank you for your kind words Lisa! I enjoy taking food photos! I am such an amateur, but I try… 🙂 I plan to take a class when I find some extra time. The header photo is of my Valentine’s Day cookies.
      Thanks for visiting!
      Sibella

      Reply

  12. Dear Sibella,

    thank you for stopping by on my blog! I’ve just checked out yours and I love it – especially often reflection on Bosnia and our tradition (which rocks, bytheway :-p). I assume you live in the States, right? Pitty that we don’t live closer, if for nothing else than to volunteer as a taster 🙂

    Take care!

    Reply

  13. Hello there,

    So glad you’ve stopped by here! 🙂 The world needs to learn more about Bosnia, its people, culture and traditions! This is where people like you and I come in! 😀 Yes, I live in Indiana, USA – ali srcem i dusom Bosanka!
    Puno pozdrava iz suncane Indijane!
    Sibi

    Reply

  14. Hi Sibella! Thanks for visiting my blog 🙂 I opened your bio and saw your photo and I said “wow, she looks like my friend Maia!” and then I read that you’re from Bosnia – which is where Maia is from hehehe maybe you’re cousins! Bosnia is one of my husband’s favorite places ever, he loves it so much he wanted us to go on our honeymoon there, unfortunately the Crisis put an end to that but we will go together someday I know! I’ve never been but the photos he’s shown me make me want to fix that! I’m excited to read your recipes 😀

    Reply

    1. Hi Heidi, it is so nice to meet you! Thanks for stopping by! 😀 I am so glad I have stumbled across your blog – i love it!

      Bosnia truly is an amazing country, full of contradictions, but warm and welcoming. Home! I hope you will get to see it some day, as I hope to see Greece some day too…

      Warm regards to you from Indiana and and please say Hi to Maja from me! 🙂

      Sibella

      Reply

  15. Your project is very nice and your photo gives me a relaxing person.I’d like you to be close and have a reastaurant so I can eat your menu cause i’m very bad in cooking 🙂
    Greetings from Greece 🙂

    Reply

  16. Dimitris, thanks for visiting my blog! As of my restarurant in Greece, that would have to wait some better times… 🙂
    I very much enjoyed your photos! Since I paint, I might use one of your photos to paint from (if you allow it). Wishing you well!

    Reply

  17. Hello Sibella! Being inspired by European baking is a great theme, and also a real test and challenge of bread baking skill, especially sourdough. :). Keep blogging and thanks for visiting my blog also. I will be making a lovely rye and whole wheat loaf soon that you may want to try. Keep up the good work…….

    SOURDough

    Reply

    1. Hello SOURDough, thanks for visiting and commenting! 🙂 Oh, I am amazed about your bread making skills!!! I hope to be as good one day! In Europe having a good bread on the table is essential! For me a slice of good bread and some European butter can totally substitute a full meal. So nice to meet you! 🙂
      Sibella

      Reply

  18. Congratulations on your blog. Everything is delicious. Very well illustrated.
    Felicidades por tu blog. Todo lo que veo en el es apetitoso y delicioso. Muy bien explicado y con fotos muy ilustrativas que invitan a querer comerselas.

    Reply

    1. Awww, I am honored and surprised! I don’t know what to say, except THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH! I will do my best and nominate my favorite 7.
      Thanks again Donna, have a wonderful weekend!
      Sibella

      Reply

  20. Sibella, I absolutely love your blog, and I love that you dream of opening a small bakery!! Your recipes are well-executed and your photography is fantastic! You definitely have a sense of style with food as well as a talent for baking it- both of which I’d imagine will be important. You seem to be well on your way, and I’m glad to get to follow this fun journey. Baking really does make others happy… that makes it rewarding 🙂 And I may have to try the strawberry ‘smoothie’ cake 🙂

    Reply

    1. Deb, thanks so much! I do struggle with writing and my English is not perfect but I am working on that. I would love to learn more about photography as most of the time I am not too happy with my photos! This blog and being able to interact with food lovers all around the world is just a greatest learning experience. This truly makes me happy! 🙂
      As of strawberry ‘smoothie’ cake, please try it!!! It is out of this world! 🙂

      Reply
  21. Pingback: Focaccia Bread « The Intrepid Baker

  25. YOU ARE INCREDIBLE! I am just going to dream of making all of your recipes, because I cannot even begin to imagine all the time and work and patience that goes into all the baking and cooking. Everything you have here really looks amazing, and I pray that i can one day even attempt one of them, I will let you know how it goes if i do=p

    Reply

  26. Awww, thanks so much for your kind words! 🙂 When you do something with love, I guess it shows! There is no word ‘impossible’ if you really want it and if you really go for it. So I say to you: ‘GO FOR IT!” if it makes you happy and results will start showing!
    Have a wonderful Sunday and thanks so much for visiting! 🙂
    Sibella

    Reply

    1. Kathleen, thanks for asking! 🙂 Everything is going very well for him. He seems to be on the top of his assignments, homework and projects. He says he is a little bored with all the general education classes and enjoys more his art classes, but he is aware that these are required… I would say he did mature a lot this past 6 months. 🙂

      Reply

      1. Fae’s nomination led me here, You have a hell of a blog with photography to match you culinary technique. A lots of people can bake but few can make it seem so beautiful and doable.

        Reply

  40. hello Sibella, maybe you can help with this email we have received in our blog?

    “””My name is Megan…My dad is Croatian, and 82 years old. He is asking me lately about a cookie recipe and I am trying to find it for him. He calls it Beojemmiliste….. pronounced….bee oh jay- mill i stay. He tells me milliste means cookie. He says it is a fried cookie his grandma used to make. It could be Bohemian possibly. Have you heard of it? I have searched the internet for hours with no luck”””

    do you think you know what cookies recipe they are looking for?
    thanks

    Reply

    1. Hi, I have to say that doesn’t sound familiar at all… I’ve never heard of the word milliste and it certainly doesn’t mean cookie. Cookies are usually not fried. All I can think of it could be “ustipci” with jam, which are kind of pancakes and they are fried and can be filled with jam, similar to a jelly filled doughnut. http://stvarukusa.rs/sites/default/files/styles/w685/public/recipe/photo_galleries/mekane_mini_krofne_25185229_2.jpg

      Reply

  41. Hello Sibella, your recipes and pictures took my breath away. Amazing! I am in cake-heaven 🙂 My family is from Bosnia and I always wanted to learn to prepare all the yummy foods. But everytime I watched an aunt prepare something, it was always, you take approximately this much, and then approximately that much… For somebody who is not a natural born patissier it is difficult if you don’t have the exact quantities. I think I will start with the cupavci, my son is pointing to the Strawberry-Yogurt-Cake. Oh, the possibilities… :))

    Reply

    1. Danijela,
      It’s so nice to meet you! 🙂 I am so glad that you like my blog! For the same reason (never knowing the exact recipe of things my mom and grandma made) I wanted to try cook/bake everything and save the recipes from being lost in time. Let me know how did those ‘Cupavci” turned out! 🙂 Hvala ti na posjeti! Javi se!

      Reply

  47. Hello Sibella! Fantastic site. It couldnt be more easier to learn to bake. One request. Can you please make Balkva one Day?!
    Sadia

    Reply

  49. It’s a real blessing to have you share your recipes. Thank you for remaining true to yourself.

    Reply

  50. Hello, Sibella!
    I just came across your recipes, and am very excited. My son’s Father is from Bosnia, and three of my favorite dishes are cheese and spinach pita, stuffed peppers, and crusty bread with a soft, chewy center for sopping up all the great sauce from the peppers! My son is very interested in learning to cook. (Unfortunately, I never learned to cook these Bosnian dishes.) With your recipes, I will be learning at last! I tried to make pita once before with a different recipe, and it was a disaster, but I am determined to learn! My family is very multi-cultural, and we enjoy using food as a way to keep the different heritages a part of our lives. Thanks for helping me help my son have a taste of his Bosnian heritage in America’s heartland!

    Reply

    1. Hello Sara,
      Thanks for stopping by and taking time to comment! 🙂 I am so glad that you and your son will be cooking using my recipes. I plan to post more Bosnian dishes in the future. I am right now taking a little break, this summer has been really busy… Thanks again! Great to meet you Sara! 🙂

      Reply

  51. Hi Sibella!

    I’m very happy to have come across your blog. My husband is from Bosnia and we were just there for 2 months. I always try to make him some dishes from the homeland (we live in Australia) so he doesn’t get too homesick! Today i tried to make one of the cakes my mother in law makes, it’s similar to the egg foam one but with fruit in custard in the middle and (brought) creme patisserie on top..i’m waiting to see how it turns out as I can’t find the creme patisserie in the shops here. Looking forward to trying out some of your recipes!

    Reply

    1. Hello Tanya,
      I hope your cake turned out well! Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment! Now that summer is almost over I will have more time to post on here, so look out for the new recipes! 🙂
      Take care,
      Sibella

      Reply

  52. Sibella,

    Thank you Thank you Thank you for taking the time to create this blog and sharing all your insight on cooking/baking as well as photos for those of us that are visual learners 🙂 I am marrying into an Albanian family and you have many recipes on here that they eat regularly…I am bound and determine to learn how to make home made pita and other recipes to serve them …. I know they will be shocked 🙂 I was wondering if you had any recipes or tips on making Lepinja? If so I would appreciate any tips. Look forward in hearing from you and appreciate all your shares.

    Reply

    1. Thanks for stopping by and taking time to comment! I am so glad you have found recipes here that you will be able to try out and treat your family! 🙂 I am not a great expert on “lepinja”. I’ve tried to make it several times and it never turned out to be really good, so I kind of gave up. If I come across a really good recipe I will be happy to share.
      Have a great week! 🙂
      Sibella

      Reply

  53. Sibella,

    I have many green tomatoes and want to try your pickling recipe. I am use to doing a hot bath so the lids seal. If I do it your way will the lids seal? Just curious how this all works…Different method than I am use to but excited to try 🙂 and where does one usually find horseradish root…at the store I visited earlier I was only able to find fresh ground horseradish….Thank you.

    Reply

    1. The lids don’t really seal but they stick well and the vinegar solution prevents contents from getting spoiled. You can use a hot water bath too just to be sure. Horseradish root I find in my local grocery store. It’s long and white-ish and it kind of looks like a carrot but longer and its wrapped in plastic. I find it in the section together with other root vegetables such as parsley root, celery root, etc. Hope that helps! 🙂

      Reply

  55. Hi Sibella

    I think your blog is great! I consider myself Bosnian (though I am far from it LOL). My husband is Bosnian. I have been trying to recreate Bosnian dishes at home, with varying success (or failures!).

    I have rarely tried making Bosnian cakes, because (as someone mentioned above) when I seek the recipe from my mother in law or family, the recipe is always approximately this, and that, etc (you know what I’m talking about! 😉 ). Other times it’s lost in translation because of my poor Bosnian!

    I think your blog is great…. it will really help me start baking all my favourite Bosnian sweets!!! Do keep up the good work!

    Lots of love from Malaysia,
    Ilham Helic

    Reply

    1. Dear Ilham,
      I am almost a year late in my response to your comment and I apologize. I stopped maintaining this blog in May of 2015 because of lack of time. I just wanted to Thank you for your kind words and tell you that I am glad that you found here something good to cook and bake for your family.
      Warm regards,
      Sibella

      Reply

  56. You have maintained a very beautiful blog Sibella!

    We cherish our trip to Bosnia; my kids talk about the delectable food we ate to this day. As I was researching for my post about top reasons to visit Bosnia, I ran into your wonderful blog. I am linking your blog page to my post in planeteatin.com for my readers.

    Many thanks for sharing the recipes, will try some of them.

    Reply

    1. Hi Rubina and thank you for visiting and taking time to comment! In May of 2015 I stopped maintaining this blog and posting recipes because of lack of time. I am happy that you could find recipes here to cook/bake for your husband and family and thanks to share it on your site! Because of such a great interest in my blog, I will try to post one recipe per month. Thanks again!
      Kind regards,
      Sibella

      Reply

      1. My absolute pleasure Sibella! Many thanks for inspiring me and it would be my immense pleasure if you have the time to look at my blog that I have been self hosting: planeteatin.com

        My wordpress.com is no longer active.
        Many thanks in advance!

        Reply

  57. Thanks for this website! I am Greek, but my husband is a Bosnian Croat who grew up on many of these dishes. So happy that I found a site with authentic recipes! Making grah tonight!

    Reply

  58. I am so excited to have found your beautiful blog! I am an American living in Croatia with my Croatian husband and I am always trying to find English versions of these wonderful dishes. My husband is also pretty excited that I found your blog. 🙂 Thank you for sharing some of your art as well.

    Reply

    1. Hello there,
      I am very sorry for such a delayed response, but I stopped maintaining this blog about a year ago (in May 2015). However, I do appreciate your visits and taking time to write. I am going to try to post one recipe a month and try to keep this blog going. Thanks again! 🙂
      Warm regards,
      Sibella

      Reply

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