In Serbia, they claim that kačamak is their original dish, Montenegrins say cicvara was invented in their homeland, and the people of Herzegovina assert it’s theirs.
But in
Mladikovine, near Teslić, they say: “These are just myths—the true cicvara is
made on the southeastern slopes of Mount Borja and in the valleys of the
Uzvinska, Marica, and Želeća rivers, which feed into the Velika Usora.”
Locals
say cicvara has been made here for centuries. Long ago, only the wealthy could
afford it, as true cicvara requires large quantities of milk. Simeuna Đurić
from Mladikovine explains that they don’t use kajmak (clotted cream) for
cicvara, but rather homemade cream skimmed from fresh, unboiled milk.
“Pure,
unboiled milk is left out overnight, and then the cream is skimmed off, day
after day, until there’s enough to make cicvara for the whole household,”
Simeuna shared with SeeSrpska.
She
also uses carefully sourced cornmeal, milled in nearby water mills. “Once the
cream begins to boil, I add the cornmeal gradually by hand, stirring until it
starts to separate from the pot and release its oils. When the cream is good,
it doesn’t take long for the oils to separate. I’ve never made it with
store-bought cream, but I imagine it would take much longer. I only use local
cream because the milk here is of high quality—the cows graze regularly on lush
pastures and drink pure spring water. Our pastures are clearings surrounded by
forest and streams,” explains Simeuna.
Ċicvara
is a must for Christmas in Mladikovine, and every family member has to “see
themselves” in it (a reflection ritual). It’s also a tradition here to make it
for Pentecost.