• Home
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Work with Me
    • Media Kit
    • Evolv Health: Valerie’s Story
    • Personal Stories
    • Press
    • Year in Review
  • Thermomix® Independent Consultant
    • Thermomix® Independent Consultant
    • Client Testimonials
    • Recipes Developed by Valerie
  • Projects
    • Cheesepalooza
      • Cheesepalooza Challenges
      • Cheesepalooza Participants
      • Preparation for Cheesepalooza!
      • Basic Ingredient and Supply List
      • Ingredient and Matierial Suppliers
    • Dueling Daughters Project 2014
    • Eat Alberta
    • Gramsy Glimpses
      • Gramsy Glimpses Vignettes
    • Project 2019: Valerie’s Personal Evolv Health Story
    • Project 2017: Cooking in the Kitchen With….
      • Completed Project 2017 Posts: Cooking in the Kitchen With….
      • Project 2017: Cooking in the Kitchen With… PARTICIPATE
      • Project 2017: Cooking in the Kitchen with….Schedule
    • Slow Food Edmonton Tastings
      • Participate!
    • The Canadian Food Experience Project
      • Participate!
      • Participants
      • Challenges and Round Ups
      • Canadian Food Heroes Series
  • Events
    • Baby Shower
    • Food Blogger Meetings
    • Promotions
    • Restaurant Reviews
    • Reviews (Products, Books, and Events)
  • Philosophy
    • In a Nutshell
    • Local Produce/Producers
    • Slow Food
    • Teaching
  • Travel
    • Bosnia
    • British Columbia
    • California
    • Croatia
    • Culinary Tourism
    • Farmer’s Markets
    • France
    • Greece
    • Hawaii
    • Italy
    • Louisiana
    • Maritime Provinces
    • Massachusetts
    • Mexico
    • Montenegro
    • Nova Scotia
    • Prince Edward Island
    • Quebec
    • Serbia
    • United Kingdom
    • Utah
  • Trends
  • Store
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Policy for A Canadian Foodie
  • Valerie’s Image

A Canadian Foodie

Canadian Food Recipes; Preserving Canadian Food Practices

  • A La Carte
    • Appetizers
    • Drinks
    • Evolv Health Reboot Recipes
      • Reboot Phase 1 Mains
    • Garnishes
    • Salads
    • Sauces Dressings Rubs
    • Sides
    • Soups and Stocks
  • Breakfast & Brunch
  • Cheese
    • Blue/Stinky
    • Firm
    • Fresh
    • Hard/Pressed
    • Cheesepalooza Challenge
    • Cheesepalooza Round Up
  • Desserts
    • Cakes
    • Cookies, Bars and Squares
      • Christmas Cookies
    • Ice Cream, Sorbets and Frozen Yogurt
    • Icings/Frosting and Pastry Creams
    • Other
    • Pies and Tarts
    • Puddings
    • Sweets and Treats
  • Doughs and Crusts
    • Biscuits
    • Bread Buns and Flatbread
    • Crackers
    • Donuts, Frybreads and Such
    • Dumplings etc
    • Pasta
    • Pastry
  • Mains
    • Beef
    • Casseroles
    • Chicken/Duck/Goose/Turkey
    • Marinades and Rubs
    • Pasta Dishes
    • Pork
    • Potluck
    • Savory Pies Pastries
    • Seafood and Fish
    • Stews
    • Vegetarian
    • Veal
    • Wild Game
    • Wraps Pizzas Casual Food
  • Seasonal
    • Autumn
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Winter
    • Holiday
      • Christmas
  • Gardens
    • Foraging
    • My Garden and From My Garden
    • Preserves
    • Zone Three Harvest
  • Tastings
  • Kids
  • Canadian Food
    • Atlantic Provinces
    • Canadian Aboriginal Food
    • Canadian Berries
    • Canadian Cakes
    • Canadian Doughs
    • Canadian Drinks
    • Canadian Fish
    • Canadian Food Heroes
    • Canadian Food Main
    • Desserts
    • Grandma Maude’s Family Recipes
    • Mom Helen’s Famous Family Recipes
    • Canadian Products
    • Sunday Suppers
    • Wild Food

Zica: an Ancient Serbian Monastery and Apple Juice

July 25, 2009 by Valerie Lugonja 2 Comments

Tweet this

apple juice
She asked if we would like coffee or juice. We declined, but she absolutely insisted and brought back this golden nectar. It is monastery-made without any sugar, and it was almost too sweet to drink, but so delicious I will remember this Nectar of the Gods, forever.
July 15, 2009 Zlatabor Monastaries V Banja 053July 15, 2009 Zlatabor Monastaries V Banja 054
July 15, 2009 Zlatabor Monastaries V Banja 055July 15, 2009 Zlatabor Monastaries V Banja 057
July 15, 2009 Zlatabor Monastaries V Banja 071July 15, 2009 Zlatabor Monastaries V Banja 059
Because I am so interested in art, and history, and art history, we all visited three very special monasteries this trip. The first was Moraca in northern Montenegro. It  holds what are known to be the most precious Byzantine Serbian frescos. The one is recognized all over the world as the only Blue-eyed Jesus ever painted”¦ But, though it was right there, I couldn’t see it because it was behind the altar at the front of the chapel on a wall, hidden from public view in a darken corner. This was a man only monastery, and still, today, only men are allowed into the niche behind the alter, and must receive the blessing of the priest first. So, a viewing was out of the question. How sad, particularly since this piece has visited the Louvre in Paris, and been viewed there by anyone who went.
The second was Zica, this one, and I had set my mind on a hand painted icon of Vanja’s patron saint: Saint George. Usually, they are painted by a nun, or a monk. We had passed over one at the monastery in Montenegro as Vanja really felt ours should be done in Serbia. So, after hearing about this magnificent monastery where Saint Sava crowned his brother Stefan Prvovencani as the first King of Serbia where he declared the independence of the Serbian Orthodox Church, we asked to see some hand painted icons. They are done by special order only, and the nun who paints them would be coming to speak to us momentarily with a sample of her work.
So, here we sit, in the eating room of the monastery with beautifully hand painted walls, drinking the sweetest apple juice and discussing art with Sister Mlslhlhh. I am not Orthodox, but I was completely mesmerised. This woman’s face was so full of love.
July 15, 2009 Zlatabor Monastaries V Banja 067
July 15, 2009 Zlatabor Monastaries V Banja 063July 15, 2009 Zlatabor Monastaries V Banja 060
July 15, 2009 Zlatabor Monastaries V Banja 061
She let me take pictures! I was so excited as no photos are allowed in the monasteries. The environment was really special and I felt so privileged to be sitting there, sipping juice, surrounded by the saints and discussing the art she would be painting for us.
July 15, 2009 Zlatabor Monastaries V Banja 065July 15, 2009 Zlatabor Monastaries V Banja 068
We agreed upon a size, a price, and we paid her. We exchanged information and then bid farewell. I cannot wait to receive her work. Sister M has been painting religious works for thirty years and I was deeply moved by her commitment to her work and her calling.
July 15, 2009 Zlatabor Monastaries V Banja 062July 15, 2009 Zlatabor Monastaries V Banja 070
Now we were off to the third monastery, Studenica, about 40 kilometres away. There, many of Saint Sava’s family is entombed. I didn’t need another monastery experience, yet was motivated to complete out small pilgrimage as the first two experiences were so full.

Until Saint George arrives”¦.

Tweet
Pin
Share
0 Shares

Filed Under: Serbia Tagged With: Serbian

About Valerie Lugonja

Like what you see? SUBSCRIBE TO A CANADIAN FOODIE
Educator, Writer, Gardener and Traveler who believes in buying and eating locally, and most importantly cooking at home! As a brand new Gramsy, so be prepared to hear a lot about this new role in her life!
Please connect with Valerie to buy a Thermomix Machine!

« Mount Zladabor Market (Serbia) and Late Evening Picnic
Sirogojno’s Open Air Museum in Serbia »

You might also enjoy...

Serbian Goulash
Serbian Mousaka
Belgrade Farewell with Bowling and Pljeskavica
Mount Lovcen, Petar Petrovic Njegos and the Famous Njeguski Prsut
Teta Dragica’s Famous Kolac

Comments

  1. tasteofbeirut says

    September 26, 2010 at 7:11 am

    Amazing! My aunt told me about Montenegro and I was fascinated; now I am seeing actual pics and reading a bit about it through you. I love it and this nectar!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search

Thermomix® Independent Consultant; Executive Team Lead Alberta

Weekly Newsletter

Saturday Morning News

More Thermomix Recipes etc »

Alberta Beef: Know-Your-Farmer Garlic Stuffed Prime Rib Roast Beef

More ACF Famous Recipes or Specialties»

Serbian Goulash

More Winter Recipes »

Traditional Canadian Prairie Turkey Dressing

More Recipes from my mom Helen »

Connect With Me!

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
projects

My Post Archives

Come On In And Kiss the Cook

Educator, Writer, Gardener and Traveler who believes in buying and eating locally, and most importantly cooking at home! [Read More …]

Connect With Me

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Homemade Cloudberry Jam or Homemade Bakeapple Jam

More Canadian Recipes »

Lifetime Achievement Award

Canadian Web Blog Award 2013 www.acanadianfoodie.com FIRST

Vote-for-me
Best in Food NEW
This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

Error: No feed found.

Please go to the Instagram Feed settings page to create a feed.

Copyright © 2025 · Website by PoundPig