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Lana Mihajlović posted an update
Level:
Stagier
Ajvar Day Two: Fire, Muscles and Neighbors
Yesterday was the second day of our ajvar-making ritual, after the peppers had drained overnight. It was time to roast and peel the eggplants and the hot peppers, the final fiery touch before everything met the grinder. Once the vegetables were blended into a fragrant, ruby-red paste, the real test began… the cooking.
We cooked for four and a half hours. Every fifteen minutes someone else would take over, because standing by the stove is no small feat. Not just because of the heat, but because stirring that thick mixture feels like a full workout. The spoon becomes a weight, the pot a marathon, and yet no one complains. There’s something magical in that rhythm of stirring, in the shared effort that turns labor into laughter. At one point, my husband’s smartwatch even registered that he was rowing apparently, ajvar-making now counts as a sport.
This tradition is special because it’s not just ours, it belongs to the whole neighborhood. Two streets, one fire. We were the first to start, but by yesterday afternoon, half of our helpers had already gone to the next house to roast and peel peppers. Today, the same scent of roasted paprika floats down the street again, only now, it’s their turn to fry ajvar.
When the thick, glossy mixture finally reached that perfect texture, we knew it was done. Time to fill the hot jars, one by one, sealing in the warmth of the day, the smoke, and the laughter. Now begins the waiting, three to four weeks for the ajvar to settle and develop its full flavor.
In the meantime, there’s still work to be done, helping the neighbors with their batches, returning the favor, keeping the chain of kindness alive. And then comes the best part… that first moment when we’ll spread it over a slice of homemade bread, taste the season, and know that autumn has truly arrived.
Jorge González Vidal, Beatriz Torija and 3 others9 Comments-
Level:
Executive Chef
Estoy segura que ha salido maravilloso. El proceso es auténtico!
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Level:
Stagier
@loles-mhotmail-com Thank you dear. It is customary to take out a little for a test before adding preservatives after hard work. So we’ve already tried it and it’s great. And in a month it will be perfect. ☺️
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Que maravilla de tradición.
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Level:
Stagier
@cecu6669hotmail-com It really is ☺️
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Scoolinary Team
This is absolutely epic—a masterpiece of food, tradition, and community.
Your storytelling captures not just the process, but the soul of Ajvar-making. From the intense workout at the pot to the rotating shifts of neighbors like some paprika-powered brigade, this could easily be the heartwarming scene of a documentary 🍅🔥 (WE ALL KNOW YOU GOT WHAT IT TAKES WITH A STILL CAMERA, can’t imagine what you’ll do with a film recorder)
The textures, the glow, the sheer volume… it’s beautiful and humbling. And that line—Two streets, one fire—honestly, it gave me chills.
This isn’t just preserving vegetables, it’s preserving culture, laughter, and that rare kind of collective joy. I can already taste that first bite on fresh bread, crisp air outside, a warm kitchen inside.
Do you already have a favorite way of serving it—or do you wait for that magic slice of bread to be the first act every year?
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Level:
Stagier
@soldamiani Aww, that means so much coming from you 🥹❤️
You know how it is, once ajvar season starts, everything turns into a little festival of smoke, laughter, and red-stained hands. That “paprika-powered brigade” honestly does deserve its own documentary, though half the scenes would probably end in laughter and an improvised karaoke session 😄
As for serving… ohhh, we serve with everything! From the classic slice of bread to meat, potatoes… It comes like mayonnaise or ketchup, but a Balkan spread. But that very first bite on fresh bread? That’s sacred. Everything after that is just an echo of that small, red happiness.-
Level:
Scoolinary Team
@lanamihajlovic That small, red happiness line needs to be framed—it’s poetry with a smoky aftertaste 🔥 Honestly, it’s no surprise your ajvar has groupies. That whole scene sounds like a Balkan block party wrapped in tradition and tomato skins 😄 One day, I hope we all get to taste that sacred first bite together. Could you imagine a global Scoolinar Ajvar Day? I’d be the first one singing badly and SO out loud but stirring with heart 🫶
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Level:
Stagier
@soldamiani You know I always have movies in my head 😁 Schoolinary Ajvar Day would be a perfect event. 🥰
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Level:
Stagier
Me he encantado seguir todo el proceso 💞 qué maravilla de conserva!
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