I have known Vojo Živojnović for 20 years and I still can’t say that I know all his affinities, talents and unfulfilled wishes. But I do know one of his wishes that has become a reality, and that has lasted for a long time, constantly improving. From an idea to a brand recognizable in all of the countries of former Yugoslavia, author of the cult TV show “Food and Wine” (“Hrana i vino”), which has overcome the standards of a culinary show, unifying both viewers and readers around a spot that unites all – the kitchen!
     Vojo has created something that rarely any other author, production house or medium can boast about. He has not only produced an everlasting product but also overstepped the borders and been recognized with the same initial “thirst” as the first episode of “Food and Wine” and the first issue of the cooking magazine.
His experiences further accumulated and broadened, thus bearing new ideas, while traditional dishes have been enriched with new flavours. A symbiosis has been made from recipes from the home and international cuisine, which have pleased everyone, while educating them at the same time. Each new TV episode or magazine issue has been welcomed as an inevitable guide as to what to cook for the following day. With the “Food and Wine” project, Živojnović has entered the kitchens of each and every gourmet in the countries of the former Yugoslavia and has become an irreplaceable segment of culinary masterpieces.
    As I stated at the very beginning, a person who I know so well is actually a person who I will never know as well. The book – “Serbian Food Guide” – could be compared to “water after chocolate” or “a glass of wine after a juicy
Karađorđeva šnicla”. Vojo, a relentless gourmet and excellent host, gives you a taste of what it’s like to beautify the dining table, of the rich smells and the explosion of flavours when you set foot in this country. He even voices his views at the very beginning of the book: Forget all about cholesterol if you visit Serbia. Diets don’t stand a chance there.
    I don’t plan to mention even a single Serbian dish nor a characteristic of the food in this book just because of the fact that I can’t choose only one!
    One thing is certain though: if you follow Vojo’s advice and try the Serbian food described in this book, you’ll be yearning to revisit the magical Serbian cuisine and to try some dishes at the comfort of your own home.
With sincere regards to my friends and gastronomic “warriors”, Vojo Živojnović.

 

Valentin Nikolovski, journalist

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