I always forget how the Slavs love meat. I learned this years ago; however, I always seem to forget. Russians love meat. It is rather absurd really. As much as I missed leafy greens while living in Russia, I never noticed that some sort of veggie based salad always accompanied the meat. I thought the meat consumption in Russia is high. They have nothing on these folks in Montenegro! I have never seen anything like it. Meat for every meal. Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner. My life here in the Black Mountains has taken veggie starved to a whole new level. Don’t get me wrong, I love meat, but I am desperate for a giant salad. In fact, write this down, I want a giant salad for dinner when I get home. The first meal shall have no meat. Greens and veggies only. Corn on the cob and a massive ceasar (sp?) salad sounds amazing. I would rather not each cheese for a while if that is alright.

Thankfully, the meat is good. There are several dishes in particular that are lovely. These are all things that you should look into sampling. Čevapčići, Burek, and Pljeskavica. Čevap are these little mini sausage like things that are often eaten with a soft cheese product, known as kaymak, and onions. They are a mix of beef, pork, and lamb (there might be some veal in there too). I am told that Sarajevo has the best Čevap; I will let you know if this rumor is indeed true. Burek comes in all sorts of varieties. Regardless of the form, it is a pastry like product that consists of meat, cheese, potatoes with mushrooms, or spinach with cheese wrapped in phyllo dough. It is amazing… and heavy. Pljeskavica might be produced in the US by making a mini-meat loaf, squishing it into a patty, and grilling it. Very tasty, but often on the salty side. The reality is that most things here are very salty. These folks are running right down the artery clogging fast lane. I hope that I make it out alive!

Have you ever had a peanut flavored puffed Cheeto-like product? I have; they are called, ‘Smoki,’ and they are very very interesting. I tried really hard to love them; I just don’t seem to be a lover of non-cheese puffs that taste like peanut butter. There are pizza and sour cream with basil flavored potato chips here though, and they are both lovely. Also fantastic, the deserts! I suppose that Montenegro and Russia are very comparable in this regard. Cookies, cakes, chocolate, waffley, etc.

Sadly, I still don’t love Turkish coffee. My pallet likes it far more than it once did, but I find myself constantly wishing that I was sipping from a mug of Intelligentia that was just poured from my Technivorm. Even the coffee with whipped cream from Masha doesn’t compare. Despite my yearning, don’t think that I am complaining! Coffee, any kind of coffee, is wonderful for me. In fact, every morning, I wake up and enjoy drinking a steaming cup of Jacob’s instant coffee more than you can even imagine. I am happy as a clam.

Montenegro has not let me down in the beer department. The selection pales in comparison to the alcohol producing abilities of Russia or the States, but this little country does all right with the few that they brew. The winner in my world, no question, hands down, is Nikšičko Tamno. This is the dark version of Montenegro’s famous Nikšičko beer. It is beyond satisfactory. I am not sure if I am content with it because I successfully found a beer darker than Stella Artois within days of my arrival, or if it actually is a fantastic beer. Regardless, it has one me over.

The reality is that this little Crna Gora is a lovely place. I am lettuce starved, and my general vegetable consumption is unfortunately low, but really, I am not suffering.

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