Sophia Saliwonczyk’s Nut Roll Rocks!

By Barbara Rolek

 

Sophia says "dobro nam dosli," which means "good that you came" in Serbian. © 2008 Barbara Rolek

Sophia Sekerez Saliwonczyk, of Crown Point, Ind., is a nut-roll baker extraordinarie. Originally from Gary, Ind., the mother of five – Michael, Gregory, Nicholas, Lisa and Laurie — has been making Serbian nut roll for the past 30 years and has passed the tradition on to her own children.

She welcomes you into her kitchen with “dobro nam dosli” — Serbian for “good that you came” or welcome. The aromas are heavenly as she displays a table spread with pastries of all sorts, including Russian tea cakes, kolachky (a variation of Polish kolaczki, http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/polishdesserts/r/kolaczki.htm), honey-dipped cookies and her specialty, nut roll! 

Here is a picture of Sophia and her boys as they dive into her homemade nut roll in 1978.

Michael, Gregory, Nicholas and Sophia © 2008 Barbara Rolek

For the nut roll recipe, pictured below, visit my About.com Web site at http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/desserts/r/nutroll.htm.

Sophia Saliwonczyk's Serbian Nut Roll © 2008 Barbara Rolek

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the honey-dipped cookie recipe, pictured below, visit my About.com site at http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/crossculturaldesserts/r/honeycookies.htm

 

Sophia Saliwonczyk's Honey-Dipped Cookies © 2008 Barbara Rolek

 

For the Russian tea cake recipe, pictured below, visit my About.com Web site at

http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/crossculturaldesserts/r/russianteacakes.htm.

For the kolachky recipe, pictured below, visit my About.com Web site at

http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/crossculturaldesserts/r/kolachky.htm.

Sophia Saliwonczyk's Kolachky © 2008 Barbara Rolek