Are pizza burek and half-half ice cream only a Slovenia thing?
Posted by CryptoMother@reddit | AskBalkans | View on Reddit | 95 comments
As a Slovene, I have traveled to most Balkan countries. I noticed two things that seem specific to Slovenia, at least from my experience.
First is pizza burek. It is filled with cheese, ham and tomato sauce. In Slovenia it is very common, just like meat or cheese burek. We also have spinach and potato burek, but those exist everywhere in the Balkans. Pizza burek is the one I have not really seen outside Slovenia. Does pizza burek exist in your countries?
Second is how we order ice cream. A lot of people order half-half, meaning half of one flavor and half of another flavor in one scoop. Sometimes half-half is more expensive than just one flavor. Scoops in Slovenia are quite large, so you often get what feels like two scoops in one portion. I have not seen half-half ice cream to be common elsewhere. In Croatia, if you order half-half, you will still get it, but people might look at you a bit strange. Many Slovenes will first ask: “Može pola-pola?” (“Can I get half-half?”)
Are these things really specific to Slovenia, or do you have them in your countries too and I just haven't noticed?
HighlanderAlien@reddit
I think pica burek was invented in slovenija
Esdoorn-Acer@reddit
By an ALBANIAN.
HighlanderAlien@reddit
1997 first pica burek was in ljubljana https://siol.net/trendi/zgodbe-zadovoljstva/picaburek-fenomen-ljubljanskih-ulic-video-456158
Esdoorn-Acer@reddit
Not confirmed at. No other sources exist.
HighlanderAlien@reddit
We will have a proper discusion about this when i open anew thread about this because i really want to know. I dont beilive it tbh, but people here think its true.
Esdoorn-Acer@reddit
And even if that was true it was invented by an Albanian not Slovenian.
But even here it says otherwise:
https://www.visitljubljana.com/en/poi/burek-olimpija/
Piss-frog@reddit
Man I’ve had some delightful baked goods at a random bakery in the small strip of Slovenia u drive through from Italy to Croatia
Um3xx@reddit
But Apple Burek tho…
CryptoMother@reddit (OP)
Štrudl 😁
Chemical-Practice908@reddit
Pizza burek is popular in Macedonia, too
alejandrojovan@reddit
Speaking of food, has anyone else encountered nacho cheese on a pizza (usually mexican-style pizza) anywhere else than in Slovenia?
mbensa@reddit
They look at you strange because you ask funny questions. Sure he can pick up 2 flavours in 1 scoop, he is not stupid.
Crypzzz@reddit
In Macedonia pizza burek has been a thing for a very long time
lara2412@reddit
Yup pizza burek is everywhere, and no issues to get half-half ice cream either
debeliot@reddit
Pizza burek is a thing in Macedonia for a long time. Some places even have pizza simit where instead of empty burek they put pizza burek in the bread.
vukojarac8@reddit
In Split, Croatia I grew up ordering half/ half ice cream. But since tourism exploded in the last 15 years a lot of “fancy” expensive ice cream shops have opened and I believe half/ half may be “too low class” for them. I might be wrong though
Stomatolog3@reddit
You can still get half/half in most ice cream places, even that most popular one where there's always 50 tourists in line
cokoladnikeks@reddit
It is the same in some places in Slovenia. Some stores have written “no half half ice cream”, which for me is pretty stupid, lol. Some stores then went back to offering half half, as it is pretty strange to not have this option. I don’t come back to the stores that don’t offer this option (in Slovenia).
But we do have very large scoop portions.
CryptoMother@reddit (OP)
Large scoops were not always a thing in Slovenia, maybe last 20 years. Before that there was a single scoop but the price for a scoop was 5-10 times cheaper than today.
cokoladnikeks@reddit
Definitely. I would even say probably in the last 10 years, 20 feels a stretch. Ice-cream, in my opinion, got bigger and pretty expensive when there was getting a boom of “italian gelatos”, which it did get us some very nice and quility ice creams! Before that ice-creams were cheaper, but also very sweet and not that good (I am generalizing here)
I would still prefer smaller portions, because it’s too much for me.
canyoubelieveitt@reddit
Bureau is not a thing here at all, only banica.
DeliriumTremens1305@reddit
You guys don't even have drinkable yoghurt , I was surprised when I was in Sofia and couldn't find it anywhere, only Ayran avaliable.
Happy-Hour88@reddit
It's the same thing.
a_bright_knight@reddit
not really
Happy-Hour88@reddit
What's the difference?
a_bright_knight@reddit
no egg batter in burek
canyoubelieveitt@reddit
Is it though? I was told its a little different.
Maximum-Quantity854@reddit
It is.
Dark_Lord-s_Sword@reddit
Да, бюрекът не е популярен, но пък си имаме турските дюнери. Йееееей :/
CryptoMother@reddit (OP)
I love banica!
SuperDrinker@reddit
I don't know about half-half ice cream, i feel like i have encountered it but not sure. Pizza Burek is here (Vojvodina) for a long time, as far as i can remember my favourite Burek place had them but i have never tried it lol
CarlosBlueBalls@reddit
Pizza burek is common in Serbia but I've never heard of anyone here ordering one scoop two flavors, just regular old two scoops.
CryptoMother@reddit (OP)
Is pizza burek relatively new trend in Serbia? Over the last 15 years I've been to many pekaras all over Serbia and I haven't seen pizza burek anywhere. In Slovenia literally every pekara has meet, cheese and pizza burek. However, potato and spinach burek will be less common in Slovenia but some places do have them.
Esdoorn-Acer@reddit
Every Albanian “pekara”. Not a normal Slovenian bakery Y
BlastEndendSkrewt@reddit
I came to Novi Sad over 15 years ago, and that was the first time I tried pizza burek. Every bigger bakery had them
dezurni_krivac@reddit
And also at least one bakery had chocko-burek…
Markomannia@reddit
I'd say "common" is a bit too strong qualificator. It is definitelly not as present as in Slovenia (and I hope it will disappear).
cleaner007@reddit
Not new, it's like 20 years ago thing, my favourite newer taste is with ham and "paprika u pavlaci" combined, also Zdenka and prosciutto combination is great
TemperatureXtreme@reddit
Bro, as kids we used to go to ice cream shop and say “ a lil bit of everything “ and get one mixed scoop of ice cream.
Esdoorn-Acer@reddit
Pizza burek was invented by an Albanian immigrant in Slovenia. It kinda makes sense it didn’t get popularized in Balkan where burek originates from.
Esdoorn-Acer@reddit
Pizza burek was invented by an Albanian immigrant in Slovenia and it didn’t get popularized in Balkan where Burek originated from.
a_bright_knight@reddit
well i had pizza burek in early 2000s when Slovenians barely knew what burek is...
alamar77@reddit
Pizza burek was in Ljubljana well before year 2000.
MrJaffaCake@reddit
Pizza burek is very common in Macedonia and I have seen it in some places in southern Serbia. The northern parts are much more traditional with their burek options but im sure someone is crazy enough.
Cefalopodul@reddit
You have ice-cream that is all on flavor?
dwartbg9@reddit
Half-Life is definitely a thing here in Bulgaria
floare_salbatica@reddit
You can find the other half across the border ;)
EstablishmentFunny42@reddit
Good Comrades
Didudidudadu737@reddit
The most Slovenian thing for me was a half-half glass of juice (and half water)in caffe’s 😅
CryptoMother@reddit (OP)
So called deci deci. Back in the days in high school we had a drink klošar (1 dcl of juice and 4 dcl of water).
Didudidudadu737@reddit
Yep, working in a caffe surrounded with student dorms Ive seen students and highscoolers ordering a 4dl glass of water and a slice of lemon (for 0,50€)
dezurni_krivac@reddit
Than you probably know what Top Gun is
No-Dream-6386@reddit
pa jasno, če si žejen, te sok ne bo odžejal, razredčen z vodo te pač bo.
Thin-Amphibian6888@reddit
i dont think thats because we are cheap, but because juice is legit too sugary and mixed with water is much more refrest
Didudidudadu737@reddit
I didn’t say it’s because Slovenians are cheap… Before I came to Slovenia I’ve just never experienced selling juice per glass and option to order half/half with water
iamanej@reddit
Pizza burek is the best variant of burek ever. Especially if it is prepared as it should be (with the right ingredients and not some cheap albanian/balkan cutting costss approaches).
Try burekbox.si pizza burek and be surprised. I would even dare to say that it is better than a lot of pizzas in pizza places.
They have 10+ variants of burek and all of them are great.
VisibleReport5008@reddit
pizza burek does sound good I didnt saw any here. Also why not order 2 scoops🙂
Spiderby65@reddit
To save money?
Arktinus@reddit
For me it's because scoops in Slovenia are usually so large, I can't eat two scoops or at least I'm not enjoying it anymore by the time I'm at the second scoop. 😅
CryptoMother@reddit (OP)
Because of this half-half trend 1 scoop in Slovenia is equal to 2 scoops in Croatia (almost and it depends on the place, but scoop sizes in Slovenia are in general larger than in Croatia)
Masa67@reddit
I dont think it was ever about money rly (since icecream used to be very cheap). Mostly, it’s for when u cannot decide and want to eat different flavours. Ex., how my family did it: we got 2 half-half scoops each, and would get 4 different flavours that way, whereas none of us could possibly eat 4 scoops (money has never been an issue).
ZapruderFilmBuff@reddit
Beacuse they are very large.
Commercial_Law_1689@reddit
That sounds like a non problem. 🤣
FuckTheCake@reddit
Slovenians fancy a proper central european germanic strudel not this balkan immigrant bullshit
StrudlEnjoyer@reddit
True but strudel isn't fast food like burek. My town didn't have a Balkan-owned bakery so no burek but it had an Albanian kebab shop so that was the go-to fast food (in addition to pizza).
No-Dream-6386@reddit
slovenci ne vprašajo "pola-pola", to vprašajo neslovenski državljani slovenije, vsaj v sloveniji.
in ja, slovenci smo navajeni od svoje bivše bratske kulture vseh mogočih " burekov", vsemu namreč večina reče "burek". pa naj bo to sirnica, zeljanica ali ostalo in ja... ne vem, kdo je izumil pizza burek :/
kar se tiče pol/pol sladoleda, zakaj ne?
in še to: če si slovenc, si "slovenian".
CryptoMother@reddit (OP)
Mišljeno je, da vprašajo pola-pola na Hrvaškem. V Sloveniji se sploh ne vpraša, če lahko pol-pol ampak se domneva, da lahko 😁
Glede Slovenes/Slovenians pa:
Glittery_Marshmallow@reddit
The main factor here is that a scoop of ice cream in Slovenia and Greece used to be larger than in Bosnia, Serbia, Montenego, Macedonia. Also more expensive. So with the smaller scoops, you would just order 2 and choose the flavours. That is why the half/half is not an option. It is also shitty that in some cases they would charge you more if you want half/half.
oofieoofty@reddit
This sounds American
CryptoMother@reddit (OP)
Of course, Slovenia is too western for the Balkans
Big-Waltz5204@reddit
Love pizza burek! Every hood teenager in Ljubljana grew up on those before kebabs took over. I don't know what you talking about when it comes to ice cream. You want two flavour, you buy two scoops and ask for a drizzle of chocolate on the top. Džoni Albanian ice cream guy hooks you up. But I haven't got scooped ice cream since I was a kid, kinda gay for a dude to be licking ice cream in public bro.
Mother-Astronaut8784@reddit
Dear God what did I just read....
Outofspite_7@reddit
There definitely is half-half ice cream in Croatia. Always get half lemon half blueberry when I go out for ice cream.
Never seen a pizza burek though
noodlesSa@reddit
Please delete this FFS, why do I have to read this in the morning.
IAmYourShadow@reddit
It's an honest question and people are answering. If you don't like the question no need to read or even comment. Have a nice day.
BlastEndendSkrewt@reddit
In Novi Sad there are lots of places that will serve half and half ice cream. I always buy that one for my daughter, since 2 scoops would be too much for her. More expensive places do not offer that option though
Stverghame@reddit
Never heard of the half-half ice cream, but pizza burek is extremely common and it is my fav tbh
Miserable-Ground-379@reddit
Burek is only filled with meat everything else is not burek😋
AnaBaros@reddit
You can find both pizza burek and pola-pola ice cream here in Vojvodina. But just in local ice cream shops, not the new ones that are not owned or operated by locals. Scoops are so big that indeed you sometimes just want two halves of different flavors.
CryptoMother@reddit (OP)
I really haven't notices pizza burek in Vojvodina or anywhere in else Serbia. Is it very common or only certain places have it? Could it be that pizza burek was adopted in Vojvodina quite recently (like last 10 years)?
In regards to ice cream, can I just say "pola čokolada, pola jagoda" in Vojvodina or do I have to ask first if half-half is possible?
AnaBaros@reddit
I live in a city smaller than Novi Sad, however I lived in Novi Sad for years. In every bakery I ever was there was pizza burek 🤷🏼♀️ Perhaps some small bakeries did not have it, but 90% of them did. As for ice cream, it is better to ask first, since you don't know if they are locals and know about it.
User20242024@reddit
Bosnian detected.
CryptoMother@reddit (OP)
Bosnians should stop pretending that burek and čevapi is their food. When it comes to origins, it is all Turkish.
Darkwrath93@reddit
Burek is with everything except for meat, with meat it's called mesnica 😜
caasi70@reddit
Pizza burek in Greece: ask for zamponotiropita
Commercial_Law_1689@reddit
In Turkey we probably have pizza börek, but it's very uncommon, what's common is patisserie pizza which is made with a brioche like dough which is also used to make pastries like Açma or Poğaça.
Content-Departure-77@reddit
In some towns in south Serbia you can get ice cream by principle "od svega po malo". Pizza burek is common too.
cokoladnikeks@reddit
Tutti frutti? 😅 we had this like 20 years ago and more when I was a kid. No one does that know and some younger generations find it strange when I tell them. Good childhood memory, lol
Jnyl2020@reddit
We have pizza börek and others like pizza poğaça in Turkey but it's not a standard menu item. Some shops make it and some don't.
Half-half ice cream is for kids like in Greece in the comment above.
Young_Owl99@reddit
A Bosnian died somewhere while reading this.
sleepwalkerRS@reddit
Pizza burek is also quite common in Serbia. Regarding the half-half ice-cream, it's not common at all but at some ice-cream parlours like Crna ovca, you can order a smallest cup with two different flavours, which is similar to half-half.
Beautiful-Dish-6275@reddit
Half half is def a thing in Dalmatia.
MMortein@reddit
It's common in Croatia
Dentheloprova@reddit
In Greece half-half ice cream is very common but usually when it comes to kids. Many parents don't want two scoops for the kids so thats what they order. But to be honest l ve never seen a adult order half-half for him self
teddyg1870@reddit
Yes, you can get get pica burek in every bakery where I live ( Vojvodina).
I don't know about the ice cream though.