Boboshtica celebrates tradition/ Lakror in a basket, mania raki and special hospitality.

2025-10-24 15:22:00, Qyteti im CNA

Boboshtica celebrates tradition/ Lakror in a basket, mania raki and special

In the picturesque village of Boboshtica, as every year, a traditional activity was held that brings attention to the cultural, culinary heritage and hospitable spirit of the area.

Since the early hours of the morning, residents and visitors have gathered to enjoy traditional dishes, to participate in the tasting of mulberry brandy, one of the most characteristic products of Boboshtica, as well as to visit the old churches that preserve the history and identity of this place. At the center of the celebration were the housewives of the area, who fanatically preserve the recipes inherited from generation to generation.

Vera Gjergo, an elderly woman from Boboshtica, passionately says that preparing lakrori in a sac is a tradition that should not be changed, because that is where the true flavor and history of the country lies. While preparing lakrori, Vera emphasizes that old recipes are the greatest treasure left to them by their grandmothers.

"We take flour, water, salt and a little oil. We take the dough and then start rolling it out. We grease the baking sheet with oil, make the first layer, pour the dish and then put the second layer, sprinkling it only with water on top. When it is made in a pan, it is not greased on top. We bake it and then grease it with butter. The first thing they ask for is the cabbage in a pan or the fried pancakes. It is a product of the area, inherited from grandmothers and mothers. The recipe is not changed, that is where the deliciousness is, don't change it! There are no new brides now to learn, but those who are, roll out the dough. At the moment we don't have any new brides. Boboshtica is known for its mulberry brandy, for a mulberry by-product called "?ani?kovë", for pickles, for grape brandy, for everything ", she said.

Even Viktori Maçule, an 80-year-old from the village, fondly remembers the time when she learned to roll noodles as a child. For her, noodles are not just food, but part of family life that unites generations.

"I learned lakror when I was 10 years old, from my mother. "No, say it like this, no, add this much flour, this much water", and we got used to it. I am 80 years old. In my family, we make lakror every Sunday. We prepare it with onions and tomatoes, with leeks and cottage cheese, with plain cottage cheese and milk, with pumpkin, with spinach. There are not many young people today, but my daughters and daughters-in-law know how to make it, I taught them. Even where they are now, they prepare it. Even tourists have got the recipe and probably do it even better than us ", said the 80-year-old.

But Boboshtica would not be complete without the aroma of mulberry brandy, a true symbol of the village. Kostandin Xhoxhi, a resident of the area, says with humor that “without mulberry brandy, Boboshtari cannot live.” He proudly shows the process of its production, which begins with the collection of berries by the village women and ends with the careful distillation in brandy vats.

"Without mulberry brandy, Boboshtari cannot live. They use it a lot for drinks, for weddings, for trade. Without mulberry brandy, you cannot call yourself a Boboshtari. It is not organic, but "super organic". As you can see, these berries are not pruned, nor are they sprayed with any kind of medication. God created them here in Boboshtica, because he also found good people, which is why he planted them here. Women collect the berries when they fall to the ground. Then there are the brandy vats, we leave them for 3-4 days to ferment. They have a lot of sweetness and acidity, and this makes the fermentation very fast. If you leave it unchecked when it needs to be made the next day, not a single gram of brandy comes out. You need to be very careful. Men here drink more brandy, women are the ones who collect it, we have divided the work. Mulberry brandy is sold in all countries of the world, from the USA to Europe. They like it a lot. We also use it as a "ponch", as we say, in the morning, slightly burnt sugar. Then we take off our shirts and sit in our sweatpants. We call it "antifreeze", because just like you put antifreeze in your car, we in the Bobosh region also put antifreeze on, we don't get cold!", said Xhoxhi.

The festive atmosphere continued throughout the day, with music, dancing and many visitors who came to enjoy the traditions of Boboshtica, a village that every year keeps its spirit alive through hospitality, cooking and unique mulberry brandy. /CNA