Baklava, Agda, and Kitchen-Table Culture in Bosnia and Herzegovina

An Englishman in the Balkans is a weekly podcast about the people, places and everyday life of Bosnia and Herzegovina, told by David Bailey, who has lived here for more than 25 years. New episodes arrive every Tuesday.

One of the things I love most about living in Bosnia and Herzegovina is that the simplest moments often become the best stories.

This episode began over coffee and a tray of freshly made baklava. Tamara had just made her very first baklava, inspired by our friends in Zenica and especially Senad’s mother, whose version has become something of a legend among those lucky enough to have tasted it.

What followed wasn’t planned. I simply switched on the recorder as we chatted around the kitchen table.

We talk about what makes Bosnian baklava so distinctive, from choosing the right jufka and making clarified butter to the importance of agda, the sweet syrup that should always be cold when it’s poured over hot baklava.

Tamara also shares the little lessons she learned from her first attempt, the mistakes she’d happily admit to, and why her next challenge is to make a baklava good enough for Senad’s mother to judge.

It’s an easy-going conversation about food, friendship and the traditions that are quietly passed from one generation to the next. Because here in Bosnia and Herzegovina, recipes are rarely just recipes—they’re part of family history, hospitality and the stories that bring people together.

00:00 Welcome to the Podcast

01:47 Baklava Sparks a Story

02:54 Why Make Baklava

03:58 Agda Syrup Secrets

05:02 Walnut and Pastry Hacks

06:16 Layering and Butter Method

09:05 Baking and Waiting Tips

10:40 Variations and Next Attempt

12:41 Kitchen Table Culture Wrap

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Every episode, and more about my life here, is at anenglishmaninthebalkans.com.

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