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The Canadian Macedonian Historical Society (CMHS) is proud to present this installment of its acclaimed Lecture Series, recorded on October 20, 1996. This session features the esteemed Nicky Alexiou—a University Club expert on authentic Macedonian cooking and a dedicated historian of the Macedonian diaspora.

The lecture, titled Cooking with Baba, was hosted at the Macedonian Canadian Health & Social Services (MCHSS) Centre (historically located on Overlea Boulevard in Toronto). Through this presentation, Alexiou provides a profound exploration of the domestic life, culinary artistry, and matriarchal wisdom of the traditional "Baba," bridging the gap between the villages of Aegean Macedonia and the lives of the community in Canada.

The Role of the Baba

The Emotional Core

In the traditional Macedonian home, the Baba was far more than a relative; she was the source of absolute security and warmth for the younger generation. Nicky Alexiou describes her as a "large, warm presence" who provided both physical and emotional sustenance. If a child was hungry, the Baba would produce bread hidden within a cheesecloth tucked under her arm; if a child was cold, she would tuck their hands into her own garments to share her body heat. The evenings were a sacred time of connection where the Baba acted as a living library of prikazni (stories). These were not merely fairy tales but narratives rooted in the daily experiences and heritage of the household. As the younger women cleaned up, the children would huddle so close to the Baba that they seemed to "fit into her body," eventually falling asleep in her lap—a space Nicky compares to a protective cradle.

The Teacher

The education provided by the Baba was an organic, non-verbal process of apprenticeship. There were no formal lectures; instead, children learned the essential skills of life through observation and imitation. Nicky explains that by simply being present while the Baba worked, children "automatically knew what to do without thinking" once they grew up. This was best exemplified in the garden: the Baba would work her large plot while the children followed behind with their own miniature "play" gardens, planting grass and mimicking her movements. Through this constant companionship, the Baba instilled not only culinary and agricultural skills but also the "manners and warmth" required to maintain a harmonious household.

The Household Manager

In the large, multi-generational communal families of the era, the Baba held a position of significant authority and trust. She was often the keeper of the keys, maintaining strict control over the family's stores. This was not about hoarding, but about the vital survival skill of rationing. It was the Baba’s responsibility to ensure that the harvest—preserved in the summer and fall—lasted the entire family through the winter until the first greens of spring appeared. She managed the "agenda" of the household, coordinating with the younger adults on the workload while she remained at the center to bake the bread, manage the children, and keep the domestic machinery running smoothly.

Authentic Culinary Traditions

Zelnik and Pita

Nicky clarifies that while "Pita" became a trendy term in Canada years later, it was a fundamental "household word" in her village. Before the main loaves of bread were placed in the clay oven, the Baba would make a quick pita for the children, seasoned simply with oil, salt, and chili pepper as a fresh lunch. The more complex Zelnik—a savory pastry—was a masterpiece of seasonal cooking. In the spring, it was made with kopree (nettles) or potato leaves. These were baked in a seretna (a large clay pan) and covered with a sach (a metal or clay lid). By piling hot coals on top of the sach, the Baba created an outdoor oven that produced a perfectly browned, flaky pastry without the need for a modern timer.

Clay Pottery

The connection between the food and the earth was literal, as the cooking vessels were handmade from local clay and straw. Every spring, the Baba involved the children in the messy, tactile process of making pottery. They crafted specific tools for specific tasks: the seretna for bread and zelnik, the pitularka for making crepes over an open fire, and the garnet—a large, deep pot used for slow-cooking beans in the embers. These pots were dried in the sun for days before being baked in the forna (oven), ensuring the family had a fresh supply of cookware for the winter season].

Preservation and Zero Waste

The Macedonian kitchen operated on a principle of total utility, where nothing was wasted. Nicky details the complex process of milk preservation: after milking the sheep in the fields, the Baba used natural cultures from a lamb's stomach to create cheese. This process yielded feta cheese, while the boiled leftovers became cottage cheese (ricotta). Even the remaining liquid, suratka (whey), was given to the children as a highly nutritious drink. Preservation extended to fruits as well; Nicky describes the "ingenious" sight of the storage room ceiling covered in hooks where the best grapes were hung to dehydrate, concentrating their sugars to last throughout the winter months.

Mountain Foraging

When the garden was not enough, the Baba turned to the mountains for high-protein alternatives to meat. Nicky highlights the collection of rare, expensive mushrooms like manitari and rezolki (sponge-like fungi), which had to be picked before sunrise to avoid insects.These were often sautéed and served with makalo, a thick, savory gravy designed for "dipping" (hence the name) with crusty, fresh-baked bread. This tradition emphasized the Baba's deep knowledge of nutrition and the natural environment, allowing the family to eat "disgustingly good" gourmet meals sourced entirely from the wild.