Meat in traditional Serbian cuisine

Abstract

The use of meat in traditional Serbian cuisine can be divided into three periods. The first period is the time from the arrival of Slavs in the Balkans, through the Middle Ages to the early 19 th century. The second period, the 19 th and the first half of the 20 th centuries, can be marked as special due to significant changes that impacted traditional Serbian cuisine, compared to the first period. It was a period during which the Europeanization of Serbia took place in all spheres of life, including cuisine. After World War II, Serbia and many surrounding countries eperienced a great surge in industrialization in all economic fields, including that of food production. The last sixty years has seen the globalization of our food supply, with food being transported globally from one part of the world to another, and which resulted in neglected traditional, local cuisines. Therefore, many countries, including Serbia, recognize a need for preserving traditional cuisine. This recognition has initiated several mechanisms for maintaining Europe's gastronomic herit-age. Preservation of traditional cuisine in Serbia has special significance for tourism development.