These are palačinke! Pala- what? Pronounced Palachinkeh. This dish is a staple food where my family comes from, Montenegro. You make it by creating runny dough from eggs, milk, water, flour, and salt and frying a thin layer on both sides in a pan with a touch of oil. They’re basically the French crêpes, but so much better. You can eat them sweet or savory. I usually spread them with nutella, as seen in the photo. Both my parents come from Podgorica, Montenegro. My father was an engineer and my mother was a bookkeeper for a well-known company. However, due to the Bosnian War in the early 90’s, they fled Yugoslavia and found haven in New York in 1992. Because my father didn’t know English, and the system was different, he could not get an engineer job and settled being a contractor. My mom had my siblings and me soon after and became a stay at home mom. That’s what worked for them at the time. They barely made ends meet, but fast forward to today, my father is a successful contractor with his own company and employees and even a real estate investor. America turned out to be the land of opportunity after all. What makes this food dish, Palačinke, so significant is that my family was able to enjoy and eat it when money was scarce (because of the easy and few ingredients), and we are still able to make it and love it today. Every time I have this for breakfast, I am just reminded of my childhood, and how fulfilling it tastes of course. 

– Samra

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant