Ballokume facts for kids
Ballokume is a special Albanian cookie. It comes from the city of Elbasan and is very popular across Albania. Many Albanian communities around the world also enjoy it. This cookie is traditionally eaten on Dita e Verës, which is an old Albanian holiday celebrated every year on March 14th. Sometimes, people call it kulaç me finj. This is because it can sometimes include finj, which is a mix of wood stove ashes boiled in water.
Ballokume is made from simple ingredients. These include butter, sugar, eggs, and cornflour. Traditionally, the dough for Ballokume is mixed and pressed (called kneaded) in a special copper bowl. People believe this helps make the dough's texture even better. The dough needs a lot of strong kneading. Because of this, the men in the family often help prepare Ballokume.
What Does "Ballokume" Mean?
There's a story about how Ballokume got its name. It's said that in the 16th century, an Ottoman ruler in Elbasan tasted a small cake. This cake was made from corn flour and cooked over a wood fire. He loved it so much that he supposedly exclaimed, “Është ba si llokume!” This means “It’s as good as a lokum!” The name Ballokume then came from shortening this phrase.
See Also
- Cuisine of Albania
- Dita e Verës
