Making Povitica
(Croatian nut bread)

by Emily Novak

Between 1890 and 1910, thousands of Croatians left their country to find a new life in America. Kansas City, Kansas, became home to many of these immigrants who found employment in the many meat-packing companies and stockyards located in the area. With them, the immigrants brought a strong work ethic, devotion to God and family, a love of good wine, tamburitza music and the art of making povitica, the delicious Croatian nut bread.



Traditionally, povitica is enjoyed on special occasions such as the celebration after a Baptism wedding reception, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and friend and family gatherings. On this video, Emily Novak, daughter of Croatian immigrants, shares the recipe and technique she teaches in her Croatian cooking classes. You can see every step from ingredients and utensil selection, to the art of rolling and stretching dough, to finally taking the delicious finished bread from the oven.
All proceeds from the sale of this video go to St. Theresa's Home for children in Zagreb, Croatia which is staffed by Carmelite nuns. Presently there are 49 children in the home. Since and during the war we have raised enough funds to lower their ceilings (to decrease loss of heat) put in all new plumbing which was inadequate and rusted out, turned one room into a medical clinic and supplied them with medicine, clothes and baby supplies. The kids range from one month to 18 years.


Enjoy tamburitza music in the background recorded expressly for this video by the
ZLATNE ZICE TAMBURITZANS.



To order this video send $25.00 U.S. (check made out to Povitica) and send it to
Wolf Photography, Povitica, 3117 Merriam Lane, Kansas City, Kansas 66106, U.S.A.



This project is sponsored by The Croatian Council of Kansas City.
For more information please send email to Wolf1936@aol.com



NOTE: The reason the plumbing was in such bad shape was that during the communist years, children were taken out of the Dom after the age of three. The Commies were afraid that the children would learn about God if they stayed past that age. So the plumbing was not used since there were so few kids there. Now the Dom is used as an orphanage, a day care center for over 100 children which allows parents to work to earn a living and the children are learning the Gospel of Jesus Christ. All good reasons to support St. Theresa's Home.

If anyone wants to donate straight out to the Dom they can send a check (which is tax deductible) to Industrial State Bank, Mr. Josip Podrebarac, St. Theresa's Orphanage Fund, 3200 Strong Ave, Kansas City, Kansas 66106., U.S.A.

These funds are invested here until there is enough money to build on to the present building which is vastly overcrowded.