On the property of the St. Nicholas Church in Lyons (a suburb of Chicago), the now traditional Kettle Festival (Kotlićijada) was held, with the participation of a dozen teams from the Chicago region and the surrounding area.
Goulash, paprikash, beans, mućkalica, stews, cracklings, cicvara, and everything else that can be cooked and prepared in kettles, cauldrons, pots, jars, dalandaras, and on the grill were prepared… and a pig was also roasted on a spit, just to ward off bad luck and for the sake of tradition.
Toasts were made with homemade brandy, wine, and loza, and it was all washed down – with song!
The guys from the “Stara Hercegovina” team were the first to “pull the leg,” singing an old traditional song. The team at the neighboring stand continued. and so it went in turn. Some “a cappella,” and some with amplifiers, depending on their affinities.
We saw all kinds of wonders at the Kettle Festival; for instance, supporters of the Chetnik movement and the “Tri lale i đetić” team, who proudly wore the flag of the former Yugoslavia on their T-shirts, cooked under one tent.
The “Ipon” team, mostly made up of young karatekas from the club of the same name and their parents, led by their coach, stood out with cicvara from a clay pot, which served as a welcome breakfast.
The “Only Cuts and Prints” printing shop team presented a new concept with their pumpkin soup as a base, to which you could add chicken, bacon, and various other things as desired!
And their offer included original and witty T-shirts, which you can also order online…
ABC Bakery opted for a mućkalica in which, as captain Peca told us, they mixed in everything they could.
A dozen teams crossed ladles in a battle for prestige, but the primary focus was on socializing and good energy, which there was plenty of.
This was also emphasized by the host of the Kettle Festival, the parish priest of St. Nicholas Church, Nemanja Tešić:
-The point of this event is not money, but gathering, mass participation, socializing, and reconciliation if perhaps there were those in the parish who had quarreled. Of course, there is also the promotion of traditional Serbian dishes that are not prepared every day, but only on certain occasions, outdoors. This time we added the promotion of our parishioners’ businesses, which was organized in our hall. With live music as an inevitable spice, and entertainment for the youngest, I think this was an event that everyone enjoyed, concluded Father Nemanja.
Among those who enjoyed themselves was the Vice Consul of Serbia in Chicago, Andrija Zečević, as well as the Mayor of Lyons, Chris Getty, who revealed to us on this occasion that he will be a candidate for congressman in Illinois’ 4th congressional district in the November elections.
MUSICAL SUPPORT: Dragana, Rajko, and Mile
In the end, it should be added that “Garaža,” led by the tireless maestro Nebojša Vujović, was declared the best team; he presented several extraordinary dishes at the Kettle Festival, from goulash and wedding cabbage to beans!
CHAMPIONSHIP STYLE: Nebojša Vujović with a colleague, family, and the championship team
Author: Antonije Kovačević Photo/Video: Antonije Kovačević, Crkva Svetog Nikole (Lyons)
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