The Second World War extinguished the hopes and dreams of many Europeans, even those of Nikola Bukvic, a master pastry chef in his native Yugoslavia. When Nikola returned home after spending years in Germany as a forced laborer, he situated himself in Belgrade, where he worked in prestigious hotels. However, Nikola always yearned after a patisserie of his own, where his delicacies could satisfy the passions of everybody. The legendary name of Jadranka Pastries was born in 1956 when Nikola and his wife Zora moved to a newly built suburb of Sarajevo called Grbavica. Their establishment didn’t thrive during the first years, for Grbavica remained a far destination to go to for the people of Sarajevo. Nikola and Zora, even through relentless efforts, were unable to sell their pastries and often gave them away to neighbouring children. With years of struggle came perseverance and Jadranka Pastries became a household name. Their display of decadent pastries expanded beyond the classic Bohem and Shamponez. From tasty tea cookies to sensational wedding cakes, Jadranka Pastries evolved into a meeting place for all generations. Years passed and Sarajevo boomed into a popular destination, allowing the world a peek into its everyday life during the 1984 Winter Olympics. Jadranka Pastries brought the mascot of the games, Vucko the Wolf, to Marzipan life, and a taste of Jadranka Pastries made its way into the hearts and bellies of the world. In 1992, at the peak of the pastry business with two locations (Jadranka and Neboder) and two dozen employees, Jadranka Pastries was forced to an unexpected close because of the Yugoslavian civil war. A legend didn’t remain forgotten – in 1999, Nikola and Zora’s grandchildren decided to maintain the tradition of making people smile. It was in December of 2003 that Jadranka Pastries reopened for the first time in 11 years thanks to the generous support of loyal old and curious new customers. In addition to its retail shop, Jadranka Pastries now serves over twenty specialty shops, supermarkets and restaurants throughout Southwestern Ontario. The shop has even fulfilled special delivery requests of their Bohems and Shamponez to the farthest stretches of North America and even Europe. Jadranka Pastries has entered a new era of pastry and memory making, and remains a special gathering place for all people.
(by Jadranka Pastries)