Amidst the melting pot of the capital area, the Croatian American Cultural Center is a small but well-organized group. This year marks the 25th anniversary of their Extravaganza event, although the CACC has been around since 1976. With only about 100 members, they still put together several fundraisers and events each year to help promote cultural awareness. Events like this also help to preserve culture through cuisine--a benefit for those of us in the area!

In addition to a barbeque dinner, with wine, beer, and pastries, there will be children's games, dance shows, and music. Some of the listed foods for the event are grilled lamb, pork, cavapcici (beef and pork rolls), domace kobasice (smoked Croatian sausage), tortes, strudel, and traditional desserts such as ustipci, kifle, and hrstule. [Find out more about the cuisine here.]

3730 Auburn Boulevard; admission is $7 for anyone over 12 years old. Gates open at noon both Sat., June 9, and Sun., June 10. Food will be available from 1 p.m. on. On Sunday morning, there will also be a traditional Mass celebrated at 11 a.m. Visit the CACC site for directions and more info.

And now, to give you an idea of one of the dishes, here's a recipe from The World Bank Volunteer Services International Cookbook:

Cevapcici
Serves 4

1 pound ground beef sirloin
1 pound ground pork
1 egg
1/2 clove garlic, minced (about 1/2 tsp)
3 drops Tabasco sauce
3 tablespoons beef broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
Black pepper and paprika, to taste

Mix all the ingredients together and form into little sausages about 2 1/2 inches long and the thickness of your thumb. Roast them on a grill until browned, yet still pink inside. Serve with fresh bread, freshly chopped onions, and Slivowitz (Yugoslavian style).