By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
THERE’S a jokey saying at Dunav Butchers – anyone who is not able to pronounce the name of its famous chevapchichi sausages is not allowed to buy them.
Director Nada Radovanov has preserved the traditional Balkan butchery’s traditions such as these hard-to-pronounce skinless snags and has kept its loyal clientele happy since 1970.
At its busiest weeks, about 5000 kilos of chevapchichi – in beef, chicken and pork-beef varieties – are sold.
“The majority of our clients at first were Serbs and Croatians from the former Yugoslavia.
“But now we’ve got the ‘Aussies’ who still can’t pronounce chevapchichi.”
Ms Radovanov is loathe to give away the recipe handed down by her late father and butchery founder Svetislav who adapted it from when he was an apprentice in northern Serbia.
“Only myself and my mother (Stanija) know the recipe.”
What she can say is that they are thrice-minced, glued together with a modicum of breadcrumbs in the absence of a sausage membrane, and may contain garlic.
The result is a light yet filling meat – that is gluten-free. It is not clogged by water and fillers found in inferior snags.
“It should not be cooked like a steak, but constantly turned,” Ms Radovanov said.
“I can’t stand it when I see people burn them on their barbecues.”
Other popular products are the shop’s bacons, beef and pork that are smoked on the premises.
Ms Radovanov said she was almost born in the shop. She has worked there for 23 years, taking over the reins after Svetislav died in 2010.
“Some of these customers I’ve known since I was a child. Some of them span across four generations.”
She decided to reward the butcher’s oldest customers by offering a 10 per cent seniors discount – which will double for one day only on 1 October to mark the International Day of Older Persons.
“The discount is just to say thank you to them.”
Dunav Butchers is open Monday-Saturday at 209 Springvale Road Springvale.
Phone 9546 8582.
