Unpopular Opinion: Burek with Cheese Is Just Sirnica. Fight Me.

We need to have a serious conversation.

I walked into a "Balkan Bakery" in Queens yesterday. It smelled right. The yogurt was in the fridge. The loud folk music was playing. I was ready to give them my money.

Then I looked at the menu. "Spinach Burek - $7." "Cheese Burek - $7."

I turned around and walked out. I cannot support this anarchy.

Listen to me closely, because I am only going to say this once, and I am speaking on behalf of every grandmother in Sarajevo, Zenica, and Tuzla:

The Taxonomy of Dough

In Bosnia, the rules of physics are simple:

If it has Meat, it is Burek.

If it has Cheese, it is Sirnica.

If it has Spinach, it is Zeljanica.

If it has Potatoes, it is Krompiruša.

If it has Squash, it is Tikvenjača.

This is not a suggestion. This is the law. You cannot just walk into a Buregdžinica and ask for a "Cheese Burek." The owner will look at you like you just asked for a "Pork Halal Sandwich." It is a contradiction in terms.

"But in Croatia/Serbia/Turkey..."