Toni Brendel's Czech-Slovak heritage is dear to the heart of this Phillips, Wisconsin native. She continues to study and write about the culture of the Slovak people and keeps in close contact with friends and relatives in Slovakia. She is the author of Penfield s Slovak American Touches. Included are Toni's photos from Slovakia.
Slovak Master Folk Artist, Sidonka Wadina, was raised in a Slovak neighborhood in Milwaukee's Menomonee River Valley. Her grandmothers who emigrated from Slovakia continued to practice the traditional arts of baking and egg decorating. At the age of three, she began to help them especially with the making of Slovak dumplings; now, after a lifetime of preparing Slovak ethnic foods, Sidonka has generously agreed to share with us cherished recipes and original illustrations.
Sidonka's Medovnicky (Slovak Honey Cookies)
4 eggs, beaten well
3/4 pound brown sugar (1 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup honey
2 ounces sweet unsalted butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/4 pounds flour (5 cups)
Mix eggs, sugar, vanilla, honey and butter. Add baking soda and flour; mix well. Let stand in refrigerator (covered) overnight. Roll out, cut into heart shapes, and on greased cookie sheets bake at 400 degrees about 7 minutes. Frost with design pattern. Makes about 4 dozen cookies depending on size.
Note: These famous heart-shaped cookies baked by Sidonka are on the cover.
