Fire, Flavor, and the Family Table of Zana Çerkezi
Our TenTen interview this week is with Zana Çerkezi, author of books on food, maker of hot sauces and keeper of culinary traditions combined with her American business experience.
You can tell a lot about a person from the way they talk about heat. For Zana Çerkezi, a food writer, a sort of a “spice whisperer”, and the Kosowoman behind Kosovo’s fiercest new hot sauces heat isn’t just a culinary decision. It’s her family memory, history of Albanians and çerkezi, rebellion, and flirtation, all bottled up.
Zana’s kitchen spans continents. Her sauces Kokalla and Katili draw from Albanian idioms and çerkez pride, mixed with American entrepreneurship based on her memory of childhood stews and international street markets. Her travelogues read like flavor diaries. Her cookbook, A Taste of Albanian & Çerkezian Food, is a love letter to mums, memories, and meticulous spice balances. And her brand? A bold manifesto of tradition-meets-thrill.
In this TenTen, we talk to Zana about testing the limits of Scoville scale survival (yes! There’s an actual official scale for hotness), our joint guilty pleasures involving hummus and salt sticks, and the joy of feeding her sons Neo and Roi.
What’s your earliest memory tied to food? Was it something you cooked, or something someone made for you?
My earliest memory tied to food is something my mom made for me her homemade bread with honey. The warmth and love in that moment stayed with me and sparked my deep connection to food. Her special baked bread became such a favorite that I now consider myself a pro at making it and I still love it just as much. That memory even inspired one of my books, Healthy Habits in the Kitchen: Bake & Bread, where I share that love for baking with others.
How did your Albanian roots, travel experiences, and personal taste shape your writing, brand and flavor identity?
My Albanian (and çerkez) roots taught me the value of homemade, hearty food traveling opened my palate to global flavors; and my personal taste blends tradition with boldness. All of this shaped my writing, my brand, and the unique identity of every flavor I create.
Why hot sauces? What drew you to spice in particular as your signature product?
Because spice tells a story. Hot sauce reflects my bold personality and love for intense, memorable flavors. It’s more than heat it’s passion in a bottle.
Can you share the story behind the super names of your spicy products, Kokalla and Katili?
Kokalla comes from an Albanian expression like when something hits you in the head with a finger and it burns strong but fades fast. Katili is our way of saying something is fierce, intense unforgettable. I named my sauces to reflect our bold language and even bolder flavors.
I was always wondering, how do you test the limits of spice? Have there been any hilariously disastrous experiments as you were trying to regulate between hot and extra hot versions?
Oh yes testing spice levels has definitely come with some fiery moments! I’ve had days where one spoonful of a new blend made everyone in the kitchen cry and laugh at the same time. Finding the perfect balance between hot and extra hot is like dancing with fire you want it bold, but still enjoyable. Let’s just say… there have been a few ‘never again….’ batches, but that’s all part of the magic.
What’s your dream collab? (it can be a chef, brand, designer, festival… go wild...)
My dream collab, for a project actually, is to open a place where my spices, flavors, and food come together a spot that takes you on a delicious journey you won’t forget. I also imagine hosting a vibrant festival with great music, spicy food, and good vibes bringing people together to celebrate bold tastes and culture in a fun unforgettable way.
You’ve been published internationally. What story or recipe are you proudest of sharing with a wider audience?
I’m proudest of sharing recipes that celebrate making everything from scratch the way Albanians do bringing authentic, homemade flavors straight to the table with love and tradition, but always with a unique, modern touch.
What’s your current cooking obsession? Any ingredients, techniques, or some guilty pleasures you can share with us? I myself have developed this weird obsession eating hummus with salt sticks?
Right now, I’m obsessed with exploring bold spice blends and layering flavors especially in homemade sauces, butters, and spreads like eggplant hummus. I also love pairing sweet treats like my banana jam with savory snacks. And just like you, I have a guilty pleasure dipping crunchy breadsticks chips into creamy hummus - simple but addictive.
Living in Kosova, how do you make sure that you procure proper organic produce?
Living in Kosova, I build close connections with local farmers and villagers who grow and cook everything from scratch. Their dedication to organic, homemade food ensures I always get fresh, high quality produce for my products.
What's the favorite dish you prepare for your kids Neo and Roi?
My favorite dish to prepare for my kids, Neo and Roi, is a comforting homemade stew full of fresh veggies and gentle spices. The smell fills the house so warmly that every time they walk through the door, they instantly remember mom’s home and love. I also created a special book, A Taste of Albanian & Cerkezian Food, dedicated to my mom, passing down her stories and recipes from her to me, and now to my kids—so when they grow up, they’ll have lasting memories and a strong connection to our family through food and love.
Great, can I fit in one more question and make it 11? Çerkez or Circassians used to be this small community in Kosova and Balkans who escaped Russian genocide, but very few of çerkez today remember the language and traditions. Is that still part of you somewhere?
I was born in Prishtinë, but my fire comes from Caucasus. My Çerkez blood runs deep proud, fierce, and full of grace. After the Russian Circassian War in the 1800s, my ancestors fled their homeland, settling in the Balkans, including Kosovo, where my family made their home in Prishtina. At home before they spoke Çerkezisht, a soft, soulful language woven with strength and history. Though the language has faded, the spirit of it lives on in me.
We are fighters: resilient, hardworking, and beautifully proud. Our dances burn with passion, our traditional clothing tells stories of pride and survival, and our love for horses wild and free mirrors the spirit of our people.
My family’s pale skin and striking blue eyes remind me of the snowy peaks of the Caucasus and the unbreakable legacy passed through generations.
I carry that fire in my food, my words, and my life—bringing to the table not only the taste, but the soul of my people. In my book A Taste of Albanian & Çerkezian Food, I celebrate this dual heritage—honoring my beloved Albanian mother’s nurturing wisdom and my brave Çerkezian father’s strength. Though they are no longer with me, their love, values, and memory live in everything I create. This is for them—forever loved, forever remembered
