Welcome!
Hello, I’m Sophia Arredondo! I’m a 2nd generation Serbian American who found herself in Dallas for college and married Andrew, a lifelong Texan. Our young East Dallas family is a fusion of Mexican and Serbian cultures. These cultures both have strong and unique food traditions, and for us as transplants apart from the rest of our families, food is the craft that imbues our everyday life with the richness of our heritage.
I grew up celebrating the Serbian tradition of Slava, the feast day of each family’s ancestral patron saint. This feast was the anchoring experience of my heritage, where an Old World culture came alive briefly in the New through all of its wondrous smells, tastes, rituals, and heirlooms. As a child, the cakes were the climax of the Slava celebration and I grew up looking forward to them at birthdays and special occasions as well.
Now from the vantage point of adulthood, navigating the modern world, and starting my own family, I see wisdom in the traditions of my ancestors that could easily be forgotten if I don’t do my part to keep them alive: for example, the way simple, natural foods can transform into delicious and elegant desserts that nourish our bodies, or the way dessert is upheld as the proper “sweet ending” to the day, where we ground ourselves in what matters most and take the time to savor the goodness of everyday moments - like my sweet toddler’s approving smiles through a mouth covered in frosting.
My Serbian heritage and academic background in the psychology of relationships and embodiment and Andrew’s passion for well-crafted food and professional background in restaurants have combined to bring Slava Cake Company to Dallas, where we hope to elevate dessert culture.
