Fruit Flavors and Aromas at Udvarhely Seat

Fruit flavors and aromas at Udvarhely Seat

Fruit flavors and aromas at Udvarhely Seat

Publisher: Civitas Foundation for Civil Society Responsible publisher: Orbán Árpád (arpad.orban@civitas.ro) Editor: Pakot Mónika Translated by Dénes Réka Photographs made by: Fleisz Emőke, Jakab Ágnes, Kis Zoltán, Lantos Tamás, Onucsán Miklós, Pakot Magdolna, Pakot Mónika Editing and proofreading: Szabó Attila Typesetting editor: Csáki Ferencz The publication was created within the “Fruits of our Traditions – Frutrad” project of the Civitas Foundation for Civil Society. www.frutrad.ro, www.civitas.ro © Civitas Foundation for Civil Society, 2011 ISBN 978-606-92120-8-0

Introduction Cultivating fruit is a several century-old tradition at Udvarhely Seat. Therefore, the landscape of this region is dominated by backyard orchards and fruit groves, which are situated in the area surrounding the village. For the farmers living in this region it has always been important that the orchards supply them with fresh fruit in every period of the year. Then, the fruit specific for late autumn, particular types of apples, certain pears and walnuts will help them cope throughout the winter until the first fresh fruit appears in the gardens. For numerous families, fruit also represented a way of income, or just provided an opportunity for bartering, to be able to obtain those goods that did not grow locally.

Kozma Ferenc wrote the following about this in 1904: “In the regions of this county (Udvarhely) that are protected from the wind, where the climate is rather suitable for the cultivation of pear, apple and plum, we can find quite extensive orchards. The fruit production of Udvarhely also enjoys a pretty good reputation in Transylvania, despite the fact that until recent times little care has been taken of these orchards. In good, productive years, the Szeklers would pack the surplus fruit crop onto their wagons and take it to distant regions, where they would trade it for grain.” To a certain extent, this is how some of the particular micro-regions and villages, which are referenced also by Orbán Balázs already in 1868, evolved and became specialized on specific fruits. Oroszhegy became the ancient home of plum types, Sükő and Farcád grew into being the home of cherries and sour cherries, the villages by the Nyikó valley became known rather for the variety of apple types, while certain villages in the highland area are rich in forest fruits.

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All good housewives made sure that the fruits that grow in the gardens and nearby were included in the daily diet. Also, all the fruit that were not consumed fresh got processed and stocked for winter.

This little booklet would like to provide some insight into the kitchens of the women living in the Udvarhely Seat region. Discover the methods of preparing the jams, preserves, dried fruits, cakes, sweets, soups and sauces made from the traditional fruits and forest fruits that grow in the Udvarhely Seat region, by leafing through and reading our account.

Learn about the fruits that grow here and get to know the creative and inventive world of the local women. And if you suddenly find yourself surrounded with the magic of the rural idyll, familiar scents, tastes and memories, do not be surprised: it happens to everyone!

The Civitas Foundation considers it important that these natural and cultural treasures are preserved for future generations as well, since, along with Hamvas Béla, we profess that “health is fruit-flavored…”. In the interest of this belief, the foundation supports the rescue of traditional orchards and the on-site processing of the crops.

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Jams In older times, fruits and products made from fruit represented the most secure source of nutrition. In time of war, when the enemy took the grain and drove all the animals away, fruits were the only lifesavers. Perhaps this is why so many methods to process fruit developed in time. During the year, if the ripe fruit was not consumed by the family, the women stocked away the fruit for winter in the form of jams, syrups, preserves or dried fruits. One of the greatest traditions of Szeklerland was the plum jam made in cauldrons, which took a whole day of cooking and was stored in earthen vessels, for several years if necessary. In certain years, when the fruit production was poor, traditional fruits were replaced by wild fruits or vegetables and that is how particular, delicious jams were made. This is how we encountered the apple jam mixed with carrots and tomatoes, the fruit jam mixed with tomato, the mixed berry jams, marmalades made of soft fruits, which we will present here.

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Plum jam with honey and cinnamon

Mixed (apple, pear, plum) jam

Ingredients: 7 kg of plums, 1-1.5 kg of honey, cinnamon and cloves, according to taste.

Ingredients: 2 kg of apples, 2 kg of plums from Bistrita , 1 kg of pears (if available), 1 lemon.

Preparation: wash and pit 7 kg of plums. Put it to boil and constantly stirring cook it until the skin separates from the pulp (2-3 hours). The cooked plums need to be sieved (the easiest way is through a holed pot) and boiled for another approximately 30 minutes. At this time, slowly pour the honey over the plums and spice with powdered cinnamon and cloves. Afterwards, pour the mixture into clean, dry jars, cover them and leave it all to cool, and only after that, put on the lids.

Nimble Hands from Kénos

Preparation: Slice and cook 2 kg of apples then sieve it or pass it though a tomato grinder, so that it loses its skin. Meanwhile, cook the crushed plums in another pot. If you have any pears available, cook it, sieve it and mix it with the apples and plums. Each of the above mentioned fruits need to be softened separately, as each has a different softening time. Slice the lemon without pealing it into the mass.

Jakab Rozália – Farkaslaka

Preservative free jam making Select a couple of intact jars that have twistable metal lids and that can be tightly closed. Thoroughly wash the jars and the lids, place them in boiling water and keep on boiling them for at least another 15 minutes. Remove the jars from the water and place them head down on clean kitchen towels to dry.

The longer you cook the jam the more dense it will get and less perishable. When the resulting foam disperses and the density is appropriate, transfer the jam into the jars. It is important to reheat the jars by placing them on the edge of the stove, because this way there will be no condensation formed by pouring the jam. While pouring, leave the pot on the heated stove to keep the jam hot. After completely filling the jars, tighten the lids and place them upside them for a couple of minutes. This way, a vacuum is formed which is also important in terms of preservation. When ready, place the jars in a dry, warm bain-marie (place the jars together, cover them and let them cool down slowly) for at least 3-4 days.

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Plums are most likely to have initially grown in Minor Asia and in the Middle East and eventually spread along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. The cultivation of plum must have begun around 3500 B.C. and was then bred by the Romans. Daring cross fertilization led to the creation of varieties similar to those found today. However, it only gained its popularity later on, in the 12th – 13th centuries A.C., when medieval monasteries, castles and palaces started cultivating plum in their gardens.

Plum is one of the most undemanding of our fruits. It is fastidious neither about the soil nor about the location; however it rather prefers a slightly humid soil. It is perhaps the most common type of fruit in the UdvarhelyszĂŠk region, it can be found in backyard gardens, on roadsides and, beginning with the ‘70s, on plantations.

Sweet plum is considered to be an exceptional laxative, while sour plums will have the exact opposite effect.

According to folk medicine, plums have a bowel-cleansing and cholesterol-lowering effect; also, prunes (dried plums) are regarded as one of the most invigorating remedies for convalescent patients. Mirabelle plums are known to keep the stomach healthy, being a rich source of vitamins.

The juice of soaked prunes is used to cure constipation in young children, as it has an invigorating effect on stomach functions. In the old days, when cooking jam, the leftover plum skins were used to bake cake; the skins were mixed with caraway seeds, shaped into different forms and then dried. This was given to children to replace sweets.

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Oven-cooked plum jam Ingredients: plums, 0.1 liters of vinegar, 200 grams of sugar/1 kg of plums.

Preparation: In the old days, if in certain years there was not too much plum available, smaller portions could be cooked in the ovens of the stoves. Pour 0.1 liters of vinegar in a larger pan or pot, which fits onto the bottom grid of the oven. Weigh and add the washed and pitted plums. Place the pot in the oven, which needs to be set to the lowest temperature. Take the jam out hourly and shake it up a little.

Cook for 6-8 hours, depending on whether you are making marmalade or jam. When you consider it to have the appropriate density, add 200 grams of sugar for every kg of plum, carefully stir it and boil for another 10-15 minutes. The sugars will initially thinner it, but it will eventually harden when cooling down. When the mixture is ready, pour it into jars. Cover it all up with a clean kitchen towel and leave it to cool overnight. Only the next day should you put on the lids.

Moldován Szeredai Noémi – Csekefalva

Magic forest plum Ingredients: 4 kg of plum, 1 kg of raspberries, sugar – according to taste.

Preparation: This jam is prepared in the period when the plums are ripened. Clean and wash the plums and start cooking it. When its skin separates, take it off the stove and sieve it to remove the seeds and the skin. Continue boiling and when it is dense enough, add the raspberries, which previously had to be frozen at the time when it ripened. After cooking it for another half an hour, add the sugar and continue cooking until it reaches the desired thickness. At this time pour the mixture into jars, cover these with their lids immediately and place them upside down until they cool. Store them in dry, cool places.

Note: This jam can also be prepared at the time when raspberries ripen. Pour the plum jam left over from the previous year into a pot, add the cleaned raspberries, stir well and start cooking. Add the sugar after a half an hour. Proceed further in the same manner as in the previous case.

Pál Ilona – Ülke 10

Elderberry jam with bilberry

„Csukerti” spiced elderberries

Ingredients: 2.5 kg of bilberries, 0.5 kg of black elderberries, 1.5 kg of sugar, 1 pack of lemon salt.

Ingredients: 2 kg of cleaned elderberries, 1 kg of squash, honey and fresh lemon juice according to taste.

Preparation: Wash the fruit separately, drain them of water and place them on the stove to cook. When it all boils, immediately add the sugar and boil a little longer, then add the lemon salt, which will make it a little jelly-like, or as the older women would say, it will “gloss” it. Once you take it off the stove, transfer the mixture into jars and close them tight.

Palkó Edit – Székelypálfalva

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Preparation: Thoroughly wash and clean the freshly collected black elderberries, removing all the stems, weigh it and leave it to cook for approximately 25-30 minutes. Meanwhile, plain the squash and add it to the boiling mixture and continue cooking for as long as you consider proper. Remove from the stove and allow it to cool to less than 60 degrees Celsius at least, and then add original flower honey and fresh lemon juice, according to taste. After that transfer it all into clean jars and leave it to steam off. Beware: the honey will lose some of its valuable characteristics over 45 degrees Celsius and will decompose over 60 degrees Celsius.

Note: backyard elderberry is very compatible with Mirabelle plums, as well as with other backyard vegetables.

Ilyés Borbála – Bögöz

The elderberry is slightly laxative. It is also very appetizing. It can only be given to anemic children with extra caution, as in large quantities it can cause poisoning. Its flowers are used in the form of tea antipyretic and are good also against colds. The flowers also have a sweltering effect. In the summer it can also be prepared as refreshing drinks. Very tasty syrup and jams can be made from it. Its stems and leaves are used to drive mice away.

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The name of the currant is of Arabic origins, while the shrub itself comes from northern lands and was bred at the end of the 16th century. The blackcurrant is an immune system strengthener; it increases blood pressure, is diuretic, but is also used in the treatment of diarrhea and enteritis.

The currant leaf tea is suitable in the treatment of heart problems, but it is also useful in the managing bladder disorders. The tea made of blackcurrant, raspberry, blackberry and strawberry leaves strengthens the immune system. It should be collected and dried at the time of flowering, this way it has a higher concentration of vitamin C. Blackcurrant is a blood-vessel strengthener, and it is used in cases of anemia in children; excessive use can cause high blood pressure, however the tea made from its leaves will actually decrease blood pressure. It is a good appetizer. In the past, syrup and wine were brewed from it.

Blackcurrant jam Ingredients: blackcurrant, 700 grams of sugar per 1 kg of currant.

Preparation: clean the blackcurrant and wash thoroughly several times with lots of water, then drain to dry. Add 700 grams of sugar for each kg of currant, and then leave it to sit for 24 hours, stirring it several times in the meanwhile to crush the currant. After the passing of the 24 hours, cook the mixture until it thickens, pour it into glass jars, seal them with lids and place them in warm bainmarie.

Jére Emma – Székelyudvarhely

Currant jam with carrots Ingredients: 3 kg of currant, 1.5 kg of carrots, 4 kg of sugar, 1 wine glass of water Preparation: clean and sieve the currant, grate 1.5 kg of carrots and steam in 1 wine glass of water. Mix all of the above together, add 4 kg of sugar, cook for 30 minutes, transfer the mixture into glass jars and leave in bain-marie.

Ilyés Borbála – Bögöz 12

Currant jelly Ingredients: currant, sugar.

Preparation: squeeze the juice out of the washed and cleaned currant. Add as much sugar as much juice you gain from the fruit, and then leave it to cook until you obtain a gelatinous mass from the mixture. Transfer it to glass jars and leave it to cool down in dry steam.

Farkas Réka – Nyikómalomfalva

Apple jam with poppy-seed Ingredients: 5 kg of apple (preferably mixed), ½ kg of sugar, 150 grams of poppy-seed, 2 packs of vanilla sugar, 1 small spoonful of cinnamon.

Preparation: wash and peel the apples, then grind them. Sprinkle with a bit of lemon salt to prevent them from turning brown. Put it all to cook in a large, low pot, because it is important that the apples have a larger surface of contact with the heat. Continuously stir, do not let it get burned. When it is nice and warm, add the vanilla sugar. Only add the poppy seeds when it starts to boil. Continue stirring and add the sugar in small doses. When you have added the poppy seeds and all the sugar, cook for another half an hour over light fire, while mixing it. After that just pour into well-washed jars. Place them into a vessel, which is filled with water up to the middle of the jars. Cover the top with a wet newspaper and place it into the oven. Leave it to heat at 80 degrees Celsius for 50 minutes, then 50 minutes again the next day and your jam is ready.

Jakab Tekla – Farkaslaka 13

Apple jam with carrots and tomatoes Ingredients: 5 kg of apples, ½ kg of carrots, 700 ml of tomato juice, 2 kg of sugar, vanilla essence or a vanilla bar.

Preparation: peel and grind the apples, then after cooking for a short while, add the previously cooked and grinded carrots and the tomato juice. After it all mixes, add the sugar and the vanilla. You will get a taste similar to pomegranate.

Mátyás Ágnes – Székelypálfalva The apple, the queen of fruit In the Roman mythology, the name of the apple is related to Pomona, who was the goddess of fruits and gardens.

Apples have their origins in Minor Asia, today’s Turkey. The common apple (malus communis) became widely spread during the reign of pharaohs, first on the banks of the Nile, later in Palestine and Greece. It reached its first blooming era, however, during Roman times and that is when its cultivation was introduced regions north of the Alps as well. Monks had an important role in its later cultivation and breeding. It is most probable that apples reached Transylvania following Roman paths.

The health benefits of apples have been known for a long time. According to an English saying: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” It is a real bouquet of vitamins, muscle strengthener, as well as a good blood purifier, it is rather vitalizing and it brings cholesterol down. In old times, grinded apples or apple tea was a remedy for indigestion or fever.

People would cook one or two apples in 1.5 l of water, cool it and drink it as was. Not so long ago, iron-deficiency was compensated by pinning clean small nails into apples, then removing them after a while and eating the apples afterwards.

Apple vinegar is also used to bring fever down, and mixed with honey it makes a great appetizer. Nowadays, vinegar made of apples is used to alkalinize the organism. Drink apple vinegar diluted with water every morning on an empty stomach for a week or two, and that will stop hyperacidity.

Apple cakes made from summer-apples are particularly delicious. During the fall, however, it is common to dry the apples, previously cut into thin slices in a slightly dark place and prepare soup with smoked knuckles with it.

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The pear, a gift from the gods

Quince jam Ingredients: 1 kg of quinces, 125 grams of sugar, 1 lemon, ½ bar of vanilla, 3 glasses of water.

Preparation: peel the quinces then run them through a grinder, or cut them into thin slices. Cook it until it becomes transparent and the juice thickens. Towards the end, squeeze the juice of the lemon into it and if you have it, add a half bar of vanilla, which can provide a special, delicious flavor. Pour into jars and steam them.

Nimble Hands from Kénos

Pear jam with raisins Ingredients: 5 kg of pears (it will be more liquid with summer pears, and thicker and more flavored with winter pears), 250 grams of raisins (will do no harm if it is more than that), ½ kg of sugar.

Preparation: thoroughly wash and peel the pears. Grind the pears after removing the core.

While grinding, add a small amount of lemon salt to prevent it from turning brown. After that, put it to cook. Cook the pear in itself until its juice starts to vaporize, slowly adding sugar to it. Add the raisins in the last 20 minutes. The jam will look better if the raisins are from dark grapes. Attention: the raisins will take up some water, therefore the jam still needs to be juicy when adding the raisins. When the raisins have grown nicely and the jam has reached the desired thickness, pour it into jars, seal them well and let them to steam under warm thick covers. They cool down after a couple of days and they can reach the shelves at that time.

The pear is one of the fruits that have been grown since the oldest of times. The history of pears begins at about 5000 years B.C., the place of its origin being Western Asia, 8-10 pear varieties being native from this region. This is where several pear types spread out to conquer the world.

Pears got to Central-Europe through Greece and Italy.

Homer, the Greek poet recommends pears as being the gift of the gods in his famous epic poem, the Odyssey.

Romans consumed pears steamed and sweetened with honey; it was considered a delicacy in the courts of French royalty. It is a significant source of copper and vitamin C. First of all, it protects our digestive system, but it also has a benefic effect against rheumatism and arteriosclerosis. It contains many benefic sugars. It has a vitalizing effect. It is also a mild laxative. In the past, the honey crab-apple was cooked in whole and eaten like sweets.

Jakab Tekla – Farkaslaka 15

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Blackberries are very nutritious. They have a blood-purifying effect. They contain vitamins A, B and C. Blackberries are recommended in case of lack of appetite, diarrhea and constipation. They are also used to cure sore throats and pulmonary diseases. It also clenches thirst. Delicious teas can be made from the leaves and flowers of blackberries, raspberries and strawberries. The leaves and the fruit bear a strengthening effect on the immune system. All dark fruits generally have that effect. Jelly and jams are made from them. Nowadays, it is rarely gathered due to the presence of bears.

The ancestor of today’s cherries most probably originates from the wild cherries native to Asia. The Chinese cultivated it as far back as 3000 years ago, but it was also known in ancient Egypt, Greece and the Roman Empire.

Following the paths of commerce, cherries arrived to Europe as well. Today, we know as many as 500 different types of cherries and sour cherries all around the world.

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Apple jam with blackberries Ingredients: 3 kg of apples (also delicious with summer apples, however it needs to be cooked longer), 2 kg of blackberries (less will do, but it will be more delicious this way), 1 kg of sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.

Preparation: wash and peel the apples. Remove the core and grind the apples. Add a little lemon salt to prevent it from turning brown. Wash the blackberries. Put the apples along with the blackberries to cook. Stir continuously. When it is boiling nicely, add the teaspoon of cinnamon. Slowly add the sugar, while mixing it, to make sure it melts entirely. When it has melted, taste the mixture to make sure it is sweet enough, as if the apples or the blackberries are a little sour, you might need to supplement the sugar. Cook until it reaches the appropriate density, pour into jars, seal them tightly and leave them in dry steam under thick covers. They cool down within a couple of days, that’s when they can take their place on the shelves.

Jakab Tekla – Farkaslaka

Sour cherries jam with cherries and raspberries Ingredients: 3 kg of pitted sour cherries, 3 kg of pitted cherries, 1 kg of raspberries, 2 kg of sugar.

Preparation: thoroughly wash the fruits, pit them, put them into a pot and cook them together. Stir continuously. Slowly add the sugar to it while continue stirring, to make sure it melts properly. After adding the sugar, cook for another 30 minutes. After that, pour into jars and leave them in dry steam under heavy covers. They cool down within a couple of days, that’s when they can take their place on the shelves.

Jakab Tekla – Farkaslaka

Wild strawberry jam Ingredients: 1 kg of wild strawberries, 2-3 lemons, 1 kg of sugar.

Preparation: clean the strawberries run water over them and leave them to dry. Put them in a dish, squeeze the juice of 2-3 lemons over them and leave them like that for about an hour.

Meanwhile, cook thick syrup from 1 kg of sugar and 1litre of water, remove the foam that forms, add the strawberries, boil it and then leave it to rest for 24 hours. Extract the fruit with a filter spoon and place them in jars, cook the juice until it thickens and pour it over the fruit. When it cools, seal the jars and cook it in steam for about 15 minutes.

Cseke Irén Enikő – Gyepes

Raspberry jam Ingredients: 2 kg of raspberries, 1 kg of sugar.

Preparation: mash the selected raspberries while they are still fresh. To every kg of mass that you gained this way add ½ kg of sugar and cook for about 15 minutes over high heat, stirring continuously. Take off the foam that forms on the top. If you drop a little of the jam on a plate and it becomes jelly-like, then take off it off the fire and pour it into jars while still hot, seal them well and leave them in dry steam.

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The material that gives sour cherries their wine-red color is a remarkable blood-purifier; it stimulates the metabolism (liver, kidneys, and digestion), it makes for a good diuretic, as well as being benefic in the treatment of colds. It contains sugar that can also be consumed by diabetics. Gouty patients can also consume cherries, as it dissolves crystals in the bloodstream. Consumption in high quantities can cause diarrhea.

The mineral substances found in cherries and sour cherries help the development of the bones and the teeth and that is why they are recommended for children as well. However, care is advised not to be consumed together with water, as it can cause inflation. The seeds of these fruits are also used in warm therapeutic treatments, because they retain the warmth. The dried and heated seeds are sealed in a cloth sack and placed on the body of the patient. The stems are used in treating kidney illnesses, as they have a diuretic effect.

The fruit of the raspberry has a purifying effect on the blood, it is a good expectorant, diuretic and laxative, it is revitalizing and diaphoretic. It has a high concentration of vitamins B and C. it is recommended in case of weakness, loss of appetite, digestive disorders and vitamin deficiencies. It is used in case of sweating; it lowers urination and reduces perspiration. At the same time, it is also recommended to relieve rheumatism and high fever. Syrup can be prepared from the raw fruit. The leaves have a strengthening effect on the immune system.

Freshly picked strawberries are amongst the favorites of almost every child. A much flavored tea can be prepared from its leaves. It has a vitalizing and cooling effect.

Cseke Irén Enikő – Gyepes 17

Blackthorn jam Ingredients: 3 kg of blackthorn, sugar, vanilla and wild-apple vinegar according to taste.

Preparation: boil 3 kg of blackthorn, mash it to get rid of the seeds, and then put it to cook. As it has a bitter-sour taste, add sugar according to taste (depending on whether it will be used as sauce or as jam). You can also add a little vanilla and wild-apple vinegar. The latter will give the jam a particular, pleasant flavor. There is no need to cook it for too long, not to lose the vitamin content!

András Ibolya – Székelypálfalva

Hawthorn jam Ingredients: 3 kg of hawthorn (“God’s fruit”), 1.5 kg of sugar.

Preparation: boil the hawthorn, mash it and then put it to cook. Add about 1.5 kg of sugar and cook it until it thickens.

Pour into jars while still hot and leave it in dry steam.

Palkó Edit – Székelypálfalva 18

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The blackthorn’s flowers and fruit are the ones collected.

The tea prepared from its flower is a mild laxative, blood-purifier, diuretic; it lowers blood pressure and has a sedative effect. The mixture made from the fruit is used against enteritis. It is good against diarrhea and strengthens the stomach. Blackthorn causes loss of appetite; therefore, it is consumed by those looking to lose weight. Amongst szeklers, it is very popular with rice in milk.

The fruits, leaves and flowers of the hawthorn are recommended in case of cardiac diseases. It strengthens the cardiac nerves and the vascular system when consumed regularly. It has a purifying effect on the blood and strengthens the immune system.

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Rose hip jam Ingredients: 1 litre rose hips, 300-400 grams of sugar.

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Rose hips are rich in vitamin C and have a great characteristic: they retain their valuable vitamin content even after cooking.

Therefore, they are also used together with other fruits to increase their nutritional value. In the region of Udvarhely Seat it is common enough to prepare the rose hip jam cold, to entirely preserve the vitamin content.

They are collected in late fall, after the first frost, or – as they say in Transylvania – after being hit by the frost. If you collect healthy beans, they can be preserved for a long time in a dry, cool place.

The tea made from it is delicious and it is consumed for its high content of vitamins during the winter and for its slightly sour taste during the summer. The tea is not boiled, but prepared by leaving it to soak for a day or two. 3-4 beans of rose hips are enough to make up for a person’s C vitamin need for one day. It is a good appetizer. Pressed cold, wine and juice are commonly made from it, often combined with blackthorn.

Cornelian cherries are benefic against gout; they have a high concentration of vitamins. They are used in case of diarrhea and catarrh. They clean the intestines.

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Preparation: clean the rose hips from their stems wash them twice and then put them to cook. Cook them until they soften, then grind them.

Mash them carefully through a small-hole sieve. Put the mass to cook again, and add the sugar when it starts to thicken. Add 300-400 grams of sugar to 1 l of rose hip mass. When the sugar has melted and the mixture is boiling, you can take it off the fire. Pour it into jars while still warm and seal them well. Place them in dry steam afterwards.

Széles Éva – Kecset

Cornelian cherry jam prepared cold Ingredients: cornelian cherries, sugar.

Preparation: first of all you need to find a cornelian cherry tree. If you managed to collect the cherries, then spread them on trays and leave them to soften for a day or two. When they are soft enough, mash them.

It goes rather slow, but do not despair! When you managed to pass them through the sieve, then weigh the mass with a cup. Add as many cups of sugar as many cups of mass you have. Stir until the sugar melts. Usually, it needs to be left to rest until next day, just stir every now and then. Pour into jars and press well, making sure there are no air bubbles left inside. It is preserved well for years.

Moldován Szeredai Noémi – Csekefalva

Blueberry jam Ingredients: 5 kg of blueberries, 4 kg of sugar.

Preparation: thoroughly wash the blueberries, and then drain them through a sieve. Cook on low fire together with the sugar, stirring continuously. When it is done, pour into glass jars and seal the air-tight. Leave them in dry steam. You can flavor it with lemon juice according to taste.

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Antal Anna – Zetelaka Blueberry tea is used to wash and make compresses for inflamed eyes, as well as burns and skin rashes. Internally, it is benefic against diarrhea, good for cystitis and other bladder disorders. The blueberry sap is used against gingivitis and oral infections as well as throat trouble. It is recommended for gastric issues and is a good bleeding inhibitor. It regenerates the stomach lining, it supplements the missing insulin in the body, and therefore it is especially recommended for people with diabetes. Red cranberries make for a great alternative for pickles. They are placed in clear water and sealed tightly. It is served with roast meat.

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Syrups Syrups are made from almost every kind of wild or bean-fruit. In the old days, these were mainly used as medicine, as it is a generally known fact that most fruits have very good curative effects. The syrup made of black currant has a high concentration of calcium and iron and it also is an exceptional source of vitamin C; pine bud syrup was used to sooth coughs, elderberries stimulate the immune system, raspberries are used to decrease the level of blood sugar and the blood pressure. Based on this experience, many alternative medicine trades are invested in the present in making and marketing fruit syrups.

Below, we wish to present a few types of syrups.

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Elderberry flower syrup Add 30 elderberry flowers and 2 lemons to 5 liter of water and leave it to rest for 2 days, then run it through a sieve and add 6 packs of lemon salt and 2 kg of sugar. When the sugar has melted, pour into bottles and seal tightly.

Bartos Ildikó – Székelymagyaros

Elderberry syrup Pour 1.3 liters of water over 1 kg of ripe elderberries, leave it to rest, but not longer than half a day, as it gets sour easily. Crush the berries, then filter the juice and squeeze the mass. To the obtained liquid, which should be about 1.5 liters, add 1.5 g of sugar and 400 grams of lemon salt. Stir until the sugar and the lemon salt melts and then pour into bottles.

Szász Gyöngyvér – Kobátfalva

Pine bud syrup Gather the young buds off the pine trees. Put about 3 kg of pine buds in a 10-liter pot, fill with water and cook boil for about 5 minutes. Then leave it to rest for about a day, remove the foam and run through a sieve. To every liter of juice, add 1 kg of sugar and boil the mixture while stirring until the sugar melts. After that it is ready to be poured into bottles.

Oláh Erzsébet – Ivó 23

Blackcurrant syrup Wash 2 kg of blackcurrant and crush them well in a tall pot. Add 2 liters of water, 10 gram of lemons salt and then leave it all to rest for 24 hours. After that, pour into linen bags and let the juice slowly drain through. Subsequently, add 800 grams of sugar for every liter of juice and stir frequently until the sugar melts. At the end, pour into bottles and seal them tightly.

Jére Emma – Székelyudvarhely

Raspberry syrup Boil 1 kg of raspberries in 0.5 liter of water in the evening. Mash them through a sieve in the morning and add 1 liter of cold water, to rinse it through. Also add 3 kg of sugar and 200 grams of lemon salt, stir until the sugar melts.

When done, pour into bottles and seal tightly.

Deák Berta – Firtosváralja

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Dried fruits The description of fruit drying and fruit-driers originates from mister MĂŠszĂĄros Lajos from Rugonfalva.

Drying is one of the most perfect forms of preservation. Before drying the fruit should generally not be washed, only cleaned. Fruits infected with fungus or parasites are not dried. Dried fruit can be prepared in various ways. The simplest method is leaving the fruit to dry in the sun. In older times, slices of apples and pears were laced up and hung to dry on the porch, where they were dried by summer sunsets. When done, they were stored in a dry, cool place, like the attic, in canvas sacks.

Another traditional method for drying the fruit is by using the smoke-dryers dug in the ground throughout the orchards. Fireplaces were made in the ground, a square section was dug behind the fireplace, into which a sieve made of twigs was placed and the fruits were placed in the sieves, one on the top of the other to dry. The whole thing was then covered and a fire was started underneath, carefully as not to light the twig-sieves. The smoke and heat went through the sieves and that is how the fruits dried.

25

Some people made small houses of wood, planks or bricks and then placed the sieves under the ceiling of the house.

They placed a heater in the small house and kept the fire burning in it. The smoke left the house through the chimney, but the heat dried the fruit. This was the smoke-free drying.

The oven drying happened with the use of fireplaces made from bricks, having a stove above them, also made of bricks, where the sieves were placed. The drying happened at 75 to 50 degrees Celsius. The temperature is written in a reversed manner, as at the beginning, while the fruits are still fresh, the temperature can be higher, and as they dry, the temperature needs to be decreased. At the back of the stove ventilation is built, where the moisture comes out, that is where the temperature can be controlled. The sieves of the driers are made of hazel or willow twigs and canes. Sieves made of metal are not recommended!

Nowadays, dried fruits are rather made when baking bread or in specially heated ovens. Even this way, the obtained dried fruit is delicious and bright. Plums can also be turned into dessert by removing the seeds, sprinkle with caraway, add a handful of nuts and dry like that.

26

Prunes Select nice and big plums, wash them, dry them, place them in a baking tray, but only one layer, put the tray in a heated oven and leave it to dry, but make sure it does not get burned. After taking the plums out of the oven, put them in a dry, warm place and repeat the entire procedure after one day, for about three occasions. Store them in paper bags or baskets.

Bartos Ildikó – Székelymagyaros

Dried apples/pears 1 kg of dried fruit can be obtained from about 5-6 kg of fresh fruit.

Clean the apples or pears cut them into slices or rings and place them closely together. Put them in a heated stove or in the oven of a woodheated fireplace and leave them to dry, but make sure they do not get baked! Take them out when done, leave them to dry and repeat the procedure until you obtain the desired state. Store in dry places!

In our region, dried apples or pears were called owl lungs. The name probably comes from the fact that when the fruit dries, it withers just like the lungs of a smoker.

Mészáros Lajos – Rugonfalva 27

Preserves and compotes In the Szekler culinary tradition, fruit preserves and compotes that are put away for the winter have a variety of purposes. In the fall, when they put them away, the women already decide on what they would like to use these for during the winter. Very often, preserved fruits are used to prepare cakes and cookies, as well as soups, or they are just served as dessert. One particular thing that might seem peculiar to a stranger: in Szekler villages it is very common, that instead of pickles, people serve fruit compote alongside cooked meat or meat stews.

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Old-style plum compote Select nice Bistrita plums, preferably handpicked. Wash them and place them into previously sanitized glass bottles. These glasses can be sterilized in hot ovens or stoves after having been washed. The bottles usually have a capacity of 700 ml, and to that dose add 2-3 tablespoons of sugar over the plums. Add cinnamon, the amount is always according to taste. Pour fresh, clean water from the well over it all; after that cover and seal with cellophane. In this case rubber rings cannot be used. Place the bottles in a big pot or in the oven after baking. Put paper on the bottom of the pot, and place the bottles on that. Pour water, place a wet cloth over the bottles and put them to cook. After the water boils, in about 15-20 minutes, take the pot off the fire and leave it all to cool.

Jakab Rozália – Farkaslaka

Plum compote with cinnamon Wash 2 kg of blue plums and pit them. Cook thick syrup from 2 l of water and 800 grams of sugar, spice it with cinnamon. Add the plums to the hot syrup cook it for about 5 minutes and then pour them into bottles along with the hot syrup. Seal the bottles and leave them in dry steam while they cool.

Farkas Edit – Nyikómalomfalva

Apple compote Prepare 2 kg of peeled and sliced apples. Cook syrup from 2 l of water and 700 grams of sugar and then add the sliced apples. Spice with cloves and lemon, according to taste. After that, place the mixture in clean bottles and leave them in dry steam while they cool.

Farkas Réka – Nyikómalomfalva 29

Cranberry compote Clean and wash the fruit and place them into bottles. Cook sugar syrup from 1 l of water and 600 grams of sugar. When it cooled, pour the syrup over the cranberries. Seal the bottles tightly and it’s ready.

Oláh Erzsébet – Ivó

Quince compote Boil 1 kg of sugar and a pack of vanilla in 0.5 l of water. When it’s cooked, add as much peeled and sliced quince as the liquid will cover, then cook it until the fruit turns bright pink. At this time, remove from the fire, place into bottles and seal tightly. Then place the bottles in a larger pot and steam for about 10-12 minutes, and then leave them to cool in the water.

Cseke Enikő – Gyepes

Cold sour cherry dessert Take 5 kg of sour cherries and pit them. Add 700 grams of sugar to every kg of cherries. When it becomes juicy, leave it to rest for 24 hours, stirring it every now and then. Put the squeezed cherries in clean bottles. Store it in a dry place.

Farkas Edit – Nyikómalomfalva

Apples with horseradish Grind a same amount of washed and peeled amount of horseradish and apples. Peel the apples and cut them into slices. Add a little salt. Place the slices into jars, no need to steam, the horseradish is a great preservative. During the winter, it makes a delicious side dish to roasted meat or garnish.

Jakab Rozália – Farkaslaka 30

Unripe walnuts in cane honey – a recipe from 1680 Take the unripe walnuts, pierce them with a pin and leave them to sit in water for about 2 week’s time. Wash them every day during this time, add a handful of salt, or keep it all in salt. After this time wash the walnuts thoroughly for at least 3 separate times, then leave it to soak for about 3-4 nights, so that the water draws the acid out. Cook them well. After cooking, add cloves and cinnamon. Place them in clear cane honey, which is thick and well cooked. Leave it all to rest for 3 nights, and when the cane honey turns liquid, pass the walnuts through a sieve to drain the honey. Then take the white of one egg, whip it well and add it to the cane honey. Place it to cook. This way, it will clear and form foam from the egg. Remove the foam and leave it to cook until it thickens, then sieve it over the walnuts. Again, leave it to rest for a couple of days and if the cane honey liquefies again, just sieve it and cook it again; it will only become more delicious.

Shared by: Katona Irén – Bögöz The time and place of origin of walnuts can be traced back to Babylon, the territory which is currently Iraq, about four thousand years ago. Conscious cultivation and propagation began in the time of the Greeks. Walnuts arrived to Europe through the Romans. In the middle-ages walnuts were considered to keep fever, as well as witches, evil eyes and even lightning away.

Walnuts should only be picked when well ripen. You can determine whether they are ripe by examining the easily removable green shell or the core of the nut. Only gather those nuts that fall off the tree if you shake it. Shelled nuts should only be kept in attics or other airy, cool and dark places, well spread out. This way it will preserve for up to a year.

Amongst plants, walnuts are one of the best sources of proteins, playing an important role in the prevention of heart- and cardiovascular diseases due to the high content of omega-3 fatty acid. Walnuts have a blood-purifying effect, and they are also used in the treatment of gastroenteritis.

The leaves and the bark of the tree are used externally for washing and compresses in case of skin diseases, acne, pimples or eczema. In the treatment of hemorrhoids sitting baths prepared from the plant is recommended. The cooked barked is useful against sweating and bowel and stomach disorders. In case of ear pain, drop some oil made of pressed walnuts into the aching ear. Used continuously, it has a strengthening effect on the bones and is very efficient against parasites. Walnuts have a high content of magnesium.

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Cookies, sweets

When talking about pastry, it is difficult to think in terms of old and new recipes, because in this field, there is no limit to ingenuity and imagination. There is no old and new, mostly just delicious.

The descriptions of the following pastries survived through time in the knowledge of the women in Udvarhely Seat by being passed on by word of mouth, from village to village and these we recommend now to our readers. Use these with pleasure and if any of them need any minor changes, do not hesitate to make them!

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Plum pie Ingredients: 3 kg of plums, 500 grams of fine flour, 10-20 grams of yeast, 1 pack of vanilla sugar, 100 grams of sugar, 100 grams of butter, 1.4 liter of milk, little salt. From this amount you can bake 2 portions of cake.

Preparation: melt the butter and add the ingredients one by one, mix well and then let it rise until the mass doubles its size. Pit the plums and leave it to drain. Split the dough in half, stretch it and place it in baking trays. Place the plums over the dough with their insides up and, again, leave it to rise in a warm place. When you see that the dough is well elevated, put it in the stove to bake. After it is done, sprinkle it with powdered sugar and cinnamon.

Bålint Margit – Firtosvåralja 33

Mixed pastry with plums / apples / sour cherry Ingredients: 25 scoops of flour, 4 whole eggs, 15 spoons of sugar, 15 spoons of oil, 20 spoons of milk, 1 baking powder, and for the top: vanilla sugar, cinnamon and ground nuts mixed with sugar.

Preparation: make mixed dough from the ingredients above and pour it into a greased and floured baking tray. Add the pitted plums/sour cherries or the sliced apples over the dough; sprinkle it with vanilla sugar, cinnamon and the ground nuts mixed with sugar. Bake at 240 degrees for about 30-35 minutes.

Antal Anna – Zetelaka

Mixed pastry plum cake Ingredients: 2 whole eggs, 20 tablespoons of sugar, 20 tablespoons of oil, 30 tablespoons of flour, 2 packs of backing powder, 20 tablespoons of milk, some cinnamon.

Preparation: mix the two eggs with the sugar and the oil. Add the flour, the baking powder and the milk. Stir for 20 minutes, then pour into a greased, floured baking tray, place the pitted plums on top of it all and strew with sugar and cinnamon. Bake over light fire.

Abrán Emese – Ivó

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In the old times, plum cakes were baked in the stove of the fire place. When baking the bread, part of its dough was separated and spread in a greased baking tray. Pitted plums were placed over it, one close to another. Then it was sprinkled with sugar and baked along with the bread. Both the pies and the bread were ready after an hour. The dough and plums can also be baked on the bottom of the stove, but then it is necessary to close the edges, so that the juice of the plums won’t be lost.

Jakab Rozália – Farkaslaka

35

Roly-poly with jam Ingredients: 500 grams of flour, 2 tablespoons of fat, 3 eggs, little salt.

Preparation: knead softer dough than usual from the ingredients above, portion it into two small loafs and spread them separately. Spread plum jam or marmalade over one of them and cover it with the other. Cut the cake in even squares, then cook in salted water and roll them in fat-fried breadcrumbs. You can serve them strewed with powdered sugar.

Jakab Rozália – Farkaslaka

Plum jam tart Prepare a scone dough. Knead 1 kg of flour with 2 eggs, 8 tablespoons of sugar, 3 tablespoons of melted butter, one teaspoon of salt and half portion of mineral water and the other milk (as much as the dough will take up) and a half piece of run yeast.

Let it rise, when it is done, roll it out and then cut it into squares. Put a teaspoon full of jam in the middle of each piece. You can also add a little sugar and/or cinnamon.

Fold the dough over the jam to form something like dumplings. Previous to placing these into the greased baking tray, dip one side of the tarts in melted fat or oil, then place them closely together. Greasing them is necessary, so that the tarts do not stick together. Let them rise for about half an hour, then spread egg white on the top of them. Bake them in a hot oven, till they become reddish.

Jakab Rozália – Farkaslaka 36

Plum Dumplings Ingredients: 1 kg of flour, 0.5 kg of mashed potatoes, 50 grams of margarine, 2 eggs, 500 grams of plums, 100 grams of sugar, 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, little salt, 2-3 tablespoons of semolina, 500 grams of breadcrumbs, 2-3 tablespoons of oil.

Preparation: boil 5 liters of water. Mix the flour, the potatoes, the margarine, the eggs, the semolina and the salt thoroughly together. Spread the mixture on a skulk and then cut it into even squares. Slice the pitted plums in half and mix it with sugar and cinnamon.

Put a half plum in the middle of each square, fold the dough by all four corners, then form them in a round shape making sure that the plum is entirely covered. Place these dumplings in boiling water and leave them for another 10-15 minutes. You know they are ready, when the dumplings pop up to the surface of the water. Meanwhile, fry the breadcrumbs in a little oil, then twirl the dumplings in it.

Boldizsár Csilla – Oroszhegy

Manchu (polenta with plum jam) in oroszhegyi style Ingredients: 1 liter of water, a pinch of salt, a quarter cup of polenta flour, 0.2 liters of plum jam, 2 tablespoons of oil.

Preparation: put the water to boil; once it starts to boil, add the salt and the polenta flour. Make a hard polenta of the mixture continuously stirring. Cut the polenta into slices with a thread and spread them with jam and place them into a flameproof casserole dish or pot in which we first pour a little oil. Place the polenta slices in layers, but finish the top with jam. Leave it to cook for 2-3 minutes. It makes a delicious breakfast with fresh sour cream or milk.

Vas Jolánka – Oroszhegy 37

Noodles with jam Take preferably homemade wide noodles and cook them in salted water. Once they are cooked, remove the noodles and drain them, then place it all in a greased pan. Put plum jam all over it and mix it well. Some people add extra sugar when serving.

Jakab Rozália – Farkaslaka

Grandpa’s favorite maize cake Ingredients: 100 grams of fine flour, 100 grams of maize flour, 200 grams of sugar, 5 eggs, 1 teaspoon of ammonia, the juice of half a lemon, 0.3 l of milk, 200 grams of prunes or other dried fruit.

Preparation: mix the egg white into a hard mousse. While mixing it, add the sugar, the egg yolk, the ammonia, which first needs to be mixed with the lemon juice. Alternately add the flour and the maize flour to the mixture, while diluting it with milk to make it easier to stir. At the end, add the dried fruit. Pour the mixture into a well-greased, floured baking tray and bake it. When it is done, scatter powdered sugar on the top.

Szász Gyöngyvér – Kobátfalva

Donuts with grated apples Ingredients: 0.5 kg of flour, 2 glasses of milk or water, 2 whole eggs, 2 spoons of butter, 3 spoons of sugar, ½ teaspoon of salt, 25 grams of yeast, 3-4 apples.

Preparation: dilute the yeast, add the butter, the eggs, the sugar, the salt and gradually the flour, then put the mixture in a warm place. Peel the apples, grate them and add it to the mass. Form small piles with a tablespoon and fry them in hot fat. After taking them out, sprinkle powdered sugar over them.

Nimble Hands from Kénos 38

Apple cake from crumply dough Ingredients: 300 grams of flour, 150 grams of butter or fat, 1 egg, 100 ml of sour cream, some grated lemon peel, 50 grams of sugar, pinch of salt.

Preparation: start with mixing the flour with the fat, and then knead it all well together. Divide the mass into two loafs, spread it and place it in the prepared baking tray. Spread the grated apples over it and cover it all with the second rolled out leaf of dough. Whip the egg and then besmear it over the cake to make it brighter. Bake it crispy over medium fire. It is not recommended to knead this dough too long, as it will become rather greasy.

Jakab Rozália – Farkaslaka

Apple cake Ingredients: 4 eggs, 10 spoons of sugar, 1 baking powder, 4 spoons of water, 6 spoons of flour, 7-8 apples, 100 grams of walnuts, 100 grams of margarine.

Preparation: melt the sugar in a frying pan and add the margarine.

Place the apples in the pan after previously having peeled them, removed the cobs and filled them with walnuts mixed with sugar. Make sponge cake dough from the rest of the ingredients, pour it over the apples and then bake the mass over light fire.

Gergely Erzsébet – Zetelaka 39

“Furry” apples Ingredients: 150 grams of flour, 150 grams of butter or fat, 1 egg, 100 ml of sour cream, some sugar, little salt, half a pack of baking powder.

Preparation: mix the above mentioned ingredients, knead it all together and then spread it. Cut square-shaped pieces, big enough to cover an apple with each of them. Meanwhile, peel the apples, remove the cobs, and fill this cavity with sugar and butter mixed with chopped walnuts. Roll and cover the apples with the dough squares, and place the now “furry” apples to fry in a hot oven.

Jakab Rozália – Farkaslaka

Cherry cake Ingredients: 0.5 kg of flour, 1 egg, 150 grams of sugar, half a margarine or 4 tablespoons of oil, 10 grams of yeast, 100 ml of milk.

Preparation: dilute the yeast in 100 ml of warm milk, then add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Spread it out till it is about an inch thick and cut it into uniform size cubes. Place cherries in the middle of each square, roll the dough and leave it to rise for about an hour. Place them close together in a baking tray, spread oil over the top and bake in preheated oven.

Abrán Emese – Ivó

Cherry pie with scone dough Prepare the scone dough, let it rise for about an hour and then place it on a floured wood trencher. Spread it out to a rectangle form until it is the size of the baking tray. Grease the bottom of the baking tray with butter or put baking paper instead. Mix a dose of sour cream with one egg, add sugar according to taste and spread it over the dough, after placing it in the tray. Put the cherries over the mass, after previously having pitted and mixed them with sugar. It is preferred to bake in an oven, but a stove will do just as well.

Bake for about a half an hour, an hour.

Jakab Rozália – Farkaslaka 40

Making scone dough Ingredients: 1 kg of flour, 2 eggs, 8 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of oil, 3 tablespoons of melted butter, a teaspoon of salt, for kneading even portions of milk and mineral water (as much as the dough will take up) and a half piece of diluted yeast.

Preparation: The dose is never binding; you can adjust it according to your needs. If the fat is liquid, only add it to the mass at the end. Lemon peels can sometimes be added to the dough. The longer you knead it, the more delicious it will be.

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Ceremonial scones with walnuts and poppy seed Stretch the scone dough, spread minced and sugared walnuts over one of them, and previously cooked sugared poppy seeds over the other. Wound them up with care and place them in oval, cradle-like baking trays. On the top, spread the whipped eggs. Leave it to rise, and bake in the oven when baking bread. It needs about an hour to bake. It can also be baked in a stove. See above for information on making scone dough.

Jakab Rozália – Farkaslaka

Walnut and jam cake Ingredients: 4 eggs, 300 grams of sugar, 100 grams of walnuts, 1 baking powder, 100 ml of milk, 200 grams of flour.

Preparation: stir the 4 egg yolks with the sugar, add the 100 grams of walnuts, the baking powder, and 100 ml of milk and at last the 200 grams of flour. Pour the mass in a greased baking tray making sure it fills evenly and smooth. Spread raspberry jam on the top, then the whipped egg foam to which you need to add the 200 grams of sugar. Bake it and slice it after cooling.

Deák Berta – Firtosváralja

Fruity sponge cake Ingredients: 14 tablespoons of sugar, 3 whole eggs, 6 tablespoons of oil, 14 tablespoons of milk, 20 tablespoons of flour, 1 pack of baking powder, 200 grams of fruit.

Preparation: stir the eggs with the 14 tablespoons of sugar until it gets foamy, add the 6 spoons of oil and the pack of baking powder, and then stir well. Carefully add the 14 spoons of milk and 20 spoons of flour. Pour the mass in a greased baking tray, and put fresh season fruits mixed with sugar over it. Bake it and once it cools, slice it and serve.

Bálint Izabella – Firtosváralja 42

Aunt Magdi’s Cornelian Cherry Rings Ingredients: 1 kg of flour, 400 grams of fat, 300 grams of sugar, 4 egg yolks, 1 baking powder with a little lemon juice, 2 glasses of sour cream (400 ml), 1 bottle of cornelian cherry jam.

Preparation: combined all the ingredients in the above order in quick movements. Place a large part of the mass into the refrigerator, then take it out in portions and roll them out until they become thin, cut them into circles and rings. On the first ones place a teaspoon of cornelian cherry jam and place the rings on top. Spread whipped egg white over them and put them to bake. When done, while still warm, roll them in vanilla sugar. It is a delicious cookie that is good for a long period of time. Other thick jams or marmalades can replace the cornelian cherry jam.

Moldován Szeredai Noémi – Csekefalva

Pancakes Ingredients: 0,75 kg of flour, 3 eggs, half a teaspoon of salt, 10 grams of yeast (optional), 50 ml of mineral water (or it can be half milk, half mineral water), fat or oil for baking, jam.

Preparation: mix the dry ingredients, add the eggs and continue stirring while slowly adding the mineral water so that the mass becomes smooth. Heat a little fat or oil in a frying pan and fry one pancake as a test. If the mass still seems to be too thick, dilute it with a little mineral water. You can spread any kind of jam over the warm pancakes, it is very delicious.

Szász Gyöngyvér – Kobátfalva 43

Soups The Szekler culture has a great respect towards culinary tradition.

The family would only sit next to a set table. In older times, lunch time was shared by more generations, and soup could not be missing from the table. Light soups can be prepared from local fruits, either separately or mixed. Perhaps the fact that fruit-soups are present on almost every family’s dining table is due to this diversity. Sweet fruit soups can be cooked on hot summer days and served either hot or cold. It might seem peculiar to some, that during the winter, fruit soups are prepared not just sweet, but also with smoked meat, or any kind of boiled meat.

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Fruit soups prepared with grange meat Ingredients: 0.15-0.20 kg of grange meat, 2,5 l of water, 2 carrots, 1 parsley, 1 small onion, 1 egg, a small amount of sour cream, salt according to taste and fresh fruit.

Preparation: cut the grange meat into small cubes and place it to cook together with the vegetables. When the meat is almost done, after approximately 15-20 minutes, add the fresh fruit, which can be sour cherry, currant, summer plums, gooseberries or wine grapes, while it is still not entirely ripened. Mix the egg with the sour cream and add it to the soup.

Season it with salt, or if necessary with sugar, according to taste.

Bálint Margit – Firtosváralja

Summer fruit soups You can prepare light soups from local fruits, either mixed or separately.

Cook the fruit in water and add chopped green parsley. Also, add salt.

Thicken the soup. First, mix the egg with the flour making sure it doesn’t form lumps and then add the milk. Take the soup off the fire and wait till it cools down a little. To avoid lumps, add a little soup to the thickening mixture and pour it through a strainer.

Jakab Rozália – Farkaslaka 45

Knuckle soup with prunes Ingredients (for four persons): 1 small knuckle, 2-2.5 liters of water, 1.2 kg of dried plums, 2 carrots, 2 parsleys, 1 small onion, 1 egg, some sour cream, salt and red paprika according to taste.

Preparation: place the knuckle to cook together with the onion, and then, when half cooked, add the chopped vegetables. After about another 15 minutes, add the prunes, and the soup is ready when the prunes are well cooked.

Prepare a grout from the egg and the sour cream and add it to the soup. Sprinkle the soup with green parsley before serving.

Szász Gyöngyvér – Kobátfalva 46

Sauces

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Cranberry sauce In the past, cranberry sauce was mostly prepared in estate houses, alongside wild meat. This is how it found its way to the tables of the peasants, but mostly on ceremonial occasions.

Cook ½ kg of cranberries in water till it softens, with 0.15 kg of sugar and some lemon peel. Mix a cup of sour cream with 2-3 full teaspoons of flour and thicken the sauce with it. Once it is ready, add 0.6 kg of butter to make it nice and bright. If necessary, flavor with a little mustard sugar and salt. Some people add a little pine or pepper, perhaps cinnamon. It is served with roasted wild meat or beef.

Pakot Irma – Farkaslaka

48

Apple sauce Apple dressing is a delicious garnish to cooked meat; in the countryside it is also called applesauce. For this purpose, use apples that soften easily, for example butter apples or Jonathan apples. Peal the apples, slice them, place the slices in a pot and pour a little broth or water over them. Cover the pot and leave it to cook, stir every now and then. When the apples are cooked and it all becomes like a mushy mixture, sprinkle it with flour, while continuously stirring to avoid knotting. If the apples are not sweet enough, you can add some sugar, and then thicken it with sour cream or milk.

Jakab Rozália – Farkaslaka

Currant sauce Pick the red currant off the cloves. Place it to cook together with some broth or water in a small pan. If it is cooked in broth, there is no need to add salt. Chop up some green parsley and add it to the mixture. This time, add more sugar as the fruit is more acidic.

Once the berries soften, prepare a light thickener, with flour, one egg and milk, and add it to the sauce. If you prepare it with sour milk instead of milk, then you can leave out the egg. Similar sauces can be prepared from sour cherries, cherries and gooseberries.

Jakab Rozália – Farkaslaka

Sour cherry or gooseberry sauce Fry a small onion in a little oil and add the fresh fruit. Pour a little water and season it with a celery leaf and salt. Once it is cooked, prepare the thickener with sour cream and serve with any kind of garnish, like rice or potatoes for example, along with cooked meat, mainly.

Bálint Margit – Firtosváralja 49

We hereby express our gratitude to those women in the Udvarhely region, who have selflessly shared their recipes and useful information with us.

They are the ones who annually prepare and offer their fruit-based products to the visitors of the Udvarhely Seat Fruit Festival.

The Wikipedia was used as a source regarding the origins and history of the fruits.

The project is supported by the Government of Norway, within the Norwegian Cooperation Program for Economic Growth and Sustainable Development in Romania.

Š All rights reserved. 2011