Food
ROMANIA
Pickles for the Winter - Health Champions
By Ioana
As soon as summer draws to an end,
Romanian housewives start preparing
preserves for the cold winter days. Openair markets are „decorated” with the
bright colours of peppers, tomatoes,
aubergines, gherkins, pumpkins and
loads of autumn fruits, which can easily
be pickled.
The most important thing, however, is to
put the vegetables or fruits in brine
yourself. This is a tradition that has been
kept for centuries and that can guarantee
the end-product is chemical-free, natural
and highly nutritious.
Cucumbers (gherkins) are the most
popular. They are preserved in brine or
vinegar and stay crunchy and fresh
throughout the winter. Housewives
arrange them in huge glass jars and try
to be as inventive as possible.
Sweet red peppers are also the stars of
the autumn show. They are pickled
mostly in vinegar with honey and sugar
plus all the herbs available: thyme, bay,
lovage, dill, garlic, horseradish, mustar
seed and others.
!
Romanians also pickle unripe tomatoes,
melons, quinces, corn, pears and, of
course, cabbage.
Sour cabbage is the champion of health,
as doctors have proved that it cures a
wide range of illnesses, starting with
stomach ailments and ending with cancer.
It contains lots of vitamins – in its pickled
form, not only raw! – mostly vitamin C
and all the B complex, it helps digestion
and enhances metabolism.
Pickles are tasty and refreshing,
especially if you eat them next to steak,
grilled meat, sausages and rice. They are
also exceptional with potato, bean and
mushroom stews, and another reason
why they are popular is that they feed
people through the two long fasting times
– the four weeks before Christmas and
the seven weeks before Easter (Lent),
religious celebrations that are strictly
observed in Romania, especially by the
elderly people, but not only.
Therefore, pickles are also a means to get
rid of toxins and feel fresh and light!
Good appetite!
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