A Geographical and Historical Overview of the Transylvanian Cuisine

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"&g...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Adriana Paucean
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AcademicPres 2013-11-01
Series:Bulletin of University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca: Food Science and Technology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journals.usamvcluj.ro/index.php/fst/article/view/9478
_version_ 1818204926394761216
author Adriana Paucean
author_facet Adriana Paucean
author_sort Adriana Paucean
collection DOAJ
description <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">The aim of this essay is to describe the Transylvanian cuisine, based on its historical and geographical characteristics, but also, deeply connected to all the other elements that have a thing to say in its definition. Therefore, we will be able to better understand the gastronomic culture in this area and its potential. Geographically speaking, the region in the Carpathian garden is characterized by mountains, meadows and especially hills. The variety of nature’s forms, the moderate climate and the rich hydrographic network are defining elements to the vegetation and fauna of this place. The Transylvanian villages are filled with people who are deeply connected to the nature around them. Any visitor that connects with the daily life here can observe the big number of inland products obtained in personal farms or yards. A prosperous land reveals its numerous types of vegetable and fruit. A Christian nation for as long as it has existed, the Romanians use a variety of dishes at every Christian festal occasion. Therefore, the Orthodox Church has also influenced the culinary tradition in this area. Transylvania’s specific cuisine has its special traits, but it is also influenced by other cultures, whose route somehow intersected with ours, such as: Hungarians, Saxons, Jewish people, Ukrainians or Slovaks. Another trait that needs to be mentioned is the fact that our alimentary tradition is deeply connected to the season we are in. After the body gets a lot of meat and fats during winter, it gets purified during spring and summer when more fruits and vegetables are consumed. The most common gastronomic techniques in the Transylvanian cuisine are: marinating, maturation, fumigation, salting- procedures that use the natural potential and eliminate the use of the chemical additives. In conclusion, we can consider the Transylvanian cuisine one of the most important parts of the multicultural heritage.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span></p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span>
first_indexed 2024-12-12T03:49:00Z
format Article
id doaj.art-671b85e864434d5cac7926f057d0366e
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2344-2344
2344-5300
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-12T03:49:00Z
publishDate 2013-11-01
publisher AcademicPres
record_format Article
series Bulletin of University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca: Food Science and Technology
spelling doaj.art-671b85e864434d5cac7926f057d0366e2022-12-22T00:39:27ZengAcademicPresBulletin of University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca: Food Science and Technology2344-23442344-53002013-11-017011710.15835/buasvmcn-fst:94788070A Geographical and Historical Overview of the Transylvanian CuisineAdriana Paucean0USAMV Cluj<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">The aim of this essay is to describe the Transylvanian cuisine, based on its historical and geographical characteristics, but also, deeply connected to all the other elements that have a thing to say in its definition. Therefore, we will be able to better understand the gastronomic culture in this area and its potential. Geographically speaking, the region in the Carpathian garden is characterized by mountains, meadows and especially hills. The variety of nature’s forms, the moderate climate and the rich hydrographic network are defining elements to the vegetation and fauna of this place. The Transylvanian villages are filled with people who are deeply connected to the nature around them. Any visitor that connects with the daily life here can observe the big number of inland products obtained in personal farms or yards. A prosperous land reveals its numerous types of vegetable and fruit. A Christian nation for as long as it has existed, the Romanians use a variety of dishes at every Christian festal occasion. Therefore, the Orthodox Church has also influenced the culinary tradition in this area. Transylvania’s specific cuisine has its special traits, but it is also influenced by other cultures, whose route somehow intersected with ours, such as: Hungarians, Saxons, Jewish people, Ukrainians or Slovaks. Another trait that needs to be mentioned is the fact that our alimentary tradition is deeply connected to the season we are in. After the body gets a lot of meat and fats during winter, it gets purified during spring and summer when more fruits and vegetables are consumed. The most common gastronomic techniques in the Transylvanian cuisine are: marinating, maturation, fumigation, salting- procedures that use the natural potential and eliminate the use of the chemical additives. In conclusion, we can consider the Transylvanian cuisine one of the most important parts of the multicultural heritage.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span></p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span>http://journals.usamvcluj.ro/index.php/fst/article/view/9478Transylvanian Cuisine, culinary habits, gastronomic culture
spellingShingle Adriana Paucean
A Geographical and Historical Overview of the Transylvanian Cuisine
Bulletin of University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca: Food Science and Technology
Transylvanian Cuisine, culinary habits, gastronomic culture
title A Geographical and Historical Overview of the Transylvanian Cuisine
title_full A Geographical and Historical Overview of the Transylvanian Cuisine
title_fullStr A Geographical and Historical Overview of the Transylvanian Cuisine
title_full_unstemmed A Geographical and Historical Overview of the Transylvanian Cuisine
title_short A Geographical and Historical Overview of the Transylvanian Cuisine
title_sort geographical and historical overview of the transylvanian cuisine
topic Transylvanian Cuisine, culinary habits, gastronomic culture
url http://journals.usamvcluj.ro/index.php/fst/article/view/9478
work_keys_str_mv AT adrianapaucean ageographicalandhistoricaloverviewofthetransylvaniancuisine
AT adrianapaucean geographicalandhistoricaloverviewofthetransylvaniancuisine