Sarmale is a savory dish which consists of a filling based on minced meat and grape or cabbage leaves rolled around

it. Stone Age people invented, at the same time when the clay pot was invented, a number of other new ways of preparing food, including meat. So, the first step towards diversification dishes was to invent the pot which allows meat boiling. As it is shown in some ancient cave paintings, people wrap their minced meat in various edible leaves. Therefore, one can say that the first rolls were invented by primitive people. How those rolls looked like or what kind of meat they put in there, we cant know because we have not such information. The history of sarmale is very old and there is a certainly evidence that people, during the Ice Age, improved technical knowledge in leaves in which chopped meat could be wrapped. This means that sarmale are, at least, 15,000 years old. ` After losing the Battle of Poltava in 1709, Charles XII of Sweden fled to the city of Bender, in Moldavia, which was controlled by the Ottoman Empire. There he spent two years in exile, trying to convince the Ottoman Empire to help him to defeat the Russians. Charles returned to Sweden and he was followed by some of his Ottoman creditors he had borrowed money from to finance his wars. The Ottoman creditors lived in Stockholm between 1716 and 1732 and during this time, it is most likely that the sarmale were introduced in Sweden. All the Greeks, Albanians, Bulgarians, Turks and, not at least, Croats think that they are the inventors of sarmale. The title sarmale, common for Romanians and Croatians is similar to sarmi in Bulgarian and "sarmalaki" in Greek. But it does not say anything about the identity of those who have taken earlier this culinary delight or it has been reinvented in the Balkan region of a particular nation. Moreover, Bulgarian sarmale are different from Croatian, almost as different they are Moldavian and Romanian stuffed cabbages. What the stuffed cabbages are? They are cabbage leaves stuffed with meat (beef, lamb or pork) along with spices and rice. Sarmale are Moldavian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls traditionally served on Christmas and New Year's Eve, but also served during the whole year at weddings, baptisms parties and other large celebrations. Pork meat is mixed with sauted caramelized onions and rice, then it is stuffed in a cabbage or grape leaf. For flavor they are usually greased with smoked pork fat, smoked ribs or smoked sausage. The Moldavian Sarmale is a versatile dish and the best way of consuming is reheated the next day. The taste is different from the enhanced flavor. It can be prepared with a tomato base, dill base or combination. The taste is significant different but the dish is still great. It contains the following ingredients: 1. 50-60 pieces of vine leaf, 2. 500 grams of pork meat, 3. 2-3 onions, 4. 2-3 tablespoons of rice, 5. 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil, 6. 1 tablespoon of mashed sweet pepper, 7. cup of sour soup house or tip teaspoon lemon salt, 8. 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, 9. 2-3 tomatoes, 10. 1 cup of sour cream, 11. Salt, 12. Ground black pepper, 13. Bay leaves,

14. 1 tablespoon of minced greens. The stuffed cabbages can be served like a separate dish or with green vegetables, cucumber salad and tomato sauces. We can serve it also in a gravy boat along with some boiled or oven roasted potatoes. For me, like for others Moldavians, the stuffed cabbage is a dish of feast. In my family, we prepare it for Easter, New Year, Christmas and for our familys events. I remember when I was 7 years old, it was the first time when I helped my mother to prepare some special dishes for my anniversary. The stuffed cabbages were one of the most important of the variety of food. The flavor and the aroma remained in my mind like a factor of feast day.