Preliminary communication
Traditional food in Baranja
Božica Somek-Machala
; Etnološki zavod, Filozofski fakultet, Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Croatia
Abstract
The region of Baranja is in the very north-east of Croatia, between the rivers Dunav and Drava and the Hungarian border. The population is mixed because the immigrations occurred in different times and from different regions. Among the Slavic people the most numerous are the Croats (Šokci) and the Serbs, and among the non-slavic are the Hungarians and the Germans.
Baranja is fertile, there are vineyards on the hillsides, marshes and willow-woods along the rivers, and the bigger parts and fertile wheat fields.
This paper, about the traditional food in Baranja refers to the major population, the Croats (Šokci), catholics by religion. Their basic food is made of wheat, milk and milk products. They are on the menu almost during the whole year and in all occasions. Food prepared of meat, in the first place fowl and pork, are eaten mostly during the winter. Meals from vegetables are prepared mostly in summer, except beans, which is eaten through the whole year, especially on Fridays and days of fast It is important to mention that as spice hot red pepper is added to every meal and it is the same with onions - used as spice and added to the main dish. Pork was eaten mostly in winter - roasted or preserved in fat, dried and smoked in pieces or as home-made sausages. Lamb's meat was eaten very rarely. Instead of pork fowl (chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys) was prepared very often. The variety of traditional food is due to food which is prepared in poverty or as an addition to everyday meals. In rainy seasons snails and mushrooms were gathered; in villages near rivers and marshes people went fishing (and prepared the well-known fish stew - fiš paprikaš) or hunting on wild ducks and other birds. Special meals, besides the everyday food, have been eaten on feast days, during life (birth, wedding, death) and season (Christmas and Easter) occasions and customs.
Usually that food had some symbolic or traditional meaning, whether to warn us of something, forbid something or had magic meaning for good or evil. In future more attention should be paid to this matter. With a broader approach from historians and linguists and other scientists taking part in research and field work, their results would supplement this task. But this will be possible when this war ends.
Keywords
traditional diet; everyday diet; Easter; Christmas; Baranja
Hrčak ID:
75754
URI
Publication date:
8.3.1993.
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