BITE with ZEST

Sarma is so much more than just a meal – it is a symbol of winter tradition across the entire Balkans. 🥰

🔺While we consider it "ours," Sarma actually traces its roots back to the Ottoman Empire. The name itself comes from the Turkish word sarmak, meaning "to wrap" or "to roll."

🔺While grape leaves were more common in warmer regions, once it reached our lands, Sarma took on its iconic winter form: wrapped in sour cabbage (sauerkraut). 😎

Although classic Sarma is made with a meat and rice filling, our plant-based version proves it can be just as rich, satisfying, and aromatic in a vegan variety! 🤩

It is bound to delight even the biggest fans of the classic version. 😉

This isn’t just a "substitute" – it is a complete gastronomic experience. 🤩

What makes our Sarma so special? 😁

🔺The secret to the perfect texture and that authentic home-cooked taste lies in a unique blend of:

✔️ Lentils, smoked tofu, and crushed walnuts: Providing that characteristic "heartiness" and smoky aroma.

✔️ Authentic spices and sour cabbage: Preserving the traditional flavor we all know and love.

📌 Find the full recipe in our "Balkan Vegan" cookbook! Beyond this Sarma, you’ll find 55 more plant-based recipes – ranging from naturally vegan traditional dishes to our creative plant-based reinterpretations of Balkan classics. 😁

📌 Available in 4 languages: English, German, Slovenian, and Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian.

📌 Order now on our website: Bite With Zest (link in bio)

Although it may seem simple, choosing cabbage for fermentation is not an easy task.

Not all varieties are suitable for fermenting, and the right choice determines whether you’ll enjoy homemade sauerkraut all winter or regret the effort you put in. 😕

The wrong cabbage can spoil the entire process: heads may fall apart, develop an unpleasant smell, or become slimy 🤢.

Before heading to the market, read these useful tips to help you select cabbage that will ferment well and stay fresh and firm until spring.

📌The Right Time and Varieties for Fermentation

Early varieties with soft leaves are better suited for fresh consumption than for fermentation, as they break apart easily. Late, dense, and heavy heads withstand storage and fermentation better 💪.

🍂 The best time to buy and ferment cabbage is from mid-October to the end of November, when the heads are ripe, firm, and rich in natural sugars essential for fermentation.

Timing is important – don’t buy cabbage too early before it’s mature, and don’t wait too long, as frost-damaged heads lose firmness and fermentation quality ❄️.

📌Where to Buy Cabbage

The best place to buy cabbage is at a local market or directly from a farmer 🧑‍🌾.

If possible, always choose cabbage grown in open fields rather than in greenhouses – field-grown cabbage has firmer leaves and more natural sugars, making it better for fermenting 🌱.

📌How to Recognize Good Cabbage for Fermentation

⚠️When buying, choose heads with a white, clean root, as dark rings or spots can indicate they will spoil quickly.

Leaves should be thin, smooth, and pliable – thick, hard leaves ferment more slowly and may taste bitter, while damaged or wilted leaves can introduce bacteria that spoil the batch 🤏.

⚖️Choose heads weighing 3–4 kg, heavier than they look, with tightly packed inner leaves – these ferment best .

The ideal color is light green to white, while dark green leaves usually indicate older cabbage that ferments less well and loses texture 🌿.

The right cabbage is half the battle 😄. If you choose healthy, firm, and ripe heads, your jar will thank you – and you’ll enjoy the aroma and taste of homemade sauerkraut all winter.

It’s hard to imagine winter in the Balkans without the unmistakable smell and taste of sauerkraut. 🙈

This powerful food is a deeply rooted tradition and an essential part of winter preserves in almost every household. 😁

🔺In the Balkans, whole heads of cabbage are often fermented in large barrels. The preparation itself is a small ritual – choosing the best cabbages, carefully stacking them into barrels, adding salt and water, and then waiting patiently for nature to do its work.

🔺During the fermentation process, natural sugars in the cabbage break down and turn into acid, which gives sauerkraut its characteristic aroma and flavor while allowing it to be preserved for months.

At our home, this has become a joyful autumn tradition. Every year, we prepare our own sauerkraut – it’s much easier than it looks, and the process has turned into a kind of family event. My husband has actually become quite the expert (and takes great pride in it), while our son is slowly becoming a true fan of sauerkraut himself. 😃

Once ready, sauerkraut becomes the star of many winter dishes – from a simple salad served with beans to beloved classics like sarma, podvarak, and various stews. 🙂

Sauerkraut is a true winter treasure chest of nutrients. Just one serving contains a wealth of vitamins, minerals, and active microorganisms that strengthen the body. 💪

🔹During fermentation, probiotics are formed – beneficial bacteria that do wonders for digestion and the immune system. They act as the first line of defense against toxins and harmful microorganisms, support food breakdown, maintain gut microbiome balance, and boost nutrient absorption.

🔹Sauerkraut is rich in fiber, vitamin C and K, also whit iron.

🔹Thanks to vitamin C and iron, it helps the body fight off infections. Vitamin K2 and fiber help lower bad cholesterol and protect blood vessels, while K2 also supports calcium binding to bones. The fiber content promotes satiety, making sauerkraut an excellent ally in weight management. Fermentation also produces antioxidant compounds that protect cells from damage.

All of this confirms that behind this simple food lies an extraordinarily powerful ally for health. 💪

📌 HOME CANNING RECIPES FROM OUR BALKAN VEGAN COOKBOOK 📚

In the Balkans, home canning is much more than a way to preserve seasonal produce for the cold winter days. It preserves memories, the warmth of home, and the spirit of togetherness. 🏡💚

In our Balkan VEGAN cookbook, we’ve included several traditional home canning recipes, as they are an essential part of Balkan culture and cuisine. 🌿

🔸You’ll find sauerkraut, pinđur, quince sweet, and apple jam. 😊

🔹Sauerkraut is one of the most well-known types of fermented vegetables—not only in the Balkans but across Europe. Here, in the Balkans, whole cabbage heads are most often fermented and later used for salads, stews, stuffed cabbage rolls (sarma), baked cabbage (podvarak), and other dishes. 🥗🍲

🔹Pinđur is one of the favorite homemade spreads and a perfect addition to roasted vegetables, rice, or potato dishes.

🔹Quince sweet — this traditional dessert is a true symbol of hospitality. 💛 It’s served to guests with a glass of water and prepared so that the fruit remains whole, juicy, and beautifully visible in thick syrup. 🍮🍐

🔹Apple jam, made by slowly cooking apple juice and pulp for hours, was once used as a natural sweetener. 🍎

Through these recipes, we wanted to show how tradition and plant-based eating blend perfectly together. 🌱🤝💚

🔺The Balkan VEGAN cookbook is available in English, German, Slovenian, and Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian. 🌍📖

👉 For more information and orders, visit BITEwithZEST.com. 💻💚

Autumn in the Balkans has a very special scent 🍂✨

It doesn’t begin only with falling leaves, but also with colorful jars of home-canned fruits and vegetables filling basements and kitchens. 😍

🔸Home canning is much more than just preparing food – it’s part of our culture, family traditions, and memories passed down from generation to generation. 🏡💛

Since ancient times, people have preserved fruits and vegetables to save them for the cold months, when nature rests and the table longs for the flavors of summer and autumn. 😊

🔸In the Balkans, this time of year means that kitchens come alive with the smell of roasted peppers, simmering tomatoes, and sweet fruit bubbling in large pots. 😃

🔸Shelves slowly fill up with ajvar, pindjur, roasted peppers, pickled vegetables (beets/peppers/cucumbers/cauliflower…), sauerkraut, mixed vegetable salads (turšija), carrot and garlic salad, tomato sauces, jams, compotes, preserves, and even homemade juices and syrups.

Each jar carries a story – of family recipes carefully guarded, of long afternoons spent peeling, chopping, and stirring, and of laughter shared over steaming pots. 😄

In many households, autumn is unimaginable without this special “ritual”. ❤️

It’s a moment when families work together, talk, and laugh, and each jar becomes a little treasure of love and togetherness.👩‍👩‍👧‍👦

Although home canning was once a necessity, a way to feed families during times of scarcity, today it carries emotional value as well – reminding us of our roots, of grandma’s basement full of jars, and of the sense of security that comes from knowing something homemade and lovingly prepared awaits us at home. 💛

For us, home canning is a story about the connection, about family, community, and love for what nature gives us. 🌿

Follow us on this autumn journey! 🍁🚶‍♀️

In the coming weeks, we will share stories, tips, and little secrets from the world of home canning! ✨

🇧🇬 Sweet vegan moments through Bulgaria 🍰☕

Every trip leaves us with little moments that stay in our memory – warm drinks, cozy cafés, and perfectly sweet bites. 🌸

Between long walks, new cities, and spontaneous detours, we always found time for a dessert break – a quiet moment to slow down and enjoy the taste of the journey itself. ✨

🍮 Our favorites:
📍 Vita Rama Vegan Restaurant, Sofia – a lovely vegan cake and warm matcha tea 🍰🍵
📍 Bistro BONELA, Burgas – refreshing chia pudding with mango 🥭🍮
📍 Shtastliveca, Veliko Tarnovo – a slice of vegan cake and strong coffee ☕🍰

✨ From warm drinks to sweet pastries, every stop had its own little charm – and Bulgaria turned out to be sweeter and more vegan-friendly than we expected. 💚

🇧🇬 Vegan in Bulgaria – sometimes we cook, sometimes we explore 🌱🍽️

During our trip through Bulgaria, we mixed a bit of planning with spontaneity – sometimes we cooked our own meals, and other times we explored local vegan restaurants. ✨

🍲 What and where we ate:
📍 Ashurbanipal Iraqi Restaurant, Sofia - Fresh salad, fluffy rice, and tender green beans. 🥗🍚
📍 4 Directions Family Restaurant, Bansko - Bean soup, fresh salad, baked veggies with cheese, and crispy potatoes. 🥣🥔🧀
📍 Veggic 식당, Plovdiv – Day 1: wraps, a salad with vegan cheese, and potato salad. Day 2: wraps and a pizza. 🌯🍕
📍 Mekitsa & Coffee, Plovdiv - Crispy mekitsi with vegan cheese🥐🧀
📍 Street food, Sozopol - Hot corn on the cob by the sea. 🌽🌊
📍 Bistro BONELA, Burgas – Rice with chickpeas, falafel, and salad. 🥙
📍 La Pala Pizza, Varna - Vegan cheese pizza 🍕
📍 Shtastliveca, Veliko Tarnovo – Three grains, spinach, quinoa, and roasted potatoes. 🥬🍠
📍 Macchiato, Troyan - Mekitsi and freshly squeezed juice. 🥐

✨ Traveling vegan in Bulgaria turned out to be a delicious adventure. 🌍