Transylvanian Cookbook

SOUR SOUPS “CIORBA” & SOUPS 

In Transylvania, Ciorba is what pasta is for Italians.

It is the indispensable dish of any lunch or dinner in a Transylvanian family. 

It replaces the role of the salad, and is useful for digestion as it uses lemon, vinegar, and sometimes sauerkraut brine to dress it. 

Usually Ciorba is cooked in large quantities 8 qts. -4 l. at once -and the family of 3-4 persons eats it during the next 2-3 days. To serve, usually sour cream is added; and the majority of the Ciorba’s are dressed with egg, milk and flour.