Of the importance of a leaf: the ethnobotany of sarma in Turkey and the Balkans

摘要: Sarma - cooked leaves rolled around a filling made from rice and/or minced meat, possibly vegetables and seasoning plants – represents one of the most widespread feasting dishes Middle Eastern South-Eastern European cuisines. Although cabbage grape vine sarma is well-known worldwide, use alternative plant remains largely unexplored. The aim this research was to document all botanical taxa whose are used for preparing in folk cuisines Turkey Balkans. Field studies were conducted during broader ethnobotanical surveys, as well ad-hoc investigations between years 2011 2014 that included diverse rural communities Croatia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey. Primary folkloric literatures each country also considered. Eighty-seven taxa, mainly wild, belonging 50 genera 27 families, found represent bio-cultural heritage greatest biodiversity and, less extent, Bulgaria Romania. commonly those (both fresh lacto-fermented), vine, beet, dock, sorrel, horseradish, lime tree, bean, spinach. In few cases, endemic species (Centaurea haradjianii, Rumex gracilescens, R. olympicus Turkey) recorded. Other uncommon preparations based on lightly toxic such potato NE Arum, Convolvulus, Smilax Turkey, Phytolacca americana Tussilago farfara countries. Moreover, introduced Reynoutria japonica Colocasia esculenta Macedonia shows dynamic nature rich diversity confirms urgent need record culinary knowledge. results presented here can be implemented into initiatives aimed at re-evaluating niche food markets local neglected ingredients, foster trajectories avant-garde inspired by