On a beautiful spring morning  in a sleepy village the air was cool and light, and a gentle breeze blew, rustling through the vine leaves, and creating a soothing sound. The village cook, Maria Burcuta, was out early to harvest vine leaves for stuffed grape leaves. These are flavor-packed vine leaves, with a stuffing mixture based on meat, rice, and spices. “The first thing to do is harvest the fresh grape leaves, and if you have the time, you’ll want to stock up for the entire year. The grapevine leaves are harvested in May or June (depending on the areas where you live), before the vine blossomed, when the grapevine leaf is ripe, with a suitable size, not too big, but not too small. Choose light green leaves that do not have thickened veins. It is best to pick them before the first spray in the spring”, she said. After she had gathered enough leaves, she stacked the leaves in piles of five, rolled up from side to side, then she stuffed them into bottles sealed with bottle cap. If stored properly, they can last up to two years. A few months later, the bottles are cut in half and the … Continue reading Stuffed Grape Leaves With Ground Meat and Rice (Video Recipe)