Winter stores
Winter stores(Zimnica) can be listed as one of Serbian traditions. Winter stores were made so seasoned fruits and vegetables can be used out of weather season in which they grow. It is preserved in jars and barrels and stored in cellar or pantry. Nowadays you can buy winter stores in markets, but tradition on house made winter stores is still present. Winter stores means making pickled vegetables(cabbage, paprika, carrot, cauliflower...) and cooking of vegetables and fruits. A lots of dishes are made of sauerkraut (podvarak, kiseli kupus, sarma), while other vegetables are served as salad(Turšija). Paprika is most used vegetable, it can be cooked, roasted or pickled. Cooked vegetables is also used as ingredient for salads. Paprika, eggplant and beet are cooked. Salad called Ajvar is made from paprika and eggplant. Most used fruits for cooking are plums, apricots, peaches and cherries. Jam (džem, pekmez) and marmalade are made from cooked fruits. Difference is in their thickness. Slatko is food similar to jam, difference is in fact that slatko has fruit pieces in it. There is custom to serve slatko and water when guest are coming in the house. Jam and marmalade are usually served with bread and butter, generally for breakfast. They are also served with pancakes and are used as ingredients for cookies. In addition to cooking fruits can be left frozen and used later as ingredients for making cookies(cherries, raspberries) or it can be dried(plums, apples, pears, apricots). Winter stores is very important ingredient in Serbian cuisine, without it there would not be many dishes that are well known in our kitchen. 
