Albanian Traditional Costumes

Albanian Traditional Costumes are the traditional clothing worn

by the Albanians. Like the other Balkan countries Albania, has its
own branch of clothing. There are more than 200 different kinds
of traditional costumes in Albania. This is due to the division the
Albanian principates in Ancient Times and the Middle Ages.
Almost every region in Albania has its own way of traditional
dressing.

The fustanella, or Albanian kilt, was common dress for men

until the 1400s. Fustanella was a significant component of
traditional Greek and Albanian dress, originated in this region and
the ancestors of the Arvanites - an Orthodox Christian Albanian-
speaking Greek-identifying community in Greece migrated from
this region to present-day Greece in the Middle Ages. Common
villagers and rural people wore a fustanella made from coarse
linen or wool; more affluent men wore silk. Fustanella is part of
traditional Albanian, Greek and Macedonian dress, adopted by the
Royal Guard of Albania (19241939). Fustanella is very heavy,
dagger-proof, and practical for scrambling over rocky terrains.

When Albania was ruled by the Ottoman Empire (1468-1912),

many aspects of Turkish culture were adopted by Albanians. In
rural areas, men may still wear the fez, a traditional Turkish cap,
and a colorful cloth belt. Women may wear embroidered blouses
in the Turkish style, with loose pants /shalvaras/. A man's costume
from Malesia (Malcija Vogel area) consists of close-fitting woolen
trousers with black cord trim, an apron of wool with a leather belt
buckled over it, and a silk jacket with long dull red sleeves with
white stripes. A long sleeveless coat may be worn over the jacket
along with an outer, short-sleeved jacket (dzurdin). The head and
neck may be covered with a white cloth.
 Traditional women costume of southern Albania features a
blouse with wide cuffs in fabric to match an embroidered vest. A
pleated petticoat is worn under a full skirt, and an elaborately
embroidered apron and sash complete the outfit. Gold chains
cascade from the neckline, are gathered into the sash, and are
tucked into a pocket at the right side of the skirt. A kerchief
covers the woman's hair.

In the north, the sleeves of the blouse are wide, with lace
embroidery along the edges. Embroidery on the apron is
elaborate, but distinct from the style of southern Albanian women.
Gold coins are worn on a headband and on several strands of
necklace that adorn the bodice (upper part) of the dress.

In cities, conservative Western-style dress is more common.

Albanians are modest, however. Neither men nor women wear
shorts or other revealing clothing. Traditional clothing is seen
mostly at theatrical or folk dance performances in cities

.Albanian cuisine
The cuisine of Albania is Mediterranean, influenced by many
including Italian and Turkish cooking. Albanian cuisine is
characterized by the use of spices such as black pepper and
Mediterranean herbs such as oregano, mint, basil, rosemary and
more in cooking meat and fish, but also chilli pepper and garlic.

Vegetables are used in almost every dish.

The main meal of the Albanians is lunch, which usually consists of

gjell (stew), the main dish of slowly cooked meat with various
vegetables, and a salad of fresh vegetables, such as tomatoes,
cucumbers, green peppers, and olives. The salad is dressed with
salt, olive oil, vinegar and/or lemon juice.

Meat is used heavily in dishes, including the intestines and head

among other parts which are considered a delicacy. Dairy
products are integral part of the cuisine usually accompanied with
ever present bread and alcoholic beverages such as Raki. Seafood
specialities are also common in the coastal cities such as Durrs,
Vlor, Shkoder, Lezhe and Sarand.

Appetizers

Wheat Bread (Buk gruri) or corn bread (Buk misri) are ever-
present on the Albanian table. Hence the expression for "going to
eat a meal" (Albanian: pr t ngrn buk) can be literally
translated as "going to eat bread."

Chicken livers

Eggplant appetizers

Dolma

Stuffed Peppers (green peppers stuffed with rice, meat, other

vegetables and herbs)

Pickled cabbage (Turshi lakre)

Fried sardines with lemon (sardele me Limon)

Albanian-style meze platters that include prosciutto ham,

salami and feta cheese, accompanied with roasted bell peppers
(capsicum) and/or green olives marinated in olive oil with garlic or
onions.

Papare: bread leftovers cooked with water, egg, and Gjize (a

special type of Ricotta)

Salads

Albanian potato salad

Albanian tossed salad

Bean salad

Cabbage salad
 Tomato and pepper salad

Soups

Tarator is a chilled yogurt and cucumber drink and is popular in

the summer months

Bean Jahni soup

Potato and cabbage soup

Soup with lemon

Tarator

Trahana

Fish

Oven-baked trout (or Ohrid trout) with onions and tomatoes

Baked whiting, carp, mullet or eel with olive oil and garlic

Meat

Hasude with milk

Tav kosi, baked lamb and yogurt dish

veal or chicken with walnuts[1]

Frges of Tirana with veal

Fried meatballs or Qofte t frguara.

Kolloface Kore

Veal with very large lima beans

Harapash, polenta with the intestines of lamb, butter, cheese

and corn flour
 Pae - common throughout the country and it is traditionally
popular in Albania. Pae is made with a sheep's, pig's or any
cattle's head, boiled until meat comes off easily. It is then stewed
with garlic, onion, black pepper, and vinegar. Sometimes a little
flour is added to thicken the stew. It makes a hot and hearty
winter stew.

Vegetables

Dolma

Dolma (in Serbia known as Sarma and in South Eastern

Montenegro known as Japrak) a family of stuffed vegetable
dishes

Baked leeks

Frges of Tirana with peppers

Peppers stuffed with rice, meat and vegetables

Stuffed aubergines with cheese

Pies

Byrek in Albania

Bakllasarm. It is also called Mantia, but it is not the dumpling

form of the Turkish Manti.

Byrek Albanian vegetable pie; it can also have feta cheese,

spinach, cabbage, tomatoes, or meat; it's a layered pie made with
filo pastry. Another version of the fillings is served as a filling for
"pite" or "pita".

Kungullur Pastry layers filled with mashed pumpkin, butter,

salt or sugar

Bakllasarm A traditional food prepared in Kosovo and

Albania: it's layered pie also known as "pite" or "pita" (Byrek)
without anything inside, which is covered with yogurt and garlic,
and then heated again. It is eaten for lunch.

Flia A traditional food prepared in Kosovo and Albania.

Patisseries are in every Albanian city. The most common desserts

in Albania are made throughout the Balkans:

Halv

Revani me sherbet

Hasude/Revani me niseshte

Tambloriz

Shndetlie me mjalt

Kabuni

Custard

Tollumba fried dough pieces in syrup

Gliko and fruit jams

Drinks

A glass of boza

Mineral water is one of the most preferred non-alcoholic drinks in

Albania, along with carbonated beverages. Some of these are
produced locally and some are imported.

Carbonated and mineral waters

Milk

Yogurt (Kos)

Mountain Tea (aj Mali)

Various fruit juices and soft drinks

Albanian buttermilk (Dhall)

Beer (local Birra Tirana, Birra Kora and Birra Puka)

Boza

Raki

Cognac (local Konjak Sknderbeu)

Albanian win