"Obsternte" (fruit harvest)

by Alex Leeb

From L-R vegetables displayed are: A small marrow and lettuce; in the basket tomatoes, apples, potatoes, peppers on the ground and pears in the larger basket. To the right, grapes are put into the grinder.

The Press in the centre.  While being pressed, the juice of the grapes runs into the bucket on the ground.  The boy takes the juice from the bucket then pours the juice into a wooden funnel into a wooden barrel.  Grandfather is demonstrating by holding a glass of juice or later turning into wine.

The way the equipment is placed and the way the men are dressed it appears this arrangement was staged for the photo.  White shirts and Sunday boots, notice the gentleman in the center wearing his Sunday boots, while the gentleman on the right is barefooted.

Judging their dress wear, it could be from the Lugosch area.  Then on the other hand, looking at the dress wear on the lady standing in the "Gang" it could be in the "Saderlach" district.

The vegetables are placed for display.  Most of the Schnapps was made from plums and mulberries. "Slivowicz" was popular in the formerly Yugoslavia. "Palinka" was made from apricots and was very popular in Hungary.

Modest white table wines are produced in Moravia and Slovakia but the best wine comes from Hungary around Lake Balaton and a little further north in the prized Badacsonyi region and in the south in Villany close to Croatia and Serbia.  Hungary is also famous for its very sweet dessert win called "tokai" produced in a small area in the north of the country straddling the border with Slovakia.  It may be drank at both the beginning and end of a meal or added to the consommé.

Whatever the country of origin, German lager-style beer is enjoyed throughout Central Eastern Europe and is sometimes used in cooking.  Czech beer from Plsen is arguably the finest in the world.