# Dolmas / grape leaves **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 17, 2008, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolmas-grape-leaves/441628 "2008-03-17T06:11:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2008, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolmas-grape-leaves/441628/1 "2008-03-17T06:11:15Z")
So, I recently discovered Dolmas, these tasty tasty little things that look like radioactive turds. Basically, it’s a Turkish/Mediterranean dish made from stuffing a vegetable with some other stuff (often other vegetables). The kind that you apparently see the most often, and the kind I’m familiar with, are grape leaves stuffed with a rice-based mixture. Mmmmm so good. Just thought I’d start a thread for those who like it, and maybe for Dolmas recipes. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2008, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolmas-grape-leaves/441628/2 "2008-03-17T10:04:48Z")
The best dolmades are stuffed with lamb and pistachios. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2008, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolmas-grape-leaves/441628/3 "2008-03-17T12:00:01Z")
My wife makes them with rice, tomato sauce, raisins and pine nuts. Her family is from the Balkans (Greece and Bulgaria), and those people’ll stuff _anything_. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2008, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolmas-grape-leaves/441628/4 "2008-03-17T14:15:28Z")
[QUOTE=Alessan] My wife makes them with rice, tomato sauce, raisins and pine nuts. Her family is from the Balkans (Greece and Bulgaria), and those people’ll stuff _anything_. [/QUOTE] Ah, yes, so I’ve heard. Especially the Greeks. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2008, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolmas-grape-leaves/441628/5 "2008-03-17T15:18:17Z")
I get them at the local Italian market. The first time I tired them I thought “these are really weird. I’m not sure I like them, I guess I will have to eat more.” I guess I decided I like them since I keep buying them every time I go there. Is the predominant spice that I taste mint? It took me a while to figure out because apparently cooked mint doesn’t taste minty. ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2008, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolmas-grape-leaves/441628/6 "2008-03-17T17:36:20Z")
I first became aware of them as “stuffed grape leaves,” and only recently have seen dolmas become the favored title… I guess I’m pretty lucky, they’re available by the pound from local grocery chains, in addition to being at every Mediterranean restaurant. So far, every variety I’ve encountered has been vegetarian-- no lamb or other meats-- but they vary widely from place to place. The ones I’ve had at my favorite Turkish place are pretty sweet, packed with raisins. At other places, more lemony or minty, or more savory and spicy. I’ve liked them all… ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2008, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolmas-grape-leaves/441628/7 "2008-03-17T17:42:14Z")
Best dolmas I’ve ever had are the ones from La Mediterranee in San Francisco (as part of the vegetarian middle eastern plate). Squeeze a little lemon over them–heavenly. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2008, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolmas-grape-leaves/441628/8 "2008-03-17T17:46:40Z")
I buy the ones in a glass jar at Trader Joe’s—dripping with olive oil. Mmmmmmmm.