About

I first visited Romania in 2003 for a week's holiday and one of the first things that struck me, despite not understand a word of the language, was the obviously love affair Romanians have with their own food. I've yet to meet one who would honestly declare that Romanian food ranks amongst the top global cuisine, but for most mention of a hearty tripe soup (ciorba de burta), a plate of stuffed cabbage leaves (sarmale), or freshly made doughnuts with jam and cream (papanasi) will bring a smile to their face and a whimsical dreamy glaze to their eyes.

Romanian food is food of the countryside, food of the seasons, food cooked on a wood stove and served in earthenware bowls. Fine dining it may not be, but when made with the best local ingredients it is certainly fine eating. It is the hearthstone of family life and the basis of many a gathering to celebrate a variety of annual festival and special events.

I am not a chef and have never had any training. I'm merely an amateur with a passion for discovering food, and as I live in Romania, it seemed sensible to create a blog with a focus of the best that Romanian food can provide (or at least to within my abilities as a cook). The recipes I'll be posting will include traditional classics, regional specialties, as well as dishes commonly found in Romanian restaurant (even if not particularly traditional) that I feel represent the range of ingredients available in the country or reflect the tastes of the populous.

I've done my best to make the recipes as clear as possible but feel free to ask if you want something clarified. All the photographs are my own work and represent the dish as cooked according to the recipe listed. If you have any corrections, improvements, suggestions, or requests, please leave a comment somewhere on the site and I'll do my best to fulfill it.

All the recipes have a 'print friendly' link at the bottom. Click this to get a text-only version of the recipe that's quick and easy to print without depleting your coloured ink cartridge. Check the box at the top of the print page pop-up to exclude the photographs.

Pofta Buna!
Romfoody