ROMANIA FOOD AND WINE

The seasons generally influence the food offered. During summer and autumn markets overflow with fresh vegetables and fruits coming from the local farms. Radishes, spring onions, potatoes, nettles, spinach, lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers delight the shoppers in April and May. From the end of May to late September there is a large variety of fruit: cherries, apricots, strawberries, raspberries, plums, pears, melons and watermelons, peaches, blackberries, blueberries, apples, grapes, quinces and nuts. Beekeeping has always been one of the traditional occupations in Romania, and the products (honey, wax, honeycombs) are also sold on the market. The best-known dish is sarmale, called also with the diminutive sărmăluţe, (mincemeat wrapped in cabbage or vine leaves) with mămăligă (polenta).

Stews (tocăniţe) made with different kinds of meat (usually chicken and pork) and with vegetables also figure on the restaurant menus, as well as different kinds of soups. Ciorbă de burtă (tripe soup) served with garlic or hot chilli pepper and vinegar is one of the favourites among Romanians. Pork prepared in different ways is one of the most common ingredients, and all restaurants serve pork chops (cotlet) with French fries and salad.There are not very many dishes for vegetarians, as Romanians consider a meal without meat very poor indeed. Some dishes are ghiveci (mixed fried vegetables), ardei umpluţi (stuffed peppers, although these might have meat, too) and ouă umplute (filled eggs), besides different kinds of salads and local cheese.

Grind the meat with a raw onion. Place in a bowl and mix with rice, pepper, salt, paprika, and finely chopped onion. Mix everything well. Core the cabbage with a sharp thin knife. Carefully remove the cabbage leaves, one by one, so that they do not tear. Cut larger leaves in 2 or 3 and then place a little meat in each cabbage piece and roll in. The smaller the rolls are, the tastier they are. Place a layer of rolls in the pan (take a deep one), then cover with a layer of chopped (julienned) cabbage and the bay leafs, then a layer of thinly sliced tomatoes. Do this layering until all the rolls are made. The last layer must be tomato slices and add tomato sauce. Then place in the oven so that the liquid is reduced. Serve hot with sour cream.* When soured cabbage is not available, use cabbage leaves scalded in water.

Romanian Style Polenta (Mamaliga)1 qt. Water, 1-2 cups corn meal, 2 tsp. salt.

Boil water and salt in a pot. When water is boiling, gradually add corn meal while stirring the mixture with a whisk. Stop adding corn meal when the mixture is considerably thick, though still liquid. Continue to simmer for about 10-15 minutes, with caution since the mixture bubbles up and splatters hot polenta around. Remove from the heat and serve hot with your favorite dish.

At home, the peasants’ meal almost always contains polenta (mămăligă) that is also known as the “bread of the peasant”. Some centuries ago, when Romania was strictly divided into two social groups, the boyars and the peasants, bread was only eaten by the boyars. Nowadays the situation is different and mămăligă is the traditional dish for everyone, although in towns it is not eaten daily as in the countryside. A traditional combination on farms is mămăligă and smoked pork fat called slănină with garlic, chased with a small glass of ţuică. A dish associated with the life of shepherds on the hills is mămăligă with sheep-milk cheese.

Cabbage rolls ( Sarmale)1 large soured cabbage, 1 3/4 lb/750 g ground meat (mixture of pork and beef is recommended), 2 large onions, 2 tablespoons rice, 2 tomatoes or 500 mL tomato sauce, salt, pepper, sweet paprika and sour cream (optional).

This is one of the most popular Romanian traditional dishes. It’s mostly a winter dish, but we also eat it at weddings or any kind of celebration.1 large soured cabbage, 1 3/4 lb/750 g ground meat (mixture of pork and beef is recommended), 2 large onions, 2 tablespoons rice, 2 tomatoes or 500 ml tomato sauce, salt, pepper, sweet paprika and sour cream (optional).Grind the meat with a raw onion. Place in a bowl and mix with rice, pepper, salt, paprika, and finely chopped onion. mix everything well. Core the cabbage with a sharp thin knife. Carefully remove the cabbage leaves, one by one, so that they do not tear. Cut larger leaves in 2 or 3 and then place a little meat in each cabbage piece and roll in. The smaller the rolls are, the tastier they are. Place a layer of rolls in the pan (take a deep one), then cover with a layer of chopped (julienned) cabbage and the bay leafs, then a layer of thinly sliced tomatoes

Do this layering until all the rolls are made. The last layer must be tomato slices and add tomato sauce. Then place in the oven so that the liquid is reduced. Serve hot with sour cream and with polenta, if you like it. It’s better to make them the day before you eat them, the flavour has to “settle down”.It’s not the only way they can be made . When soured cabbage is not available, use cabbage leaves scalded in water

Beginning from the 19th century new varieties like Sauvignon, Pinot gris, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Muscat Ottonel , have been added to the natives ones because of the vine disease that spread all over the country.The assortment for the white wines are dominated by three varieties, two of them are natives and one is foreigner : Feteasca albă, Feteasca regală and Italian Riesling. For the red wines the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot varieties have a great extension.From one end to another , Romania is a real kingdom of Bacchus plant. In Moldavia there are the vineyards of Cotnari that contain largely native varieties of Tămâioasă Românească, Frâncuşă and Feteasca albă. In the very heart of Moldavia, extending over seven hills, lies Iaşi, the old capital of Voivodes, a symbol city of Romanian culture. Surrounding this are the vineyards of Copou and Bucium, producing wines like Aligote, Riesling and Muscat Ottonel. To the south, near Prut river, lies another famous vineyard of Huşi, producing Busuioaca de Bohotin of delicate flavour and nuance. The vineyards of Nicoreşti and Panciu produce Băbească andPanciu, and the vineyard of Odobeşti bottles Galbena de Odobeşti.Wallachia has famous vineyards at Dealu Mare, Valea Călugprească, Pietroasele, Ştefăneşti, Drăgăşani and Segarcea with excellent red wines.The vineyards of Transylvania and Banat have provided for centuries wines for the imperial court of Vienna.

Romania is a country of wines and grape harvesting has always been an opportunity for merry-making. Battles and important business at the princely courts were postponed, and the lords settled camp amid vines, with Gypsy orchestras resounding high and low. Cries of joy and folk dances heralded the birth, in oak barrels, of the much expected new wine, which in a matter of days, turned into wine.In the lands of Wallachia, Transylvania and Moldavia- the historical provinces of Romania- numberless and famous wines are produced, some of them having been met at the tables of several royal courts of Europe and not only. The famous Romanian Cotnari wine from Moldavia, was one of the favorites wines of the tsar Peter the Great.Oak barrels at Cotnari

One of the oldest occupations of the Romanians was the vine-growing. From all parts of Europe, Tracia was considered the oldest and respected area for its wines. It is believed that Tracia was the birthplace of the god of wine - Dionysus.Tracia was the homeland of the Dacians - the Romanian ancestors. In the 1st century BC, the Dacian king, Burebista, ordered to be destroyed all the vineyards and drinking wine was forbidden.

This drastic measures were taken in order to prevent the intemperance of his people and also to avoid the migratory people's attack, especially from the East, who came here attracted by the famous vineyards and not only.

Moldavia ...peace and wine, the best way to find yourselfAll is so peaceful here. I think Moldavia is a land for writers, for thinkers, for those who are searching themselves, who want to find the deep down of their soul.

Hmmm... wine and soul... interesting combination.

Moldavia is the eastern province of Romania. Its land follows down, step by step, from mountains, through hills to the Prut River plain. And with so many sunny hills it's natural for this Romanian province to be the land of vineyards. The greatest wine producer of Romania.

And Moldavian people are like hills they live. Sweet and mild. Even their language is alike. They speak Romanian, like all the rest. But because they tend to soft words Moldavians have a special, sweet accent.

From Teremia, Recaş, Miniş, Tarnave and Silvania came varieties with names as rich as they tasted : Majarca, Creaţă, Steinschiller (these are native varieties of white wines), Traminer roz, Fetească Albă, Fetească regală, Savignon, Pinot gris, Muscat Ottonel.In the region of Dobruja , the land between the Danube River and the Black Sea, lie the vineyards of Oltina and Medgidia, Murfatlar and Niculiţel with some remarcable wines like Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir,Riesling, Pinot gris, Aligote, Muscat Ottonel and Chardonnay.

And Moldavian people are like hills they live. Sweet and mild. Even their language is alike. They speak Romanian, like all the rest. But because they tend to soft words Moldavians have a special, sweet accent.

Foreigners generally know Moldavia because of its painted monasteries or its wine. But what about its fortresses? Yes, right. Not so well preserved as Transylvanian fortresses but still beautiful. What about extraordinary cultural medieval city Iasi? What about its nature side? Nothing? Well, I'm here to help you enrich your knowledge.

I wrote this page not only to easier locate this province but also to help you to establish a parallel between Moldavia, the province of Romania and Republic Moldavia, the independent, neighbour state.

What is my connection with Moldavia? Of course I have one!! Or maybe more... Little but not insignificant. If you ever heard about the great Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci... well... she was born and grew up in the same town.

Am I too proud? Maybe. But let's go to...

Here, in Moldavia, traditions are not so different from a county to another like in Transylvania. Pieces of popular costumes are very much alike. But colours and artistic sewing are still different.

The most powerful tradition is the grape vine culture and wine production. And that's why, from spring to autumn, all customs are more or less related to this trade.

But during the winter pottery, wooden crafts, sewing their costumes, weaving, icons painting, eggs colouring, folk masks manufacturing are their occupations.

It's impossible to not love Moldavia. Cause Moldavia is like the juice of its graphs, sweet and jammy.