The Romanian spicy chicken pan recipe is one of those dishes that became popular almost overnight. About 15 years ago, restaurants and pubs in Bucharest’s Old Town started adding it to their menus, usually as the ideal pre-club meal shared with friends. It quickly turned into a favourite because it is comforting, quick to prepare, […]
I’ve been thinking for a long time to write about “mamaliga”, this staple of the Romanian cuisine. But I’ve always delayed it because, even if it’s such a humble traditional dish, is so embedded into us, Romanians, that any way I’d explain the recipe, would create controversy. This is because no mamaliga is the same. […]
When I think back to my earliest memories in the kitchen, nothing comes close to the simple delight of Fidea cu Lapte. Spending the first few years of my life in my grandparents’ home under a communist regime, food was precious, and every sweet treat felt like a treasure. But my grandparents never let me […]
There are certain smells that instantly take me back to childhood, and one of them is the irresistible aroma of freshly baked crescent rolls filled with chocolate. For me, this Romanian chocolate filled crescent rolls recipe brings back memories of high school morning breaks, when I would run to the little bakery at the ground […]
Romanian Vegetarian Dishes, Traditional Romanian Dishes
Romanian Vegetables Stew Recipe – Ghiveci de Legume
I’ll be honest, growing up, I wasn’t the biggest fan of ghiveci de legume. I think it had something to do with the texture of aubergine, which my younger self refused to enjoy, or maybe it was because there was no meat in sight. As a child, the absence of meat in a meal automatically […]
I’ve been craving Romanian rhubarb cake ever since summer began. There’s something about that perfect balance between sweet and sour that makes it such a nostalgic treat. But somehow, every time I went to the supermarket, rhubarb was nowhere to be found. I’d almost forgotten about it, until one day I spotted a bunch of […]
Desserts, Traditional Romanian Dishes
Romanian Macaroni Pudding With Cottage Cheese and Raisins Recipe – Budinca de Macaroane
The Romanian macaroni pudding with cottage cheese and raisins is a dessert I grew up with, and this recipe brings in so many memories. Before I ever encountered spaghetti carbonara or penne arrabbiata, pasta, to me, meant one thing: sweet. This dish was a regular treat growing up, especially during school holidays, when my grandma […]
I am very fond of this extremely easy Romanian strawberry tart recipe, and I think that’s because it was one of the first desserts I learned to make as a child. It brings back such fond memories of hot summer days, sweet strawberries, and the thrill of “cooking” something all by myself. It was mostly […]
There’s no Romanian seaside holiday without the unmistakable smell of freshly fried hamsii drifting through the salty air. Walk along the promenade in Eforie Nord or Mangalia, where I used to go in holiday, and you’ll see beachgoers queuing for cardboard trays of sizzling hot anchovies still crackling from the fryer, sprinkled with coarse salt […]
Main meals, Traditional Romanian Dishes
Romanian Chicken and Onion Stew Recipe – Tocanita de Ceapa cu Pui
If you grew up in Romania—or even just had the joy of eating in a Romanian home—you already know that tocanita is the ultimate comfort food. It’s one of those dishes that doesn’t need much fuss. A few onions, some root veggies, maybe a bit of meat, and somehow it turns into something magical. Everyone […]