Citrus × aurantium, commonly known as bitter orange or Seville orange, is an intriguing member of the citrus family with a rich history and a prominent presence in gastronomy. It is a hybrid, possibly between Citrus maxima (pomelo) and Citrus reticulata (tangerine), which spread from Southeast Asia to the Mediterranean. Its history […]
April Fools' Day, the food phase: Spaghetti tree on the BBC, fried bacon looping on Netflix
We also relax a little here at the food district on April 1, International Fool's Day. Over time, the mass media have tickled and promoted many gastronomic pranks, but only a few have remained in history. He had already invented the phonograph and was about to launch the incandescent light bulb. He seemed to be able to do anything. So when New […]
What are we missing to be noticed? Yes, Romania makes wine and not only that, but...
Romania does not perform outside its borders, and internally, the Romanian product is beaten side by side with the competition from abroad. Maybe we could use a radically different way of thinking compared to the strategies so far, proven ineffective (totally or partially) or even stupid. In recent years (actually decades) the press has reported on the disastrous participation […]
Bucharest goulash, invented by a Bulgarian woman in 2011 and presented as an authentic Romanian dish. Bonus: a plagiarized recipe that has nothing to do with reality
Today, in the column* what foreigners write about Romanian food in books sold on the Internet and which promise local gastronomy from the title, we have a special case, about which I had not yet had time to write. Here are some recipes that I would really try, but hardly or not frequented in our kitchens either domestic or restaurant: [...]
At Obor, birjar! Come on!
Last fall, in full pickle season, I was walking around Obor looking for the perfect ingredients for the cover photo of the Sarmale Collector. Then I got terribly angry, but I said not to write in the heat of the moment. How warm, because it was hot. Here I am half a year later just as sad. I hesitated […]
A short history of asparagus in Romanians (P)
Until recently, I thought that asparagus was a recent invention of the secret gastronomic services. This fabulous vegetable entered my life only after I passed 20 and arrived in Germany. Later, the shape and color "passed the glass" and, straight from the TV culinary shows, asparagus became a constant [...]
Lemons from Amalfi – the story of a fruit that has become a local gastronomic brand (P)
The day Napoli's players lifted the championship cup in Serie A (the third title, after a 30-year hiatus) I was there. I'm not a microbist. I watch football once every two years at the European and World championships, and I went to Italy for the atmosphere. And for food. In the […]
The peasant and the blogosphere: Lucian Dragomir, producer of organic vegetables goes to school on the Internet
Lucian Dragomir is a certified organic vegetable producer from Brașov, known especially for the brand: La Borcan. Recently, the responsible farmer - as he calls himself - launched luciandragomir.ro/ a blog where he describes all his experiences: from cultivation tips to untangling the related bureaucracy. Lucian Dragomir produces vegetables for some [...]
The buffet of the senses, an unmissable objective in Timișoara
I wrote on another occasion that classic wine tastings (and it's already inflation) are starting to get boring (apparently not just me). I'm referring to the tastings from a single producer organized in neutral spaces, that is, not to them in the yard because that's how it is there. However, I enthusiastically applaud any tasting […]
Registration for the National Zacusca Championship (rescheduled for autumn) begins
Culinary journalist Cosmin Dragomir, author of the volume Curatorul de Zacuscă, announces that he will organize the first edition of the National Championship of Zacuscă in autumn. The initiative is part of a longer-term partnership with the FNDA (National Federation of Authorized Tasters from Romania) who will also take care of the judging, according to international standards, of the dishes in the competition. Partner: […]