March 31, 2014

Romania at a glance!

A month ago, I left a cold Pittsburgh, went to a spring-like Romania and came back to an even colder Steel City.  But the time in Romania was worthwhile as it was filled with birthday parties, barbecues, frequent trips to the open market, and home-cooked meals with my grandmother.  Nothing short of perfection!   




It was a whole year ago that I went to see my family in Transylvania and the trip coincided again with my birthday, which is always celebratory and exciting!  If last year, I specifically insisted that my Grandma Vicki included these spectacular Nutella filled Cookies on my birthday dessert menu, this year, her epic Chocolate Cake with Walnut Brittle took center stage.  And Adrian’s cousin Alex called it “the Bomb”!  Stay tuned for this recipe, you will not want to miss it!  




Of course, in my grandma’s kitchen one dessert is never enough, so the Chocolate Cake was nicely accompanied by a Coffee Cream Cake and a Chestnut Cake.  All gorgeous and mouthwatering! 





After an outrageously mild winter, spring came early in Romania.  The moment the sun was out and the temperatures started to climb, Romanians had two things on their mind: picnics and grilling.  As always, the mititei, those small sausage shaped patties, were extremely popular; and so were the pork steaks, chicken drumsticks, fish and these amazing Chicken Burgers, which got me a standing ovation!





As you can see, people love to crowd around the grill, literally, and get lost in a cloud of smoke!  



When spring fever hits, Romanians start vegging out in parks, soaking up the sun and relishing some crunchy pretzels.




I prefer a trip to the open markets that are overflowing with fresh produce the moment spring rolls around.    





And I can never turn down a visit to a traditional restaurant!




Apple crusted pork chops with mashed potatoes and caramelized plums.




Spicy pork shoulder with rice, runny egg and homemade pickles.




Gulyas – Traditional Hungarian Beef Stew.




But more often than not, home-cooked meals are the best and even more gratifying when you introduce your hero, in this case my grandma Vicki, to new recipes such as the juicy Chicken Burgers, this elegant Maple Sweet Potato Cake or this one of a kind Pudding Cake of Honey, Cinnamon and Plums!   



Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)

24 comments:

  1. Gorgeous pictures from what sounds like an amazing trip! I was just thinking of you the other day and wondering when we'd hear from you again. Welcome back :)

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    1. Thank you so much, Katy! The trip was indeed amazing but it's always good to be back :)

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  2. Great pictures and great memories...

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    1. Thank you, Lumi! We had a wonderful time :)

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  3. The colors of the landscape, the cities and the food are all so bright! After our "white out" winter here, what a welcome sight to see that Romania is still "in color!" AND, delicious! Love, Louise

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    1. Thank you, Louise! We found a colorful Romania, quite different from the cold and white Pittsburgh we left behind, but it's good to be back :)

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  4. I’ve never been to Europe but now I’m inspired to visit Transylvania and Romania! The pictures are stunning and I love the picture with the spicy pork shoulder with runny eggs and homemade pickles :) I bet it tastes great, too! Laura

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    1. Thank you so much, Laura! I think that you would love Transylvania and Romania. And you're right – the pork shoulder with runny egg was absolutely delicious :)

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  5. What stunning photos of Romania, so full of rich culture and beautiful food :D

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

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    1. Thanks so much for the wonderful comment, Uru!

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  6. The pictures are breathtaking and now I can’t wait to go to the farmer’s market this weekend! Joshua

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    1. Thank you so much, Joshua! I also can't wait for the farmer's markets to open in Pittsburgh and pay them a visit soon :)

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  7. Beautiful pictures. And all those desserts sound fantastic!

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    1. Thank you so much for stopping by, Bianca! It's always great to hear from you :)

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  8. What a wonderful trip! And the food you enjoyed looks marvelous!!!

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    1. Thank you, Liz! It was a wonderful trip and it's always fun to go home and enjoy some traditional food :)

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  9. I've never been to Romania but I've always wanted to visit. Your images are stunning and it looks really beautiful. The cake is very pretty xx

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    1. Thank you so much, Charlie! We had a wonderful time and the cake was divine :)

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  10. My wife has some ancestors from Transylvania -- we'd love to go sometime. Love the pictures, and what a great post! So informative and interesting. Thanks so much.

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    1. Thank you so much for your wonderful words! It's always such a joy to learn that my readers find my posts informative and interesting :) And I think that you would love Transylvania!

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  11. Wonderful food and lovely country! It looks like you had a great time there.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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    1. Thank you so much, Rosa! We did have a great time and wonderful food :)

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  12. Hi Dana,

    You are making me drool looking at all the delicious Romanian food! Ops!

    Everything looks lovely for your trip. Glad that you enjoyed it :D

    Zoe

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    1. Thank you, Zoe! It was a lovely trip indeed filled with delicious food :D

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