Happy 90th Birthday, Virginia Zeani !

Una din cele mai mari soprane ale lumii, implineste astazi 90 de ani. La multi ani, Virginia Zeani !

Romania is for many westerners a place of mystery. In fact, many people might even have a hard time finding it on a map. Yet it is a land rich in culture, with a unique heritage. Paula Berger – artist, writer and cuisine reviewer – has created a beautiful illustrated cookbook that was inspired by a Romanian story written by Ion Creanga,The Little Purse with Two Pennies.
Paula Berger has entitled her book, The Little Purse with 200 Recipes. It is illustrated with photographs of food that are so gorgeous you can practically see the steam rising off the dishes and smell the incredible aroma of the cooked food. At first glance, the bold colors and dense detail looks very much like Jan Brett’s picture book illustrations. But a closer examination reveals that while there are elements in common, Paula’s work is uniquely her own while drawing upon traditions suitable for this particular project. Each chapter of the book is headed up with an original picture showing one of Romania’s story book characters or traditional stories and followed up with Romanian cuisine.

All of the work on the book is done by Paula and her husband, Holger. She has created a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign to pay for 1000 copies of the book to be printed, with enough above that to take care of the campaign costs. When printed, the book will ship anywhere in the world. With only 1000 copies planned, collectors will need to request their copy early.

The term collectors is used here because this is a beautiful little book with incredible illustrations. Paula Berger has been collaborating with food magazines, and has work published both online and off. A visit to her website, will reveal an incredible talent. This is not your average regional cookery book. It is a true enogastronomic art work.

If you have not previously encountered the term, enogastronomy is the practice of traveling from one country to another, sampling their food and drink. This book reflects the rich history and natural resources of Romania. To fully appreciate this lovely work, let’s take a look at Romania.

The country is east of Hungary, and its western border opens out on the Black Sea. To the south, you will find Yugoslavia and Bulgaria; to the north is Chisinau and the Ukraine. The terrain includes the Carpathian Mountains, access to the Black Sea and the Danube River and Danube delta where it empties into the Black Sea. This means that the natural land has rich hunting and fishing resources, as well as being an area where both grain and grapes are grown. Country dinners are traditionally rich and elaborate, with a wide variety of foods.

Rewards for pledging to this crowdfunding campaign includes postcards and tote bags imprinted with Paula’s beautiful artwork and photographs, as well as art work and signed copies of the book. This is a book that you will want to keep on your coffee table for guests to enjoy – not in the kitchen. Which is not to say that the recipes are not tasty – if they taste as good as the appearance of the sample photographs indicate, they will be a gastronomic delight.

Pig Feet with Cabbage - Ciolan de porc cu varza

Pig Feet with Cabbage - Ciolan de porc cu varza

Deer Goulas - Gulas de Cerb

Deer Goulas - Gulas de Cerb

Chicken with sour cream - Pui cu smântână

Pui cu smantana

Roasted pheasant with chestnuts - Friptura de fazan cu castane

Friptura de fazan cu castane

Sarmale - Cabbage Rolls

Sarmale - Pickled cabbage leaves stuffed with a mix of minced meats, rice and spices.

Moldavian Breaded Meat Patty - Parjoale Moldovenesti

        Moldavian Breaded Meat Patty -   Parjoale Moldovenesti

The Little Purse with 200 Recipes

The Little Purse with 200 Recipes

Aug 19

Traditional Romanian Cuisine in a book of 450 pages, 200 color photos of recipes and classical Romanian fairy- tales illustrated.

Chiftele de Sparanghel la cuptor

                                        Culorile Toamnei ! Chiftele de Sparanghel

Chiar daca timpul recoltarii sparanghelului a trecut, se mai gaseste de cumparat la supermarchet.
Iata o reteta de pregatire a sparanghelului un pic altfel decat clasicul sparanghel fiert cu sos olandez.
Reteta este din Cartea de Bucate a Sandei Marin, publicata in 1936.

Ingrediente:

-1kg sparanghel
- 2 l apa
- 2 linguri faina
- 2 linguri branza rasa
- 1 lingura unt
- 3 oua
- 3 linguri ulei
- 1 ceasca smantana
- sare, piper

Pentru chiftele se prefera sparanghel cu firul verde si subtire.
Se curata, se fierbe in apa cu sare dupa care se lasa la scurs.
Se trece prin masina de tocat carne.
Se adauga faina, branza, o lingura de unt, ouale puse pe rand si se sareaza dupa gust.
Se amesteca totul impreuna, va iesi o pasta groasa ca o smantana.
Se ia cu lingura din compozitie, se da drumul intr-o tigaie cu ulei incins si se rumenesc pe ambele parti.
Se aseaza apoi intr-o forma rezistenta la foc.
Se toarna deasupra smantana amestecata cu o lingurita de faina, se presara branza rasa.
Se dau la cuptorul incins la 180° timp de 1/2 ora.

Bun venit, toamnă ! Pui cu bulion de caise

Bun venit, toamnă!

155 de ani de la nașterea sopranei Hariclea Darclée

155 years ago… one afternoon the 10th of june, in a city on the left bank of the Danube  - Braila, Romania… a frail and delicate little girl was born, eyes dark as olives… she would later become the Glory of National and International Theatre : the Legendary Soprano Hariclea Darclee – the "Nightingale of the Carpathians".
An unsurpassed myth, talented genius that inspired great composers like Verdi, Puccini, Gomes, Gounod, Leoncavallo, Catalani, Mascagni, etc.....this great artist fills an unique position in the universal history of opera.

Hariclea Darclee in rolul Elisabetei din opera Tannhäuser de Wagner - premiera Teatro alla Scala Milano, 1891.

In 1900 Darclee was the first Floria Tosca and especially for her Puccini created one of the best arias in the lyric repertoire "Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore".

Tosca Cake / Prajitura Tosca - cu mac si crema de vanilie

La implinirea a 155 de ani de la nasterea Legendarei Soprane Hariclea Darclee, prima interpreta a Floriei Tosca de Giacomo Puccini, am pregatit un desert clasic din bucataria romaneasca: Prajitura Tosca.

Ingrediente:

Pentru Blat:

- 8 albusuri

- 250 g zahar

- 100 g mac

- 100 g nuca de cocos

- 3 linguri de faina (75 g)

- 1 praf de sare

- 10 g praf de copt

Pentru Crema:

- 8 galbenusuri

- 200 g zahar

- 1 plic budinca de vanilie

- 400 ml lapte

- 200 g unt moale

Pentru Topping:

- 120 g biscuiti Petit Beurre

- 200 ml cafea cu lapte sau capuccino

- 200 g ciocolata cu lapte

Preparare:

Albusurile se bat spuma tare cu un praf de sare.
Se adauga treptat zaharul si se mixeaza ca la bezele, pana cand zaharul e topit iar spuma e stralucitoare si nu cade de pe tel.
Incorporam pe rand macul, nuca de cocos, apoi presaram faina amestecata cu praful de copt in ploaie, amestecand cu grija de jos in sus pentru a nu se lasa albusurile.
Turnam apoi compozitia blatului intr-o tava tapetata cu hartie de copt (dimensinile 30 x 25 cm) si introducem in cuptorul preincalzit la 175°C.
Se coace timp de 30 minute, se testeaza cu scobitoarea pentru a fi siguri.

In timp ce blatul este la cuptor, se pregateste crema astfel:
Intr-un vas de pus pe foc se amesteca galbenusurile cu zaharul iar separat se amesteca plicul de budinca cu 4 linguri de lapte.
Restul de lapte se pune la fiert, apoi se toarna treptat, fierbinte, peste compozitia de budinca, amestecand bine.
Se pune la fiert, la foc mic, pana se ingroasa crema. Se amesteca permanent cu telul ca sa nu se prinda.
Cand compozitia s-a racit, se amesteca impreuna cu untul la temperatura camerei.
Cand blatul de la cuptor s-a racit, se toarna crema si se niveleaza deasupra.
Se aseaza apoi stratul de biscuti. Acestia se trec rapid prin cafeaua cu lapte, astfel incat sa fie moi in exterior si fermi in interior.
La sfarsit topim ciocolata la baine-marie si o turnam peste stratul de biscuiti. Nivelam cu paleta pana sa apuce sa se raceasca.
Prajitura se pune la frigider pentru cateva ore, apoi se taie cubulete si se poate servi. (Pentru a taia perfect stratul de ciocolata se incalzeste usor lama cutitului)

Pofta buna !