LIVINGLIVING
EASTERN PROMISE
Romanian writer Irina Georgescu introduces her first book, Carpathia,
Food from the Heart of Romania.
FOOD
REPORT
I
ood l Irina Georgescu is a food
writer whose work draws on
her Eastern European heritage.
It is her love of talking about
Romanian culinary traditions
that made her pursue her dream and
write about this heritage and the cooking
inspired by her mother and grandmother
her life in the busy capital city Bucharest
and by her constant explorations into the
history and food of her country. While
keeping close to the traditional ways
of cooking, she also brings her own
interpretation to these dishes.
She says, "I am fascinated by the
flavours and textures of Romanian cuisine
and I am excited to write and share its
secrets with the world. My dream is to
build a life around food, discovering new
flavours and changing perceptions with
the help of recipes, photography and
travel stories. The recipes are my own,
inspired by my mother, my family and
Romania's culinary heritage."
Romania is a cultural melting pot, its
character and dishes rooted in a culture
living at the crossroads of eastern and
western traditions, from Greek, Turkish
and Slavic in the south and east and
Austrian, Hungarian and Saxon in the
north and west.
Carpathia, Georgescu's first
cookbook, aims to introduce readers
to Romania's unique and bold cuisine,
bringing the country to life with stunning
photography and recipes. It's a culinary
journey to the heart of the country,
exploring its history, traditions and food,
one dish at a time featuring small plates,
starters, salads, breads and street
food bakes, borş and ciorbş (broths)
as well as traditional main courses and
desserts. Also included are classic
pickles, preserves, compotes and drinks.
On the journey Georgescu champions
ingredients at the heart of Romanian
cooking, many of which will be familiar
-- apples, cheese, garlic, pork, pickles,
polenta, pork, wine and yoghurt.
Born in Bucharest and now living in
the UK, keep up with Georgescu with her
popular blog,
www.lifeinsmallbites.co.uk