FOOD and DRINKS

Romanian cuisine is diverse and rich, with a lot of flavors and colors.

The best known Romanian dishes are:

1. Polenta with cheese and sour cream -Mamaliga- Polenta is a traditional food in Romania. Considered to be the peasant food, it is often used as a substitute for bread or as a staple food during the summer when hard work does not allow the preparation of the homemade bread.    

   

2. Vine or cabbage leaves rolls - "Sărmăluţe"/sərmə'lutze/ is a word used to describe dishes of minced meat (pork but also beef, mutton, poultry or fish), mixed with rice and spices and wrapped in cabbage or vine leaves (fresh or sour)  in the form of rolls. It is usually served with polenta and sour-cream.

        

3. Smoked bacon (Slanina - /slənina/)- is one of the traditional Christmas  dishes obtained by preparing pork fat from the belly or the back of the animal and smoked after that.

 

 

4. Mititei (Romanian pronunciation: [mitiˈtej]) or mici  ([mitʃʲ]) is a traditional Romanian dish of grilled minced-meat rolls made of beef (usually mixed with lamb and pork), which contain garlic, black pepper, thyme, coriander, anise, savory and sometimes a touch of paprika.
It is best served accompanied by mustard and beer.















5. Peasant beef soup ( Ciorba taraneasca de vacuta /tʃorbə tzərəneascə de vəcutzə/) - This is a Romanian traditional dish made of beef and a lot of  vegetables cooked together. It is usually served decorated with tarragon and parsley.

6. Lap Belt- are delicious pies. Their composition can vary from sweet or salty cheese to fruit or jam. 

        

7. Jelled meat (Piftie)- is usually cooked for the Christmas and New Year’s menu. This dish is made of pig's feet and ears boiled with vegetables and then suspended in aspic.


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8. Roast lamb- is customary for the traditional Easter meal, near the red eggs, sponge cake and red wine.

   

9.  DRINKS

NON- ALCOHOLIC  DRINKS

 

Elderflower Champagne (Socata-/sokata/)- is a refreshing, slight sour and fragrant juice, that is prepared of elderflowers, sugar, lemon, and water  through fermentation and it is kept cold in bottles

 

 

ALCOHOLIC DRINKS

 
 

Plum brandy (Palinca)-is a traditional Romanian alcoholic drink produced exclusively by alcoholic fermentation and distillation of fleshy fruit or mixed fruit.

 

Visinata (a type of cherry liqueur)- is a specifically Romanian alcoholic beverage, brewed from fermented cherries with sugar and alcohol. It is red, sweet, intensely fruity.

WINE

Romanian wines have a tradition of over three millennia. Romania is currently the world's 9th largest wine producer.The most important producing regions are: Cotnari, Murfatlar, Jidvei, Recaş, Târnave.

BEER

Romania has a long brewing tradition  and the national association of beer with mititei came into existence since 1877. Some famous brands of beer are: Ursus, Timisoreana, Silva, Ciuc.

10. Some Romanian sayings


Mămăligă has long been considered the poor man's dish:

        "He doesn't even have a mămăliga on the table".(a very poor man)

Pork is the preferred meat in Romanian cuisine. That's why the Romanians say  that:

       " The best vegetable will always be the pork".

 Romanian children are taught always to say after eating:

"Thank you for the meal
    it was good and tasty
    and the cook lady was beautiful".