Taste of Romania: Its Cookery and Glimpses of Its History, Folklore, Art, Literature, and Poetry

by Nicolae Klepper, Nick Klepper

Over 150 recipes, including the specialty dishes of Romania's top chefs, are intermingled with fables, poetry, photos and charming illustrations, making this book a genuine treasury of both Romanian cuisine and culture. Also includes an appendix of Romanian wines and an index in Romanian and English. Here is a real taste of both Old World and modern Romanian culture in a unique book that combines more than 140 tasty traditional recipes with enchanting examples of Romania's folklore, humor, art, poetry, and proverbs. A wealth of archival material provides a glimpse into the 4,000-year-old history of the Romanian people and their Roman ancestry. This comprehensive and well-organized guide to Romanian cuisine contains recipes for many classic favorites including Mamalinga, a polenta-style cornmeal, Eggplant Salad, Fish Zacusca, Mititei Sausages (The Wee Ones), and Pan-fried Pork with Polenta. Savor the tastes of one of Europe's heartiest and most varied culinary traditions!

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Reference, Food, Nonfiction, Food and Drink, Romania

335 pages, Hardcover

First published April 30, 1997

About the author

Also known as Nick Klepper

Reviews

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romanian cuisine is underrated. With recipes beloved since Roman times, the influences of invaders and neighbors, and vegetable-heavy dishes, it is "peasant food" at its finest: hearty, filling, and simple but surprising. The stuffed vegetables and various polenta recipes make unexpected additions to a dinner party or potluck with friends.

The lack of photos in this book is its great weakness, but the essays about Romanian folklore and culture are a nice addition. In essence, this book can both be read for information and as a useful guide to making favorite Romanian dishes. Whether you're in the height of summer with a garden harvest surplus or in the depth of winter and want a warming stew, Taste of Romania has you covered.

[Corinne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cookbook, but is so much more than that!
It is also a history of Romania and the recipes that have kept this beleaguered country alive. From pre Roman days, later attacked by Visigoths, Huns, and Mongols. After vicious wars with Turks, Vlad Dracula was a victor! Who hasn’t heard of Transylvania?! I plan to try some recipes but my favorite part of this book is the weaving of food, history and folktales.

[Anna]

"Brother, brother
But the cheese must be paid for"
- Romanian proverb

[Luminita LaFlash · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book on Amazon searching about Romania. What a delight! As a Romanian, I was so impressed with the book's quality, the cover so inviting, and the overall idea. As an author in my debut book, I follow the same principle. I wanted to share some of the most incredible things Romania hides from the world. Started with history, geography, and, last but not least, Romanian cuisine. I was fortunate enough to have a mother who was an excellent cook. I couldn't stop smiling when I found some recipes my mother and I used to cook in the book. The stuffed cabbage, the Romanian pancakes filled with sour cherries, or the delicious Romanian doughnuts filled with jelly or cheese are some of our house's most popular recipes. Mr. Klepper introduces to the world some of the most prominent figures in Romanian history and culture, making this book a must for anyone interested in learning about Romania. Grab a copy of the book and try some of the most delicious recipes Mr. Klepper was so excited to share with the world. I promise it is worth it. Try Romanian pancakes. They are to die for. My father was difficult, but I could always soften him with my delicious desserts on Sundays—my specialty.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent cookbook!

[Rrlgrrl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was not your standard cookbook - it had chapters on the folklore, history, and culture of Romania sprinkled amongst the recipes. A lot of the recipes sound feasible with accessible ingredients. There are some seasonings that I think will be a bit of a challenge, but at least substitutes were listed. I'm not entirely sure what the difference is between Moldovan and Transylvanian cooking styles, but in general, much of the food appeared to be a mix of Middle Eastern and Eastern European traditions. Some of the typos in this print of the book made for some hilarious reading.

[Meglet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting insight into Romanian food and culture.

[Ken Weinert]

False

[Yazir Paredes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny for a cookbook to have chapters on history, art and culture of a Country. But yes, I loved the idea, it gives context to the recipe and read about the impact of food.

[Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

terrific and comprehensive Romanian cookbook, including most of the classics that my mom made. Sometimes a bit heavy on the salt.