14 Comments
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NAOMI DUGUID's avatar

Bravo. What a generous fascinating post Irina.

Irina Georgescu's avatar

Naomi! Thank you for your kind words.

Mona Sigal's avatar

Beautiful, gorgeous post.

I seem to remember though that our musaka was made also with eggplant (Iași). But maybe I don’t remember correctly. But I definitely remember the taste and aroma of sarmale cu mǎmǎligǎ☺️

Irina Georgescu's avatar

Yes, of course. And with courgette instead of aubergine.

K.D.'s avatar

I just finished reading “Danube” by Claudio Magris and now want to read your cookbook of the same name! It’s hard in our more nationalistic thinking today to realize how intensely cultures and people mingled all across Central Europe and the Balkans. it’s only understandable that the foods would mingle and create different iterations.

Tina Keller's avatar

Great post Irina! Interesting and informative. Thank you 🥰

Irina Georgescu's avatar

Thank you, Tina x

Anna Tuckett's avatar

This is such a brilliant primer on the Balkans’ culinary cultures, thank you!

Irina Georgescu's avatar

Thank you, Anna.

Anna Ansari's avatar

So sad to have missed this event, so thank you for the recap! And insights.

Irina Georgescu's avatar

I hope they will do it again in another format, about the same thing. The amount of knowledge in the room was impressive. I learned so much!

Tracey's avatar

I find it odd that people decide that food is the same across a whole region or even a country. Even in the UK there are regional variations and recipes, many based on the local work or agricultural practices over centuries and many recipes are hundreds of years old. I also love that families have their own versions. It's all a part of the fabric and social history, and definitely not all the same.

Thank you for the recipe, I will look forward to trying it.

Irina Georgescu's avatar

Absolutely. This is why it is important to keep talking about it.