Poland and Romania are amazing, like their CUISINE. It turns out we are not that different, even in terms of food, though we have our own outstanding national dishes.
Let’s see some of the main resemblings and differences.
Gołąbki is a typical traditional Polish food made of minced pork with some rice, onion, mushrooms, wrapped in white cabbage leaves. In Romania they are the same, only we do not fry them. We call them Sarmale.
The original recipe dates back to the Ottoman Empire.
Tochitura is basically a mix of meat, fried eggs, cheese and cornbread ( which we call mămăligă). It is a simple and very traditional food, usually prepared in the countryside.
However, you could order it in a fancy restaurant as well.
ĹšledĹş w oleju z cebula (herring in oil with onion) Herring is a fish you can prepare in various ways. However in Poland, there are two traditional ways of serving the herring, either with sour cream and pickled onions or with oil and garlic.
Polskie naleśniki (Polish pancakes)
Polish pancakes are very thin and they are served either with cheese, quark previously mixed with sugar, jam, fruits and powdered sugar or with meat and vegetables- all equally tasty.
In Romania they are just the same, only in a different shape.
Varza a la Cluj is made following almost the same recipe, only replacing noodles with rice. Ĺ azanki z kapustÄ… i grzybami It is a very simple dish consisting cabbage, pork meat, homemade pasta noodles and vegetables (chopped onions and sliced carrot). It is delicious and easy to make.
Cozonac is a romanian cake traditionally baked at christmas and easter. It is much like a bread, only sweet and mixed with cocoa, raisins, nuts or even sweetened quark ( this one is called PASCA)
Mazurek is a type of pastry (a cake) baked in Poland, particularly at Easter, but also at other winter holidays. It is generally decorated with icing and fruit and nuts.
Kutia is a sweet grain pudding, traditionally served in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and some parts of Poland.
It resembles koliva from Serbia or Romania (used usually for funerals), but the latter is mixed only with walnuts, sugar and raisins.
PUFULETII ARE AN EXLUSIVE ROMANIAN SNACK, BEING COMPOSED OF EXPANDED CORN WITH FLOUR. THEY ARE ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR THINGS TO EAT IN ROMANIA.
ROM IS ONE OF THE FEW ROMANIAN SWEETS, DATING BACK TO THE COMMUNISM ERA. IT IS A CHOCOLATE FILLED WITH RUM CREAM AND ARE STILL IN DEMAND AS OF TODAY.
PRINCE POLO is a chocolate covered wafer. It is originary from Poland, also dating back to post war Communism. It is Poland’s most famous candy brand.
KOMPOT IS WIDELY SPREAD NOWADAYS, ESPECIALLY IN EASTERN COUNTRIES, BUT IT WAS POLAND WHO FIRST HAD IT. IT IS, AS YOU KNOW, DRIED FRUITS SWEETENED WITH HONEY OR SUGAR.
PEOPLE SAY YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT. CONSIDERING THAT WE MOSTLY EAT THE SAME THINGS...
Food defines unity and diversity in European culture.
Ionuț Scurtu & Eva Todică