FOOD, DRINK, WINES

Romania has restaurants of all classes, catering for all kinds of specialties. You can order both international cuisine and specifically Romanian fare at any restaurant, la carte or as a set menu. The majority also serve snacks and hot dishes at any hour. Since one of the favorite forms of entertainment is dining and dancing, most restaurants have a dance floor, with music in the evening. During the summer season there are garden restaurants in the middle of parks or by the lakes. The Romanian cuisine is greatly appreciated by those who have had the opportunity to sample it on the spot. The explanation is very simple. From the culinary point of view, Romania is the crossroads where every "school" has met and left its mark. During the last century, the French cuisine was the one generally adopted, but was yet unable to replace the national one. Nor is it surprising that some of the most typical dishes from the neighboring countries have also made their appearance in Romania. However, they only serve to garnish the varied and savory Romanian cuisine, which is so tantalizingly full of secrets and subtleties. The Romanian cuisine can be divided according to different regions : for example, the Moldavian cuisine with its old traditions using sour-cream, the Transylvanian which specializes in sweetened sauces and spices and the Oltenian which savors soups, meat and fish, as well as highly spiced dishes. Resides these regional aspects, the Romanian cuisine is also influenced by the seasons : summer brings an abundance of fruits and vegetables, while in winter there are very few, except, of course, for canned and preserved varieties. Pork takes the place of honors during winter, especially at holiday time. You can buy small sausages, blood sausages, "piftie" (highly seasoned pork in aspic), ham and many other kinds of highly appetizing varieties. Especially popular are the pork meat balis wrapped in sour cabbage leaves known as "Sarmale". Mamaliga - a cornmeal mush, Is the Romanian all purpose staple food. Hot, cold, fried, it is delicious in melted butter, sour cream or yogurts, garnished with salted herring and cottage cheese, or eaten with eggs for breakfast, and added to meat dishes. Other favorites include Moldovian Borsh, a hearty sour meat soup, and Mititei, made with highly seasoned minced meat and grilled. These make tasty snacks and can be ordered in cafes and restaurants. Below are definitions of some of the most common "menu enigmas" Ciorba de Perlshoare : soup with meat balis. Clorba Pescareasca : soup with many varieties of fish. Clorba de Potroace : sour soup with giblets. Ciorba Tzaraneasca: meat and vegetable soup peasant-style. Borsh de Miel : sour soup containing pieces of lamb,

Patricleni : similar to Mititei, but dressed with spices and covered with pork intestine. Sarmale : minced meat, rolled in cabbage or vine leaves with mamallga. Sarmalutze in Foie de Vitza : minced meat rolled in vive leaves, sprinkled with Borsh, served with cream or yogurt. Tocana : Pork, beef or mutton stew, with onions, also usually served with mamaliga. Ghiveci : a vegetable stew cooked in oil. Also called "calugaresc" when served without meat. Saramura de Crap : grilled carp with pepper, also served with mamaliga. Ardei Umplutzi : sweet peppers stuffed with minced meat and rice. Pirjoala Moldoveneasca : Moldovian hamburgers. Pastrama : smoked meat - goats, geese. Placinte Poale-n-briu : turnovers. Coltzunash cu Smintina : boiled triangular dumplings filled with cottage cheese and served with cream and sugar. Cozonac : brioche. Baclava : nuts and honey. - both of Turkish origin. Cataif : whipped cream. Clatite : pancakes served with jam, flamb. Papansh : ring doughnuts served with soar cream.

FRUIT CURES
Romania is well known as a country which produces large quantities of varied and superior quality fruit. In summer you can enjoy a cure of cherries, morello cherries, wild and cultivated strawberries of all kinds, apricots, peaches, apples, pears, water melons, honey melons, plums etc. Autumn offers even more choice because of a wide variety of grapes, quinces, melons and plums.

DRINKS - SOFT AND OTHERWISE

Wine and beer are equally popular in Romania. The variety of wines is truly remarkable, ranging from international types such as Riesling, Cabernet, Muscat, to local wines from Romanian vineyards, which have gained not only numerous gold medals in international wine competitions but also lasting fame on the world market. Mixed with soda they are delicious cold drinks - as "soft" as you wish them. Romanians drink "Shpritz" - wine with soda - more often than pare wine. "Before dinner" drinks include, beside tzuica, a wide selection of vermouths, cognacs, liqueurs, etc., thus catering for all tastes. Last but not least, deluxe and first class restaurants, as well as big supermarkets offer the visitor foreign beverages from Scotch whiskey to Italian vermouth, from German beer to French cognac.

You will find every sort of soft drink you want in Romania. Especially refreshing are the fruit juices "NECTAR" -made from plums, apricots, peaches, strawberries and many others. Why not try also a Romanian specialty - "lapte batut" - (turned over milk, slightly soar) ? Drink it for breakfast, with a croissant, or simply as a snack at any time of the day. If by chance you visit Romania in the autumn, do not forget "must" - the fermented grape juice.

WINES
Zarea : variety of champagnes. Cotnari : world renowned wines of Moldavian origin. Murfatlar : very good wine, oily and sweet of Dobrogean origin. Tirnave Reisling : a dry wine from the Tirnave vineyards. Tirnave Perla : a fine, light, fragrant wine, medium sweet. Muscat Ottonel: a muscatel, rich in strength and savor. Sadova Rose : a fresh, medium rose, of fragrant bouquet. Segarcea Cabernet : vigorous, red wine, with a strong fruity savor. Feteasca: dry wine. Nicoresti Babeasca : full bodied, red, with delicate bouquet. The national drink - Tzuica (pium slivovitz or brandy) - 24-25 proof alcohol - is best taken sitting down - it's rather strong ! In winter it is served hot, with pepper, cloves and sugar.

COFFEE AND COFFEE HOUSES

When in Romania, do as the Romanians do . . . and don't drink coffee in a coffee house ! Choose an aperitif instead. With your Dubonnet or Vermouth, you will also receive a portion of cheese, accompanied by olives, onions, tomatoes, radishes - or perhaps meatballs, or various kinds of cold meats. Rinse it down with a good wine or tzuica. If you are wondering when and where the Romanians drink their coffee - after a meal, when they consider it a must. Coffee in Romania automatically means Turkish coffee - strong, black and sweet. If you want any other sort of coffee, you must be specific Nescafe - instant, with or without milk Expresso - Italian style coffee Cafea cu lapte - coffee with milk Marghiloman - Romanian style coffee, and the most expensive.

You will receive your Marghiloman in a pot, carried on tray, with some ice cubes, sugar and most important of all, accompanied by a glass of brandy or better still, rum. You mix the ingredients yourself in the desired proportion. It is however, served in deluxe restaurants and coffee houses only.

MEALS
Breakfast is usually served between 8--9 a.m., lunch between 1-4 and dinner around 9 p.m. But the hour is not really important - restaurants are always ready to serve a good meal in Romania. A meal generally begins with a "gustare" or "taster". This normally consists of one or more types of cheeses, salami, fresh vegetables or olives. Romania has a great variety of very good cheeses indeed, ranging from sweet to salty, mild to strong. Kash and Urda are especially recommended and don't be squeamish about trying them with green onions, as is the custom in Romania. After the main course - see our partial list above - the favorite dessert is clatite and black coffee. At breakfast, coffee is served with milk, but this is not easy to obtain later on in the day. You will certainly not run the risk of starving or dying of thirst in Romania - but mind your figure.

SPECIFICALLY ROMANIAN TYPES OF RESTAURANTS

Inns - These restaurants, known as "trama", with their rustic furniture, object of folk-art (napkins, pottery, plates and pitchers) on the walls, folk musicians and an abundant of Romanian dishes and wine, are the living image of the traditional hospitality of the Romanian people. They can be found everywhere, even in the smallest village. Zahana - If you like roast meat, grilled on charcoal, you will be pleasantly surprised by dishes far tastier than the usual international beefsteak. In Bucharest and other towns, you will discover the "zahana" and may order specialties not found elsewhere - beef sirloin, marrow, brains, beef or pork kidneys, sweetbreads, chicken, etc. Mustarli - In autumn, after grapegathering, mustari (small, rustically decorated kiosks) appear like mushrooms after the rain. They serve "must" (fresh, unfermented grape-juice) and "turburel" ("must" which has begun to ferment) as well as delicious snacks. Fish and Game Restaurant - These are found in Bucharest, the Danube Delta, near rivers with fish, lakes, and other towns too, in the mountains and on the coast, and serve a variety of specialties. "Lacto Vegetarian" and "Lacto Bars" - These serve mostly vegetable dishes, dairy products, puddings and home-made cakes, and are especially recommended for dietetic or semi-dietetic menus. Brasseries - These are unpretentious restaurants with a pleasant atmosphere, serving beer, "tzuica", wine and hot dishes. Cafe Bars - Small Cafes where you can drink black coffee or Turkish coffee, as well as alcoholic specialties.

FOLKLORE PERFORMANCES AT RESTAURANTS

Some restaurants, beside the typical Romanian fare and decor, have also a folklore program. This is worthwhile seeking, since the bright, colorful

costumes, the gay dances and the lyrical love songs - will add an extra savor to your Romanian meal. The great variety of Romanian folkdances and songs will not allow you to see everything, but you can get a good idea of the most famous dances, like the "Calushari", the most typical costumes, and a few examples of Romanian folk music. Often there is just a singer, who in addition to hit songs of today, sings also a selection of Romanian folk tunes.