De Gustibus...: martie 2011

29.3.11

Saptamana 12 / Week 12

Principesa Mostenitoare a Romaniei si-a serbat ziua de nastere pe 26 martie, astfel ca vreau sa incep prin a ura ASR “La multi ani!”, plini de sanatate si putere de munca!

Personal apreciez imens de mult contributia Principesei Margareta a Romaniei la imbunatatirea imaginii tarii noatre si la sustinerea, prin programe de caritate, a categoriilor societatii care au cea mai mare nevoie de atentie.

Probabil ceea ce admir cel mai mult la ASR este simtul datoriei: datoria fata de familia sa, fata de trecutul si mostenirea acesteia, fata de institutia monarhica, datoria fata de parintii ei si fata de tara. Intr-o perioada in care hedonismul, interesul exclusiv fata de sine si goana nebuna dupa castiguri materiale fac legea, este incurajator modelul oferit de Principesa Margareta, care alaturi de ASR Principele Radu si-au dedicat viata si activitatea unei idei, unui principiu.

ASR Principesa Mostenitoare a Romaniei

Principesa Margareta, primul copil al ML regele Mihai si regina Ana ai Romaniei, s-a nascut la 26 martie 1949 in Elvetia, la Lausanne. Si-a petrecut copilaria in Elvetia, Regatul Unit si Italia, fiind extrem de apropiata de bunica sa paterna, MS regina Elena a Romaniei.

ASR a absolvit cursurile Universitatii din Edinburgh, specializandu-se in sociologie, stiinte politice si drept international public, iar CV-ul sau cuprinde perioade de activitate atat in cadrul ONU, cat si in cadrul Organizatiei Mondiale a Sanatatii.

In urma evenimentelor care au marcat Europa de Est in 1989, Principesa a renuntat la cariera din cadrul ONU, iar de la inceputul anilor ’90 s-a dedicat exclusiv activitatilor de caritate, punand bazele Fundatiei Principesa Margareta a Romaniei , care are filiale in importante orase europene, dar si in America de Nord. A intrat pentru prima data pe tritoriul al carui nume il poarta in ianuarie 1990.

Familia Regala

In 1996, la Lausanne, Principesa s-a casatorit cu dl. Radu Duda, actualmente ASR principele Radu al Romaniei, principe de Hohenzollern-Veringen.

Statutul Casei Regale , adoptat de MS regele Mihai I la data de 30 decembrie 2007, consfinteste pozitia ASR Principesei ca Mostenitoare a Sefiei Casei Regale si Custode a Coroanei Romaniei.

Doresc inca odata sa reiterez admiratia mea fata de Principesa Mostenitoare, fata de principiile pe care le sustine, fata de institutia si trecutul pe care le reprezinta cu atata eleganta si bun-simt. Acum cand atata lume este dezorientata si nu mai crede sau nu mai are incredere in nimic, este reconfortant sa vezi pe cineva care are siguranta ce emana din asumarea destinului si disciplina datoriei!

Muschi de porc cu cartofi

In aceasta saptamana am continuat capitolul dedicat Principelui Mostenitor al Iugoslaviei cu cea de-a doua si ultima reteta trimisa Principesei Margareta.

Asa cum aratam si saptamana trecuta, si aceasta reteta poate fi considerata specifica zonei noastre, lucru ce nu-i stirbeste deloc din farmec, insa ea se adreseaza iubitorilor de carne de porc.

Am calit in putin ulei de masline o ceapa mare, alba, la care am adaugat un ardei gras mic, verde si unul potrivit, rosu. Le-am tinut la foc mediu pana s-au inmuiat putin. La aceasta compozitie am adaugat o bucata medie de muschi file de porc, pe care am taiat-o in cuburi de dimensiuni potrivite.

Am tinut carnea, impreuna cu ceapa si ardeii la foc mediu, astfel incat carnea sa se patrunda, dupa care am adaugat jumatate de conserva de rosii decojite, de calitate buna. Am lasat sa dea un clocot si am condimentat cu sare, piper proaspat macinat si un ardei iute. Din proprie experienta, va recomand sa verificati cat de iute este ardeiul si sa folositi in concordanta cu “rezistenta” mesenilor…

Separat, am fiert 6 cartofi mari, curatati si taiati in cuburi, impreuna cu vreo 4 morcovi, curatati si taiati in rondele groase. Dupa ce s-au fiert, i-am stors si i-am amestecat cu jumate de pachet mic de unt si patrunjel proaspat. Nu uitati sa condimetati cu sare, dupa gust.

Este un fel de mancare consistent, gustos si usor de preparat, ce nu ocupa prea mult timp si poate fi cu usurinta pregatit chiar si in timpul saptamanii.

Reteta detaliata se afla in “Cartea regala de bucate”, Ed. Curtea Veche, Bucuresti 2010, pag. 110.

***

Crown Princess Margarita of Romania celebrated her birthday on March 26^th so I would like to start by wishing HRH a very “Happy Birthday!”, good health and the power to continue the good work that she has been doing for this country.

Personally I thoroughly appreciate Princess Margarita of Romania’s contribution towards the improvement of the country's image and the support, through charity programs, of the social categories that need attention the most.

Perhaps what I admire the most about HRH is her sense of duty: duty to her family, to its past and its legacy, duty to the institution of monarchy, to her parents and to the country. In a time when hedonism, self-centered interests and the obsession with material gains define society, Princess Margarita’s example is encouraging. The Crown Princess, along with HRH Prince Radu, have dedicated their life and work to an idea, a principle.

Princess Margarita, the first born child of Their Majesties King Michael and Queen Ana of Romania, was born on 26 March 1949 in Lausanne, Switzerland. She spent her childhood in Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Italy, and was extremely close to her paternal grandmother, HM Queen Elena of Romania.

HRH graduated from Edinburgh University, specializing in sociology, political science and international law, and her CV includes periods of work within both the UN and the World Health Organization.

Following the events that marked the year 1989 in Eastern Europe, the Princess gave up her career in the UN and starting with the early 90s dedicated herself exclusively to charitable activities, creating the Princess Margarita of Romania Foundation, which has offices in major European cities but also in North America. She stepped for the first time on the soil of the country whose name she bears in January 1990.

In 1996, in Lausanne, the Princess married Mr. Radu Duda, now HRH Prince Radu of Romania, Prince of Hohenzollern-Veringen.

The Royal Statute, adopted by HM King Michael I on December 30^th 2007, acknowledges the position of HRH as Crown Princess, successor to the headship of the Royal House of Romania and Custodian of the Romanian Crown.

I want, once again, to reiterate my admiration for the Princess, for the principles that she upholds and the institution and heritage that she represents with such elegance and good sense. Nowadays when so many people are disoriented and do not believe in anything, it is refreshing to see someone whose confidence comes from assuming their destiny and duty!

Fillet of Pork with Potatoes

This week we continue the chapter dedicated to the Crown Prince of Yugoslavia with the second and last recipe sent by HRH to Princess Margarita.

As I was saying last week, this recipe can also be considered specific to our geographical area, which does not make it less appealing at all, but it is definitely a recipe for meat/pork lovers.

I sautéed a large, white onion in a little olive oil, to which I added a little green bell pepper and one middle-sized red bell pepper. I kept these on medium heat until they were softened. To this composition I added an average-sized piece of pork loin, cut it into cubes.

I kept the meat, together with the onion and bell peppers, over medium heat so that the pork would cook all the way through, after which I added half a tin of good quality whole, peeled tomatoes. I let everything simmer and seasoned with freshly ground pepper, salt and a hot pepper. From my own experience, I recommend you check just how hot the peppers are before adding them to a dish. Make sure they are used in accordance with the diners’ “resistance”...

Separately, I boiled six large potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes, along with about 4 carrots, peeled and cut into thick slices. After they were cooked, I drained the potatoes and carrots and I mixed them with some butter and fresh parsley. Do not forget to season with salt.

This is a hearty, tasty and easy to prepare dish, which does not take up too much time and can be easily prepared even on weekdays.

The detailed recipe can be found in “Cartea regala de bucate”, Ed. Curtea Veche, Bucuresti 2010, pag. 110.

22.3.11

Saptamana 11 / Week 11

Saptamana aceasta incep un nou capitol din “Cartea regala de bucate”, capitol dedicat ASR Principele Mostenitor Alexandru al Serbiei & Iugoslaviei. Este un pretext bun pentru a aborda legatura stransa dintre monarhiile balcanice, care, pe langa o istorie comuna, marcata de lupta pentru independenta, au si stranse legaturi de familie. Atat in cazul Romaniei, cat si in cazul Serbiei & Iugoslaviei, Bulgariei sau Greciei, institutia monarhica a fost elementul esential care a stat la baza crearii statului national modern, unitar si independent. Toate case regale balcanice, impartasesc in acelasi timp si un destin oarecum tragic, marcat de exil.

regina Maria a Iugoslaviei

ALR Principele Mostenitor Alexandru al Serbiei & Iugoslaviei si Principesa Mostenitoare Margareta a Romaniei ii au ca stramosi comuni pe regele Ferdinand si regina Maria. Cea de-a doua fiica a suveranilor romani, botezata, la fel ca si mama sa, Maria, dar cunoscuta in familie ca Mignon sau Marioara, s-a casatorit in anul 1922 cu regele Alexandru I al Iugoslaviei (dinastia Karadjordje).

Regele si regina Iugoslaviei au avut 3 fii, din care cel mai mare, Petru, avea sa devina regele Petru al II-lea in 1934, la frageda varsta de 11 ani, in urma asasinarii tatalui sau la Marsilia – destin asemanator cu cel al verisorului sau primar, Mihai, care devenea rege al Romaniei la varsta de 6 ani, in 1927.

ASR Principele Mostenitor Alexandru este unicul fiu al regelui Petru al II-lea si a devenit seful casei regale a Serbiei & Iugoslaviei in 1970. La fel ca si principesa Margareta a Romaniei, principele Alexandru nu s-a nascut in tara a carei nume avea sa-l poarte. Aflati in exil la Londra, Petru al II-lea si regina Alexandra au fost ajutati insa de autoritatile britanice, care au cedat suveranitatea asupra camerei de hotel in care Principele Mostenitor s-a nascut, astfel ca, formal, nasterea a avut loc pe tritoriu iugoslav!

© HRH CP Alexander II

Belgrad: botezul viitorului rege Petru al II-lea al Iugoslaviei

(stanga la dreapta: regele Alexandru I al Iugoslaviei, regina Elisabeta a Greciei (principesa a Romaniei), regina Maria a Romaniei, tinand in brate pe viitorul Petru al II-lea, ducele si ducesa de York (viitorul rege George al VI-lea si regina Elizabeth ai Marii Britanii)

Caderea regimului Milosevic a facut posibila intoarcerea definitiva a familiei Karadjordje la Belgrad, iar in prezent activitatea acesteia se concentreaza pe activitati caritabile si de sustinere a societatii civile.

Snitel Karadjordje

Apropierea geografica si asemanarile culturale fac ca retetele urmatoare sa fie oarecum mai putin exotice pentru noi! Totusi, fiecare dintre ele are cel putin cate un element care sa le scoata in evidenta.

Pentru aceasta reteta de snitel umplut, am luat o bucata de muschi file de porc, pe care am taiat-o in felii cu grosimea de aproximativ ½ centimetru. Daca nu va pricepeti la transat sau pur si simplu nu aveti un cutit bun, va recomand sa cumparati carnea gata feliata.

Am batut feliile de carne cu ciocanul de lemn, iar apoi le-am condimentat cu sare, boia si piper negru. Dupa ce am lasat putin carnea sa absoarba condimentele, am pus cu o lingurita niste branza Philadelphia in centrul fiecarei felii de carne si le-am rulat la fel cum se ruleaza sarmalele, astfel incat branza sa nu scape in momentul prajirii.

Am pregatit 3 vase separate cu faina alba, un ou batut si pesmet. Am “tavalit” fiecare rulou de carne si branza, pe rand, in faina, ou, pesmet, iar apoi, din nou, doar in oul batut si pesmet, cu grija, astfel incat sa fie acoperite uniform, dar sa nu se desprinda.

Am incalzit ulei intr-un vas de inox – ideal, cantitatea trebuie sa fie suficienta pentru a acoperi in intregime carnea – si am introdus snitelele, la foc mediu, pentru aproximativ 10 minute, pana cand pesmetul devine auriu. Este important ca uleiul sa fie incalzit in momentul in care puneti snitelele la prajit, insa aveti grija sa nu fie prea incins! Riscul este sa ardeti pesmetul, in timp ce muschiul file ar putea ramane crud la mijloc. Temperatura medie asigura patrunderea uniforma a carnii.

Snitelul Karadjordje merge foarte bine cu cartofi prajiti, dar, in ceea ce priveste garnitura, puteti fi si mai inventivi…

Desi delicioasa cand este calda, sunt convins ca aceasta reteta poate fi de succes si rece, taiata ca o rulada, mai ales daca se inlocuieste carnea de porc cu cea de pui.

добар апетит !

Reteta detaliata se afla in “Cartea regala de bucate”, Ed. Curtea Veche, Bucuresti 2010, pag. 113.

***

This week I started a new chapter from the “Royal Cookbook”, dedicated to HRH Crown Prince Alexander of Serbia & Yugoslavia. It’s a good pretext to approach the strong connection between the Balkanic monarchies, which, apart from having a common history, marked by the fight for independence, they also have strong family bonds. In the case of Romania as well as that of Serbia & Yugoslavia, Bulgaria or Greece, the monarchic institution was the key-element in creating the modern national, unified and independent state. All the Balkanic royal families share, at the same time a rather tragic destiny, marked by exile.

Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander of Serbia & Yugoslavia and Crown Princess Margarita of Romania are both descendants of king Ferdinand and queen Marie of Romania. The Romanian king and queen’s second daughter, named as her mother, Marie, but known in the family as Mignon or Marioara, married king Alexander of Yugoslavia (the Karadjordje dynasty), in 1922.

The king and the queen of Yugoslavia had three sons: the eldest, Peter, was to become king Peter II in 1934, at the young age of 11, after his father was killed in Marseille. A similar destiny was shared by his first cousin, Michael, who became king of Romania age 6, in 1927.

HRH Crown Prince Alexander is king Peter II's only son and became head of the royal family of Serbia & Yugoslavia in 1970. Just as Crown Princess Margarita of Romania, Crown Prince Alexander wasn’t born in the country whose name he bears. Being exiled in London, Peter II and his queen, Alexandra, were helped by the British authorities, who ceded the sovereignty over the hotel room where the Crown Prince was born, so that, formally, the birth took place on Yugoslavian territory !

The fall of the Milosevic régime made the return of the Karadjordje family to Belgrade possible. At present, the royal family’s activity is focused on charity.

Schnitzel Karadjeordje

The geographic proximity and the cultural similarities make the following recipes a bit less exotic for us! Still, each of them have something special.

For this particular recipe of stuffed schnitzel, I used a piece of pork fillet that I sliced in pieces of about ½ cm thick. If you are not very good at meat carving or you just don’t have a good knife in the house, I suggest you buy the meat already sliced.

I tenderized the fillet with a meat mallet, and then I seasoned it with salt, paprika and freshly ground black pepper. After I let the pork soak in the spices, I put a spoonful of cream cheese in the center of each piece of meat and I rolled them up tight, making sure that the cream cheese does not “escape”.

I prepared three separate bowls with white flour, beaten egg and bread crumbs. I took every rolled-up piece of pork and cheese and dipped them first into the bowl of white flour, then egg, bread crumbs and then again only in egg and crumbs, carefully so as to cover every piece evenly.

I heated enough oil in a pan to completely cover the meat and then I dropped the schnitzels in, at medium heat. I deep-fried them for about ten minutes, until the bread crumbs turned golden. It is important that the oil be really warm from the get go, but be very careful that you do not burn the crust, while the middle remains raw. A medium temperature insures that the schnitzel is cooked all the way through.

The Karadjordje schnitzel goes very well with fries but you can be inventive as far as the garnish is concerned…

Although it is delicious when served warm, I’m sure this recipe can be a success even when cold and sliced like a roulade, especially if the pork is replaced with chicken.

добар апетит !

The detailed recipe can be found in “Cartea regala de bucate”, Ed. Curtea Veche, Bucuresti, 2010, pag. 113.

15.3.11

Saptamana 10 / Week 10

Bijuteriile au fost intotdeauna un element strans legat de existenta monarhiilor, iar dintre bijuterii, nimic nu este mai reprezentativ pentru regalitate decat tiara. Aceasta varianta a coroanei, purtata de doamnele de vita nobila, a atins apogeul popularitatii in secolul al XIX-lea, insa ea este un element indispensabil al evenimentelor regale chiar si in secolul nostru. In ceea ce priveste casele regale europene, tiarele au cel putin o dubla valenta: pe langa reprezentarea simbolica a statutului, ele contin o adevarata istorie de familie si traditie.

Casa regala a Romaniei a detinut o colectie impresionanta de bijuterii. Din pacate, eu nu cunosc ce s-a intamplat cu multe dintre piesele cele mai importante care o compuneau si nici nu am gasit foarte multa literatura care sa elucideze aceasta enigma.

In postarea de azi, doresc sa ma opresc asupra uneia dintre piesele foarte speciale care, din fericire, continua sa fie in posesia Familiei Regale: tiara meandru sau, in varianta engleza, the Greek key tiara. Sunt incantat ca aceasta minunata bijuterie continua sa fie folosita la cele mai importante evenimente regale de pe continent, cu precadere de catre ASR Principesa Mostenitoare Margareta.

ASI Marea Ducesa Kyrill a Rusiei (Victoria Melita)

Din cate am aflat in urma cu mai multi ani de la un prieten britanic, aceasta tiara a apartinut initial Marii Ducese Victoria Melita a Rusiei (sora reginei Maria a Romaniei), care trebuie sa fi ajuns in posesia ei odata cu intrarea in Casa Imperiala rusa. Nu exista nicio poza care sa indice ca Victoria Melita ar fi detinut tiara inainte de casatoria cu Marele Duce Kyrill al Rusiei.

In urma revolutiei care i-a rasturnat de la putere pe Romanovi, se stie ca Ducky (porecla dupa care era cunoscuta sore reginei Maria), la fel ca marea majoritate a altetelor imperiale ruse, a fost nevoita sa vanda marea majoritate a bijuteriilor sale pentru a putea supravietui in exil. Se pare ca regina Maria (la randul sau o mare admiratoare a bijuteriilor) a achizitionat aceasta piesa deosebita de la sora sa pentru a o oferii drept cadou de nunta nurorii sale, principesei Elena (mama regelui Mihai), in 1921.

Numele acestei tiare – the Greek key tiara – era extrem de potrivit, avand in vedere ca inainte de casatoria cu cel care avea sa devina mai tarziu Carol al II-lea al Romaniei, Elena a fost printesa a Greciei.

Aceeasi tiara a fost purtata de regina Ana cu ocazia casatoriei sale cu regele Mihai, in 1948, la Atena.

In prezent, tiara este folosita in principal de ASR Principesa Mostenitoare atunci cand reprezinta Casa Regala romana la evenimentele de gala, cum a fost cazul nuntii Principesei Mostenitoare Victoria a Suediei (vezi Saptamana 4).

Este surprinzator insa ca Principesa Margareta nu a purtat aceasta tiara cu ocazia nuntii sale cu principele Radu, in 1996, preferand o alta tiara, creatie a casei Cartier.

Urmatoarea reteta marcheaza finalul capitolului “Tata” si, dupa parerea mea (si a multora dintre cei dragi mie), reprezinta o adevarata bijuterie intre deserturi!

Cheesecake

Blatul acestei minunatii se obtine prin sfarmarea a 300 de grame de biscuiti digestivi (va recomand biscuitii Gullon, care se gasesc in multe dintre magazinele din Cluj si sunt cei mai gustosi, dupa parerea mea) si amestecarea lor cu unt topit (eu folosesc un pachet mic de unt de 100g, din care vreo 10g folosesc la ungerea tavii) si un pic de scortisoara (optional). Reteta Principesei cere si cateva linguri de zahar, insa dupa testarea retetei, consider ca nu este obligatoriu acest ingredient. Aluatul obtinut se preseaza pe fundul unei tavi rotunde (unsa cu unt topit in prealabil), pentru tarte, si se pune la rece pana cand terminati umplutura. Cea mai indicata este tava cu catarama , a carei margini se pot indeparta. De asemenea, folosirea hartiei de copt usureaza foarte mult munca!

Umplutura contine 1 plic de gelatina simpla, 2 cutii mari de Philadelphia, 200 de grame de smantana grasa, 200 de smantana dulce (pentru frisca) si zahar. Branza Philadelphia de bate pana devine moale, dupa care se incorporeza gelatina (prealabil inmuiata in apa rece si dizolvata la foc mic, conform instructiunilor de pe plic), urmata de o jumatate de cana de zahar si un varf de cutit de sare. Separat se bate smantana dulce pana se intareste, dupa care se adauga smantatna grasa, iar produsul final se adauga peste branza Philadelphia si gelatina si se amesteca serios cu mixerul. Crema obtinuta se adauga peste blat, dupa care se introduce din nou la rece, preferabil pana a doua zi.

In ceea ce priveste decorarea, Principesa propune un sirop obtinut din 200 de grame de fructe proaspete (afine, capsuni, zmeura etc.), jumate de cana de zahar si vreo doua linguri de apa. Zaharul, apa si o treime din fructe se pun la foc si se fierb pana fructele se macereaza, iar zaharul este topit. Amestecul se tine la foc domol pana se ingroasa, dupa care se raceste si, in cele din urma, se adauga restul de fructe proaspete. Gustul acestui topping este minunat, dar, din nou in urma testului, sfatul meu este sa adaugati sucul de la jumatate de lamaie sau limeta, pentru a evita obtinerea unui desert exagerat de dulce.

Am gustat acest desert pentru prima data in Anglia in anii ‘90, dupa care l-am incercat, in diferitele sale forme in Statele Unite si pot spune ca mi-a placut intotdeauna, indiferent de reteta. In mintea mea, cheesecake merge cel mai bine cu capsuni, desi am incercat toate combinatiile, de la zmeura si ciocolata, pana la visine si dovleac sau cafea. N-am intalnit persoana caruia sa nu-i placa!

Reteta detaliata se afla in “Cartea regala de bucate”, Ed. Curtea Veche, Bucuresti 2010, pag. 30-32.

***

Jewels have always been an element closely connected to royalty. Among the different type of jewelry, nothing is more representative for monarchy than a tiara. This version of the crown, worn by ladies of the aristocracy, reached its popularity peak during the XIX^th century. Even now-a-days it is a must at royal events. As far as the the royal families of Europe are concerned, tiaras have at least a double valence: not only are they a symbol of the social status, but they also contain a lot of family history and tradition.

The royal family of Romania possessed a spectacular jewelry collection. Unfortunately I don’t know what happened to many of its most important pieces and I haven’t found much literature to elucidate this enigma.

In today’s post I wish to write a bit about one of the most special pieces of jewelry that fortunately is still in the possession of the Royal Family: the Greek key tiara. I am delighted that this beautiful piece of jewelry is still used at the most important royal events on the continent, especially by HRH Crown Princess Margarita.

As I found out many years ago from a British friend, this tiara originally belonged to the Grand Duchess Victoria Melita of Russia (Queen Marie of Romania’s sister). The tiara must have got in her possession once she entered the Imperial house of Russia. There is no picture indicating that Victoria Melita wore the tiara before her marriage to the Grand Duke Kyrill of Russia.

After the revolution that drove the Romanovs from the power, Ducky, as the Grand Duchess was known to her family, as well as many of her Russian relations had to sell most of their jewelry in order to survive in exile. It seems that queen Marie (a huge lover of jewelry herself) purchased this special piece from her sister in order to offer it as a wedding present to her daughter-in-law, princess Helen (the future Queen Mother of Romania and mother of HM King Michael I), in 1921. The name of this tiara – the Greek key tiara – is extremely suitable as before her marriage to the future Carol II of Romania, Helen was princess of Greece.

The same tiara was worn by queen Anne at her wedding to king Michael, in 1948, in Athens.

Nowadays the tiara is used mainly by HRH the Crown Princess when she represents the royal family at official events, such as Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden’s wedding (see Week 4). It is surprising that princess Margarita didn’t wear this tiara on her own wedding day, in 1996, preferring another tiara, designed by Cartier.

The following recipe is the last one in the chapter “Tata” and, in my opinion (and that of many people I hold dear) it represents a real piece of jewelry among desserts!

Cheesecake

The base of this wonderful dessert is obtained by crushing 300g of digestive biscuits and mixing them with melted butter (I use a small pack of 100g of butter, out of which about 10g are used to grease the springform tin) and a little bit of cinnamon (optional). The princess’ recipe requires sugar as well, but after testing it I think that this ingredient isn’t mandatory. The biscuit mixture thus obtained is pressed on the bottom of the greased tin and put in the fridge to chill while the filling is prepared. For an easier process, it is better to use parchment paper!

The filling is made out of one small packet of plain gelatin, two big packs of Philadelphia cream cheese (400g), 200g of full fat sour cream, 200g of cream and half a cup of sugar. Beat the cream cheese until it becomes soft; afterwards incorporate the gelatin (prepared in advance according to the instructions on the pack), followed by half a cup of sugar and a pinch of salt into the cream cheese. Separately whip the cream until stiff then add the full fat sour cream. Add this mixture over the cream cheese and the gelatin and mixed together with a hand-held mixer. Pour this mixture on top of the biscuit base and put in the fridge to chill, preferably until the next day.

For decorating, the princess suggests a syrup made from 200g of fresh fruit (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries etc), half a cup of sugar and two spoons of water. The sugar, the water and a third of the fruit need to be boiled until the fruit is macerated and the sugar melted. The mixture is then kept to simmer until it thickens; afterwards it is cooled down and eventually the rest of the fresh fruit is added. The taste of this topping is wonderful but again, after having tasted it, my advice is to add the juice from a half a lime or lemon, to cut some of the sweetness.

I had tried this dessert for the first time in England in the 90’s. After that I enjoyed it in its different forms in the USA and I can state that I have always loved it, no matter the recipe. In my mind, cheesecake goes best with strawberries, although I have tried loads of combinations, from raspberry and chocolate to cherries and pumpkin or coffee. I haven’t met anyone who didn’t like cheesecake!

The detailed recipe can be found in “Cartea regala de bucate”, Ed. Curtea Veche, Bucuresti, 2010, pag. 30-32.

8.3.11

Saptamana 9 / Week 9

Vreau sa incep postarea de azi cu o urare de “primavara placuta” pentru toata lumea si urari de bine pentru toate femeile! Se pare ca ne facem timid intrarea in noul anotimp, iar faptul ca soarele se vede din ce in ce mai mult ma face sa ma simt mult mai optimist si plin de energie.

M-am gandit sa folosesc acest moment pozitiv pentru a aminti tuturor despre formularul 230 (sau 200, dupa caz), prin care fiecare cetatean poate redirectiona 2% din impozitul pe venit dinspre stat spre un ONG (fundatie sau organizatie etc.) a carui activitate o considera demna de a fi sustinuta.

Inca de la sfarsitul anului trecut, am analizat atent proiectele desfasurate de Fundatia Principesei Margareta si am considerat ca ele sunt benefice intrucat isi propun sa ajute categoriile cele mai vulnerabile ale societatii noatre (tinerii si batranii), dar si sa le ofere indivizilor vizati uneltele necesare pentru a-si imbunatati ei insisi viata prin incurajarea talentului sau prin sustinerea zonelor defavorizate. O alta activitate asumata de Fundatie, pe care nu am intalnit-o niciunde altundeva, se refera la dialogul dintre generatii.

Personal, am redirectionat cei 2% catre beneficiari diferiti in fiecare an, iar anul acesta am hotarat sa sustin Fundatia Principesei Margareta. Doresc sa multumesc tuturor prietenilor si colegilor care au dorit sa se alature, la randul lor, demersului meu!

Celor interesati, le propun sa acceseze pagina oficiala a Fundatiei Principesa Margareta pentru a se familiariza cu activitatea si proiectele acesteia si a gasi toate instructiunile necesare, in cazul in care decid sa ajute.

In aceasta saptamana am trecut la cea de-a doua si, totodata, penultima reteta din capitolul “Tata”. M-am distrat copios atunci cand am urmarit interviul Principesei Mostenitoare si am auzit relatarea legata de MS Regele, care a cerut sa primeasca inca o portie din “chestia aia verde”… Decizia Principesei de a include aceasta reteta in “Cartea regala de bucate” m-a bucurat enorm deoarece iubesc busuiocul, sunt mort dupa pesto, dar nu l-am preparat niciodata in casa, de la zero.

Pasta con pesto

Pastele se fierb conform instructiunilor de pe ambalaj, astfel incat sa fie calde in momentul terminarii sosului.

Pentru sosul pesto e nevoie de frunze de busuioc proaspat (eu am folosit 2 pungi x 30g), seminte de pin (80g - trebuiesc rumenite putin intr-o tigaie), ulei de masline (200ml), parmezan proaspat ras (3 linguri mari), usturoi (eu am pus 2 catei, reteta cere 4-5, dar daca duceti de pranz la birou poate va mai ganditi…) si sare (dupa gust). Toate aceste ingrediente se pun in blender, folosindu-se intermitent functia pulse pana cand devin o pasta omogena (asigurati-va ca frunzele au fost macinate uniform).

Rezultatul este ceea ce se numeste pesto alla genovese, sau sosul pesto classic, din busuioc.

Din propria experienta, va pot spune ca semintele de pin se gasesc destul de greu la noi si sunt la un pret destul de ridicat. Pentru a obtine reteta clasica, merita investitia, insa, la nevoie, ele pot fi inlocuite cu migdale sau chiar nuci obisnuite.

In cele din urma adaugati sosul deasupra pastelor calde si amestecati astfel incat sa se distribuie uniform.

Nu este obligatoriu sa folositi paste de tip spaghetti: cele de tip fusilli merg foarte bine, daca nu chiar mai bine, intrucat striatiile capteaza mai bine sosul pesto, dupa parerea mea.

Singurul motiv pentru care aceasta reteta ar putea fi considerata cu o idee mai pretentioasa ar fi ingredientele: in special busuiocul si semintele de pin, care sunt mai dificil de gasit si mai costisitoare. De asemenea este indicat ca uleiul de masline si parmezanul sa fie de calitate superioara. Cu toate acestea, va recomand sa incercati acest preparat al carei dificultate de pregatire, dupa cum se vede, este redusa. In plus, puteti avea parte de o masa hranitoare si sanatoasa. Pentru cei care sunt mai atenti la ceea ce mananca, se pot folosi paste din faina integrala. Merita tinut minte ca busuiocul este o planta cu efecte benefice (are efect antioxidant si antimicrobial), iar semintele de pin protejeaza inima si ajuta ficatul, fiind o sursa excelenta de fibre si proteine.

Buon appetito!

Reteta detaliata se afla in “Cartea regala de bucate”, Ed. Curtea Veche, Bucuresti 2010, pag. 26.

***

I want to begin today’s post by whishing everyone a wonderful spring and by sending all the best to all the women in the world! It looks like the new season is shyly making its way into our lives and the fact that the sun can be seen more and more makes me feel more optimistic and full of energy.

I thought of taking advantage of this positive moment to remind everybody about Form 230 (or 200 in some cases) through which every Romanian citizen can redirect 2% of his/hers income tax towards an NGO (foundation or organization) whose activity he/she considers worthy of supporting.

Ever since the end of last year I have carefully analyzed the projects carried out by the Princess Margarita of Romania Foundation and I thought they are benefic as they are trying to help the most vulnerable categories of our society (the young and the old). Through these projects the foundation is also trying to offer individuals the necessary means for them to improve their life: it encourages talent and it tries to support disfavored areas. Another activity promoted by the foundation is, in my opinion, a less common, but very positive one: the dialogue between generations.

I, for one, have redirected the 2% towards different beneficiaries every year and this year I’ve decided to support the Princess Margarita of Romania Foundation. I would like to thank all my colleagues and friends that also decided to join in helping the Princess’ efforts!

My suggestion for everyone interested is to go to the official web page of the Princess Margarita of Romania Foundation in order to familiarize themselves with its activity and projects and also to find all the necessary instructions, in case they decide to help.

This week I moved on to the second recipe from the chapter “Tata”. I was very much amused when I saw the Crown Princess’ interview and I heard the story about HM the King asking to get another portion of “that green thing”… The princess’ decision to include this recipe in “Cartea regala de bucate” made me very happy because I love basil, I’m crazy about pesto and yet I have never made it from scratch in my kitchen.

Pasta con pesto

Cook the pasta according to the pack instructions so that it will be warm when the sauce is ready.

To make pesto you will need fresh basil leaves (I used 2 bags x 30g), pine seeds (80g – they must be roasted a little bit beforehand), olive oil (200ml), freshly grated parmesan (3 large spoons), garlic (I added 2 cloves, the recipe requires 4-5, but if one takes some for lunch the next day, maybe one will think twice…) and salt (according to taste). All these ingredients go into the blender, using the pulse function until a smooth paste is obtained (make sure the leaves are uniformly minced).

The result is what one would call pesto alla genovese, or the classic pesto made with basil.

Speaking from my experience I can tell you that the pine seeds are quite difficult to find in our stores and are a bit pricy. In order to obtain the classic recipe they are required, but, when needed they can be replaced by almonds or even walnuts.

In the end add the sauce on top of the warm pasta and mix to distribute the pesto evenly.

You don’t necessarily have to use spaghetti: fusilli can also be used and in my opinion they are quite appropriate because the striations gather the pesto very well.

The only reason for which this recipe could be considered just a tad more pretentious would be the ingredients: especially the basil and the pine seeds, that are more difficult to find and more expensive. Also it is advisable that the olive oil and the parmesan used are of a superior quality. Nonetheless, I suggest that you try this dish which has a low difficulty level, as one can see. Furthermore, this is a hearty and healthy meal. For those who are more careful about what they eat, whole grain pasta can be used. It’s worth keeping in mind that basil is a plant with antioxidant and antibacterial effects, while pine seeds protect the heart and help the liver, being an excellent source of fibers and proteins.

Buon appetito!

The detailed recipe can be found in “Cartea regala de bucate”, Ed. Curtea Veche, Bucuresti, 2010, pag. 26.

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