Saptamana 16 / Week 16

 Hristos a inviat !

Westminster Abbey, Londra

Saptamana aceasta va fi marcata de evenimentul regal al anului – casatoria ASR principele William de Wales cu domnisoara Catherine Middleton – care va avea loc vineri, 29 aprilie 2011, la Westminster Abbey, in Londra.

Certificatul de casatorie al MS regina Elisabeta a II-a
semnatura regelui Mihai I se poate vedea in dreapta, jos

Astept cu nerabdare acest eveniment deosebit, precum astept cu mare emotie sa vad pe ALR Principesa Mostenitoare si principele Radu, care, in frunte cu MS Regele, reprezinta la nunta regala nu doar familia lor, ci si tara noastra, asa cum Mihai I a facut-o si in 1947, la nunta actualei regine, Elisabeta a II-a, tot la Westminster Abbey, acum mai bine de 60 de ani! 

Nunta actualei suverane britanice, Londra, 1947
MS regele Mihai I este in ultmul rand, dreapta

***

Sofia Margareta Victoria Frederica, sau, mai simplu, MS regina Sofia a Spaniei s-a nascut la Atena, fiind primul copil al cuplului regal Paul (Pavlos) si Frederica ai Greciei.

Casa regala a Greciei



Verisoara primara cu regele Mihai I, sotia regelui Spaniei a fost intotdeauna o apropiata a familiei regale a Romaniei, inca din primii ani ai vietii. Pe cand era inca principesa a Greciei, Sofia a fost domnisoara de onoare la nunta regelui Mihai cu regina Ana, care a avut loc in Atena in anul de dupa abdicarea fortata a regelui. Apropierea dintre Sofia si rudele romane a fost demonstrata si de prezenta principesei Margareta ca domnisoara de onoare la nunta Sofiei cu don Juan Carlos de Bourbon y Battenberg, actualul Juan Carlos I al Spaniei, precum si de prezenta reginei Spaniei la evenimentele importante din viata casei regale romane, precum celebrarea nuntii de diamant a regelui si reginei Romaniei, la Bucuresti.

 © ASR Principele Radu al Romaniei

Familia regala a Romaniei alaturi de regina Sofia a Spaniei, Bucuresti, 2008

Regina Sofia este casatorita cu actualul suveran spaniol de peste 40 de ani, iar impreuna ocupa tronul Spaniei de aproape 36 de ani.

Regatul Spaniei are caracteristica de a fi, in acelasi timp, una dintre cele mai vechi monarhii ale lumii, cu o traditie impresionanta si o influenta pe masura la nivel mondial, dar si cea mai noua monarhie restaurata pe batranul continent. Aderarea Spaniei la Uniunea Europeana, la 1 ianuarie 1986, a incheiat un proces de regenerare si maturizare a democratiei spaniole, proces in care institutia monarhiei a avut un rol absolut vital.

Pe toata perioada celor trei ani care s-au scurs de la moartea lui Franco pe 20 noiembrie 1975 si pana la 28 decembrie 1978 cand Majestatea Sa regele Juan Carlos I a sanctionat noua Constitutie spaniola, regele a fost unica forta care a facut posibila trecerea de la un popor inspaimantat si umilit la o tara libera a tuturor spaniolilor, asemenea tarilor europene aflate in vecinatatea sa.

Aceasta schimbare, sau tranzitie politica, ar fi putut fi realizata intr-un ritm mai alert, insa partea cea mai interesanta a fost aceea ca ea s-a produs aproape fara nici o tulburare, in ciuda faptului ca intreaga masinarie statala, de la sistemul politic, administratie, politie secreta, si pana la autoritatile legale – intregul proces centralizat de luare a deciziilor, toate caracteristice statelor totalitare, erau astfel concepute pentru a fi controlate de dictator – Franco.

Juan Carlos I a indicat, timid, in discursul tinut in ziua in care predecesorul sau a murit, ca se deschidea atunci o noua etapa in istoria Spaniei. Actiunile sale, caracterizate de un amestec de prudenta, istetime si curaj politic, au avut ca efect dezintegrarea aparatului de stat al dictatorului Francisco Franco, fara a cauza insa o dezordine publica de proportii

In perioada anilor in care a fost „succesorul cu titlu de rege” al dictatorului, Juan Carlos a pus bazele unui plan si a unei strategii gandite cu mare grija. Singurele persoane care cunosteau detaliile acestei strategii fiind tatal sau, Don Juan de Bourbon y Battenberg, cel care avea sa devina in cele din urma principalul sau sfatuitor, si Torcuato Fernandez Miranda, tutorele tanarului principe, pe care acesta avea sa-l numeasca  presedinte al Cortesului dupa succesiune, o pozitie cheie in care a putut sa promoveze reforma principalelor legi care alcatuisera o pseudo-constitutie in cadrul regimului franchist, transformandu-le in cadrul legal care avea sa faciliteze organizarea de alegeri libere si democratice in cel mai scurt timp .

In perioada celor trei ani, din 1975 pana in 1978, cele doua „Spanii”, cea care iesise invingatoare din razboiul civil, precum si perdanta, au ajuns la o reconciliere aproape totala. Exilatii pe motive politice s-au intors si s-a acordat o amnistie politica larga. Au fost, de asemenea, repuse in drepturile lor principalele libertati: libertatea presei, libertatea cuvantului, dreptul de a demonstra etc. Legea reformei politice a fost elaborata si adoptata, astfel ca s-a legalizat sistemul multipartit. Insa „capodopera” acestei perioade de tranzitie a fost, fara indoiala, crearea Constitutiei de la 1978: o constitutie moderna, progresista, conceputa cu ochii indreptati spre viitor. Mai mult, aceasta Constitutie a fost creata pe baza consensului tuturor partidelor politice. O creatie cu o mare valoare juridica, insa si simbolica pentru ca ea semnaleaza renasterea democratiei spaniole dupa o lunga perioada de dictatura.

Un alt eveniment simbolic avusese loc in 1977, atunci cand Don Juan de Bourbon y Battenberg, seful Casei Regale al Spaniei si mostenitorul de drept al coroanei, a transferat drepturile sale dinastice si succesorale fiului sau in cadrul unei ceremonii private. Acest moment, desi simbolic, poate fi considerat hotarator, prin aceea ca a intarit legitimitatea noii ordini de stat, impresionand atat adeptii monarhiei, cat si pe cei neutrii si chiar si pe republicani.

ML Regele si Regina Spaniei

Pe data de 28 decembrie 1978, regele, dupa semnarea Constitutiei , a carei adoptare si-a dorit-o atat de mult, si-a preluat locul de drept – acela de rege constitutional, care domneste insa nu guverneaza, cu mentiunea ca si-a devotat intotdeauna energia, si continua si azi sa o faca, pentru consolidarea democratiei.

Constitutia ii atribuie acele prerogative pe care si le-a imaginat ca fiind potrivite inca de pe vremea regimului franchist: acelea de a fi simbolul unitatii si continuitatii Spaniei, de arbitru si moderator ce vegheaza la buna functionare a institutiilor, de a reprezenta statul, chiar si in contextul unor puteri politice restranse. Acestea din urma sunt limitate la sanctionarea si proclamarea legilor, convocarea si dizolvarea Parlamentului, convocarea organizarii de alegeri la propunerea primului ministru sau organizarea de referendumuri in concordanta cu prevederile legii fundamentale. Monarhul are puterea de a propune candidatul pentru pozitia de prim-ministru, si, la nevoie, il poate numi pe acesta in functie pe baza rezultatelor alegerilor generale. El poate, de asemenea, sa numeasca si sa demita ministrii propusi de premier, precum si sa emita decrete aprobate in cadrul Consiliului de ministri.

Monarhul este comandantul suprem al armatei, desi politica de aparare este elaborata de catre executiv, numeste ambasadori, autorizeaza intelegeri internationale in concordanta cu articolele relevante ale Constitutiei, declara razboi si semneaza tratate de pace atunci cand este autorizat sa o faca de catre legislativ.

Aceasta descriere a prerogativelor suveranului spaniol demonstreaza ca puterile ii sunt drastic limitate. Insa aceste puteri ii sunt cele necesare si ii permit sa fie acel arbitru, un moderator al vietii politice, aflat intr-o pozitie neutra in ceea ce priveste partidele si celelalte institutii ale statului, dar si un protector al tuturor cetatenilor. Suveranul spaniol este un garant al democratiei, lucru demonstrat la 23 februarie 1981, cand ordinea de drept a fost greu pusa la incercare, dar regele, actionand pe deplin in limitele sale constitutionale, a salvat democratia si a inlaturat orice posibilitate de reintoarcere la dictatura militara .

De la momentul urcarii sale pe tron, Juan Carlos I a fost in ochii lumii simbolul noii Spanii, o Spanie moderna, o Spanie a progresului, aflata intr-o deplina intelegere cu vecinii sai. Drumul acesteia s-a deschis spre institutii ce nu-i fusesera accesibile in perioada anterioara: Consiliul Europei, NATO, culminand cu aderarea la Uniunea Europeana in anul 1986.

Modelul spaniol ne demonstreaza, poate cel mai bine, nu doar ca institutia monarhica este benefica pentru democratie sau pentru coeziunea nationala, ci si ca aceasta institutie este una moderna, extrem de adaptabila si, nu in ultimul rand, faptul ca revenirea la monarhie nu este un proces imposibil. 

Gazpacho Andaluz

Iata ca dupa reteta de peste si orez a cuplului regal bulgar (Saptamana 14), ne intoarcem in peninsula Iberica tot printr-o filiera balcanica, aceea a reginei Spaniei care a trimis principesei Margareta reteta sa pentru Gazpacho Andaluz.

Gazpacho este o supa de rosii si legume crude, care se serveste rece si este extrem de sanatoasa si binevenita in lunile calde de vara.

Prepararea acestei retete este simpla: veti avea nevoie de rosii cat mai copate, castravete, ardei gras, usturoi, ceapa, cateva felii de paine uscata, ulei de masline si otet.

Eu am folosit 12 rosii de dimesiunii mari, un castravete, o ceapa alba, doi ardei grasi verzi, un catel de usturoi , pe care le-am spalat bine si le-am taiat cuburi. La toate aceste ingrediente am adaugat cinci felii de paine alba uscata, pe care am imbibat-o in apa si am stors-o in prealabil, jumate de cana de ulei de masline si cam trei linguri de otet balsamic.

Am amestecat toate ingredientele si le-am introdus in frigider cateva ore, dupa care le-am bagat in blender pana s-au maruntit, iar la final le-am strecurat. Am condimentat cu sare si piper, iar pentru decorare am folosit un ou fiert tare impreuna cu rosie, ardei si ceapa cuburi.

Dupa micile excesele de Pasti, pot sa spun ca aceasta supa a fost mai mult decat binevenita!

Reteta detaliata se afla in “Cartea regala de bucate”, Ed. Curtea Veche, Bucuresti 2010, pag. 84.

***

Christ is risen !

This week will be marked by the royal event of the year – the wedding of HRH prince William of Wales and Ms. Catherine Middleton – which will take place on Friday, April 29^th 2011 at Westminster Abbey, in London. I really look forward to this special event and also to seeing TRH the Crown Princess and prince Radu, who, together with HM the King, will represent not only their family, but also our country at the Royal Wedding, just as King Michael had done in 1947, at the wedding of the present British queen, Elizabeth II.

***

Sophia Margaret Victoria Frederika, or HM queen Sofia of Spain, was born in Athens, the firstborn child of king Paul and queen Frederika of Greece.

A first cousin of king Michael I, the wife of the Spanish king has always been very close to Romania’s royal family, from childhood. When she was still a princess of Greece and Denmark, Sofia was a bridesmaid at king Michael and queen Anne’s wedding, which took place in Athens after the King’s forced abdication. The closeness that exists between Sofia and her Romanian relatives was evident when Margarita of Romania was invited to be a bridesmaid at Sofia’s wedding to Juan Carlos de Bourbon y Battenberg, the present-day king of Spain, and also by the Spanish queen’s presence at the most important family events of the Romanian royals like the diamond wedding anniversary of the king and queen of Romania, in Bucharest.

Queen Sofia has been married to the present Spanish monarch for over 40 years and together they have been on the throne for almost 36 years.

The Kingdom of Spain has the particularity of being, at the same time, one of the most ancient monarchies in the world, with an impressive tradition and a matching influence in the world, but also the newest restored monarchy in Europe. Spain’s entry in the European Union on January 1^st 1986 ended a process of regeneration and coming of age of the Spanish democracy, a process in which the monarchy had a vital role to play.

During the three years that passed from Franco’s death on November 20^th 1975 until December 28^th 1978, when king Juan Carlos sanctioned the new Spanish Constitution, the King represented the only force that made possible the transition from a tormented and humiliated people to a free country for all Spaniards.

This change, or political transition, might have been achieved quicker, but it is worth noting that it happened with almost no unrest or violence despite the fact that the entire State, from political system, administration and secret police to legal authority – the entire centralized process of decision-making, all specific to totalitarian states, were conceived in such a way as to be controlled by the dictator – Franco.

Juan Carlos I hinted subtly in his speech, the day his predecessor died, that a new era in Spain’s history was beginning. His actions, characterized by an amalgam of prudence, cleverness and political courage, determined the disintegration of Franco’s state apparatus without producing massive public disorder.

During the years when he was the “successor with the title of King” of the dictator, Juan Carlos carefully devised a well planned strategy for the future. The only people that were aware of the details of this strategy were his father, Don Juan de Bourbon y Battenberg, who would become his main advisor, and Torcuato Fernandez Miranda, his tutor, whom he eventually named as Speaker of the Cortés, a key post from which he could promote the reform of the principal laws which previously formed a pseudo-Constitution during the Franco regime, changing them into the legal frame needed to organize free and democratic elections in the shortest time possible.

During the three years that passed from 1975 until 1978, the Spain that emerged as the victor from the Civil war, and the one that was defeated, reached an almost complete reconciliation. Those who were exiled for political reasons returned and an ample amnesty was granted.  At the same time the main liberties were recognized: the freedom of the press, free speech, the right to assemble etc. The law for political reform was drafted and adopted so that a multiparty system was legalized also. But the true “masterpiece” of this period has to be, without any doubt the Constitution of 1978: a modern and progressive constitution that looked towards the future with confidence. More importantly it was adopted with the full consensus of all political parties.  It was and still is a very valuable legal creation, but it also has a very strong symbolic value since it marks the rebirth of the Spanish democracy after a long period of internal strife and dictatorship.

Another symbolic event had taken place in 1977, when Don Juan de Bourbon y Battenberg, the Head of the Royal House of Spain and the rightful heir to the throne, transferred his dynastic rights onto his son during a private ceremony. This moment, although symbolic, can be considered as being quite decisive because it strengthened the legitimacy of the new order and really impressed not only the monarchy supporters, but also those who were neutral or even republicans.

On December 28^th 1978, the King, after having signed the Constitution, whose adoption he wished for so dearly, took his rightful place – that of constitutional monarch, who reigns, but does not govern, while devoting his entire energy to the consolidation of democracy.

The Constitution gives the King those prerogatives that he saw appropriate since the days of the Franco regime: that of being a symbol of Spain’s’ unity and continuity, a factor of equilibrium and balance that ensures the optimum functioning of the State’s institutions, that of representing the State even in the context of very reduced political powers. These latter powers are limited to sanctioning and proclaiming laws, convoking or dissolving the Cortes, calling for general elections upon the advice of the prime minister or organizing referendums according to the rules set out by the fundamental law. The monarch can also propose the candidate for the position of prime minister and can appoint him/her to that said position, based on election results. He can appoint or dismiss ministers and can issue decrees, which need to be approved by the Council of ministers.

The King is the supreme commander of the armed forces (although the defence strategy is devised by the executive), he appoints ambassadors, authorises international agreements in accordance to the relevant articles of the Constitution, declares war and signs peace treaties when so authorised by the Cortes.

This description of the Spanish sovereign’s prerogatives demonstrates that his powers are considerably limited. But these are the powers that he needs in his activity as head-of-state, arbitrator of political life that adopts a strictly neutral stance when it comes to political parties or State institutions, while being a protector of all citizens. The Spanish monarch is a protector of the democracy: this was evident on February 23^rd 1981, when the new order was put to the test, but the king, acting well within his constitutional limitations, saved the democracy and thwarted any possibility of a return to military dictatorship.

From the moment he succeeded to the throne, Jan Carlos I has been, in the eyes of the world, the symbol of a new Spain, a Spain of progress and in perfect understanding with her neighbours. Her path was open to institutions that were not accessible beforehand: the Council of Europe, NATO and culminating with its admission into the European Union in 1986.

The Spanish model demonstrates in the best way not only that the monarchical institution is beneficial to democracy or to the national cohesion, but also that this is a thoroughly modern institution, very adaptable and, last, but certainly not least, that the return to constitutional monarchy is not an impossible process. 

Gazpacho Andaluz

After the fish and rice recipe sent by the Bulgarian royal couple (Week 14), we again return to the Iberian Peninsula through a Balkan connection – that of the Spanish queen, who sent her recipe for Gazpacho Andaluz to the Crown Princess.

Gazpacho is a raw tomato soup which is served cold and is extremely wholesome and welcomed, especially during the hot summer months.

The preparation of this recipe is simple: one needs very ripe tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, garlic, onion, a few slices of stale bread, olive oil and vinegar.

I used 12 big tomatoes, one cucumber, one white onion, two green bell peppers and one clove of garlic, which I rinsed well and cut into cubes. I added 5 slices of stale white bread, which I had previously soaked in cold water and then drained, half a cup of olive oil and about three spoons of balsamic vinegar.

I mixed all the ingredients together and put them in the fridge for a few hours, after which I put them through the blender and then had them strained. At the end, I added salt and pepper and for decoration I used a hardboiled egg together with some chopped tomato, bell pepper and onion

After Easter’s little culinary excesses, this soup was more than welcomed!

The detailed recipe can be found in “Cartea regala de bucate”, Ed. Curtea Veche, Bucuresti 2010, pag. 84.



Saptamana 15 / Week 15

In Saptamana 11 am prezentat legatura dintre casele regale ale Romaniei si Iugoslaviei, iar in Saptamana 13 am ramas in zona Balcanilor scriind despre legatura casei noastre regale cu cea a Bulgariei. Azi voi face o completare la tabelul genealogic din 22 martie si voi incepe sa vorbesc despre legatura speciala care exista intre Principesa Mostenitoare a Romaniei si monarhia elena.



Descendentii ML regele Ferdinand I & regina Maria ai Romaniei



Asa cum reiese din tabelul genealogic, principesa Margareta este inrudita cu familia regala a Greciei prin bunica sa paterna, regina-mama Elena a Romaniei, care inainte de casatoria cu viitorul Carol al II-lea a fost principesa a Greciei si Danemarcei. [Fondatorul actualei case regale elene, regele George I, a fost fiul regelui Danemarcei, Christian al IX-lea (vezi tabelul genealogic din Saptamana 8), fiind cunoscut in tara sa natala sub numele de principele Vilhelm. I s-a oferit coroana greceasca in anul 1863, dupa ce regele Otto (de origina bavareza) a fost indepartat. Acesta este motivul pentru care toti membrii casei regale elene sunt principi de Grecia si Danemarca!]

Mai putin cunoscut este faptul ca a existat o a doua legatura intre cele doua case regale: inca inainte de casatoria dintre principele Carol si principesa Elena, la Bucuresti, a avut loc nunta principesei Elisabeta a Romaniei (sora principelui Carol) si cel care avea sa devina regele George al II-lea al Greciei si care era, in acelasi timp, fratele principesei Elena. Aceste legaturi matrimoniale au pecetluit statutul reginei Maria a Romaniei ca “soacra a Balcanilor” si au stat la baza sistemului de aliante al Romaniei in perioada premergatoare celui de-al doilea razboi mondial.

Trebuie spus ca, inca de la inceput, cele doua mariaje au fost puse sub semnul intrebarii datorita superstitiilor ortodoxe. Se pare ca aceste superstitii au avut o oarecare putere intrucat ambele casatorii s-au terminat prin divort.



MS regina Elisabeta a Greciei



Principesa Elisabeta a Romaniei a purtat titlul de regina a Greciei pentru o scurta perioada de timp, iar casnicia sa cu regele Greciei nu a produs niciun mostenitor. Dupa moartea regelui George al II-lea, coroana elena a trecut catre fratele sau mai mic, Paul. Saptamana viitoare voi continua sa scriu despre rudele din Grecia ale principesei Margareta, mai exact, despre fiica cea mai mare a regelui Paul, Sofia, actuala regina a Spaniei.


 

Principesa Elisabeta a Romaniei, regina Greciei, ramane in istorie, iar numele sau este o prezenta permanenta in viata casei regale grecesti, chiar si in ziua de azi, prin intermediul unei bijuterii deosebite, create in cinstea sa. Este vorba despre o exceptionala tiara cu diamante si smaralde ce continua sa fie purtata de actuala regina a Greciei, a carei motiv central este litera “E”, initiala principesei romane. 

MS regina Anne-Marie a Greciei  

Paste fericit !!!

Tarta de lamaie Simeon al II-lea

Reteta din aceasta saptamana incheie capitolul “Regele Simeon II si regina Margarita”, inchinat suveranilor bulgari. Este unul dintre deserturile pe care le prefer, intrucat sunt un mare iubitor al citricelor.

Dupa cum veti vedea, nu este un desert dificil de realizat, nu necesita mult timp si nici nu solicita prea mult bugetul.

Blatul acestei tarte se relaizeaza asemeni celui pentru cheesecake, insa biscuitii digestivi sunt (sau pot fi) inlocuiti cu cei simplii (Petit Beurre). Dupa ce sfaramati biscuitii, amestecati-i cu unt (aprox. jumate de pachet) si presati-i pe fundul unei tavi cu catarama .

Crema se obtine prin amestecarea a patru galbenusuri de ou cu o conserva de lapte condensat (se poate prepara si in casa) si zeama de la doua lamai mari. Se bat cele trei ingrediente cu mixerul si de toarna deasupra blatului.

Decorarea tartei se face cu o spuma de albus si zahar (bezea): se bat 4 albusuri de ou cu o cana de zahar alb, iar spuma astfel obtinuta se pune intr-un cornet pentru decorat si se acopera intreaga tarta.

Se introduce la cuptor, la foc mediu, pana cand bezeaua se rumeneste.

Am pregatit aceasta tarta pentru ziua fratelui meu, caruia ii doresc, din nou, “La multi ani!” si multa, multa sanatate!!!

Reteta detaliata se afla in “Cartea regala de bucate”, Ed. Curtea Veche, Bucuresti 2010, pag. 137.

***

In Week 11 I wrote about the family connections that exist between the royal houses of Romania and Yugoslavia, while in Week 13 I remained in the Balkans writing about the family connections that exist between our royal family and that of Bulgaria. Today I will add some details to the family tree of March 22^nd and will write about the special relationship that exists between HRH the Crown Princess of Romania and the Greek monarchy.

[see The Descendants of King Ferdinand I & Queen Marie of Romania genealogic table above]

As can be seen in the family tree, the Crown Princess is related to the Greek Royal Family through her paternal grandmother, queen Helen of Romania, who, before marrying the future king Carol II, was a princess of Greece & Denmark [The founder of the present-day Greek Royal Family, king George I, was the son of the Danish king Christian IX (see the family tree of Week 8) and was known in his country of birth as prince Vilhelm. He was offered the Greek crown in 1863 after the Bavarian-born king Otto was deposed. This is the reason why all members of the Greek royal family are prince/princess of Greece and Denmark!]

Less known is the fact that there was a second connection between the two royal houses: even before the wedding of Carol and Helen, the wedding of princess Elisabeta of Romania (Carol’s sister) and the future king George II of Greece (Helen’s brother) took place in Bucharest. These family ties have sealed queen Marie of Romania’s title of “mother-in-law of the Balkans” and were an important part of Romania’s alliance system before World War II.

It has to be said that from the beginning the two royal unions were frowned upon due to the Orthodox superstitions. It seems that these superstitions were quite powerful as both marriages ended in divorce.

Princess Elisabeta of Romania was queen of Greece for a very short period of time and her her marriage to the King of Greece produced no heirs. After king George II’s death, the Greek crown went to his younger brother Paul. Next week I will continue to write about the Greek relatives of Crown Princess Margarita, specifically, about king Paul’s eldest daughter, Sofia, the present queen of Spain.

Princess Elisabeta of Romania, queen of Greece, has made her mark on history and her name remains a constant presence in the Greek Royal Family’s life, even today, through a very special piece of jewellery, which was created in her honour. It is an amazing diamond and emerald tiara, which is worn by the present-day Queen of Greece and whose central motif is the letter E, the Romanian princess’ initial.

 Happy Easter !!!

Lemon Tart Simeon II

This week’s recipe is the last of the chapter “King Simeon II & Queen Margarita”, dedicated to the Bulgarian sovereign. This is one of my favourite desserts as I am a great lover of anything citrusy. 

As you will see, it really is a very easy to prepare dessert, it is not time-consuming and does not put a strain on one’s budget.

I made the base of this tart just like the one for the cheesecake, but the digestive biscuits are (or can be) substituted for regular, plain biscuits. Once I crushed the biscuits, I mixed them with butter (about half a pack) at room temperature and pressed them onto the base of the cake tin.

I made the filling of this tart out of four egg yolks, one can of condensed milk and the juice from two large lemons. I mixed everything together and added the filling on top of the biscuit base.

I decorated the tart with a meringue, which I made out of four egg whites and a cup of sugar, whipped together with a hand-held mixer. Using a piping bag, I covered the top of the tart with the meringue.

I placed the decorated tart in the oven at medium heat and baked it until the meringue turned a nice golden colour.

I have made this tart for my brother’s birthday this year and I want to wish him, yet again, “Happy Birthday” and all good wishes of health and happiness!!!

The detailed recipe can be found in “Cartea regala de bucate”, Ed. Curtea Veche, Bucuresti 2010, pag. 137.

Saptamana 14 / Week 14

Saptamana ce a trecut de la ultima postare a fost, pentru mine, una plina de evenimente deosebite. Am avut placerea de a o intalni, la Cluj, pentru prima oara, pe ASR Principesa Mostenitoare, aflata intr-un turneu de promovare a volumului “Carte regala de bucate”. A fost un moment extrem de emotionant pentru mine, un moment ce imi va ramane viu in minte pentru tot restul vietii. Doresc sa multumesc pe aceasta cale cumnatei mele, Lorena Moldovan, care a creat un minunat buchet tricolor in cinstea Principesei . 

© adevarul.ro
Daruind ASR Principesa Mostenitoare buchetul tricolor, Cluj 8.04.2011

“Cartea regala de bucate” are o insemnatate deosebita pentru mine. Pe langa ideea originala, ceea ce m-a impresionat cel mai mult a fost gestul Principesei de a deschide usile caminului sau in fata cititorului, care este invitat sa paseasca in lumea elegantei si a traditiei de ospitalitate a regalitatii. Dar ambientul nu este doar unul formal intrucat cititorului ii este ingaduita si patrunderea in intimitatea familiala, ii sunt prezentate rudele si prietenii de familie, micile ritualuri domestice, dar si amintiri din vremuri trecute sau evenimente, mai mult sau mai putin formale. Bineinteles ca si felurile de mancare sunt importante, si ele spun o intreaga poveste despre cei care le-au trimis Principesei noastre, dar ce conteaza cel mai mult, in opinia mea, este sentimentul “experientei impartasite”.

© adevarul.ro
ASR Principesa Mostenitoare, Cluj 8.04.2011

 Aceasta carte este ca un muzeu modern: este informativa, educativa chiar, antrenanta dar si interactiva! Ne amintim cu totii vizitele organizate cu scoala la muzeul de istorie… toate obiectele inchise in cutii de sticla sau in corpuri de mobilier imens… nu este cazul “Cartii regale de bucate”! In acest “muzeu” vizitatorul are oportunitatea sa cunoasca personajele principale, sa participle la evenimentele importante si chiar sa guste din bucatele servite la masa! Este o deschidere fara precedent din partea Familiei Regale a Romaniei, o deschidere ce este in pas cu timpurile noastre.

Acest ultim volum al Principesei are si calitatea de a putea fi de interes pentru un segment larg de cititori: chiar nu trebuie sa fii un mare gurmand sau un maestru bucatar, precum nu este obligatoriu sa fii un amator al istoriei, si nici chiar un monarhist pentru a te bucura de “Cartea regala de bucate”.

Cu siguranta aceasta nu este o obisnuita carte cu retete, ci o experienta unica pe care o recomand tuturor!

Intorcandu-ma la propria mea experienta, pot sa spun ca deosebita “Carte regala de bucate” a stat la originea deciziei mele de a incepe acest blog, care imi aduce foarte multe satisfactii, motiv pentru care doresc sa multumesc din nou  ASR Principesa Mostenitoare a Romaniei!

Nu in ultimul rand, doresc sa multumesc din suflet ASR Principele Radu a carui sustinere inseamna pentru mine mai mult decat as putea vreodata exprima in cuvinte. Respect foarte mult, printre altele, caliatile sale oratorice si de scriitor, astfel ca aprecierea sa este cu atat mai pretioasa pentru mine! 

© ASR Principele Radu

Celor care aleg sa citeasca acest blog le multumesc, de asemenea, si sper ca lectura lui sa le faca la fel de multa placere pe cat imi face mie scrierea lui. (feedback-ul & comentariile sunt apreciate)

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Saptamana trecuta am evidentiat legaturile de rudenie dintre MS regele Simeon al II-lea al bulgarilor si Casa Regala romana. In postarea de azi doresc sa ma opresc putin asupra activitatii fostului monarh de la sud de Dunare dupa reintoarcerea in tara natala, mai exact activitatea din domeniul politic.

© kingsimeon.bg
ML Regina & Regele bulgarilor

Pentru inceput, este important de mentionat ca Simeon de Saxa-Coburg-Gotha sau Simeon Sakskoburggotski, cum mai este numit de catre compatriotii sai, nu a renuntat niciodata formal la coroana bulgara. Intoarcerea in patrie, in urma caderii cortinei de fier, l-a pus in contact cu realitatile post-comuniste, foarte familiare si noua, romanilor: un popor maltratat si vulnerabil, o economie inapoiata si atrofiata, total disfunctionala, coruptie, saracie, confuzie si teama – o societate dezradacinata si deloc eficienta.

Traind majoritatea vietii in Occident si avand avantajul unei educatii in context democratic, Simeon al Bulgariei a simtit nevoia sa se implice in reconstructia tarii sale in incercarea de a-i asigura un viitor stabil, democratic, compatibil cu valorile societatilor din vestul continentului. Acest demers este cu siguranta unul admirabil, insa modalitatea aleasa este una pe care personal nu o pot sustine in intregime.

Fostul suveran bulgar a pus bazele unui partid politic la inceputul noului secol, a participat la alegeri, le-a castigat si a fost numit prim-ministru al tarii sale, ceea ce, pana la urma, nu este o realizare de trecut cu vederea. Nu voi starui asupra detaliilor guvernarii sale si nici nu voi incerca o evaluare a acesteia, dorind mai mult o analiza din perspectiva principiului monarhiei constitutionale.

© kingsimeon.bg
MS regele Simeon II

Din acest unghi, cu siguranta, Simeon al Bulgariei a redus sansele unei evantuale restaurari a regalitatii in Bulgaria la zero, subminand insusi principiul de baza al monarhiei constitutionale, care se refera la stricta neimplicare in politica a monarhului, precum si a familiei sale. In Marea Britanie, pentru a oferi doar un exemplu, niciun membru al Familiei Regale, si cu atat mai putin Regina, nu s-ar gandi macar sa mearga la vot in ziua alegerilor generale. Cetatenia le ofera dreptul democratic de a se prezenta la urna, ca orice alt cetatean, insa pozitia lor in societate, precum si ceea ce am numi cutuma sau traditia, le pretinde o stricta impartialitate din punct de vedere politic.

Putem numi incercarea regelui Simeon ca fiind una pragmatica, chiar daca ea contravine principiilor monarhiei constitutionale. Dorinta lui de a ajuta poate fi pusa pe seama firi practice, precum si a educatiei occidentale, care incurajeaza participarea si mobilizarea societatii civile (lucru ce ne lipseste noua cu desavarsire!).

Ramane intrebarea: este mai indicata respectarea cu strictete a unui principiu sau atitudinea pragmatica, cu asumarea riscurilor ce decurg din ea? Probabil ca majoritatea se va declara in favoarea caii celei mai avantajoase pentru cei multi, lucru care ar fi perfect adevarat si indicat, in cazul in care am putea ghici viitorul…

Daca guvernarea Simeon de Saxa-Coburg-Gotha ar fi fost un succes rasunator care ar fi reformat din temelii societatea bulgara, ar fi transformat economia intr-una eficienta si competitiva pe plan mondial, ar fi eradicat coruptia si crima organizata si ar fi facut sa creasca standardul de viata al bulgarului de rand, schimbadu-i si mentalitatea, probabil ca acum ne inghesuiam cu totii sa prezentam acest model si sa-l recomandam in dreapta si in stanga!

Ramanand in zona realitatii, consider ca monarhia trebuie sa respecte principiul sau de baza al totalei separari de arena politica. Este ceea ce-i da “putere”!

Orez Banda

In spiritul separarii de care vorbeam mai sus, in aceasta saptamana voi prezenta o a doua reteta trimisa Principesei Mostenitoare de MS regele bulgarilor. Dupa cum arata si Principesa in cartea sa, arròs a banda inseamna “orezul separat”.

Am inceput prepararea acestei retete prin pregatirea unui consommé de peste [Sunt constient ca la noi, din obisnuinta sau comoditate, se gateste mai mult cu apa, dar avantajele de gust ale unui consommé facut in casa sunt infinite, dupa cum am precizat si in alte postari, mai ales atunci cand se pregateste orezul (risotto).]: am fiert un peste intreg (curatat de maruntaie) in apa cu sare, pana cand carnea era patrunsa si cadea de pe oase. In mod normal este indicat, si foarte pragmatic, sa folositi capete si cozi de peste pentru prepararea consommé-ului, insa eu am o totala aversiune fata de curatarea pestelui de solzi etc., astfel ca pentru restul retetei am luat peste curatat si filetat J.

Aceasta reteta tipic andaluza (regle bulgarilor a trait in exil in Spania si este casatorit cu o membra a aristocratiei iberice) presupune si pregatirea unui fel salsa, numita salmoretta. Aceasta se obtine prin zdrobirea si amestecarea impreuna a unei rosii coapte (decojite si fara samburi) cu usturoi, patrunjel proaspat, otet, boabe de piper si sare. Am pus acest amestec la fiert impreuna cu un polonic de consommé de peste.

Intr-o tigaie mare, am pus niste ulei la inclazit, la care am adaugat o ceapa alba, taiata marunt.  Dupa ce ceapa a devenit transparenta, am adaugat pestele [am folosit pentru aceasta reteta 6 filé-uri de peste proaspat, fara grasime], am sarat, am adaugat boabe de piper negru, foi de dafin, salmoretta obtinuta mai sus, dupa care am pus destul consommé incat pestele sa fie complet acoperit. Am lasat la foc mediu pana carnea a fost patrunsa, fara a se sfarama.

Separat, am zdrobit un catel de usturoi, o rosie cruda, decojita, sare, sofran si boia, dupa care am diluat amestecul cu consommé, ca si in casul salmorettei, amestecand pana la omogenizare.

Intr-o cratita am incalzit niste ulei, in care am calit doi ardei iuti, pana s-au inmuiat. Am adaugat orez (aprox. 6 portii) si l-am calit pana bobul a devenit translucent, dupa care am incorporat sosul cu sofran de mai sus, adauganad treptat restul de consommé de peste. Am tinut orezul la foc mediu, dupa care l-am introdus la cuptor, pana cand bobul s-a patruns in totalitate.

Am servit pestele si orezul a banda. Este o binevenita alternativa iberica la obisnuintele noastre culinare balcanice!

Reteta detaliata se afla in “Cartea regala de bucate”, Ed. Curtea Veche, Bucuresti 2010, pag. 134-5.

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The week that has passed since my last post has been full of exceptional events. I had the pleasure of meeting, for the first time, HRH Crown Princess Margarita, who was in Cluj to promote her latest book, “Carte regala de bucate”. It was a very special and moving moment for me and I am sure that it will stay with me for the rest of my life. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my sister-in-law, Lorena Moldovan, who created a wonderful flower arrangement in the Princess’ honour. 

“Cartea regala de bucate” is very special to me. Besides the original idea, what impressed me the most about this book is the Princess’ gesture of opening the doors of her home and inviting the reader in to see the elegant world of royalty and its hospitality tradition. But the environment is not solely formal, as the reader is allowed to meet the family in its privacy, is introduced to relatives and family friends, to little domestic rituals and also recollections from the past or events that were more or less formal. Of course that the recipes are important as well and they say a lot about the people that sent them to our Princess, but what matters the most, in my opinion, is the feeling of a “shared experience”.

This book is like a modern museum: it is informative, even educative, engaging, but also interactive! We all remember the school-organized visits to the history museum back in the day… every object encased in glass or locked up in pieces of massive furniture… that’s not the case in “Cartea regala de bucate”! In this “museum” the visitor has the opportunity to meet the main characters, to take part in the important events and even taste the food! It is an unprecedented openness for the Royal Family, an openness that is abreast with the times.    

This last volume written by the Princess also has the quality of being of potential interest to a wide segment of readers: one really doesn’t have to be a glutton or a chef to enjoy this book, nor does one necessarily have to be into history or a supporter of monarchy in order to enjoy “Cartea regala de bucate”.

This is no regular recipe book, but a unique experience that I recommend to everyone!

Going back to my own experience, I can say that this exquisite Royal Cookbook was the reason for my starting this blog, which gives me a lot of pleasure and is the source of great satisfaction, another reason for me to thank HRH the Crown Princess!

Last, but not least, I would like to thank HRH Prince Radu from the bottom of my heart for his great support, which means more to me than I could ever express in words. Among other things, I respect a great deal HRH’s oratorical and writing skills, which makes his appreciation of my work even more relevant and precious to me!

I also send my thanks to those who choose to read my blog, and hope that reading these lines gives them as much pleasure as writing them gives me.

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Last week I have shown the family ties that exist between HM king Simeon II of the Bulgarians and the Romanian Royal Family. In today’s post I would like to write about the monarch’s activity after his return to his native Bulgaria, specifically, his political activity.

To begin with, it is important to mention that Simeon of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha or Simeon Sakskoburggotski, as he is called by his fellow countrymen, has never formally renounced his rights to the Bulgarian crown. His return to Eastern Europe, after the fall of the Iron Curtain, brought him into contact with the post-Communist realities that are very familiar to us Romanians: a people that was traumatized and vulnerable, a backwards economy that was highly dysfunctional, corruption, poverty, confusion and fear – an uprooted society characterized by a total lack of efficiency.

Having lived the majority of his life in the West and having had the advantage of an education in a democratic context, Simeon of Bulgaria felt the need to get involved in his country’s reconstruction in the hope of offering it a stable, democratic future, compatible with Western values. It was an admirable project, but personally I cannot agree completely with the methods used.

The former Bulgarian monarch established a political party at the beginning of the new century, took part in the general elections, won them and became his country’s prime minister, which, after all, is no small accomplishment. I will not go into the details of his government, nor will I try to evaluate his administration; my analysis will be done from the perspective of the constitutional monarchy’s principles.

From this perspective, for sure, Simeon of Bulgaria has reduced the chances of a restoration of the monarchy in Bulgaria to zero by undermining the very basic principle of constitutional monarchy, which refers to the strict political neutrality of the monarch, as well as that of his/her family. In the United Kingdom, to offer just one example, no member of the Royal Family, much less the Queen, would ever dream of voting in the general elections. Their citizenship guarantees their democratic right to go to the ballot just as any other citizen, but their rank and tradition in general requires that they are strictly impartial when it comes to politics.

We could call king Simeon a pragmatic, even though his attempt is contrary to the principles of constitutional monarchy. His desire to help can be attributed to his practical nature and his Western education, which encourages the participation and involvement of civil society (something that we really lack!).

The question remains: is it more advisable to strictly abide by a principle or to adopt a pragmatic attitude and accept the consequences? It is very likely that the majority will be in favour of the option that is advantageous to most, which would be advisable and true, if only we could predict the future…

If the Simeon of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha administration had been a huge success which had reformed the Bulgarian society from its core, had transformed the economy into an efficient one that was competitive on the world stage, would have eradicated corruption and organized crime and would have raised the standard of living of the average Bulgarian citizen, while also changing his/her mentality, then I believe that we would all be rushing to promote this model left and right!

Realistically, I consider that monarchy should respect the basic principle of a total separation from politics. It is what gives constitutional monarchy its “power”!

Arròs a Banda

Continuing in the same spirit of “separation”, this week I will try a new recipe that was sent to the Crown Princess by HM the King of Bulgaria. As the Crown Princess shows in her book, arròs a banda means to serve the rice separately.

I started by preparing a fish consommé [I know that mostly because of time constraints or indolence we cook with water, but a home-made consommé will bring any dish to a whole different level of quality and its advantages are huge, especially when preparing rice (risotto)]: I boiled a whole fish (cleaned of its insides) in water and salt until the meat was entirely cooked and was falling off the bones. Normally one would use the heads and tails of the fish for the consommé, but I have to admit that I have a real aversion for cleaning fish and for that reason I bought fish filet for the rest of this recipe.

This typical Andaluz recipe (the King of the Bulgarians has lived in exile in Spain and is married to a member of the Iberian aristocracy) requires a special sort of salsa, which is called salmoretta. Salmoretta is obtained by crushing and mixing together roasted tomatoes (peeled and seeded) with garlic, fresh parsley, vinegar, pepper corns and salt. I put this mixture to boil together with a ladel of fish consommé.

In a large skillet, I heated some oil and sautéed a finely chopped onion. Once the onion became translucent, I added the fish [for this recipe I used 6 pieces of fish filet with no fat], I put salt to taste, black pepper corns, bay leaves, the salmoretta and I added consommé until the fish was completely covered. I left everything over medium heat until the fish meat was cooked through without falling apart.

Separately I crushed a clove of garlic, a peeled tomato, salt, saffron and paprika and mixed everything up with consommé, just as I did with the salmoretta.

In a large pan I heated up some oil and sautéed two hot peppers until they became soft. On top of the peppers I added rice (enough for 6 people) and mixed everything together until the grain of rice became somewhat translucent. I put the above saffron sauce in the rice and added fish consommé, ladle by ladle. I cooked the rice over medium heat, after which I put it in the oven until it was cooked through.

I served the fish and rice a banda. It is a welcomed Iberian diversion from our Balkan culinary habits!

The detailed recipe can be found in “Cartea regala de bucate”, Ed. Curtea Veche, Bucuresti 2010, pag. 134-5.