Mamaliga

Hey Mamaliga fans!

A quick one. One of the reference voices and food bloggers in Hungarian, Central and Eastern European cuisine, travel and culture Suzanne Urpecz from The Hungarian Girl blog, took an interview with me that is featured on her blog – some exciting stuff if you want to know more about the one behind the Mamaliga blog.

In the mean time make sure you read through Suzanne’s posts and fill up on the wealth of information for those of you traveling to Europe, or looking for precious info on European wines,  or simply eager to try out some of the most delicious recipes from the same region.

Thanks Suzanne!

Popularity: 71% [?]

The main chef at Mamaliga strikes again! This time featured in the spotlight of Foodbuzz.com, the online foodie community, a superb social and culinary network for all of us passionate about cooking

A unique community in itself, that let’s you and me connect, share, discuss view and track every little crumb of your life in the kitchen and beyond. It is a community that buzzes about food!

From browsing thousands of recipes voted by the foodbuzz community, savoring the Daily Special recipe, to the 24 Meals, 24 Hours, 24 Posts monthly event, presenting 24 unique meals that take place around the world in 24 hours.

So one thing I don’t understand is why – oh why – you, dear reader who appreciate cooking, food and fellow foodies,  didn’t created yet an account with Foodbuzz and start the exciting journey in a community that’s all about it!

Popularity: 23% [?]

I am just glad I got to live to see this historic event!!!!

Popularity: 5% [?]

As Wikipedia’s entry for mamaliga or Mămăligă (/mə.mə’li.gə/), states

“Mămăligă Romanian: Mămăligă, Russian: Мамалыга, Polish: Mamałyga, cornmeal mush is a dish made out of yellow maize traditional for Romania and Moldova. It is better known to the rest of the world in its Italian form – polenta.”

the dish is by no means something that Romanians can appropriate more than just being a traditional food to Romania as well as to the whole Balkanic Peninsula. In fact, even if I am a Romanian (living in Chicago), I can’t point out a dish that strictly belongs to Romania due to the cultural influence of continuous Balkan occupations that ruled the small country during the history.

But what IS (or WAS) Mamaliga after all?

Mamaliga was simply a convenient food that was used by farmers or peasants as a staple food, a substitute for bread. Then it became part of the contemporary Romanian cuisine, (or rather Balkanic cuisine), as well as a creative dish in restaurants.

As simple and innocent it sounds, Mamaliga represents a whole identity concept Romanians refer to, a subject that can slide in the philosophy realm that I’ll restrain getting into it for now. I’ll rather keep Mamaliga what it is: food!

This Mamaliga blog is dedicated to my latest passion – cooking – Romanian cuisine with tangential subjects like culture, Romanian diaspora, music, cooking videos, recipes and such. Hope you’ll find it interesting!

Popularity: 23% [?]