Mamaliga

So, I finally was able to sit down and watch Food, Inc. yesterday and ended up scratching my head about what to do from here. Robert Kenner did an excellent job at presenting the blunt fact about our food supply chain from seed, egg, suckling pig or calf to our tables.

While I  was aware of our complex food system’s concerns, the movie brought it home in a new light – it is really down to my choice in deciding what I buy, cook and eat.

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Because he goes beyond the basic facts of how to put a (mind you, delicious) meal together. Watch Jamie Oliver’s TED presentation about child obesity in America. After all he has all the credentials of a proper chef, not that of an Iron Chef sensationalism, but who needs that anyway? After all, cooking is about you being in the kitchen and getting your hands dirty.

Parents watch this, and teach your children well (how to cook).

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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!

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Cedar Picnic Table

Only so you know on what am I spending usually the hot summer weekends, this post is about a picnic cedar table I built (commissioned by my wife) out of these six sided hexagonal picnic patio table plans

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Turkey Burger on Top 9 on Foodbuzz!

I didn’t even dream at the time of creating it that my humble Turkey Burger would make it to Top 9 on FoodBuzz! How cool is that! I might need to pay more attention to it later in a dedicated post with a recipe. Any takers? Anyway – check it out! It is mouth drooling and it can easily compete with the cover picture of the Saveur magazine (September 2009 issue)!

If you are a FoodBuzz member (and if you are a foodie – YOU SHOULD) please add Mamaliga (me) as a Foodie Pal would love to keep in touch!

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Strawberry Short Cake

As every caring husband would do, I wanted to get the perfect Birthday gift to my dear wife, cooking the perfect meal,  make her day, etc., and as every procrastinator husband does, I realized half day into it that I did NOT have a plan!

Luckily I went grocery shopping a day before so I had the ingredients but I had to improvise and this is the menu I came up with, preparing the whole dinner in little less than 3 hours.

So I was thinking slightly Italian given the fact that she likes Mediterranean simplicity, taste and colors.

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Check this out. My wife, who’s doing the gardening in our household, found three Morel mushrooms in our back yard! What’s going on? Are we sitting on a gold mine and not know it?

It is amazing how many interesting wild things can grow in our small backyards. The only thing is to just look for them. Pretty soon we’ll stop going to the grocery store to buy our produce. That would be heaven in the Chicago Northwest Suburbs. Well, at least a hint.

Now, if I can convince the mayor that there is no harm in having a small chicken farm in our backyard. And probably a cow and a goat in one side of the garage. Fresh eggs, fresh milk and so on. After all, we live in Organic America! Everyone in urban Romania has a mini-farm in one degree or another. They cannot afford living otherwise.

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As soon as Chicago winter started showing some mercy in late February with sporadic, slightly above zero temperatures days, Stephanie (my wife) started tapping our only two silver maple trees – on in the front yard the other in the backyard which she actually planted when she was 5!!

It was maple syrup harvest time in the Midwest.

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

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Hi All,

Short post to just let you know that I am still alive and well but frantically trying to learn about 23 songs until Monday for a Broadway production called The Wedding Singer where I have to play guitars (loud ones!).

So, beside the fact that I do enjoy this – beside the fact that I work around the clock to practice these songs – my cooking and obviously blogging is lagging.

Thank you for patiently waiting for some cooking related subjects.

See you soon!

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