Comments on: Sarmale Recipe Success!

By: Gabi

Gabi — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 16:28:17 +0000

Sabrina! Thanks for the comment! Curious to know of that Bulgarian sauerkraut brand. We have all sorts of ethnic groceries in Chicago, so there’s a good chance I can find it. And you are RIGHT! It is never as good as in Romania. Craciun Fericit si La multi ani la fel!

By: Gabi

Gabi — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 16:25:24 +0000

Hahahahaha – that makes much sense! Thanks for posting!

By: Sabrina

Sabrina — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 21:48:46 +0000

Hi!
Merry Christmas and a happy new year!
I was born in Brasov, Romania, but I live in Toronto. I have no big problems finding pickled cabbage here, although nothing compares to what I had in Romania. I tried different vacuum packed sauerkraut, but I found a Bulgarian brand that brings pickled cabbage foils packed in stacks in glass jars, and I am quite OK with it. I buy these in Highland farm, a superstore that has some European type of food. Sauerkraut is also available in Polish/Romanian stores. For this Christmas I did 3 medium pots with sarmale. I also baked two “cozonaci cu nuca”.
Happy to discover your blog.
Craciun fericit! La multi ani!

By: Maria

Maria — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 02:54:18 +0000

Re: Your mama would always make it better”

This reminded me of a “fable” my mom used to tell and laugh many times while growing up.
There was a newly wed girl who would slave over the stove all day long to cook the best she can for when her husband would come from work.
He would eat, but at the end would tell her with dissapointment: “Is OK but just not as good as my mom used to make”:(
One time she was a little behind and hurried to cook and clean and whatever else and she just forgot about the dinner cooking on the stove. By the time she remembered it was burned up and too late to start another one, so with shame and sorrow she just did the best she could and served the dinner when he came home. She was ready to face another dissapointment from him. He ate, licked his fingers and said: “Now THIS is the best I ever tasted, just like my mom used to make!!!”

By: Gabi

Gabi — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 19:05:56 +0000

Hi Costin – Hard to tell where to find those foods shipped to you. My best bet is to find somebody around you to kook those. Here’s a link to a Cozonac recipe as I know it: http://www.bucatarmaniac.ro/2011/02/cozonac-simplu.html
Hope it helps!

By: Gabi

Gabi — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 18:09:48 +0000

You are very right! My sarmale won’t turn as right as I remember them, once because you need the right ingredients that were grown regionally in the country. Second your Mama would ALWAYS make it better, period! lol… I think the main issue to overcome here is to find the right varza murata.

By: Gabi

Gabi — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 18:02:08 +0000

Hi Jennifer. I am trying to guess what was that white sauce. Can it be tzatxiki sauce? If yes, that’s more of a Greek cuisine dish than ROmanian. Just guessing…

By: Gabi

Gabi — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:55:29 +0000

Buna dimineata (here)! Thanks for the comment! You are doing great in Romanian – keep it going. A successful sarmale dish will validate you at least a 75% Romanian!

By: Nick

Nick — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:05:29 +0000

Buna Seara! Sunt fericit ca am gasit site-ul tau. Sotia mea si eu am lucrat in Moldova anul trecut. I really miss living there.Totul a fost fuerte bine Si vinul….En SAU nu a Brinza, vin ieftin.. Sorry for my poor Limba Romana. I will be making some sarmale this weekend.
Pofti buna Si multumesc.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:58:17 +0000

I’m an American who spent many wonderful years in Brasov and am interested to know how to make the white sauce that I was served with it sometimes along with zacousca. I miss both.