The Dracula Myth
It’s Halloween here in Chicago. And since Romania is (generally speaking) widely known in the U.S. for its orphanages, sometime the televised Revolution of 1989 when the dictator Ceausescu was overthrown, but most of all for Count Dracula of Transylvania, I thought of at least clear off the smoke of confusion for some.
Was He Real?
Widely known as a fictional character, due to its author Bram Stoker, Count Dracula was inspired by Vlad III The Impaler.
Vlad The Impaler was a Romanian Prince in the 15th century (1431 – 1476) and beside the fact that he was nothing more than a fierce Ottoman Empire occupation hater and a subject for our history classes in Romania. I remember that vividly learning about him in the 3rd class.
The term “Impaler” was given because of his notorious method of bringing some order into his anarchic kingdom and (Ottoman oppression) that takes a person being pierced with a long stake and leaving them full public view. At one point he “welcomed” the Turks with a “forest” of 20,000 impaled Turkish prisoners.
Later, Vlad was imprisoned by Matthias Corvinus of Hungary (I actually visited his castle several times) where he was well of to a degree that he was actually able to marry Matthias’s cousin, Ilona Szilágy.
Garlic Repellent
Unfortunately Count Dracula doesn’t like anything cooked with garlic. Too bad! His Sarmale, will taste blend. He will miss out on the enticing sauteed garlic smell in my kitchen that I will use today to make my Gorgonzola cheese sauced home made linguine!
So, yes, my Romanian blood comes the closest to Vlad The Impaler’s heritage! I am partly Hungarian, and part Romanian, born in Transylvania, etc., etc! Freaky enough for you?
There is only one problem with me: I ADORE GARLIC!
Happy Halloween!
photo credits: Wikipedia and Christing.
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November 4th, 2008 09:37
Va felicit pentru site.
Vizitand mai multe site-uri de bucatarie internationala, am constatat ca Romania este foarte slab reprezentata, daca nu chiar absenta.
Mi-ar placea sa fac un site cu retete bine explicate si traduse in engleza, dar …………timpul nu mi-a permis.
Va sugerez sa amplasati pe site trimiteri catre cateva site-uri sau bloguri reprezentative romanesti, pentru a intregi cumva imaginea noastra.
November 6th, 2008 16:36
I’d like to see that Gorgonzola sauced linguine recipe!
November 9th, 2008 14:48
November 10th, 2008 11:35
Brian: I will post that recipe – it was a hit!
Cynthia: Thanks!
Didona: Thanks for the suggestion!
November 17th, 2008 00:08
Ha! I missed this one… lucky for you Gabi, ’cause I positively REEK of garlic.
I am Greek after all.
November 17th, 2008 07:06
Gabi: Looking forward to that Gorgonzola recipe!
November 17th, 2008 12:55
Sam: The public transportation in Romania has the EXACT same smell! Lol.
Brian: Hang in there, mate. That recipe deserves its own post entry.
December 7th, 2008 11:03
I had to laugh at the expresions that my friends gave me when I told them about ”gabi”
They were very intrigued not to say freaked out by the site ^_^ I loved it. I was laughing for hours. Oh, and they tried to cook some of the foods….I was impressed at the good job they did by following the instructions they clued together from here. Good job Gabi ^_^ (that’s my dad for you, still learning new things. Not many of those around.)