Showing posts with label Romania. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Romania. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 26, 2020
Monday, August 4, 2014
THE PA MELTING POT: 6- 1B Greek Influences on western PA Cuisines - Photos, recipe links and videos!!
A look at the evolution of food in
southwestern Pennsylvania – MACEDONIANS: Greek influence on the cuisines of Romania,
Hungary and Italy. 6-1B
Since southwestern
PA, northern W VA and southeastern Ohio area are so linked by Greek
ethnicities, religions and customs, I thought I would talk about the influence
of Greek cuisine on the cuisines of Italy, Romania and Hungary. The Greek civilization began in the 8th
to 6th centuries BC, flourished
from Central Asia to the western end of the Mediterranean Sea and provided the
foundation of modern Western culture.
Thus the cuisine of all those countries has been influenced by Greek cuisine.
I have chosen Italy, Romania and Hungary because of their
large influences on the population of southwestern PA. PAST NUMBERS BECAUSE THE US STOPPED ASKING FOR SPECIFIC NATIONALITIES IN THE 2010 CENSUS:
ITALY: Western PA’s Italian population is estimated at 15.4%/13.2% in Allegheny/Fayette counties respectively. Pittsburgh has one of the largest Italian-American communities in the nation.
ROMANIA: There are estimated to be 1,500,000 to 2,000,000 Romanian-Americans in the US. Pennsylvania claims approximately 150,000-300,000. An accurate account is unavailable.
HUNGARY: There are an estimated amout of Hungarians 1,700,000 in the US and 132,000-150,000 in Pennsylvania. The triad of northern W VA, SW PA and SE Ohio contains a large Hungarian contingent.
ITALY: Western PA’s Italian population is estimated at 15.4%/13.2% in Allegheny/Fayette counties respectively. Pittsburgh has one of the largest Italian-American communities in the nation.
ROMANIA: There are estimated to be 1,500,000 to 2,000,000 Romanian-Americans in the US. Pennsylvania claims approximately 150,000-300,000. An accurate account is unavailable.
HUNGARY: There are an estimated amout of Hungarians 1,700,000 in the US and 132,000-150,000 in Pennsylvania. The triad of northern W VA, SW PA and SE Ohio contains a large Hungarian contingent.
COMMON
FOODS:
Stuffed grape/cabbage
leaves (Greek
domades, Romanian and Hungarian dolma, and Italian cavolo tipieno) are very
popular. They may be stuffed with vegetables, meats, rice, mint, cinnamon,
cumin, allspice, dill, lemon, tomato paste, dried currants, pine nuts and other
and served with egg-lemon or garlic-yogurt sauces.
Vegetable
stews/soups (Greek
ellines stifado, Romanian ghiveci de legume, Hungarian zddseg leves and Italian
ciambotta) can contain, of course, vegetables such as peas/green beans, basil,
oregano, lemon, tomatoes and other.
Cucumber-yoghurt
soup/dip/sauce
(Greek tzatziki, Romanian castrarveta supa, Hungarian citrom es tojas leves and
Italian zuppa di uovo e limone) is served in warm weather and is made with
cucumbers, yoghurt, mint, garlic, lemon, etc.
Stuffed
peppers which have
always been popular in PA (Greek gemistets piperies, Romanian ardei umplute,
Hungarian toltott paprika and Italian peproni ripieni) are stuffed with
vegetables including tomatoes, rice/orzo, beef or lamb and onion.
Meatballs (Greek keftedes, Romanian
chifleluto, Hungarian derult egbol tasirt and Italian polpette) are usually
made of beef and/or lamb with mint, garlic, onion, oregano, lemon and other
herbs/spices. (Greek meatballs are
traditionally served with tzatziki, salata and pita or pasta.)
Shish
kabobs (Greek, Romanian
and Italian shish kebobs and Hungarian dogok sisteregtek kabobs) are usually
made with lamb, beef or chicken and vegetables (onions, mushrooms, cherry
tomatoes, peppers, etc.), marinated in a sauce and cooked on a grill
(previously cooked over fires).
Crepes (Greek krep, Romanian crep/clatita,
Hungarian crep palasinta and Italian crespo) are all-purpose flour/buckwheat
flour based French pancakes with added egg, milk, butter, etc. and cooked on a
griddle. Crepes can be eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Savory
crepes can include ham & cheese, seafood and vegetable fillings. Sweet
crepes contain fruits, are covered with powdered sugar and can be drizzled with
chocolate, etc.
Baklava (Greek/Hungarian baklava, Romanian
baclavaua and Italian il baklava) is a
rich, sweet pastry made of layers of filo filled with chopped nuts and
sweetened with honey and held together with syrup or honey.
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GREEK FOOD LINKS
ROMANIAN FOOD
HUNGARIAN FOOD
ITALIAN FOOD
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
THE PA MELTING POT - Part 7 - 1 - Southcentral Europeans - Romanians
A look at the
evolution of food in southwestern Pennsylvania –
7 – 1 South Central Europe – Romania
In 2017 there were claims of Romanian-Americans (1st and 2nd generation) ranging from 478,278 upwards to 1.2 million living in the US (225,000 Jewish Romanians). According to EARLIER records there were 1,500,000-2,500,000
people in the US claiming Romanian ancestry.
In the 2000 census 340,000 spoke Romanian as their first language. The
Romanian immigrants came to the US to escape the Austro-Hungarian Empire
oppression. The first wave (1895-1920) settled in western PA, Delaware and
eastern Ohio. In 2017 a Romanian group called Roma settled in California, PA.
They were unskilled laborers and peasants (33% were
illiterate) who gravitated toward industrial areas for unskilled jobs. As the
second generation of Romanian-Americans grew they became more educated, worked
in skilled jobs and placed emphasis on vocational training and college. These professionals made significant
contributions to society.
Family, community & religious dynamics are very
important. In addition they kept and
still keep close ties with native Romanians in Europe. Today, there are active communities and major
media including TV, radio, newspaper and magazines. They have assimilated but keep their
roots. As with many cultures food is an
important part of their heritage.
ROMANIAN CUISINE: (An overview)
NOTE: Romanian meals are flavorful, savory and appetizing to
the palate. The Romanian people take great pride in preparing old ethnic
recipes as well as adapting new ones. Romanian cuisine is influenced by the Romans,
Greeks, Austrians, Turks, French and Hungarians.
Appetizers:
Mezeluri (salamis, sausages & cheeses) served with Tuica (strong
plum brandy), Oua Umplute (stuffed eggs), and Mititel (called wee sausages: ground
beef seasoned with garlic and rolled into cylindrical forms) which is often
served with Gratar (a steak prepared with garlic, usually pork, accompanied
by pickled cucumbers and tomatoes and other grilled meats).
Soups and Salads:
Supa de Porumb Verde (green corn soup),
Ciorba (sour soup made with vinegar or pickle juice), Ciorba de Burta (tripe
soup), Ciorba Teraneasca (cabbage soup with bacon), Salata Primavara (Spanish
derivation) (spring salad), Salata de Boeuf (Boeuf is French derivation) (potato
meat salad) (NOTE: Olivier Salad in
Russia) and Salata de Ardei or Piper (roasted pepper salad).
Main Dishes:
Plătica Roulade (rolled flounder), Miel in Sos de Laurt (lamb in
yoghurt sauce), Tokana (shepherd’s stew), Sarmale (stuffed cabbage), Ardei
Umplute (stuffed peppers), Frigari (kebabs), Ghiveci (vegetable stew with
carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, green pepper, onions, celery roots, eggplant,
squash, string-beans, fresh peas, cabbage, and cauliflower), and Mamaliga (considered
a national dish which is a corn mush eaten with butter, cheese, meats). Chiftelute
(meatballs) and Ficat de pui reţete (chicken liver recipes) are more popular main
dishes.
Desserts:
Straturi
Tort cu Datele şi Frişcă (layered cake with dates and whipped cream), Cozonac
(Easter bread), Clatite (crepes), Savarina (yeast dough cake soaked in rum
& filled or topped with pastry cream and plated with fruit), Straturi Tort
Alune (hazelnut layered cake). Other desserts include Mamaliga (above
and if served with marmalade or fruit jelly is then a dessert), Cozonac cu Nuca
(walnut filled pannetone) and Cozonac cu Brinza Dulce si Stafide (pasca – sweet
cheese panetonne with raisins) (pannetone is Italian).
Beverages:
Ţuica is
a brandy made from plums or wheat. Vin (French word for wine)
and bere is beer.
SCENES OF ROMANIA
FOOD LINKS AND PHOTOS BELOW
LINK TO YOU TUBE FESTIVAL VIDEOS
12 Traditional
Romanian Recipes
LINK TO EASTERN EUROPEAN FOOD - ROMANIAN - ABOUT.COM
OTHER LINKS:
LINK TO TRAVEL ROMANIA - ROMANIAN RECIPES
FOOD PHOTOS BELOW!!
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