On food and drink....

M-am apucat in seara asta sa adaug niste poze.... si am inceput cu tema de bucate. De ce? Pentru motivul simplu ca in ochii occidentului, Europa estica are o reputatia foarte proasta in cea ce priveste mancarea.... si Anglia la fel! (ce bine imi pare, fratii mei, ca avem ceva in comun.)

"Toate lumea" stie ca, pe drum de la vest la est, nu mai gasesti nimic in afara de snitel de porc, cartofi si paine (sau ceva neidentificat si dubios, pane, daca ai noroc!) dupa ce pleci din Austria sau Germania; ca daca esti adept al vegetarianismului, 'sa stai acasa mai bine, sa nu mori de foame pe acolo....'

Stie "toate lumea" (o diferita!) ca Englezu' mananca un rahat total - numai 'fish & chips' incarcate cu grasime, sau McDonald - este clar si evident tutoror ca, pe drum de la est la vest, n-o sa ai deloc probleme pana ce pleci din Franta - momentul dupa care fiecare masa va fi un chin, cu risc asociat de moarte in tinerete.

Hai sa dam jos atunci ochelarii nostri de cai, ce ziceti? Sa fim toti calatori mai educati, mai curiosi, mai discriminatori si mai putin prejudecatori (poftim...? ce zici? nu pot folosi aceste cuvinte asa? de ce? N-am voie...? Ah, nu exista? Paai, acum exista! Si Shakespeare a inventat cuvinte noi... E treaba mea, oricum, lasa-ma in pace, ce paul ma! - Nici Academia Romana nu mai raspunde mie la telefon...).

In final, sper sa va plac pozele mele. Din nefericire nu prea pare aici dovada de talentul meu la pregatirea mancarii romanesti - in schimb, tot ce pare sub categoria de English cuisine este facut de mine!

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Summary in English: I've been adding pictures to this page of late. I decided to start with food, largely because Eastern European and English cuisine have similarly notorious (appalling, even!) reputations.

I feel it's about time people all over the world dropped the stereotypes, applied critical thought, and asked questions like 'where are all the locals eating?', 'why is this restaurant empty at lunchtime', and 'where should I look for something truly representative of the place I've just landed in', rather than just assuming that wherever and whatever they eat it'll be rubbish, and then heading for the nearest greasy spoon or fast food joint.

All populations East of the Iron curtain do not live on pork schnitzel, spuds, and unidentifiable stuff in breadcrumbs, any more than English people have fish and chips for every meal or Scots live on deep-fried mars bars. So enjoy the pictures, click the links....

P.S. Very few pictures here showing Romanian cuisine represents my own work, I'm sorry to say (although OBVIOUSLY I can cook Romanian - [how difficult could it be? Stuff in breadcrumbs, schnitzel, heh heh!] - just kidding lads!). On the other hand, all the British & Indian stuff is the work of my own fair hands.

Bon appetit!