Life in Romania
The roads in Romania are not just home to cars. Especially in the country you will also find herds of sheep, stray dogs and, above all, horse-drawn carts and carriages. They are used to transport the harvest and everything you can think of about goods. Some people are also hawkers and sell pots and pans or the like.
And where do the Romanians shop? As with us, there are large and small supermarkets. The farmers’ markets are also popular, because the food there is not only fresh, but also cheaper. In addition, there is not only fruit and vegetables here, but also clothing, dishes and cleaning supplies. Many people also sell on the roadside what they have grown in their own garden. You can buy tomatoes, apples, grapes and watermelons there.
Many people in Romania live in very simple circumstances. Romania is one of the poorest countries in the European Union. Many children are not so well off. Some families even live in huts that they have built themselves. Bitter poverty is also the reason why many Romanians emigrate and work abroad.
The proportion of emigrants in Romania is the largest among all EU countries. Italy, Great Britain and Germany are often the destination of the emigrants. But that means that the population in Romania is falling. Fewer and fewer people live in many villages. Life is not easy there. The houses offer little comfort. Often there is still only one toilet in the backyard.
In addition to poverty, corruption is a major problem. Bribery is the order of the day, be it because you need an appointment with the doctor, whether you give money to a conductor on the train or a police officer for a favor.
Eating in Romania
What do you eat in Romania?
Sarmale with Mămăligă
Sarmale is considered a national dish in Romania, a country located in Europe detailed by programingplease. These are cabbage rolls. You use leavened white cabbage leaves, sometimes grape leaves. The sarmale are usually filled with minced meat and rice. In the fasting period before Easter they are also only made with vegetables. To the Sarmale (a single one is called Sarma) there is Mămăligă.
This is corn porridge. It is cooked from corn grits and then becomes a rather hard mass. You can also simply eat Mămăligă for breakfast, then pour milk over it. Baked with sheep cheese, the whole thing is called Mămăligă cu brânză. Mămăligă is usually made from corn grits and water, but you can also use sour cream or milk instead of water. You can find a recipe for Mămăligă here.
It likes to taste sour!
Not only the cabbage leaves for the Sarmale are used soured, people generally like it in this flavor. Sour soups are particularly popular; they are called Ciorbǎ (pronounced: Tschorbö). They come in many varieties. Ciorbă de perișoare, for example, is prepared with meatballs and vegetables.
… and hearty!
It can also be hearty. Roast is just as popular with Romanians as the Chiftele minced meat flatbread. Mititei or Mici are grilled minced meat rolls. Pork is particularly popular, but there are also dishes with beef, poultry and fish.
But also cute!
Dessert tastes good in Romania too! Many have their origins in Hungary, Austria or Turkey. Sarailie and Baclava, for example, are puff pastry cakes filled with nuts and soaked in honey syrup. Lapte de pasǎre are snow eggs in vanilla sauce. Papanași are warm fritters made from cottage cheese with sour cream and fruit.
Below you can find pictures of other dishes that people like to eat in Romania.
Sorcova
Sorcova is a typical Romanian custom. On January 1st, children take a branch with artificial flowers, which is also called Sorcova, in their hands and lightly hit their parents or neighbors and relatives on the back. They also recite verses with which they wish them good luck and health for the next year. So the Sorcova stick is used like a magic wand.
Marchets
On March 1st, Romanian men give women a March! In Romanian this is called Mărțișor. The little march is a red and white string with lucky charms tied to it. It can be a horseshoe, a four-leaf clover or a heart. The women then wear the march for a week or two. When you see a blooming tree, you throw the March in it and make a wish!
Romanian Easter eggs
In Romania, chicken eggs are decorated using a certain technique at Easter. For this, wax is applied to the egg. You paint on patterns and then color the egg in several steps. The result is such pretty Easter eggs as you see them in the picture.
