“The recipes are both wonderfully enticing and extremely approachable, and there’s a deftness to the writing that is very beguiling…. And the food is fascinating: a mix of the familiar and the unfamiliar… It offers a welcome window into Romanian culture. And the best thing about it is the love for family and country that just sings through the pages” – Fuchsia Dunlop
Carpathia, food from the heart of Romania
Carpathia will introduce you to Romania’s bold and delicious cuisine: an amalgamation of all its cultural influences.
In doing so, it will take you on a culinary journey to the very heart of this fascinating European country, exploring its history, landscape and traditions through food.
As a cultural melting pot its character is rooted in many traditions from Greek, Turkish and Slavic in the south and east, to Austrian, Hungarian and Saxon in the north and west.
“An absolutely beautiful book showcasing Romanian food as a wondrous amalgam of Europe’s diverse cuisines. Real, delicious and accessible – I will be making everything from the plācintā to prajitura, cremsnit to cataif!” – Helen Goh”
Where to order
Please consider supporting your local, independent book shops and order through them. Other retailers are listed here:
In the UK, Waterstones, Hive, Bookshop.org, Book Depository and Amazon.
In the U.S. Interlink Publishing here, Now Serving LA here, The Book Larder here, Omnivore Books here, Barnes and Noble here or Amazon.com here.
In Canada, Thomas Allen & Son here or Indigo here.
In Australia, Booktopia.
In Romania, the book is available in English at Carturesti here.
German translation here: Carpatia.
Hungarian translation here: Karpatok Izei
In The Netherlands, the Dutch edition can be ordered from Bol, Libris, Brunaa and Bookspot.
“At a time when we are all forced to stay at home, travelling in the kitchen can be a great comfort. And I have been so grateful for Irina Georgescu for taking me to Romania through the pages of her wonderful book, Carpathia. Every page is imbued with generosity, the spirit of community, and the flavours of a rich and varied culture: it makes for an uplifting, inspiring and gorgeously transporting read right now.”- Nigella Lawson
Chapters
‘I’ve spent the day reading Carpathia by Irina Georgescu… I can’t wait to make her smoked ham hock with butter beans, oven-baked barley with chicken, peppers and mushrooms, fried chicken with caramelised quince and – most of all – ossobucco with dill oil and horseradish sauce… Carpathia is a book I’m going to get stuck into this autumn.” – Diana Henry
A culinary identity
From chargrilled aubergines, polenta fritters and butterbean hummus, to tangy borş, stuffed breads and Viennese-style layer cakes, Irina Georgescu has created over 100 mouth-watering dishes that are easy to make and a joy to share.
“‘Carpathia takes the reader roaming through Romania from Transylvania to the Danube Delta while introducing dozens of satisfying recipes that express the landscape, culture and joys of traditional Romanian hospitality. This is a book of many virtues, filled with new ideas, flavours and insights.”
Caroline Eden
Famous papanași, curd doughnuts served with jam and sour cream
Food photography credit to Jamie Orlando Smith.
Latest News
On Saturday Kitchen, BBC1
Cooking pastrami lamb with farmhouse potatoes on the BBC1 Saturday Kitchen show. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001phcq/saturday-kitchen-05082023?page=1
James Beard Award Winner 2023
Tava James Beard Award
In The Washington Post
I'm thrilled to see these griddle breads from Transylvania, placinte pe lespede, in the prestigious newsletter Eat Voraciously published by The Washington Post. The recipe is from my book 'Tava, Eastern European Baking and Desserts from Romania and Beyond' Link here...