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.” Read the reviews of more award-winning authors here.
Nigella Lawson

On Saturday Kitchen, BBC1

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   

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In The Washington Post

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...

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In The Observer

In The Observer

A recipe from Transylvania, noodles with poppyseeds in The Observer. This is a recipe from my book 'Tava, Eastern European Baking from Romania and Beyond'

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In Waitrose Magazine

In Waitrose Magazine

Three dishes from Romania is the February issue of Waitrose Magazine. Starter: Leek fritters, you can get the recipe here: https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/recipe/leek-fritters-with-tarragon-yogurt Main course: Cabbage and prune stew with pork chops and soft polenta....

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In The Guardian

In The Guardian

Chec cu mere, apple cake with caraway seeds in The Guardian, baked by Rachel Roddy from my book 'Tava, Eastern European Baking and Desserts from Romania and Beyond'

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Olive Magazine Podcast: 10 things about Romania

Olive Magazine Podcast: 10 things about Romania

I was delighted to talk with Janine Ratcliffe about Romanian cuisine. Please listen to the episode here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/irina-georgescu-on-10-things-you-need-to-know-about/id1108380919?i=1000595683596 

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Tava in The Wall Street Journal

Tava in The Wall Street Journal

So grateful to the prestigious WSJ for including Tava and Romanian cuisine in this piece: https://www.wsj.com/articles/slavic-recipes-pierogies-crumble-cake-mushroom-soup-stew-11663870846 

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National Post Canada

National Post Canada

Romania and its culinary diversity have been featured in a series of articles both in print and online by the Canadian National Post. https://nationalpost.com/life/food/dessert-recipes-tava  https://nationalpost.com/tag/irina-georgescu/

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Tom Parker Bowles Best Books

Tom Parker Bowles Best Books

In the Daily Mail, 18th December 2022, Tava is one of 15 best cookery books of 2022 selected by Tom Parker Bowles. https://www.mailplus.co.uk/edition/food/you-food/243796/best-books-for-cooks?utm_source=replica  

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Guild of Food Writer – Awards 2021 Finalist

Guild of Food Writer – Awards 2021 Finalist

The Guild of Food Writers announced in 2021 the finalists for its annual Awards, the most prestigious in food writing and broadcasting. See them all here https://www.gfw.co.uk/2021/awards-2021-finalists/ 'Carpathia, food from the heart of Romania' was shortlisted for...

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Tava in the Suitcase Magazine

Tava in the Suitcase Magazine

Suitcase Magazine has published a feature about 'Around the World in 12 New Flavour-Filled Cookbooks'. Read it here and find Tava https://suitcasemag.com/articles/new-cookbooks

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National Geographic Magazine

National Geographic Magazine

National Geographic Magazine has published a piece on Romanian baking and Tava here https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel/2022/11/food-writer-irina-georgescu-on-the-culinary-culture-of-romania 

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Cozonac on Epicurious

Cozonac on Epicurious

Cozonac, Romanian festive bread, featured in Epicurious https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cozonac-romanian-walnut-and-rum-bread 

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Olive Magazine

Olive Magazine

One of the most prestigious food and drink publications in the UK, Olive Magazine featured Romanian baking in their November 2022 issue. This is one of their most-read sections. Olive Magazine is also part of the BBC Good Food media trust and it is now sold together...

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Runner bean soup with sour cream

Runner bean soup with sour cream

In Romania, there is a whole category of dishes called ciorbă, and we serve them between the starter and the main course. These clear soups have a tangy, sour element added to them, whether vinegar, unripe summer fruits or even brine from pickles or sauerkraut. If...

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Interview with Dave Myers of the Hairy Bikers

Interview with Dave Myers of the Hairy Bikers

I had the pleasure of talking to Dave Myers of The Hairy Bikers about Romanian cuisine as part of a series of online events organised by the Romanian Cultural Institute in London. You can watch our conversation that covers two points of view: Romanian cuisine through...

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Waitrose best foodie travel books of 2020: Carpathia

Waitrose best foodie travel books of 2020: Carpathia

Well, thank you Waitrose for including Carpathia in this stellar shortlist: best foodie travel books of 2020. When all of this madness is over, I hope that people will put Romania on their travel list and enjoy the beautiful countryside and the cosmopolitan cities,...

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Mâncare de ardei

Mâncare de ardei

Chargrilled peppers with sour cream   This is a summer dish, quick to make and perfect to be cooked outdoors in the summer kitchen. The important thing here is to chargrill the Romano peppers, to bring out their natural sweetness. You can use any sweet peppers,...

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‘Carpathia’ in the LA Times

‘Carpathia’ in the LA Times

‘Carpathia’ is in the LA Times 🥳 I’m massively grateful to the LA Times for reviewing my book and including it amongst the 12 cookbooks that refresh the spirit and inspire in the kitchen. I wanted this book to be an acknowledgement and celebration of Romanian...

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In Forbes Magazine

In Forbes Magazine

'Carpathia - food from the heart of Romania' has just been listed in Forbes article 'New Cookbooks That Will Take You On A Trip Off The Beaten Path' by Nicole Trilivas.   Read the article here:...

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Nat Geo Traveller Food Magazine

Nat Geo Traveller Food Magazine

It has been an honour and a pleasure to work with Nat Geo Traveller UK for the Food issue to feature Romanian cuisine. There are 5 pages in total, one page interview with me about the cookery book 'Carpathia-food from the heart of Romania', and 4 pages with recipes....

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The Australian

The Australian

In June 2020, The Australian published two of our Romanian iconic dishes that are in the book Carpathia - food from the heart of Romania: butter bean dip called 'fasole batuta', and chargrilled vegetable dip called 'zacusca'. Link here:...

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Los Angeles Review of Books

Los Angeles Review of Books

Read about 'Carpathia- food from the heart of Romania' book and an interview with me and with journalist John McIntyre for the prestigious Los Angeles Review of Books. The article is here.  

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In the prestigious Romanian newspaper ‘Adevarul’

In the prestigious Romanian newspaper ‘Adevarul’

This interview was published in Adevarul newspaper, one of the most prestigious newspapers in Romania. There are four pages about 'Carpathia - food from the heart of Romania', about my journey as a food writer and how I have adapted to my new life in the UK.  ...

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In The Calvert Journal

In The Calvert Journal

The Calvert Journal focuses on Central and Eastern Europe, and Central Asia cultures. In its daily features and news, it talks about architecture, design, fashion, business and travel through original research, stunning photography and and clarity of insight.  ...

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In Waitrose Weekend

In Waitrose Weekend

It was a privilege to see Carpathia shortlisted by the prestigious Waitrose Weekend publication in May 2020, which was distributed through Waitrose entire network of 400 shops around the UK and many more home deliveries.   It is also available online here...

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Forbes 5 Cookbooks To Escape With Right Now

Forbes 5 Cookbooks To Escape With Right Now

Mentioned in Forbes for the second time in 2020, Carpathia is shortlisted as one of the cookbooks to escape with and cook from in a time of lockdown and travel restrictions. Piece written by Susan Low. Link here...

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‘Carpathia’ Book of the Week in the Irish Examiner

‘Carpathia’ Book of the Week in the Irish Examiner

The Irish Examiner was founded in 1841, now part of The Irish Times, and available throughout the country, but especially in the Munster region surrounding its base in Cork. Please read the full article here, scroll down to the middle of the page to find the...

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In the Epoch Times, New York

In the Epoch Times, New York

I was invited to write about an iconic Romanian dish to mark the transition between Summer and Autumn. This was the perfect opportunity for me to talk about Romanian plăcinte, these family pies that mean so much to us. Read the article here:...

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A helpful mention in The Guardian

A helpful mention in The Guardian

When Tony Naylor from The Guardian got in touch to ask me about cooking without staple ingredients such as salt, eggs, rice, flour, I sent him suggestions from what I remembered from my childhood. In communist times, especially towards the end of the regime, things...

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In the Epoch Times

In the Epoch Times

What Is Romanian Food? Why This Underexplored, Melting-Pot Cuisine Deserves Your Attention A new cookbook whisks you away to Romania, where the food is anchored in the legacy of empires and sustained by the power of home cooking. Read the article here...

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Financial Times about Easter traditions and Romania

Financial Times about Easter traditions and Romania

I had a long conversation with author Bee Wilson about Romanian Easter traditions and especially about the food we love to make on this religious occasion.   The richness of Easter traditions in Romania has to do with the elaborate religious observances and with...

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In the Moscow Times

In the Moscow Times

I am very grateful to the Moscow Times for this review. Jennifer Eremeeva wrote an exceptional review of the book, and I absolutely love the title: 'Carpathia: Food From the Heart of Romania, Irina Georgescu introduces the best cuisine you've never tried.' Read the...

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In Food and Travel Magazine May 2020

In Food and Travel Magazine May 2020

In this month's Food and Travel Magazine, 'Carpathia - food from the heart of Romania' is one of the books listed in 'Feast from the East' article.   You ca find the May issue in shops or order a back copy online.  

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Let’s Bake – Sainsbury’s Magazine

Let’s Bake – Sainsbury’s Magazine

Let’s Bake magazine by Sainsbury’s is published twice a year around Easter and Christmas. It is available for 8 weeks and distributed throughout 1400 supermarkets and stores, plus online. Judging by the sheer volume of what this means, it can reach passionate...

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Feel Good Food Magazine Review of Carpathia

Feel Good Food Magazine Review of Carpathia

Feel Good Food Magazine is published by Woman & Home and it is always filled with inspiring recipes, which are easy to make, well balanced and full of flavour. 'Carpathia - food from the heart of Romania' was mentioned as one of the six best new cookbooks of the...

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‘Cook like a local’ Olive Magazine

‘Cook like a local’ Olive Magazine

The March 2020 issue of Olive Magazine captures beautifully the spirit and colours of Romania. The four page article introduces the reader to a diverse cuisine, from Greek and Turkish to Hungarian and Austrian recipes. Browse through the magazine here and look for the...

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With Evan Kleiman’s on KCRW Radio, Los Angeles

With Evan Kleiman’s on KCRW Radio, Los Angeles

With Eva Evan Kleiman's on her prestigious radio programme about a taste of life, culture and the human species.   https://www.kcrw.com/culture/shows/good-food/food-stereotypes-lunch-teachers-romanian-cuisine/romanian-cuisine

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Comfort food podcast by Giulia Scarpaleggia

Comfort food podcast by Giulia Scarpaleggia

Giulia is a food writer and photographer, who teaches Tuscan cooking classes in the countryside and authored five cookbooks. Yes, five! They are full of beautiful, heart-warming Italian recipes and stories. When she is not writing or teaching, Giulia records podcasts...

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Featured in Stained Pages

Featured in Stained Pages

My heart skipped a beat when I saw 'Carpathia' mentioned in Paula's e-newsletter. Paula Forbes is a freelance food writer and author based in Austin, Texas, who has been reviewing cook books for over ten years for Lucky Peach, Eater, Epicurious, and Food52. Stained...

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‘Carpathia’ reviewed in Ohio’s newspaper, The Blade

‘Carpathia’ reviewed in Ohio’s newspaper, The Blade

The Blade is the premier source of breaking news for Ohio and south east Michigan. The newspaper also has a section on food and book reviews, and it's here that 'Carpathia - food from the heart of Romania' was mentioned. Thank you to Mary Bilyeu for her article...

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London Unattached – review and recipe

London Unattached – review and recipe

The hugely popular London Unattached featured 'Carpathia - food from the heart of Romania' in April. Journalist Madeleine Morrow served a Romanian feast to her family during lockdown and wrote about the recipes and what was like to read about Romanian cuisine in her...

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Wanderlust Travel Magazine

Wanderlust Travel Magazine

Wanderlust Travel Magazine is a beautiful travel magazine introducing experiences and destinations from around the world. I couldn't have been happier with their response to my book, which they embraced wholeheartedly. There is an article about Romanian cuisine in the...

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Joan Ransley about ‘Carpathia’

Joan Ransley about ‘Carpathia’

Ever since I met Joan on Instagram, I have been in awe of her photography and food. Joan is a lecturer in Human Nutrition and worked for many years at the University of Leeds both in teaching and research. Her passion for photographing and styling food has created...

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Featured in DeSang magazine

Featured in DeSang magazine

This review was published in DeSang magazine dedicated to diabetes, where cooking from scratch using fresh ingredients plays an important part in keeping well and staying healthy. There is also an interview with the founders of Carbs and Cals, that speaks about good...

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In the regional newspapers across the UK

In the regional newspapers across the UK

This review has been published in regional newspapers such as: Burton Mail, Cambridge News, Derby Telegraph, Leicester Mercury, Nottingham Post, Stoke Sentinel, Middlesbrough Gazette, Newcastle Chronicle and Grimsby Telegraph.   It feels incredible to know that...

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Romanian leek stew with olives, mâncare de praz

Romanian leek stew with olives, mâncare de praz

This leek stew with olives is a very popular dish in Romania, especially during Lent. Lent is dotted throughout the whole year, being observed not only before Easter and Christmas, but also at important saint days or religious ceremonies. In modern days, people decide...

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20 travel trends for 2020 by Olive Magazine

20 travel trends for 2020 by Olive Magazine

This is a fascinating list of travel trends for 2020 written by the travel editor of Olive Magazine, Rhiannon Batten, and by the travel writer Charlotte Morgan. You will find Central Europe and the Caucasus to be the opening headline of the article, including...

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The 2020 foodie trend report by Olive Magazine

The 2020 foodie trend report by Olive Magazine

Mark Taylor, the food editor for Olive Magazine, has put together this tempting list of trends for 2020 and I feel like I want to try them all. I was reading about seacuterie, posh sarnies and cooking with hay, and then I realised that the article was more than just...

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Wild Carpathia – Episode 3

Wild Carpathia – Episode 3

The third episode of the Wild Carpathia documentary explores Northern Romania and the Maramures - one of the most picturesque regions in Romania. The presenter, Charlie Ottley learns about the traditional Romanian folk music, goes to festivals and weddings, travels...

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Wild Carpathia – Episode 2

Wild Carpathia – Episode 2

This second episode of the Wild Carpathia documentary sees the presenter Charlie Ottley leaving the mountains behind, exploring the UNESCO site of the Danube Delta. Charlie visits tiny fishing communities, fragile forests and labyrinthine waterways teeming with rare...

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Discover Romania – Wild Carpathia

Discover Romania – Wild Carpathia

A three part documentary, Wild Carpathia helps you discover Romania in an unexpected way. Mountains, primeval forests, lofty peaks, rich plains and the unique Danube Delta are here to talk about Romania in a way never seen before. Watch the first episode here: The...

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Millet pilaf with peppers

Millet pilaf with peppers

Before maize and cornmeal were  introduced to Romania, the main grain in our diet, alongside wheat, was millet. Even today, we use it as an alternative to rice or potato dishes, and I like to make a filling of millet with mushrooms to stuff cabbage leaves with. The...

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5 videos to watch before visiting Romania

5 videos to watch before visiting Romania

Photography: Why I Love Romania Facebook Page, Alex Vilcu I am often asked about Romania by my friends here in the UK, about its traditions, cuisine and my favourite places to visit. The issue is that I can talk about food  and traditions for hours, but when it comes...

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BBC Radio 4 – The Romanian Wave

BBC Radio 4 – The Romanian Wave

It was a real joy to discover this programme - a different portrayal of us and a little insight into why we are here. The programme intro says: 'Romanians are the second largest foreign nationality in the UK. Nigel Farage once said he "would not like to live next door...

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Unlikely connection: Wallachia and Wales

Unlikely connection: Wallachia and Wales

I’ve been reading and looking through a few history books lately, and I’ve come across a fascinating fact: a connection between Wallachia - former name of what is today Romania, and Wales. Since I live in Wales, this fact actually made me jump off my chair with...

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Carpathia in Publishers Weekly

Carpathia in Publishers Weekly

This is one of the first reviews received by Carpathia in the US.   It says: 'In this delightful debut, Romanian-born food blogger Georgescu shares the traditional recipes, and explores the various regional influences, of her homeland’s cuisine." Read the...

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Transylvania in The Guardian, August 2019

Transylvania in The Guardian, August 2019

A beautiful portrayal of Transylvania, written by Rena Effendi, the laureate of the Prince Claus Fund award for culture and development and working for National Geographic. Photo credit: Rena Effendi for The Guardian. Click here to read the article:...

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Mesendorf 65 in Transylvania

Mesendorf 65 in Transylvania

We are still in Transylvania, this time at Meșendorf 65 with Oana and Andrian Udrea. Adrian is a cheesemaker and he supplies some of the best restaurants in Bucharest, the capital, and in Brasov and Sibiu, and also locally. The herd grazes on the Transylvanian meadows...

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At HOF Harman

At HOF Harman

I’m eating tomatoes from a Transylvanian garden with Corina and Ioana, careful not to stain my dress. They run a local kitchen in Hof Harman village near the iconic Harman fortified church. It’s an idyllic life, eating with the seasons and preserving Saxon culinary...

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Briose de orez

Briose de orez

Jurnalul culinar al Mariei Cantili Golescu este un proiect cultural al Fundaţiei Pro Patrimonio co-finanţat de Administraţia Fondului Cultural Naţional, prin care se intenționează aducerea în actualitate și în atenția publicului a unui caiet de bucate de la 1900,...

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Prajitura din regiunea Franche-Comté, Franța

Prajitura din regiunea Franche-Comté, Franța

Prajitura cu malai din regiunea Franche-Comté Jurnalul culinar al Mariei Cantili Golescu este un proiect cultural al Fundaţiei Pro Patrimonio co-finanţat de Administraţia Fondului Cultural Naţional, prin care se intenționează aducerea în actualitate și în atenția...

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In Vama Buzaului with Anca Vlad Gastro Local

In Vama Buzaului with Anca Vlad Gastro Local

We are here in Vama Buzăului, a historic customs region between Walachia in the south and Transylvania in the north. Here the Teutonic Knights built fortified towers and customs points in the 13th century to collect taxes from those crossing the Carpathian mountains....

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