WE HIT THE AISLES WITH A FAMOUS FOOD LOVER
Cookbook writer Irina Georgescu guides us through the ingredients that are essential in her kitchen
PORTRAIT: MATT RUSSELL.
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The foodie
Irina Georgescu’s fascination with the food of her homeland Romania took hold when she moved away to the UK 15 years ago. ‘I started to miss the food from home,’ she explains, ‘especially at Christmas and Easter, when we have so many special dishes.’ To fill that gap, she would cook the things that she had grown up with – for friends and family, and then when hosting supper clubs. As guests asked questions about the food, it pushed Irina to learn more herself about the history behind her country’s specialities. She realised more people might share this intrigue. ‘I wanted to tell the story of Romanian cuisine and culture,’ she says. That journey has led to her writing two cookbooks, including her new baking book, Tava. Not only is it full of Eastern European bakes and desserts, but it also celebrates a diverse nation. ‘Baking is such a sweet way to tell the story of Romania,’ says Irina, ‘and who Romanians are.’
Tava by Irina Georgescu (Hardie Grant, £27) is out now
WALNUTS
Romania is the walnut country. We don’t really cook with almonds or pistachios, because they’re not native. I grind walnuts to make a f lour for cakes and biscuits – like ischler, which are walnut cookies sandwiched with raspberry jam and topped with chocolate.
CRÈME FRAÎCHE
We often use fermented dairy as an ingredient in Romanian cuisine. When used in batters, you get soft, moist cakes. It also takes away the need for salt in baking, as it already has that tangy, slightly salty element.
DARK RUM
Rum gets used a bit like kirsch (the cherry liqueur used in French and German baking) in Romanian cooking. It goes into doughs and cake batters – not necessarily for flavour, but it adds something to the texture. I’ll also use it in a ganache – I think rum and chocolate is a brilliant combination.
Because of its aniseed taste, TARRAGON pairs well with tart and smoky flavours. In my first book, Carpathia, I have a yogurt and apricot cake that I serve with a little chopped tarragon.
I use BUTTER BEANS to make a dip called fasole bătută – like a houmous made with white beans. Y
