Recipe Branch Cake

Meatballs of various types are an integral part of Romanian cuisine and the word chiftea (pl. chiftele) (pronounced /kif-te-a/ – /kif-te-le/) is clearly an indication of their Turkish origin, the word being a corruption of the Turkish kofte and related to the Middle Eastern kafta. In the Moldavian region of Romania they are also commonly known as parjoale (/pur-joa-le/) although these seem to be a little larger in size than the standard Romanian chiftea. Due to the preference for pork in the Romanian diet, these meatballs are most commonly composed of pork, perhaps in combination with some beef. Lamb chiftele are quite rare in Romanian cuisine. These cauliflower croquettes have a moist, light interior and, if cooked right, a crispy coating. Cauliflower is more usually pickled in Romanian or the whole florets are battered and fried.

The typical Flemish asparagus is white, as it is grown covered in soil to prevent photosynthesis. This prevents the asparagus turning green and results in a taste a little sweeter and much tenderer than the green asparagus. It is generally harvested from late April to early June.

The clear waters of the Salzburg Lake District are of a quality which is good enough to drink and they offer the best living conditions for the local fish population. Foremost, amongst these are the charr and trout, but pike, tench, carp, eels and perch can also be found in large numbers in the Fuschlsee and the other lakes in the area.

After several years of absence, snack bars or ‘milk bars’ are returning in growing numbers to the streets of Polish cities. They are small bistros open 24/7 where you can enjoy a shot of vodka and a traditional snack ‘on the hop’, or try old-school staple bar foods like this steak tartare.