This week M+K sits across the table with Irina Georgescu, Food Writer + Author, Carpathia. She talks with us about connecting with her Romanian roots through cooking, her food philosophy and the life lessons she has learnt through cooking.
1. My cooking inspiration…
My mum. Not only my inspiration but my mentor, my teacher, my role model. I say in my book, that in Romania, our mothers and grandmothers are our culinary bibles. If we don’t know how to make a certain dish, we immediately think: ‘I’ll give mama a call.’ My love of food and my commitment to write about Romanian cuisine were kindled by my childhood memories of my mum. By helping mum shop for ingredients on a Saturday morning at the market, helping her prep them at home and cooking the dishes, I learnt not only about food but a set of life skills which proved to be very useful everywhere I went. Being organised and working efficiently, working on a budget, learning from mistakes, always having a plan B (and C!), stepping outside my comfort zone are only a few examples. I am very lucky to be one of those people who can’t run out of inspiration. Writing about Romania’s rich culinary culture, about my family and our favourite dishes, going back to my roots in Transylvania are keeping the flow of creativity going. Sometimes I don’t even have to create, I’m merely reflecting the dishes of my country, and I am so happy to see them being appreciated by people around the world.
2. A meal that reminds me of home…
Now that I live in the UK, far away from Romania, I’ve realised how food keeps me connected with my family and traditions. Many dishes have gained a meaningful glow, and they are comforting. When I was at home and had a difficult day at school, or after a tough exam, or a long trip…my mum used to prepare ‘something special’, a special dish that could nourish my body and also my mind. One of my favourite dishes was a Romanian borș with meatballs. The recipe is in my book Carpathia: Food from the Heart of Romania. It is a tangy broth, the sharpness of the fermented bors sitting in contrast with the richness of the meatballs. She used to add lovage to it just before serving, which adds the distinct aromas of fresh celery. It was her way to be there for me, showing her love and support. It is a very special dish and this is why I included it in my book. It is comforting, rich and welcoming – and even now, when I cook it myself, I know that ‘everything-is-going-to- be-ok’.
3. A life lesson cooking has taught me…
One thing that I learned in the kitchen was to allow time for the ingredients to work together – something was ready when it was ready, not when I wanted it to be ready. This, in a way, taught me how to judge the right consistency of food and also to listen to my instincts and intuition. I also learnt that I should allow ingredients to be ‘themselves’ and not constantly associate their flavour or textures with something else: ‘polenta is not like mash potatoes’, ‘fish is not like chicken’, ‘tomatoes are not as sweet as watermelons’. I learnt that they needed to be appreciated for what they were and used accordingly.
4. When I want to be creative I…
Go back to my roots, go back to traditional Romanian cooking, I research traditions and seasonal customs. Traditions are very often linked to food. Some ingredients have a meaning beyond the kitchen realm: bread, honey, salt, garlic, walnuts, wheat kernels and maize. They can signify health, wealth, hope, fertility, protection, gratitude and luck. Delving into this world makes me feel part of a greater Universe, one that I need to align to and respect, and not influence or change.
5. The most transformational book I’ve read is…
Ah, I don’t have an answer to this. I love books and I read a lot, and every book in its own way is transformational on a smaller or larger scale. I read less fiction nowadays, and I focus on history books, including food history, history of mentalities and language, and a few other topics. Food is not just a thing we prepare for dinner in order to survive, it’s deeply rooted in our psyche, and this means that it comes from our past as an individual and also as a culture, and can affect mind, body and soul. In the last few years, I have been very interested in the way food is produced, and the facts are shocking. One of the books that impressed me the most is Bee Wilson’s The Way We Eat Now. It is mind-blowing and thought-provoking, and it urged me to look at my own behavioural patterns.
6. The routines that keep me grounded are…
I cook, photograph and write every day. From a professional point of view, this is the routine that gives me a path towards self-improvement. It is a constant strive to be better – to take better photographs, to write better stories, to find better recipes and to cook better dishes. On a personal level, although personal and professional are completely intertwined for me. I also meditate as often as possible and practice mindfulness. This is a path towards a better self, more in control of my thoughts and aware of my system of beliefs and values.
7. I recently learnt…
To let go. It’s not a recent thing but it is reoccurring. It doesn’t come naturally to me, so of course, sometimes the circumstances revolve around this lesson. When I hit too many obstacles, I know I need to let go. Perhaps the time is not right. However, I usually let go of the way I approach a goal and try another way. It is about that train of thought which says that doing the same thing will bring you the same results. So I’m doing things differently to get better results.
8. Favourite random act of kindness…
To cook for people and surprise them with Romanian dishes. I live in Wales, in a remote community, so I have done quite a bit of cooking for my neighbours lately. Not that they needed food necessarily, but they really appreciated the extra help.
9. To make a difference in my community I…
Write and promote Romanian food. This is my community: my family and my traditions. For the food community in general, especially on social media platforms, I help as much as I can, I buy books and promote them, I cook from them, I let people know about them. I do this when I can. I also try to support the British cheesemakers, the local butcher so he won’t close his shop, the local ‘deli’ shop, the food magazines and newspapers…it’s very tough right now for everybody. Including me. So I alternate and do a bit at a time.
10. Right now, I’m grateful for…
Where and who I am in this moment in time.
Irina Georgescu is a food writer whose work draws on her Eastern European heritage. Irina feels very strongly about exploring the world through food, understanding people through what they eat and putting things in the context of history. It is her love and commitment to talking about Romanian culinary traditions that made her pursue her dream and write about this heritage. Her cooking is inspired by her mother and grandmother, by her life in the busy capital city Bucharest and by her constant explorations into the history and food of her country. Whilst trying to keep close to the traditional ways of cooking, she also brings her own interpretation to these dishes. She was born in Bucharest, Romania, and now lives in the UK. Her first book, Carpathia: Food from the Heart of Romania is published by Frances Lincoln, part of Quarto Group, in the UK.
To connect visit:
Website: www.irinageorgescu.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/irina.r.georgescu/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/georgescu_r
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IrinaGeorgescuLife
