Pip: A hapless Romanian in America walks into a liquor store with a backpack full of memories — which is either a metaphor or a customs violation, and Stefan makes a compelling case for both.Mara: This episode follows one post from the site, and it is genuinely a story before it is a review —…… Continue reading Podcast Episode: Zacapa 23 – Centenario
Podcast Episode: Chocolate Cake
Pip: Stefan has filed a recipe that reads less like a cooking post and more like an incident report. Mara: This episode covers the full construction — and consequences — of a homemade triple-chocolate layered cake. Let’s start with the build itself. Chocolate Cake Mara: The post walks through an ambitious home baking project: a…… Continue reading Podcast Episode: Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Cake
The Base We started with a triple chocolate brownie mix and followed the recipe on the box, with a few minor adjustments (per YouTube cooking gods): Replaced the oil with butter. Added two extra eggs. Once cooled, the brownie was sliced horizontally into two layers. The operation proved challenging because the brownie had achieved approximately…… Continue reading Chocolate Cake
Breakfast Strata
The original recipe is here. INGREDIENTS I adapted and changed it and based of what I had in my kitchen: 4 tablespoons neutral oil (?), divided 5 thin Costco cabanos-like smoked beef sausages 1 big, whole sweet yellow onion 2-4 garlic cloves 4-5 ounces baby spinach 6 large eggs 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 4…… Continue reading Breakfast Strata
Soare si ploaie
Plimbati cursorul pentru comparatie Unu Doi
15 iulie: Între dor și haos
15 iulie 2017. La patru și jumătate dimineața, tata a plecat dintre noi. Cumva, prin vocea sângelui, am știut. M-am trezit, deși mă aflam la celălalt capăt al lumii. 15 iulie 2026. Nouă ani mai târziu, m-am trezit tot la patru și jumătate dimineața, cu gânduri și apăsări. Presimțeam o zi specială. La cinci și…… Continue reading 15 iulie: Între dor și haos
Zacapa 23 – Centenario
This wonderful rum from Guatemala deserves a story, not a simple review. It is a story about how it found its way into my life, blended with my own, and in doing so, became our story. Bucharest, spring of 2019. I was drowning in sadness, melancholy, and homesickness. I was tired of pretending that everything…… Continue reading Zacapa 23 – Centenario
Blanton’s
My resolve to review what I drink began with enthusiasm. That was before I opened my photo library and saw the evidence. The sheer number of bottles staring back at me was somewhere between astonishing, head-spinning, and demoralizing. I took a deep breath, poured a glass, and decided to keep going anyway. I thought about…… Continue reading Blanton’s
July 4th – America 250
Cacti Edition This Celebration, in my view, is a wonderful occasion filled with joy and gratitude. And yet, the following quote perfectly summarizes my feelings and, it seems, not only mime: “If you’re feeling sadness, grief, or ambivalence about celebrating the 4th of July this year, that’s actually a sign of how deeply you love…… Continue reading July 4th – America 250
Ardei Umpluți
Fiind sâmbătă, îmi încep turneul plecând după pătrunjel. Ajung la Aprozar, iau una-alta, 8 ardei grași frumoși, 2 kg de capia colorați (să mai coc ceva), umplu portbagajul cu fructe și legume, aflu ca de fapt e Vineri, și o iau din loc. Pe drum mă hotărăsc să fac ardei umpluți. Mă duc la SuperPrăvălia…… Continue reading Ardei Umpluți
The Cooking Lesson
Before we get to the recipe, the customary blah-blah-blah. Being the nice guy that I am, I won’t make you scroll through a million ads before getting to the actual recipe. And yet, a few things need to be said first. How did we end up cooking at Rita’s? Nobody remembers exactly how it started,…… Continue reading The Cooking Lesson
The Influencer Wannabe
I decided, at some point in my life, like three days ago, that I should become an influencer. But not any kind of influencer, but one who tastes bourbon, whiskey, gin, and other liquors. Not drinks it. Not pours it into a glass, drinks it all, and then contemplates poor life decisions. Nooo, tastes it.…… Continue reading The Influencer Wannabe
Zeama cu dovlecei
Rețetă de la Irina Începi într-o oală (de fontă) cu 2 linguri de ulei și apoi adaugi pe rând din 2 minute în 2 minute: 1 ceapă măricică tăiată bucățele 2 morcovi frumoși tăiați rondele mici 2 bețe de țelină tăiate mici 6 căței de usturoi tăiați mici Apoi pui 1 cârnat [afumat] tăiat cubulețe.…… Continue reading Zeama cu dovlecei
The Beginning
1. The Arrival At any Romanian gathering, the most frequent conversation starter is, “How did you get here?” The answers range from the wise guy’s “This is just where the plane landed,” to sprawling, cinematic epics involving swimming across the Danube, gunfire, and prison cells. Whenever I try to tell our story – that we actually…… Continue reading The Beginning
Începuturile
Sosirea La orice petrecere de români, cea mai frecventă întrebare pentru a deschide o conversație este: „Tu cum ai ajuns aici?” Răspunsurile variază de la replica șmecherului, „Aici a aterizat avionul”, până la epopei cinematografice, care implică înotul peste Dunăre, focuri de armă, gangsteri și închisori. De fiecare dată când încerc să spun povestea noastră…… Continue reading Începuturile
My Father’s Son
Twenty-something years ago, I wrote this about my dad: Ever since he found a ten-dollar bill on the street, he walks around staring at the ground and no longer takes the bus. The result has been a growing pile of interesting things appearing around the house: screws, nuts, a spike, a pair of eyeglass frames…… Continue reading My Father’s Son
Băiatul lui Tata Meu / My Father’s Son
The English version is Below Acum douăzeci și ceva de ani scriam despre tata: De când a găsit 10 dolari pe stradă, merge numai cu ochii în pământ și nu mai ia autobuzul, ceea ce se traduce într-o nouă grămăjoară de chestii interesante care au apărut în casă: șuruburi, piulițe, un piron, o ramă de…… Continue reading Băiatul lui Tata Meu / My Father’s Son
Gone In 20 Seconds
Varianta în Românește este aici After a hectic, almost-all-day Sunday, things finally started to feel more relaxed. It started as a quiet evening walking the dogs around the neighborhood, great weather, not a worry in the world. To seize the already full and manic day, I rewarded them with a walk in the park behind…… Continue reading Gone In 20 Seconds
Liniște și Pace / Peace and Quiet
English Version Below Astăzi, 21 mai 2026, Cosmin ar fi împlinit 33 de ani. Cine l-a cunoscut știa că era un cititor pasionat și un mare iubitor de „cafeluțe”, cum le spunea el. — Încotro, Pui? îl întrebam când îl vedeam luându-și cheile de la mașină.— Eh, mă duc până la Bookmans să mai schimb…… Continue reading Liniște și Pace / Peace and Quiet
Mama Baloo – English Version
I was out this morning with the boys on the backstreets through the old part of the neighborhood, the part with big, beautiful houses, spacious yards, and all kinds of farm animals. One neighbor has goats, another has chickens, another has cows, but everyone has horses and dogs. Oh yes. And cats! My boys know…… Continue reading Mama Baloo – English Version
