Discover Dobrogea

Category: Food&Wine

Traditional food and drinks from Dobrogea region.

  • Appetizers, food, fish sweets. No meal without fish at Sfântu Gheorghe

    Appetizers, food, fish sweets. No meal without fish at Sfântu Gheorghe

    During the communist era, when Romania’s president was Nicolae Ceausescu, there was the slogan: “No meal without fish.” At that time, this ad was on many blocks of flats, at intersections or in shops, and we were all urged to eat fish. Obviously, I thought it was a joke, and that nobody would ever eat fish at all meals.

    Mancare buna Holbina trei bibaniOh, well! I have found out that there were times when the inhabitants of Sfântu Gheorghe, most of which fishermen, did not eat anything else because they did not have what to eat. Only fish, believe it or not! Besides, we have all heard about all sorts of fish dishes, but about fish desserts, I had no idea whatsoever!

    Sturgeon cakes, beluga liver pie, plenty of caviar

    Placinta cu ficat de pesteThere were times when the Ukrainians in Sfântu Gheorghe were extremely poor and did not have anything to eat. The thistles and the sturgeon saved them many times from starvation right after World War II. Back then, all the inhabitants of the Danube Delta used to eat only thistles and fish. Especially sturgeon, a species for which fishing has been forbidden for 12 years, and will still be for another 3 years.

    Sarmale din pesteThey had nothing else to put on the table, and the sturgeon was the main source of food. They used to prepare all kinds of sturgeon dishes to diversify the menu, even though the main ingredient was the same. They adapted the cuisine to suit all tastes. They used to make beluga liver pie, fish or caviar tarts and cakes. The black caviar was eaten directly with the spoon, as they sometimes did not even have bread to spread it on. Whoever hears this now, would think that they were doing very well, but they had nothing.

    Out of 700 fishermen, there are only 46 left in Sfântu Gheorghe

    Delta Dunarii caviarThe life of the people in the Danube Delta was not very fun. During 1970-1980, there were about 700 fishermen in Sfântu Gheorghe, and the village had 2500-2800 inhabitants. Now it has only 620 inhabitants and there are 46 fishermen. The men in the village used to leave every Sunday night and did not come back home until Saturday afternoon. The whole area from Sulina to Gura Portiţei was studded with many fishing huts.

    Caviar Delta DunariiThey used to fish and take the fish to the fishery, it was a whole process. They used to sleep there because they had a bunch of fishing tools. The sea was very capricious, they had many nets in the water, fishing tools, and when the storm began, they were always ready to go out on the sea immediately and take the tools out of the water, otherwise they would be destroyed when the weather worsened.

    The fishermen earned a lot in Ceausescu’s time, but they did not enjoy it

    Saramura de pesteThey did not have AccuWeather at the time to know what the weather would be like nor mobile phones to keep in touch with their families. To find out what the weather would be like, fishermen had all sorts of signs they used to follow carefully. If the crow stands at the top of the tree, it will be warm, and if the crows gather, spin in a circle and crow, it will be cold and the storm follows. The brigadier was the wisest, most experienced fisherman. He knew all the signs and was the best qualified to make decisions.

    Storceag Holbina trei bibaniDuring the communist period, fishermen did not pay any tax, they had to bring the fish to the fishery and worked in a global agreement. They also earned 20,000 lei a month, but they worked very hard. They gave the fish to the state, and no matter how much fish they caught, a lot or little, they got the money on it. They always brought fish and caviar at home, without any problems whatsoever. Although they earned a lot of money, fishermen did not have what to do with it, and they did not have many moments of joy either.

    Mancaruri traditionale Delta Dunarii They had electricity only for two hours a day in the locality, drinkable water for two hours as well. At that time, all the actors and political party activists came to Sfântu Gheorghe for peace, fish, nature, caviar and fun. They washed themselves with a one-litre bottle of water warmed up in the sun and they were not that much trouble like the tourists nowadays. We have become demanding, we want a TV set, we want a shower, 5-star conditions, and we no longer enjoy nature.

    Icre Hotel Mon Jardin MahmudiaIn Sfântu Gheorghe there is a landscaped beach, where tourists can sunbathe in peace. Also, the locality is a good starting point by boat, little ship or dinghy to the Danube Delta canals.

  • How King Carol II gave the “vinegar-like sour Austrian wines” for the sweet wines from Murfatlar

    How King Carol II gave the “vinegar-like sour Austrian wines” for the sweet wines from Murfatlar

    King Carol II fell in love with the Murfatlar wines and he ordered in 1939 the transition of the nursery from state property of the royal domanin. Dobrudja, the region caressed by the sunrays, lying between the Black Sea and the Danube, has a wine history that dates back from the days of the Dacians. It is said that Burebista, the King of the Getae and Dacians, urged his people to abstinence because he did not tolerate abusive wine consumption. The Dacians had a real worship for wine, a drink they considered a gift from gods. Let’s not forget that the poet exiled at the Pontus Euxin more than 2000 years ago, Ovidius Publius Naso drowned his sadness in a jug of wine. In addition, it is said that in the past it was believed that the god of wine, Dionysus or Bacchus, as many know him, was born in our lands.

    The Murfatlar wine region emerged after Dobrudja’s union with the country

    When Dobrudja joined the country, the majority population was composed of Muslims. In 1878, in northern Dobrudja there were 71,000 Tatars and 49,000 Turks, 47,000 Romanians, 30,000 Bulgarians, and the rest were Jews, Greeks, Russians, and Germans. It is not difficult to infer that many Muslims lived in Murfatlar, considering the name of the locality, which translates “The Murfats, Murfat’s descendants”. It was only after Dobrudja was annexed and after the Ottoman rule was overrun that the vineyards were created in Murfatlar. Many say Muslims have not been interested in vineyards by then since they do not drink alcohol. Around 1880, the first vineyard appeared in Murfatlar, but it did not resist too much, the plantation being attacked by the phylloxera insect, which reached the Dobrudja area all the way from America.

    King Carol II became passionate about Murfatlar wines

    King Carol II fell in love with the Murfatlar Research Resort’s wines after attending a wine tasting in Constanta on Navy Day. At that time, the French wines Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Merlot were fashionable, generally sweet and flavoured. King Carol II loved Bacchus’s drink created in Murfatlar so much that he asked, “Why do you bring me vinegar-like sour Austrian wines if you have such good wines here?” At that time he was brought wines from Germany and Austria, but later Murfatlar Winery became the official supplier of the Royal House.

    How Murfatlar Nursery became the property of the royal domain

    The Romanian state set up Murfatlar Nursery in 1907, those were the names of the first experimental plantations of vines back then. They were set up after the invasion of the 1886 phylloxera insect, which decimated vineyards all over Europe. Subsequently, the vineyards were re-established by grafting the varieties on a rootstock to be more resistant.

    In 1939, King Carol II ordered the transition of the nursery from state property to that of the royal domain. Murfatlar locals have since begun to call it a “royal vineyard” and it was an honour for them to work there. Since 1942 the domain has gone back to the state as an experimental resort. Currently, Murfatlar is no longer the official wine supplier of the Royal House.

    The most valuable bottle of Murfatlar Winery costs 600 lei

    Vinuri Murfatlar Carol IIThe oldest wines we now find in Murfatlar Winery were produced in 1950. Those who want to enjoy a drink from the time when the Romanian People’s Republic was led by Communist dignitary Constantin Parhon will pay 600 lei for a bottle of Chardonnay or Pinot Gris. We are talking about old wines over 60 years old. As a matter of fact, the collection is very varied and includes wines from 1950 to 2000, with few exceptions. I have discovered that the 1976, 1978 and 1979 stocks were exhausted. The cheapest wine in the collection is a Merlot since 2000, which costs 83 lei.

    Murfatlar Resort, the creator of drinks

    The Murfatlar Research Resort had 7 hectares of vineyards and nurseries when it was set up 111 years ago, Aurora Ranca, the director of the institution, told me. She also mentioned that the resort has 160 hectares now. It is true, it has lately faced financial difficulties, which it has overcome for more than a year.

    Two of the creations that Murfatlar Winery prides itself on are Columna and Mamaia wines. Columna is an organic white wine made from hand-picked grapes from a parcel of land that does not use pesticides or herbicides. The birth certificate of Mamaia Wine was signed in 1993. It is a dark rosé wine, created by the blending of the Merlot, Băbească Neagră and Muscat Ottonel varieties.

    I have also learned from Aurora Ranca that the French varieties suited very well at Murfatlar due to the climate, the sun and the limestone soil. They accumulate a lot of sugar, which is why production has been switched on semi-sweet and sweet wines. Oh, and if you are curious about the type of wine from the Murfatlar Winery King Carol II first drank at that tasting in Constanta, well, it was a Chardonnay.