The World | Europe | Romania

Romanian cuisine is diverse, with a variety of regional traditions, but soup is popular everywhere. Romanians enjoy spicy and tangy flavors in their cheeses, soups, vegetable and meat stews, and fish, as well as in their sweet desserts and pastries. The most important staple in Romania is corn, and a thick cornmeal porridge called mamaliga is eaten with cream or milk for breakfast, with meat and gravy at dinner, or with cottage cheese and sour cream for a light meal. The climate and fertile land of Romania provides an abundance of fruits and vegetables, and Romanians prefer them fresh, each in its own season.