# I need help finding European recipes!



## karlagonzalezgt (Jan 5, 2007)

I am not a very good cook  , my boyfriend is from Romania, I am from Guatemala, so it's very different in cooking terms, I've learn that in Europe food is much more sophisticated, which is very good, the problem is I can't seem to find very good recipes, so I need help from any of you, if you can give me ideas, share recipes, or tell me where I can find online good recipes from throughout Europe, it would be very good for me. So please anyone there could help me in this? Thanks!


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## Michael in FtW (Jan 5, 2007)

Welcome to DC Karla! 

Probably the easiest way to get started is to go to Google (Google) and do a search on the type of cuisine your looking for like French, German, Polish, Italian, Greek, etc., followed by the word "recipes". 

Since your boyfriend is from Romania - here are the results from a Google search on Romanian recipes.

Hope this helps get you started!


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## XeniA (Jan 6, 2007)

Well ... that comment about European food being more sophisticated is sure to be a popular one here!!

Besides, it isn't, more sophisticated that is. Or at least not necessarily so, and anyways, as compared to what? There's so-called "sophisticated" food over here and there's so-called "peasant" food over here. Personally, even though I'm not a peasant, I'll eat peasant food any day!

Also, English food and Greek food (for example) are very different, and yet they're both European cuisines. That has to do with the seasons in each country and what's naturally grown or raised there. You can get ahold of recipes from any part of the world very easily on the Internet as Michael's suggested above, but IMHO, you'd be best to stick with recipes from a country that has a similar climate to wherever you're living so that the basic ingredients can be bought fresh and full of flavor.

Just a thought!


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## urmaniac13 (Jan 6, 2007)

"sophisticated" is a very loose description.  There are many, many popular Italian dishes that are much more rustic and simple than a lot of people abroad would think.  Also as Ayrton pointed out, "european cuisine" is also a loose description, there are many different countries and cultures mixed in all over Europe, for example Scandinavian cuisine from the north and the mediterranean cuisine in the south are definitely based from different backgrounds.  As for Romanian cuisine, try starting a search with the google list Michael provided.  for other European cuisine, there are members from Greece (like Ayrton), Italy (myself, and a few others), Germany, Switzerland, Spain and Great Britain here in the forum, we are all happy to help you out with what we know!


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## auntdot (Jan 6, 2007)

Karla, think I would ask bf what sort of dishes he would like.  Then go about finding recipes for those. 

There are plenty of folks here to help you.

Take care and welcome to DC.


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## pdswife (Jan 6, 2007)

Welcome to DC.  Lots of ideas and recipes here to look at.  Just do a search and you'll be sure to find some your boyfriend will like.


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## boufa06 (Jan 6, 2007)

Karla, before you start googling, you should try searching for recipes from some of the European countries posted here.


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## cara (Jan 8, 2007)

Hi Karla,

if you need something from Germany, just ask me or the forum's search, as there are already lots of recipes here ;o)


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## karlagonzalezgt (Jan 9, 2007)

*Thank you!*

I would like to thank you for your advices and time.


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## karlagonzalezgt (Jan 9, 2007)

If you have time to send me a couple of recipes(German,or anywhere from Europe), I would be very thankful. You know my boyfriend's father is actually from Germany. Thank you.


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## CharlieD (Jan 10, 2007)

Ayrton said:
			
		

> ... English food ...


 
    Now, when you said that Europian food was not really that sophisiticated (sp?) I wasn't going to argue, but let's be real, what they cook in Englad, should not really be called "food", Sorry English folks, but English food is just .....


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## Robo410 (Jan 10, 2007)

been to England recently CharlieD? They did finally get over the war mentality and cuisine exists quite expertly in the UK. Oh just as America has Boston Market or Denny's, England has their own family slop houses too...every country does. But do not denegrade the country of fine roasts and fresh garden vegies, wonderous sweet and savory pies, cheeses and charcuterie of all types, glorious fish and breads of distinction. England has also benefited from the aspects of fusion which have taken the world of cooking. Making fun of English cooking is very much a thing of the past. (It was bad there for the same reasons it was bad here, only longer there because of the more severe aspects of the war and recovery.)

(I know you are being a little tongue in cheek, but still...let me treat you to a fine beefsteak and mushroom pie or roast of lamb with carrots, parsnips, turnips and potatoes. Glorious!)


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## XeniA (Jan 11, 2007)

CharlieD said:
			
		

> Now, when you said that Europian food was not really that sophisiticated (sp?) I wasn't going to argue, but let's be real, what they cook in Englad, should not really be called "food", Sorry English folks, but English food is just .....


Just a _wee_ bit of a misquote, there, Charlie!

Meanwhile, I have to agree with Robo that it sounds like your ideas of English food are out of date. I've been pretty impressed with the food on recent trips there. Mind you, that food also included classics I've always loved and always will. In my world, long live steak & kidney pudding!


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## boufa06 (Jan 11, 2007)

I do like quite a few typical English dishes too.  Traditional dishes like steak and kidney pie, shepherd pie and of course fish and chips.


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## CharlieD (Jan 11, 2007)

Robo410 said:
			
		

> ...
> 
> (I know you are being a little tongue in cheek, but still...let me treat you to a fine beefsteak and mushroom pie or roast of lamb with carrots, parsnips, turnips and potatoes. Glorious!)


 
You are on, sounds great, especialy mushroom thing, when should I come over?


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## lulu (Jan 11, 2007)

Hey, I take exception to that Charlie!  England suffered for a long time, many middle/working class kids of my parents generation, post war, were not taught to cook as the rations continued here for a long time after the war and a lot of food did suffer but to say that is as generic as saying that US food is MacDonalds, and I know that is not true.  We have a triving food industry now, getting more exciting and back to real cuisine, both excellent British food and food influenced by other global cuisine, and many critics say that the top English restaurants cannot be surpassed anywhere in the world, I think you were a bit harsh.


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## CharlieD (Jan 11, 2007)

Lulu, dear, I will take any and all kind of beating for the bad joke I've made, and except responsibility for it, and might even be forced to apologies. But, please, please, do not tell me about rations after the war when Millions, yes millions of Russians (and/or everybody else in Soviet Union) were dying from starvation after the war, and rationing never stopped, not until the brake up of the Soviet Union. My aunt and my mother seen their cousins dye in front of their eyes from malnourishment (sp?) and yet they are excellent chefs. Cooking variety of foods, Russian, Ukrainian, Jewish, Uzbek, Georgian, Moldavian etc, I was not harsh at all, it was a stupid joke, offensive, but stupid and I did not mean any harm. But I am being harsh right now. Don't ever tell a Russian, that you've lived the rations is the reason people do not know how to cook, you have no idea how bad rations could be and what they can do to you. G-d willing you should never know.


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## CharlieD (Jan 11, 2007)

Now having said that, I have to admit top British anything cannot be surpassed. Well Germans might come close.


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## karlagonzalezgt (Jan 12, 2007)

Where can I find recipes here in the forum?


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## karlagonzalezgt (Jan 12, 2007)

I've never tried any English dish, but I'll bet it's better that any  American dish. I live in Los Angeles so I know what I'm talkin about.


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## boufa06 (Jan 13, 2007)

karlagonzalezgt said:
			
		

> Where can I find recipes here in the forum?


 You can find Steak & Kidney Pie and other meat pie recipes posted by members here.


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## cara (Jan 13, 2007)

try the search.... and lots of recipes from europe you find here in the ethnic corner of the forum...
just look through the pages


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## Claire (Jan 29, 2007)

Just come here and ask what foods you are trying to find a recipe for.  We will always be happy to help.  No, European food is no more sophisticated than any other, just different.  As is Asian.  As is South American.  As is ... well we could go on forever.  If you want to learn European food, we will help.  But trust me, I don't think a single one of us believe it is better or superior.  One person's tonkatsu is another's schnitzel is ... well, we could go on forever.  It is all delicious.


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## Michael in FtW (Feb 2, 2007)

karlagonzalezgt said:
			
		

> I've never tried any English dish, but I'll bet it's better that any American dish. I live in Los Angeles so I know what I'm talkin about.


 
Humm ... really? 

English cookery has, for centuries, been considered the least sophisticated, least inspiring and worst of all European cooking. I don't remember the critic's name - but someone back in the 19th century said that the only thing less boring, and more appealing, than English cookery was a drunken stupor or a nap. Naturally, if I remember right, he was a Frenchman.

America is made up of many cultures that brought their recipes with them - and some of those recipes included foods taken from the Americas back to Europe, encorporated into their cuisines, and brought back across the Atlantic, again. From Europe, from Asia, from South America ....

True "Native American" cookery is somewhat limited - but I have no problem with such things as roasted turkey, potatoes, corn, tomatoes, or bison, peaches, avacados, pecans, chocolate, or lima beans - to name a few. 

English cookery is to one extent or another, like Italian, regional. And, like most European cuisines, it's primarily peasant based. But, there is nothing wrong with "peasant" food ... the French classic _coq au vin_ is just such a dish. So is the English "pork pie", Welsh "pastie", Irish "colcannon" and Scottish "scones" - there is also Worcestershire sauce, cheddar cheese, soda bread ... just to name a few.

My ancestors are from England, Scotland, Ireland and a minor part in the last generation from Germany, my ex-wife's parents were from France (my mother-in-law) and Italy (my father-in-law, a couple of uncles and a brother-in-law). I've studies their cuisines and their histories. I have friends from other parts of the world - and I find their cuisine to be no better or worse than any other ... only different.

There are a lot of people on DC that would be happy to help you find a recipe, Karla, if we only knew what you were looking for. I could come up with a bunch of English, Irish, Polish, German and peasant/country French, CharlieD could give you some from the Ukraine, and we have members in Italy, England and Scotland. Give us a clue as to what you are looking for ... and we will help. Just asking us to post every European recipe we know is a little unrealistic ....


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## thegrova (Feb 5, 2007)

This diverstion into the quaity of English food so makes me smile!  Living in New Zealand, with parents from Yorkshire (England), and having a partner who lives in NYC, I get a bit of it all!

Done well, traditional English food can be fabulous.  Pork Pies and Roast Beef with Yorkshire Pudding... ummm.  Done badly it is enough to make McDonalds look appealing.

I suspect that the issue of food comes back to the desire of the person cooking to cook well.  I have had some **** fine food in the USA as well as some which was questionable at best.  It comes down to avoiding 'food factories' and hunting down those establsihments that have a passion for what they are cooking.

Back to the original topic, I would definately start with some basic Italian recipes - spaghetti and lasagne etc.  If  you want to impress the boyfriend or just expand your cooking skills pick one dish and keep cooking it until you get the way you like it!  Also try eating out to see which cuisines you actually like - you and your boyfriend could try a different European restaurant each wek / month until you have tried enough restaurants to know which cuisines you like.  That way you can make some informed decisions regarding what you want to try cooking.  Most of all - have some fun!


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