In this beautiful new book, an enlightening introduction describes the geography, history and vibrant culture of Romania and Bulgaria, including a section on festivals and traditions. An expert guide to all the locally produced ingredients follows. Over 60 recipes then offer an authentic taste of the Romanian and Bulgarian cuisine. The core of the book consists of chapters on Appetizers and side dishes, Vegetarian dishes and salads, Soups and hotpots, Fish, Meat and poultry, and Desserts and baking. Recipes include Thracian Tomato Bake, the classic Bulgarian Shopska Salad, and Spinach fritters as well as Chicken and Thyme Fricasee, a festive dish of Carp Stuffed with Walnuts and Golden Spices, and Babka, the sweet Romanian yeast cake.