In some ways, Romanian food is as regionally distinctive as that found in France or Italy, with kitchens in different parts of the country reflecting the tastes of the various ethnic populations. Though Romania is a Latin country in the heart of Europe — it was part of the Roman Empire and Romanian is a Latin language — the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman empires both had major impacts on its cuisine.

In Transylvania, Saxon cooking, which is not easy to find in restaurants, makes frequent use of dairy products and bacon, sausage and charcuterie. The Ottoman imprint is found in the local love of ciorbă, or soup (the Turkish word for soup is “çorba”), as well as a taste for pickles and sweet desserts. Paprika was brought by the Hungarians, and spices like cinnamon are said to have arrived with the gypsies.

Wine has been made in Romania since the time of the Romans, and the industry has recovered well from Communist-era collectivization. Truly excellent wines include the Crama Cepari 2016 private collection white, which I shared with a friend at The Artist restaurant in Bucharest, and the outstanding Davino Flamboyant Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlotc-Feteasca Neagra, which I sampled in Sibiu.