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This November, like never before I got to travel twice and spend two weeks away - one in Mijas, Spain and one back home in Bals, Romania. They were two very different trips but both very meaningful and full of joy, an emotional whirlwind as I travelled from the charming, sunlit streets of Mijas, Spain, back to London for a week and then onto the familiar embrace of my hometown in Romania. These two destinations couldn’t be more different, yet both left me with unforgettable memories, so bear with me while I take you on a journey through my November travels. Mijas: Where Whitewashed Walls Meet the Blue Skies Nestled in the hills of southern Spain on Costa del Sol, Mijas is the kind of postcard-perfect town that makes you wonder if you’ve accidentally wandered into a fairy tale, where every corner seems to be frozen in time, but filled with laughter and local goodies in the colourful shops. This was trip number 4 to this idyllic place - the village of Fuengirola. We just feel like home here and keep on coming back as it is the perfect location. The architecture here is beautiful, with whitewashed houses clinging to cobbled streets, vibrant flower pots dotting the walls, and the scent of the Mediterranean Sea following you everywhere you go. You can get lost on the streets of Mijas or enjoy a long walk on the Fuengirola sea promenade while stopping by at the numerous Spanish restaurants and bars for food and drinks. Oh, the food - rich Spanish coffee paired with churros dunked in thick, velvety chocolate and tapas—patatas bravas, fresh fish, paella, the Spanish flan, sangria and the local beer! Each dish felt like a warm hug for my taste buds. We decided to go and visit Ronda this time, a very old and picturesque city located on a cliffside up in the mountains of Malaga. Such a beautiful old town, with Spanish architecture at its finest and filled with so much history. We walked the beautiful parks and visited the famous Bull ring, taking in the breath-taking views from the bridge. What a gorgeous day! It was a holiday to remember and we came back rested and happy that we get to experience this beautiful place over and over again. Romania: Homecoming to Bals, Olt After a week in London, I flew alone to Romania, where late autumn was in full swing. This trip wasn’t just about sightseeing—it was about reconnecting with family, solving ID issues and spending some time while working remotely, with mum and dad. Coming home always brings a mix of emotions. The familiarity of it all—the streets I’ve walked a thousand times, the smell of my mom’s cooking wafting through the door, and the warmth of my dad’s stories—has a way of grounding me. Romanian cuisine deserves its own standing ovation. Imagine sitting down to a steaming bowl of chicken soup, followed by meatballs and mash, and for dessert - my mom's tiramisu (one of my favourites) reminding me why nothing beats home cooking. The city of Bals may not have the glamour of a tourist hotspot, but its charm lies in its simplicity. The chilly November air was scented with wood smoke, and there was an almost tangible anticipation for Christmas. Markets were gearing up with stalls selling handmade crafts, traditional Romanian sweets, and colourful ornaments. I got to visit the most beautiful Christmas market in Europe in Craiova, with my family and I was totally blown away of how beautiful everything is. The food and mulled wine were outstanding too. Loved all the décor and music, the streets of the fair were full of Christmas decorations and fairy lights creating the most perfect and biggest fair I have seen in a long time. Well done Craiova! And then it was that feeling of being surrounded by my roots, I went to visit my grandma's house and all the memories of my childhood ruched in reminding me of what a beautiful upbringing I had. There was a deep comfort in sitting at the kitchen table with my parents, my sister, my niece and my cousins and aunt sipping țuică (plum brandy) and laughing over old family stories. I managed to have a perfect week away while being able to work remotely and getting my ID sorted. The perfect end to a year of amazing travels. I am looking forward to more journeys next year that will fill our bellies with delicious food, our hearts with joy, and our cameras with too many photos.
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The recipe I will share with you this November is the pie my grandma used to make the most, for us kids in autumn, back in Romania. I loved to help her in the kitchen. I have added a few spices of my own to give it a more autumnal flavour and made small pies as they look prettier. It is easy to make, rustic and delicious! Hope you will love it too! Serves 12.  Ingredients: Dough: • 250 grams gluten free flour • 100 grams salted butter • 150 ml clotted cream • 1 egg yolk • 100 grams of brown sugar • The zest of an orange • 1 teaspoon baking powder • Pinch of salt Filling: • 500 gr of sweet apples • 100 grams of brown sugar • 50 grams of salted butter • 100 grams of chopped walnuts • 1 teaspoon cinnamon • 1 teaspoon mixed spice • Pinch of nutmeg • The juice of the orange  Method: Start by making the dough. Combine the clotted cream, butter sugar and eggs in a mixing bowl. Using your hands start adding the flour with the rest of the ingredients bit by bit while kneading. If too dry, add a bit of water. If too wet, add more flour. Make the dough, cover the bowl and leave it to rest for an hour in the fridge. To make the filing, grate the apples and place them with the sugar, butter, orange juice and spices in a pan. Cook until soft, add the chopped walnuts and leave aside. Preheat the oven at 180 Celsius (fan oven) and butter 12 small tart tins. Once the dough is cooled, use a cookie cutter and cut 12 round pie sheets. Prick them with a fork, add some dried beans on top and blind bake for 15 minutes. Squeeze the cooked apple of the juices, lay it on top and cover with the other rolled half of the dough ( I used a patterned rolling pin to get that nice neat lace on top). Bake for 30 - 40 minutes until nice and golden. Enjoy!  One of my favourite autumn fruits is quince. I grew up in the countryside and we had quince in abundance in fall. Quince is the 'taste of fall' with its yellow colour and the sweet & tart taste; it is also very good for your health - is high in fibre, full of vitamin C, reduces inflammation and regulates blood sugar levels. This cake recipe is another one of my mum's, one of my childhood favourites. Serves 20. Cooking time - 40 minutes.  Ingredients: - 3 eggs - 100 grams of brown sugar - zest of a lemon - 1/2 tsp baking powder - 1 tsp vanilla essence - 100 ml olive oil - 300 grams gluten free flour - 250 grams quince jam  Method: Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius Fan oven. Cover a deep, medium square baking tray with baking paper(mine is (8 inch × 8 inch). Mix together the eggs, sugar, vanilla essence and lemon zest. Add gradually the oil and sifted flour. The dough will have the consistency of a soft shortbread dough. Keep a tiny ball of dough aside for the top. Spread the rest with a fork in your baking tray. Cover with your quince Jam and grate the rest of the dough on top. Add almond flakes for a bit of crunch. Bake for about 40- 45 minutes until the top is golden. Enjoy!   Ingredients:
 Method: Peel the potatoes and boil them in a pan with water until soft. Make a soft mash using the butter once the potatoes are boiled. Set aside. Meanwhile, prepare the coating. Place your breadcrumbs/semolina and butter in a pan and fry until it has a nice golden colour. Take off the heat and incorporate the sugar, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla essence. Set aside in a shallow dish, ready to be used for coating. Return to the potatoes. Once cooled, add the egg and flour, and knead. If too sticky add more flour. Using your hands make balls from the dough (you can weigh in individual pieces or spread the dough, roll it into a log and cut individual pieces). Generously flour your hands and press the individual dough into a circle in your palm. Add the plum (pitted, and halved) inside and seal around it, then roll it between your palms. Place aside and repeat with all the dough and all the plums. Boil water in a large pot and add the dumplings to simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes (they will sink to the bottom initially but rise to the surface when ready). Use a spoon to take them out and roll them gently in the breadcrumbs/semolina coating. Serve hot or cold, with clotted cream or plain. ENJOY!  This August we were supposed to go to a wedding in Prague. However, that wedding got cancelled at the very last minute due to unforeseen circumstances. As it was too late to cancel our flights with Wizz Air and the bookings made on Booking.com, we decided to go anyway and extend our trip into Austria too, visiting Vienna for a few days. Such a great decision! We had the best time! Let's talk about Prague. This old city was a must travel on my list for some time. And it didn't disappoint at all. We stayed three nights at The White Lion, which was about a 20 minute walk to the centre. However, as the weather was hot, we took the tram for a few stops every day. The public transport is really cheap in Prague. A 24h ticket is only 1.70 euros. I found online the best 10 things to do in Prague and we guided ourselves through that (if you want to visit a city, you must have a plan). The first thing we did was walk to the old city square and have a cold coffee and cake. And right in the square, you will find the people with bus/ boats tours. We got a 48hour hop on hop off buss tour and a nice trip on the river with Prague Boats, just under an hour with drinks on board. The hop on hop off bus allowed us to see the city and also stop at the points where we wanted to visit. For example, Prague Castle. What a beauty. Be mindful that to get to the top there are quite a few stairs so not for everyone. That day was a very cold and rainy day so we ended up having a long break at the castle, visit the shops, the museum, the Cathedral, and even stopped for lunch. When the rain finally stopped in the afternoon, we went onto our boat trip and finished the night with dinner at one of our local restaurant. There were plenty of traditional restaurants and shops in a walking proximity to the hotel. Our last day in Prague, was spent on Charles' Bridge, we grabbed lunch at a beautiful little outdoor place and did a bit of shopping in the old streets. Such a wonderful place to visit. Late afternoon, we got the train from Prague to Vienna, just under 4 hours. Idyllic scenery, restaurant on board, first class was comfortable and with reasonable prices, we paid 78 euros for 2 people one way. Next destination : Vienna. I have always wanted to go visit this little gem in the heart of Austria. We stayed for 3 nights at a beautiful, new, art hotel, Bassena Hotel, just next to the underground, it only took us 20 minutes to get to central. Amazing breakfast, comfortable room, a bit small but beautifully decorated.
Of course I searched online and found the best things to do and see while in Vienna. I was impressed by how elegant the city looks. It has a Mozart vibe for sure! We visited the central St. Stephen's Cathedral and a few other churches for free, very beautiful and impressive. Found the Lindt store right in the Central Square so we had to try the famous marzipan chocolate. Delicious! A beautiful and must see place is the National Austrian Library, oh wow! It is just stunning, filled with old books and beautiful walls. Very close by, near the beautiful park of Hofburg Palace you will find a magical place, Schmetterlinghaus - The Butterfly House. Filled with luxurious plants, a waterfall, and gorgeous blue butterflies. A short walk from here, you will find a traditional place for sausages and pretzels. Also the Hop On Hop Off buses are close by, (we haven't used them in Vienna, it was more expensive than Prague, 24 hour ticket for one was 40 euros) so we ended up using the tram instead. It was only 4 euros for 24 hours. We had to try the famous Apple Strudel at the famous Café Central and it was just perfect. Definitely worth the queues outside. The next day we booked an entry at the beautiful Belvedere Palace. Such an amazing place, with beautiful rooms and paintings, big beautiful gardens to stroll and a little café where they make the best Chocolate cake-the famous Sacher Torte, and it was so indulgent and absolutely delicious! We ended the day with a walk on the shore of the Danube and had a great feast by the water at a traditional restaurant. We managed to see all that it was important, enjoyed some great food and such an amazing time. Overall, such a lovely city. However, I think I prefer Prague! I mean Vienna was more crowded, more expensive and less chilled than Prague. If you will travel/ travelled to either of these European cities, please comment and let me know what you think! Safe travels my friends!  Preparation time: 20 minutes. Baking time: 30 minutes. Serves: 16 slices INGREDIENTS: Cake sponge: 5 egg yolks 240 grams of white sugar 360 grams of flour 10 tablespoons of boiled water 1 teaspoon of baking powder Chocolate custard: 240 grams of sugar 375 ml of almond milk 3 tablespoons of flour 3 tablespoons of cacao powder 250 grams of butter 50 grams of dark chocolate Meringue: 5 egg whites 50 grams of sugar Pinch of salt  METHOD:
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line a 20-inch baking tray with baking paper. Separate the eggs and keep the whites in a bowl (we will use them for the meringue later). Add the sugar to the bowl with the egg yolks and using a hand mixer, beat until light pale in colour and fluffy (this process is meant to melt most of the sugar). Continue adding the boiled water and mix a bit more. Sift the flour, add the baking powder, and incorporate slowly, to create a nice, fluffy mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin and bake for 30 minutes or until golden in colour and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool down completely and cut the batter in half diagonally, ready to be filled with the custard. While the cake is in the oven, make the chocolate custard. Add the sugar, milk, flour, and cacao to a pot and let it simmer while stirring until it becomes thick, like a custard. Take the pot from the flame and add the butter - cut into small cubes, and incorporate, stirring slowly. Once done, add it to the cold cake layer and cover it with the top layer. Time to make the meringue. Using the Bain Marie technique – put a small pot with water on a flame and add a bowl on top (the bowl should not touch the boiling water), add the sugar and egg whites in the bowl and using a hand mixer, keep on mixing until you have a glossy, beautiful, stiff peaks meringue. Pour the meringue on top of the cake and using a spatula, create waves. If you have a cake torch, use it to create a beautiful burnt meringue definition. If not, grate some dark chocolate on top! Either way, it will be delicious! Enjoy!  I love cottage cheese and I love berries. I kept on seeing people making cottage cheese cake online so I made a version of my own, that turned out absolutely delicious. Is completely gluten free too. Serves 10. Preparation time:15 minutes. Baking time: 50 minutes. INGREDIENTS: - 2 eggs - 125 grams of brown sugar - 125 grams of cottage cheese - 100 ml of olive oil - 1 tbsp of vanilla essence - 250 grams gluten free flour - 1 tbsp gluten free baking powder - 125 grams of berries  METHOD: Preheat the oven at 180 ° Celsius and line a round baking tray with baking paper. Set aside. Using a mixer beat the eggs until doubled in size and fluffy. Add the sugar and mix again. Add all ingredients one by one carefully mixing in every time and leave the berries aside mixed with a bit of brown sugar. Pour your batter in the tin and sprinkle the berries on top. Bake for 50 minutes. It will be crumbly and delicious. Enjoy with cream, ice cream or on its own! Delicious!  Papanasi, a traditional Romanian dessert, is a giant doughnut covered in fresh sour cream and cherries & sour cherries jam! Is just so good! The doughnuts are crispy but soft, and the sweetness of the jam pairs beautifully with the sour cream! The word papanasi comes from the Latin word ‘papa’, which means food for children, but they are loved by adults equally! This is my grandma's recipe, it serves 8! I hope you will love it!  RECIPE Ingredients:
 METHOD: Add to a bowl, the cheese, eggs, salt, vanilla, and lemon zest. Mix them together and add the flour. Don’t overwork it, it should be a sticky dough at this point. We don’t add sugar as this causes the doughnuts to spread too much when they fry. Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to an hour. After that time, take the bowl out, sprinkle a bit of flour on your surface/table and with a rolling pin, roll your dough out and cut rounds with a cookie cutter (or a mug). Use a pipping nozzle to cut the small doughnuts. Preheat 500 ml vegetable/rapeseed oil in a deep pan to 170 Celsius. Fry your doughnuts. 2 minutes on each side should be enough. Cover while warm with sour cream and jam! Enjoy!   Strawberries are in season and I love it. This is one of my favourite cakes, is so moist, easy to make and very delicious. Serves 12. Preparation time: 30 minutes. Baking time: 30 minutes. INGREDIENTS: - 100 grams of sugar - 2 eggs - the zest of 1 lime - the juice of 2 lemons/100 ml - 50 ml olive oil - 150 grams of flour - 1 teaspoon of baking powder - 60 ml of almond milk - 300 grams fresh strawberries - 2 tablespoons of corn-starch  METHOD: Preheat your oven at 180 degrees Celsius, Line a 20 cm baking tin with baking paper. Set aside. Cut your strawberries in small pieces/slices. Add the corn-starch and mix them well. Set aside. Using a hand mixer, start by mixing your eggs and sugar until fluffy and pale in colour. Add one by one, the milk, oil, lime zest, lemon juice, flour and baking powder and mix well. Add the strawberries at the end and mix slowly. Pour the batter in your baking tin and bake for 30 minutes. Enjoy!   Serves 10. Preparation time: 15 minutes. Baking time: 40 minutes. INGREDIENTS: • 170 grams of digestive biscuits • 200 grams of flour • 150 grams of butter • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda • 60 grams of icing sugar • 1 tbsp of vanilla essence • 1/2 lemon- the zest and juice • pinch of salt • sprinkle of brown sugar • almond flakes • 1 jar of cherry jam  METHOD: Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius. Line a baking tray with baking paper. In a bowl, mix the lemon and cherry jam and set aside for later. In a separate bowl measure all the other ingredients and mix with your fingers until you have a breadcrumb consistency. Pour half of it on the baking tray and push it down with a spoon. Add the jam & lemon on top and the remaining composition as a top layer. Sprinkle the brown sugar and almond flakes on top. Bake for 40 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice-cream or cold with warm custard. Enjoy!  |
AuthorCristina is a photographer who loves baking, travelling and spending time with friends. 
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