I sent my penpal from Russia a stamp with the typical dessert called “găluÅŸte cu prune.” She was intrigued, and in the next letter she asked me about it. This is what i answered:
“The Romanian dessert from my last stamp is called găluÈ™te cu prune…it is smashed potato dumplings with whole plums inside, rolled in sweet toasted breadcrumbs with a touch of cinnamon. it’s one of my favorite comfort foods, actually…maybe weird too bc who makes desserts mixing potatoes with sugar and plums? hahhaha…but totally tasty!”
For months we shared our deepest thoughts, and we became very close. She was planning a trip to Romania in the summer, and she really wanted to taste this dessert. But it is an old traditional dish, so she couldn’t find it at any restaurant in many different cities she visited.
We even searched for it together when we met in the lovely town called Sighisoara. The next day, I invited her to my hometown and, as a surprise, I cooked this desert for her. I also organized a picnic in the forest I had always told her about.
It was truly a magical day!!! Words cannot describe the joy we felt finally meeting in person.
I hope this summer she will visit me again, so we can spend even more time together, not just a couple of days.
