Wine & Food

The everyday table in Codru revolves around mămăligă, the firm cornmeal porridge served with brine-cured sheep's cheese called brânză and sour cream. A glass of Fetească Albă or Aligoté suits it well. The acidity cuts through the cream without overpowering the mild corn. Food doesn't get much simpler than this.

Plăcinte are the second staple: thinly rolled pastries filled with potato, cabbage, pumpkin, or sweet brânză, usually served piping hot straight from the pan. For the savoury versions, a dry white wine from the region works well again. With the sweet ones filled with pumpkin or cherry, a semi-dry Aligoté pairs surprisingly well, since its acidity balances the sweetness instead of amplifying it.

Grilled meat, often called mititei, small, heavily spiced minced meat rolls cooked on the grill, calls for one of the red blends of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot instead. The tannin binds the fat. The dark fruit picks up the charred notes from the charcoal grill rather than fighting against them. That's exactly what this wine was made for.

On festive occasions, sparkling wine from Cricova comes to the table, often alongside a clear chicken soup or cold cuts before the main course. Its fine carbonation acts like a reset for the palate between courses, before the next plate arrives. In this way, the table in Codru brings together three things that otherwise have little to do with one another: black earth, limestone tunnels, and a simple piece of cornmeal porridge. That's the essence of Codru cuisine, summed up in a single, simple sentence.