I wouldn`t say I have a great appetite, when it comes to food, but I don`t believe in voyages without tasting experiences. Like Mr.Proust`s famous madelaine, every place has a sensory recollection related to a particular flavour, a dish or an ingredient which, when I smell, they throw me back in time and space, exactly in the spot where I met them, for the first time.

Having these data in mind and soul, I decided to taste, in the proper and figurative sense of the word, what is better and more beautiful in an area of Transilvania, which I adore: Sibiu, particularly Avrig and the famous Bruckenthal Palace.

The palace estate, at 28 km away from Sibiu dates back to the 18th century and belonged to the governor Samuel von Brukental, having obvious Austrian influences - a little replica of Glorieta in Schönbrunn, with gardens resembling those ones in the famous Viennese palace. The charm of the surroundings, the fusion of late baroque and classicism, the elegance of details, the romantic fountains, all of them make an absolutely spectacular place even nowadays, out of what it used to be a unique summer residence in the area, in the old days. What is really special about the place, to my mind, are the parks and the orangery which was restored, being now a chic hotel, with restaurant and conference rooms, and where, imagine, Bruckental grows pineapple, orange trees, apricot trees and even a species of exotic cactus.

I didn`t taste the tropical fruits in the orangery, but I enjoyed something more interesting-a lunch, by the book, to “feel” and ”taste” the culinary philosophy of Bruckental of the year 2015, which lays stress upon organic products, of the best quality, 100% Romanian, grown and bottled by them there(the jams, the juices, and the raspberry, blackberry or strawberry syrup should be taken home !) 100% Romanian food which I ate, as all the dishes I tried were like the ones made by mum, at home: mashed beans, egg-plant salad, chicken breast on a potatoes bed, mushrooms cooked in white sauce and…some perfect cheese pancakes!

Winter at the palace has its charm and I didn`t regret coming here at all, as the snow was falling leisurely I became gently enervated by the heat of the fire place and the comfortable taste of the food, all making a story of primavera perfecta.

See you next summer, with little pies and apple strudel, rose lemonade, the pot with the fresh made jam and the buzz from the terrace in the garden, in the fragrance of rose bay and lavender.