Happy Monday, my lovelies! How was your weekend?
I spent all weekend indoors writing and working and…baking! I’ll share the baked treats with you later this week but today it’s all about the holiday season. The Christmas Market in Ploiesti, or Târgul de Crăciun Ploieşti.
Last year we went and it was a good time but we only went once, the night when there was a drone show and it was packed. Really packed. The market just started and we went on weeknight so it as crowded but not so much so that we couldn’t enjoy ourselves. It was a good time.
And better? There were so many more de post (vegan) options than previous years. I guess maybe that means there’s enough now that they see a benefit in it, but it’s probably more than this is a very religious country and many people forego animal products for that reason throughout the season. Either way, it’s good news for me and other vegans in Romania.
This was the view on the way to the market and it was so beautiful I just had to share it. With everyone. All over social media!
This visit was just to look around, get some fresh air and get the lay of the land but as you can see there’s a Ferris wheel and there was also bumper cars and a few other rides I’ll probably share with you another time.
But the best part? The vegan options. I mean there was vin fiert which is mulled wine or gluhwein, and you can’t really attend an outdoor winter event and not get vin fiert, at least I can’t.
Other than that, the air was thick with the scent of sugar and cinnamon and I’d resigned myself to eating it in my mind and then we spotted a booth with clearly labeled de post options, indicating a variety of vegan treats, which had me totally stoked.
Yum, right?
Anyway there were these little balls that contained biscuits (digestiv cookies), cocoa powder and coconut flakes but inside the ball? Rum soaked sour cherries…with the pit, but they were delicious and probably my favorite of the night.
There were other options that I’ve had before, like the salam de biscuiti, which is just a cookie roll with chocolate. It’s not bad but it’s not my favorite.
And these candies covered in fondant with nuts. I wanted to try them but I didn’t want the whole package and I’m not a big fan of fondant but they’re beautiful, right?
And we can’t forget Kurkolaks, which is a delicious pastry cooked on a spool and covered in something, usually sugar and cinnamon but you can get other things like nuts and caramelized sugar but my favorite is the cinnamon and sugar coating. Sometimes they’re brushed in butter so we were excited to find these without them and we bought two, stopping at the in-laws on the way home to share!
The first trip to the Christmas market was a success! We found a good parking spot, got some good vin fiert and enough vegan options to put a bigger smile on my face.
Do you enjoy holiday markets?
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The Spicy Spatula 
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