Today we meet Alexandra Alexe and her passion for cooking. Alexandra’s history with CGS started on October 29th 2012 on a large scale project and in April 2014 she was promoted as team leader on that project.
We were lucky enough to discover her enthusiasm for cooking in a very sweet way…., through the cakes she brings to office for her colleagues. Over time, she delighted us on numerous occasions with cupcakes, all sorts of pies, tiramisu and many other. What could be more pleasant than a sweet surprise?
She told us that ever since she was a little girl, she enjoyed cooking: `Try to picture me as a little girl, when everyone called me „chinezoi” (the Chinese boy), playing with flour, corn, leaves, dirt, brick dust, stones and so many more. That is how I used to cook, usually with my cousin, when we were going to the countryside, in the summer. And they were all so good, pffff, you’ve never seen anything like it. Then I went to my mother and grandmother to taste them. And I insisted. They could barely refuse me.`
Asked if she prefers a certain dish, she told us that she really enjoys cooking all sorts of cakes: moist cakes, with cream, pastries, anything. Apart from these, I prefer trying all kinds of interesting recipes for the main course. I like Chinese food, but I won’t say no to traditional meals or to trying any kind of cuisine. I have various culinary curiosities.`
But where does all the inspiration and satisfaction come from when she is in the kitchen? Alexandra says: `I enjoy the whole process of preparing a dish. I put the ingredients on the table, whether a dessert or a main course, with the pots and tools and I start to carefully combine, flavour, change till I get to the result I want. It’s like a ritual. Probably my biggest satisfaction is when someone tastes my food and is excited, satisfied. I start with the thought `I’m craving for`, but when everything is ready, it’s enough to taste once, twice and I’ve had enough. And I always taste first, before asking someone else to try it. I’m a perfectionist as far as the quality of the dishes is concerned.`
As few things in the kitchen go according to the initial plan, unpredictable things can also happen: `I was in college and we were celebrating New Year’s Eve at my place. I had prepared a lot of appetizers and cakes, I had left some meat to marinate, with spices the day before, for a barbecue better than any other. The barbecue was ready, everything was ready, the meat was inside a bowl and Alexandra tripped over a threshold and overturned the meat bowl. We ate only appetizers and cakes all night long`, confessed Alexandra laughing.
Our story today ends on the same tone – sweet and with suggestive images.
