From 13 to 15 November, the courtyard of the National Museum of the Romanian Peasant in Bucharest (3 Monetăriei Street) hosts the Festivalul Plăcintelor, a festival dedicated to the pie. Admission is free. The event offers a culinary journey through three regions: Moldova, with poale-n brâu pies filled with sweet cheese and raisins; Dobrogea, with șuberek and thin-layered pies filled with meat or salted cheese; and Muntenia, with pumpkin and cinnamon pies, grated apple and walnut pies, served with fresh grape must.
The programme includes live cooking demonstrations, with chefs and pastry cooks preparing pies and hot dishes on the spot. On Sunday 15 November the Christmas fast begins, so the weekend is devoted to meat dishes eaten before the fast: borș made with offal and tochitură will simmer in the cauldron, while trout and butchers' sausages will be grilled over the fire.
The fair of craftspeople and local producers brings together goat's cheeses from Teleorman, aronia and sea buckthorn juices from Dâmbovița, wines from Vrancea, țuică from Argeș, honey and bee bread from Prahova, zacuscă, pickles, jams, fruit and vegetables from Ilfov, and kurtos kalacs from Harghita. Folk artisans display woven textiles, traditional costumes, Moldavian and Tismana rugs, painted ceramics, icons, carved wooden objects, ii (traditional blouses), headscarves, opinci (traditional leather footwear), folk masks, silver jewellery, crocheted toys, hand-knitted woollen clothing and candles made from organic oils. Creative workshops have also been announced.
Organiser: Asociația Kogaion 115. Marketing director: Ligia Marica, telephone 0722 274 803, email ligia_marica@yahoo.com.
