5 Days Cooking & Wine Holiday in Transylvania

In October you will harvest grapes and make the “must” (grape juice that ferments for few days). In different periods of the year you will follow the trace of wine in Tarnava Mare region. You will also taste the wine from previous years and cook interesting dishes with wine. Your host created a special cooking class in which wine is the primary ingredient. You will prepare sarmale (stuff cabbage) cooked in wine, ceaun (a local meat stew, usually cooked by men) and many other dishes, that are made irresistible by the addition of wine. In addition to all of that, yoyu will visit some of the well known vineries in the region including Villa Vinea and Liliac.

Day 1 - Arrival, welcome dinner

• Arrive from 14:00.
• You will be assisted to accommodate in the location.
• Welcome beverage and light snack - local peasant dish.
• Guided visit of the village and church.
• Aperitif and dinner.
• Introduction and discussions on the workshop themes.

Day 2 - Market visit, excursion, cooking class

• Breakfast with natural products from local farmers.
• Making wine - first part - picking the wine and making the "must".
• Visit to Sighisoara, medieval citadel, UNESCO heritage site. The visit is not guided.
• Lunch in Sighisoara, not included.
• 16:00 Sarmale is one of the most loved and popular dish in the region and is cooked with dry wine. You will prepare sarmale and enjoy it with local wine.
• Dinner with prepared dishes, local brandy and wine included.
• After dinner, discussions and entertainment.

Day 3 - Winery visit and tasting

• Trip to the wineries in the region including tasting their wine sided by a quick snack. Transportation and taxes are not included.
• Dinner and beverage followed by entertainment with local traditional music.

Day 4 - Wine experience, cooking class, free time

• Making the wine, second part. Setting the grape juice for the first fermentation.
• 10:00 Hands-on cooking class. You will prepare a local famous stew, called Ceaun by the locals, because it is made in a special pot and cooked on wood fire, and of course with a wine splash.
• Lunch with prepared dishes.
• Free time in the afternoon. Many activities available will be presented, including visiting interesting historical monuments in the region, trip to Viscri, Unesco World Heritage Site, visit a sheepfold, and many others.
• Dinner
• Wine tasting at a local wine bar in Sighisoara; not included.

Day 5 - Departure

• Breakfast with natural products from the local farmers.
• Participants will receive brochure with the dishes of the workshop.
• Check out until 12:00.

Changes can be made depending on weather, season and availability of the activities.

The Transylvanian region Transylvania Culinary Academy is located in, is called Tarnava Mare, and it is rich in natural produce: a large variety of organically grown vegetables; an extensive selection of meats; varied dairy products, specialty herbal and blossom honeys and good wine are all available.

There are extensive forests where foraging can be enjoyed and you can collect wild herbs, forest berries and nuts, an assorted selection of wild edible plants and vegetables, as well as forest floor mushrooms and even truffles during the winter months.

Transylvania is a great place for natural produce because it is an area of predominately volcanic soil, it will pretty much grow whatever you want it to grow. There are still bear and wolves in the area. Advice: Do not forage without a guide. The whole region is extensively protected in European Union law.

Wild cherries, blackberries, raspberries, rhubarb and other orchard fruits are available in different seasons of the year. October is the time when Transylvania Culinary Academy makes their table wine from the vine in their courtyard. Late December is the time when the pigs are slaughtered and then prepared for eating in many traditional ways, to be enjoyed through Christmas, New Year's Eve, and New Year's day. Many smoked and marinated cold meat cuts together with sausages and a variety of traditional meat dishes can be enjoyed and you will additionally have the possibility of experiencing cooking together with local villagers.

Lushko (traditional cabbage soup)

Put white cabbage pieces, dill, thyme, salt and black pepper with liter of water and let it simmer for some time till the cabbage is soft. Cut some bacon in small pieces and fry it in a pan. This will add an extra flavor to the soup. If you have smoked pork ribs you can put it to simmer with the cabbage from the beginning. When the bacon is fried, add two big onions finely chopped to fry with the bacon. Add tomato paste and 2 liters of water. Let it boil for 30 minutes. Make a light bechamel and add to it. Add salt and pepper to your taste. You can add sour cream when served.

Bechamel: heat a pan and melt the butter. Add the flour and fry it till light brown. Take aside from heat, start pouring part of the milk till you have a thick paste. Add some more milk and stir continuously. Return to the heat and stir adding few tbs from the soup. Add all this to the soup.

Visits to the historic fortified churches, towers, and their impressive views. Go cycling (bicycle rental is available in the area) or trekking through the beautiful surrounding countryside on the biking and trekking trails that connect to the villages close by. You can also go foraging and travel hunting in the surrounding area.

Optional tours

• Brasov, architecturally a notable reminder and visibly reminiscent of the richness of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and, as the residents proudly call it, the best kept secret of a small city in the world. Brasov is also a major entry portal to Carpathian mountain wilderness areas
• General unaccompanied and / or guided tours to nearby UNESCO World heritage Sites with fortified churches such as Viscri, Saschiz, Darjiu, Biertan, Valea Viilor, Cairtic, Prejmer
• Sighisoara, a truly medieval citadel, home to Vlad Draculs birth house, summer concerts and many different types of festivals

• 2 lunches
• 3 dinners
• 4 nights accommodation
• Daily breakfast
• Hands-on cooking classes
• Visit to Sighisoara Medieval Citadel world heritage site
• Welcome dinner, welcome drink
• Wine making experience
• Winery visit and wine tasting sessions

• Airfare
• Personal expenses