Tarnava Mare Truffle Weekend
Southern Transylvania
August – October 2010
Fundatia ADEPT and the Slow Food Tarnava Mare Convivium together with our agency invite you to a true Taste of Transylvania weekend in the heart of Tarnava Mare. As part of a small, select group, you will discover the mystery of the Truffle, the art of the Truffle Hunter and how to prepare wonderful truffle dishes. During the weekend you will discover the wonderful culture and nature of the Tarnava Mare region, walk in a stunning landscape and meet traditional producers. A sommelier will give you an insight into a selection of fine wines.
The weekend will be based in the peaceful Saxon village of Copsa Mare with its famous fortified church. Accommodation will be in high standard restored Saxon houses and the small size of the group will give a genuine house party feel to the weekend.
The programme:
Thursday evening
Arrival and a welcome drink followed by a gentle stroll around the beautiful village of Copsa Mare and learn of the work taking place to conserve and revitalise this historic Saxon village.
An after dinner talk will introduce you to the Truffle and some of the rich story that surrounds it, in preparation for the coming days.
Friday
After a traditional breakfast, you will venture out into the surrounding forests with two local truffle hunters and their dogs; they will share with you the magic of truffle hunting and the wonder of the forest. You will get the opportunity to work with a dog to find truffles and learn how to harvest them sustainably.
Returning to Copsa Mare you will have time to freshen up before joining a renowned truffle chef for a master class in cooking with truffles. Together you will prepare an assortment of tantalising truffle based dishes in preparation for the evening meal. As well as the truffles found during your hunt, our chef will bring a range of other truffle products such as oils to use in the class and dinner.
At dinner time, we will be joined by a sommelier to help you discover the secrets of the best wines to compliment a truffle dinner.
Saturday
This morning you will have another visit to the forest to discover the many other forest products that you can take to the table. Your expert guides will take you through the forests, glades and pastures teaching you the secret larder of the Transylvania.
We will then explore the area a little wider, visiting traditional producers, a local bee keeper and then have a truly organic lunch at a local bio farm. Here more ingredients will be sourced for the afternoon master class.
Returning to Copsa Mare, your chef will introduce you to more interesting recipes and techniques using the fruits of the forest.
After dinner there will be an interesting talk on the Tarnava Mare region and the work taking place to conserve the area, it’s traditions and way of life for future generations.
There are a maximum of 12 places for this weekend in order to ensure the quality of experience and to maintain an intimate house party feel.
Accommodation
Accommodation will be in the beautifully restored Copsa Mare guesthouses. These have been developed to a very high and tasteful standard retaining the character of the original Saxon houses.
Rate: 390 EUR / person sharing a double
The rate includes:
►accommodation
►food and wine
►activities
►local transport during the weekend.
The rate of the weekend includes a 20% contribution to support the work of Fundatia ADEPT in conserving the rich biodiversity of Tarnava Mare and carrying out rural development activities in the local communities.
