Artisan Food Market welcomes visitors to the National Library of Romania this weekend with unusual products such as sturgeon zacusca (spread), biodynamic wine and pickled roses, as well as a European first: the opening of the Sarmale (cabbage/vine leaf rolls) Museum, dedicated to one of the signature dishes of Romanian cuisine.

According to the organisers, the market will showcase products from 102 Romanian producers and eight international exhibitors, featuring both artisanal specialities and traditional recipes, alongside gastronomic reinterpretations from Romania and other European countries.

Among the market's attractions is 'red gold,' considered the world's most expensive spice. Gradina cu Sofran (Saffron Garden) will present both this precious spice and the bulbs that visitors can use to grow it at home. Other products on offer include fruit brandies typical of the Satu Mare region, in which the fruit is grown directly inside the bottle, truffle pâté, which won a bronze medal at a world competition, and truffle foie gras, which took first place in a world competition held in France.

Visitors will also be able to sample sturgeon, trout and carp zacusca, a luxurious reinterpretation of the classic Romanian recipe that has received an award at the Great Taste Awards international competition, as well as bakery products made using old recipes.

Romanian exhibitors also include producers of goat's milk dairy products and cheeses, small wineries and entrepreneurs working with old varieties of Romanian cereals. They will be joined by exhibitors bringing traditional products from Georgia and Bulgaria, as well as specialities from Italy, Greece, the Netherlands and the wider Mediterranean region.

'This is our first edition on such a large scale, in such a beautiful and significant venue. We are already talking about an artisan industry and a knowledgeable audience who know what they are coming to taste. Restaurants come to choose their suppliers. Parents choose quality and healthy food for their children,' said Ciprian Dinca, the event organiser.

According to the same source, the capital will also host a European first this weekend with the opening of the Sarmale Museum. The project highlights one of the signature dishes of Romanian cuisine, looking beyond the recipe itself to explore regional traditions, family customs and cultural diversity. Sarmale come in numerous variations depending on the region, ingredients and preparation methods. Their history illustrates how culinary traditions are passed down from one generation to the next and adapted by the communities that keep them alive.

'The museum aims to showcase the regional diversity of this signature dish of Romanian cuisine,' the organisers said.

The event will also host the 'Mancarea Face Bine' (Food Does Good) initiative, which aims to support awareness-raising activities on domestic violence. Part of the proceeds from the campaign's stand will go towards funding these activities.

The visitor experience will be complemented by tastings, demonstrations and presentations on the event stage, masterclasses and B2B meetings designed to create opportunities for dialogue and collaboration between producers, industry professionals and the public.

In this context, the organisers aim to develop a flagship event for artisanal food production, where the value of a product can be appreciated not only through its taste but also through its story, ingredients and the work behind it. 'Artisan Food Market aims to become a benchmark for artisanal production, bringing together products accompanied by the stories of the people who create them and giving the public the opportunity to discover not only what they buy and taste but also the work, traditions and ideas behind each product,' the organisers said.

Artisan Food Market runs from 16 to 18 October in the atrium of the National Library of Romania, opening at noon on Friday and closing at 8 pm on Sunday. Admission costs 20 lei. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Mariana Nica; EN - writing by: Adina Panaitescu)