Traditional Cuisine, a Major Factor to Help Promote Sustainable Tourism

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12th International Commodity Science Conference – ”Current Trends In Commodity

Science”, September 2013, Mikorzyn (near Konin), Polonia / articol publicat în

Towaroznawcze Problemy Jakości, Polish Journal of Commodity Science, no. 3, pp. 24-31

Puiu Nistoreanu 1 , Maria Roxana Dorobantu 2 , Georgica Gheorghe 3

3,1 The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Tourism and Geography Department,

Address: 41, Dacia Square, Mihai Eminescu Building, Sector 1, Bucharest, code 010404,

[email protected], [email protected] 2

”Constantin Brancoveanu” University, Faculty of Management Marketing in Economic Business, Economic

Science Department, Address: 39, Nicolae Balcescu Square, Ramnicu Valcea, Valcea County,

Romania, [email protected], +40741248897

TRADITIONAL CUISINE, A MAJOR FACTOR TO HELP PROMOTE

ROMANIAN SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

Abstract: Romania has a rich and generous tourism potential. Authentic tourism lovers in their desire to cross

Romanian territory and to know it in its depth will be greeted by traditional gastronomic offer, "seasoned" with

different customs and traditions. Combining tourism activity with traditional Romanian cuisine will complete the

Romanian tourism offer, making it more attractive and various. Romanian cuisine managed over the time to

maintain originality, while transmitting tastes, aromas, colours, combinations and matching, enriching and

refining foods that make the present Romanian cuisine. Romanian cuisine, although he suffered cuisine

influences of other nations kept unaltered the taste of traditional food, preparation modality - mainly based on

traditional technologies and indigenous raw materials. Traditional cuisine has been passed down from generation

to generation, including specificity, method of preparation, taste and flavour as well as the way of consumption.

Living in a "fast food" era the increasingly unattractive rediscovery of culinary art, food and rural cuisine are all

fleeting interpretations of some monumental "gastronomic symphony" that tourists are willing and expect. The

notion of sustainable tourism has expended to cover all forms of tourism of development and economic activities

including gastronomic tourism. The interpretation of the concept of sustainable tourism remains vague and a

number of different approaches have been proposed in an effort to define what constitutes sustainable tourism

and what not. Our article focuses on the relationship between sustainable tourism and traditional Romanian

cuisine, highlighting efforts to promote the culinary arts and especially traditional Romanian products.

Key words: cuisine, tradition, tourism, culture, ethno folklore

Introduction

In 1825, gastronomy was defined as ‘the reasoned knowledge of all that relates to man

feeding himself’. Its aim was to ‘attend to the preservation of man by means of the best

possible food’ (V. Navarro et all, 2012). Cuisine means rational knowing of everything about

how to feed people, its purpose beeing to safeguard human health, using the best possible

food. His duty is to propagate certain principles, developed with the support of the

researchers, providing or preparing things that can convert food. Thus, the cuisine is the one

that really moves farmers, growers, fishermen, hunters and the large family of cookers,

regardless of title or qualification under operating food preparation.

Gastronomy takes account of:

- natural history, by the classification of food substances,

- the physical, through examination of food composition and their quality

- chemistry, through various analysis and decomposition which foods may suffer,

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- the kitchen, by the art of preparing dishes and giving them a pleasant taste, the trade

of the means to buy what is consumed on the best market possible and provide as great what

sells,

- political economy, by the resources they present to import and the means of

exchange established between nations.

Cuisine touches all social layers, if it is leading royal banquets, also she is the one who

calculated the optimal number of minutes required to boil an egg. The material subject of

gastronomy is all that can be eaten, its direct purpose is to preserve the health of individuals

and the means necessary to the culture that produces that trade exchanges, prepare and

experience the industry that invents the means to best use.

Cuisine take into account the taste, both in moments of fullness, as well as the pain

ones, she discovered glandular excitations which man is capable, regulating the placing limits

on their action and that a man should not be to overcome. Gastronomy is considering the

action of food on morale man in his imagination, the spirit, judgment, courage, and his

perceptions, whether awake or asleep, whether working or resting. Gastronomy is one that

reveals us the best qualities of food substances under certain circumstances. Some are great

for consumption before reaching adulthood, others are good when they reached perfection

aside for them and others indicated they start to decompose other after real qualities were

removed. Also, the gastronomy classify substances by their diverse cuisine qualities, indicate

those that can be the basis of the food by those who are just accessories, or those that are not

too necessary not only a fun pleasant, convivial accompaniment.

Traditional cuisine is an important element of the European cultural heritage.

Production and sale of traditional food products provide a decisive economic input to many

regions and can contribute to the diversification of rural areas and preventing them from

depopulation. Traditional food is a key element to recognize the dietary patterns of any

country (V. Alibabić et all, 2012). European consumers demand for safe and tasteful

traditional food products, but also for a higher variety, more convenient, more nutritive and

healthier options that fit better with the present needs in modern societies. (G. Gheorghe, P.

Nistoreanu, 2012).

Local cuisines can serve as powerful tools to elevate or enhance a region’s profile as a

destination, especially among culinary tourism enthusiasts. These elements can even create

business opportunities, including for many hospitality operations, and contribute towards

regional/rural development (A. D. Alonso, Y. Liu, 2011). There are some unexploited

opportunities for traditional food producers to maintain and even increase their market share

by introducing innovations in their products, given that some of the current technologies

involved in the production of traditional food products still rely on traditional manufacturing

practices with low competitiveness and poor efficiency (L. Guerrero et all, 2010). Food is an

important reason for travelling as well as an essential source of tourist satisfaction; as such,

appealing foods can serve as a destination-marketing tool. In fact, food has many roles to play

for tourists: it is functional for sustaining life; it is entertaining; it is a way of experiencing

new cultures; and it is part of a travel experience. In any circumstance, a destination needs to

capitalize on appealing foods to create its own cultural capital. (L. W. Lan et all, 2012).

Each nation has a favourite condiment, specific. What is ours? What we use and other

nations use less? In our opinion this is lovage, so appreciated in Romanian sour soups.

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Although originated in Italy, lovage has lost its fame spice in other countries, being there only

a medicinal herb. Lovage oil has aphrodisiac properties, so his name in some languages is

related to the word "love". What dishes we use this "love"? Here are a few: soups sour nettle

puree, roast lamb, cabbage.

Material and methods

1. Romanian holidays and their significance in traditional cuisine

And if you're in Romania during the two major Christmas and Easter holidays, you

should not miss the traditional culinary delights.

In Christmas time the tree smell aromas combine with sauerkraut, thyme, pepper and

garlic resulting in some unique dishes: drum, lebar, caldabosul, jelly (aspic), greaves,

cabbage rolls, sausages, many pickles everything with. Birth of Jesus Christ Holiday or

Christmas, for Romanian people represents (especially the Orthodox Christian) an occasion

of great joy. After Advent, a period of abstinence both bodily and spiritual, to eating sweet

absolution brings a potpourri of many customs and pork dishes and festive sweets. Butchering is done in Ignat Day. Traditional dishes of pork, for Christmas feast are bacon,

sausage, cartaboşi, drums, wire, roast pork and bone soup. Sweets that end the holiday table,

or mankind that guests step into the house and carolers are: cake, pie and paste. All these

preparations according to the diversification of the ethnographic and are accompanied by

specific areas beverages: plum brandy, brandy, various wines.

Big celebration for the entire Christendom Theophany (Epiphany - Boboteaza) brings

an arsenal of traditional food habits to enjoy body and soul of people. Remembering the

Epiphany frosts when winter culminates with cold temperatures, the first traditional dish are

jellies or aspics. They are cooked from pig feet, ears, goiter, muscle and garlic flavour, they

have to be prepared and placed on the fire on the day when priest with the Holy Baptism

with Holy Great Water will sanctify the entire household.

On the table is not missing stuffed cabbage and roast meat with sausage. Usual

sweets griddles are prepared with buns and egg smeared with milk cream. The obtained paste

is traditionally served at tables of Christian baptism, like a reminiscent of cakes made for

Jesus Christ by the Virgin Mary during the escape to Egypt. It can be served along with

cookies and sponge cakes.

The other important holiday is Easter. Then we feel the spring breeze and enjoy the

multitude of colours. So are the fine and colourful preparations: roast lamb, stew, tripe, eggs,

tomatoes and early greens. On the Easter table besides hyacinths and lilacs never misses

tradional cake, called pasca, and sponge cake. Traditional meal for Easter consists, from

Romanian Christians, at: lamb tripe, lamb stew, roast lamb, the sweets are sponge cake with

various fillings and bread with cheese. Alongside these dishes are prepared the traditional red

painted eggs. Popular tradition says that at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, Virgin Mary

brought a basket of eggs he wanted to give guards. They refused the gift, and more taunting

Jesus. Sobbing, Our Lady left the basket at the feet of the Crucified Jesus Christ. Streaming

down blood from the flesh wee speckling the eggs. Looking at them, Jesus whispered that

from that day all Christians will dye red painted eggs. Thus red eggs have become a symbol

of the resurrection.

From ancient times, from the Gauls, we are grateful for the flavour of Romanian

wines, whether they are produced in foothill areas, dry wine, hot and arid areas, sweet wine or

intermediate zones, semi-dry wine. Wealth Romanian hills and foothills brings rich harvests

of grapes and fruits such as apples, plums, cherries, apricots, peaches, corcoduşele, cherries.

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In Romania there are many institutions specializing in natural wines and beverages obtained

from fruits. They often accompany rich meals, especially on holiday’s period. One of the

most important drink is wine, Romania has a long and rich tradition in the preparation of it.

Romania is the ninth largest producer of wine, and recently the export market has started to

grow. It produces a wide range of local varieties (Fetească, fat, Tămâioasă) and universal

(Riesling, Merlot, Sauvignon blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Muscat Ottonel). The

beer is also consumed by the Romanian with pleasure, often accompanied with food German

or Romanian traditional cuisine. Another Romanian favourite drink is brandy (plum brandy

obtained by distillation), Romania is the second largest producer of prunes.

We hope that we have succeeded in synthesize the most important aspect of

Romania: diversity. Due to its variety of local customs and nature of each specific area of the

country is worth exploring.

2. Fairs of traditional products and their role in promoting traditional Romanian

cuisine

Popular fairs always have attracted the attention of people, curious to learn more about

the traditions and occupations of people in a particular country or region. Also, they have

become a good way of image promotion of the village or region they come from, attracting

hundreds and sometimes thousands of tourists keen to get acquainted with some customs and

traditions of the people.

Fairs are promotional tools at a national level, especially in terms of finding an image

deficit of municipalities or geographical areas, even among their own people. Here's what

events like this bring benefits, efficient on a large scale and how they contribute to image

formation geographical areas.

Festivals and fairs drive forward cultural tourism and rural folklore. Hundreds and

thousands of visitors each year choose to attend and participate to festivals in different rural

areas of the country, coming into contact with other cultures and learning new things about

other traditions and the history of other places.

Ethno folklore manifestations are a unique expression of the local community because

they are strongly related to the environment in which it is performed, but also to the national

and international context. Festivals are challenges to local traditions - as it recognizes cultural

diversity - and at the same time, it stimulates innovation and respect the common cultural

heritage. Traditional foods are those that have been consumed locally or regionally for an

extensive period of time and could be considered as an expression of culture, history,

geography, climate, agriculture, and lifestyle. Needed ingredients or recipes of methods for

the preparation of such foods have been passed from one generation to the other and become

finally a part of the folklore of the country (E.Fstathios Z. Panagou et all; 2013).

Ethno cultural events, thought to be some moments of communion opened to a large

number of people, reinforce the idea of participation and promotes a sense of belonging

because they are created by a local community, but also often addressing national and even

international issues. As a realization of the culinary tourism these events on dishes were born,

which attract many lustful from all over the globe. Among the most famous events of its kind

in Romania we enumerate the next most popular gastronomic festivals:

- „Festivalul sarmalelor” event, Praid, taken on September: the first cuisine festival

from Romania. he program includes folk performances with ensembles of dancers, musicians,

bands from places where they come from competitors, all together showing the customs and

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cultural values of their lands. Besides it creates good will, the festival aims to strengthen

cultural relations between participating regions and preserving culinary traditions by

promoting popular "miracles" gourmet - sarmale, a dish that allows more inventiveness,

originality and diversity of choice;

- „Festivalul cârnaților de Pleșcoi” fair, Berca, Buzau, taken in October: the event

hosts a culinary showcasing of Buzau, producers of Berca, Plescoi and you are invited to do

the traditional dish (cheese, wine, bread, sweets) and the famous sausage Plescoi. Plescoi

sausages are famous throughout Europe, and the festival attracts both Romanian and foreign

tourists. Plescoi sausages carry with them a true legend of secret prescription;

- „Răvășitul oilor – festivalul brânzei și al pastramei” manifestation, Bran,

September: Răvășitul Oilor - is a celebration that marks the end of a cycle of transhumance.

The descent of the mountain sheep is an occasion for celebration for all the shepherds. Thus,

there will be an exhibition and sale, which will present gastronomic cuisine of the region -

sheep cheese, wine and a traditional drink obtained from grapes - must. Also, tourists will

experience an animal exhibits that will be presented where the finest specimens of sheep,

cattle, horses, and cattle dogs will be able to watch the parade of shepherds, where the most

beautiful specimen will be awarded;

- „Festivalul plăcintelor” – Pie Festival Cuisine event, Oituz, Bacau, August: The

event, called – sezatoare - is held each year with winter occasion. Annually gathers the best

housekeepers in the community who compete in traditional preparation;

- „Festivalul național al păstrăvălui” - National Festival of trout, Ciocănești,

Suceava, August: From the festival will not miss fishing contests or the preparation of borscht

largest trout and the largest maize. Tourists will be able to assist and prepare „cobzelor” the

fir-tree, which keep the smoked trout. Trout roll with mayonnaise, stuffed fish, star fish

cream, smoked trout with thyme, seat with trout fish stuffed with boletus, trout grilled in foil

with garlic sauce, fish croquettes, fish and vegetable stew many other gourmet products will

be prepared especially for tourists;

- „Sărbătoare tămâioasei” manifestation, Pietroasele, Buzau, September: traditional

event which starts the picking grapes and where representatives wine cellars and guesthouses

in the region to submit bids, hoping to attract more tourists to the area. With the Autumn

Feast occasion, is organized a competition for peasant wine producers in the region assessing

an ethnographic exhibition and old tools for winemaking, but also a cuisine exhibition

guesthouses in the area, which are prepared with the ingredients wine, grapevine and grapes.

Here are some preparations: "spoiled deer with cranberry sauce", "rabbit tray", " fish fantasy

in batter", and quail, turkey with spices to pan, pancakes with meat or Penteleu cheese,

everything sprinkled with plenty of Pietroasele wine;

- EXPOPASTORALIS, Cheese Story event, Rucar, Arges, in September: Since 1980,

the mountain village Rucar takes place every year, the festival Expopastoralis in a festive

atmosphere that gathers locals surrounding villagers and tourists from all over the country.

The main participants in the event from tourist areas Bran, Moeciu, Şirnea or Campulung.

Hardworking and skilled housewives will prepare traditional meals that will be exposed to

taste;

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- „Târgul de turism rural” – National Rural Tourism Fair, Albac, Alba, in

September: It is well known that rural tourism in Romania is made particularly in scenic

areas, but along with traditional cuisine and exceptional cuisine. Well, in the National Rural

Tourism Fair is held a cuisine contest where the best housewives (cooks) of some guesthouses

compete in the Romanian special cake recipes;

- „Festivalul secerișului” – Harvest Festival, Ampoița, Alba, in July: Tourists can

taste the traditional cuisine gourmet meal in the contest, and traditional products specific to

the valley Ampoiului - pies, plum brandy, jams, pickles all prepared by the hosts. Also,

tourists can see the crown of corn harvest and weaving, threshing wheat, parade costumes,

wearing the crown.

- „Sărbătoarea pădurenilor” Event, Poienita Voinii, Hunedoara, in July: Pădurenilor

Feast gathers on Cornetului Hill, each year, hundreds of tourists eager to discover the

traditions preserved in the center of the village of ancestors. The event is held in memory of

the folk musician Dragan muntean, Poieniţa Voinii being the birthplace of the artist;

- „Ziua recoltei” – The Harvest Day Manifestation, Poiana Mărului, Brasov, in

September: Nature and rustic holidays lovers, have the opportunity to participate in the

Harvest Day celebration. Harvest Day is a traditional celebration, which is organized

exhibition selling typical dishes, and fairs where the craftsmen handmade items such as

pottery, folk objects, rugs, sculptures and more;

- „Parada gospodarilor” - Householders Parade, Buzau, in September: event will

include activities such as exhibitions selling goodies grown in the gardens household costume

parade, and a party with songs and laughter. On the folklore holiday stage will be well known

folklore musicians, accompanied by the folklore Orchestra.

3. National programs to promote Romanian cuisine

1. Traditional cuisine research from Sibiu County Project

Research was conducted as the first interdisciplinary integrated cuisine culture of all

five ethnographic regions of Sibiu: Mărginimea Sibiului, Ţara Secaşelor, Ţara Oltului, Valea

Hârtibaciului şi Valea Târnavelor. Were highlighted both old recipes, tools used, and the

occasions when meals were served and all cultural body of facts that accompanied. Basically

this project wants to keep alive in the memory of current and future generations, gourmet

recipes that disappear little by little from the cuisine landscape and there is currently only in

the minds of old women or at best a truly passionate cook traditions

2. At the table with the people of the Danube Delta- Danube Delta Traditional

cuisine research Danube approach, in terms of cuisine, is justified for Ivan Patzaichin: „Fish is the

survival of future. It is the basic element of cuisine of the Danube Delta, the soup, meatballs,

vegetable stew fish, fried fish, malasolca fish. This project funded by NCFA - National

Cultural Fund Administration given the opportunity to our association and partners to

highlight to preserving and promoting the specific cuisine of the Danube Delta, an important

legacy for all Romanians.

3.”Life in the green garden" is the main project of Slow Food Turda second official

of Slow Food project in Romania, along with Fair Peasant. Organized in partnership with the

Municipality of Turda, Festival Cooking "Cooking Turda" invites you to enjoy tasty and

healthy foods, support local producers and join the fun culinary demonstrations, cooking

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contests, and presentations from preparing bread to weaving home to Aries red onion. The

event highlights the rich cuisine Turda area - Aries Valley, Transylvania and Romania offer

three day program with exhibitions, demonstrations, competitions and great moments for the

participants and tourists / visitors.

Purpose of the event is to create original and fun educational activities for children and

families. Educational activities will inspire children to get involved in the kitchen products

market, will allow local producers to establish itself in the consumer market with local

products while will give visitors the opportunity / tourists to taste the local specialties;

exhibitions will involve artists from the local community and local entrepreneurs showing that

tourism offers Turdean talent.

Conclusions and proposals

This paper has aimed to understand the interplay between globalisation and food

consumption in the context of tourism. Given the importance of the ‘symbolic’ aspects of food

consumption in tourism, destination marketers and culinary suppliers may jointly promote the

traditions and customs of the local food to enhance interest. In addition, gastronomic products

can be linked with special activities and experiences available in the destination to augment the

experiential aspects of the consumption experience.

The study highlights the multiplicity and complexities of linkages between tourism and

gastronomy even as it seeks to develop a theoretical approach to their interface. It succeeds to a

significant degree in its double endeavour, although there is a gap between its theoretical and

empirical parts. It is particularly laudable that the editors and the authors did not restrict

themselves to the direct relationship between the two fields. For they go beyond touristic dining

and wining, to indicate the various increasingly important indirect ways in which these fields

are related: the marketing and dissemination of local food products through tourism, the

establishment of local identity through dishes and food products, and the manner in which

tourism serves as a mechanism for the globalization of local cuisines.

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