Traditional Romanian food gets boost from EU

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) - Traditional foods enjoyed by generations of Romanians - including Transylvanian cheese, plum jam and succulent salami, a favorite of the son of late Communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu - are getting an unexpected boost thanks to the European Union.

Last month, the EU officially recognized Ibanesti white cow's cheese, a feta-style cheese produced by farmers in the pastures in northwest Transylvania. Earlier that month, Sibiu salami, the local king of the smoked sausages, also was recognized.

The specially cured sausage was first produced in Transylvania during the 19th century and was prized as an expensive delicacy in the late days of communism as food began to be rationed. Harder in texture than other salamis, it was first made in 1845 and commercially produced by Italian Filippo Dozzi in 1910 in the mountain resort of Sinaia, where it still is made today. Even now, it is the most expensive Romanian salami, costing about 90 lei ($22.70) a kilogram, or $10.32 per pound.

It's often served on a platter with Ibanesti or other similar white cheeses together with olives, bacon fat or raw onions as appetizers at parties, weddings and celebrations.

The first Romanian product to earn the coveted EU benefit was magiun of Topoloveni, a slow-cooked plum jam with no added sugar, which has been served to Romania's troops on NATO bases since 2009 instead of sugary conserves. Another traditional product hoping for EU recognition is smoked bighead carp from the Barsei region in Transylvania.

It's a rare piece of good news for Romanians to digest about their prized products. More often, Romanians get news of food controllers dishing out fines for expired meat and other fresh foods sold in markets and supermarkets, or salami that is found to contain soya, colorants and flour.

The benefit of the EU officially recognizing a food produced in a limited geographic area is that producers can apply for European funds to promote the item abroad.

But only cheese produced from cows that graze in the rich pastures of Ibanesti or Sibiu salami, and made only by five designated factories in central Romania, are given the license. It's said that sow meat and a special mold give it a special taste.

The EU has about 1,400 registered local food product brands, most in Italy, France and Spain.