site.btaTaste of Bessarabia Gastronomic Tour in Ukraine to Acquaint Tourists with Local Wine-making and Culinary Traditions

The Taste of Bessarabia gastronomic tour in the Bolhrad District, presenting the culinary and cultural heritage of Southern Ukraine, will take place on August 24. The programme includes visits to sites in the town of Bolhrad and the surrounding area, tastings, and a traditional Bulgarian lunch, according to the organizers from the Bolhrad Tourist Centre.

During the tour, participants will visit the Villa Tinta winery, where they will learn about the wine-making process and taste selected wines with appropriate appetizers.

The tour also includes a walk around Bolhrad and a visit to Lake Yalpuh, the largest freshwater lake in Ukraine.

The programme will continue with a stop at the Balkanski Yastia (Balkan dishes) Museum and Tasting Complex, where a tasting of traditional treats will be organized.

“Our goal is for guests to immerse themselves in the culture of Bulgarians in Ukraine and experience the hospitality of Bessarabia,” say the owners of the complex, Sergei and Natalia Rusevi, an ethnic Bulgarian family.

The tour will end with a Bulgarian lunch featuring traditional dishes: sarmi (cooked cabbage or vine leaves stuffed with minced meat and rice), banitsa (a mixture of whisked eggs, plain yogurt, and pieces of white brined cheese wrapped in filo pastry, baked in the oven), tomatoes with white cheese, wine, and more.

The town of Bolhrad is the administrative centre of the Bolhrad District, following the administrative reform of July 2020 the district includes 10 municipalities, with ethnic Bulgarians making up over 60% of the population.