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The first local gastronomic point in eastern Vrancea County was opened, for about two weeks, in Poiana Punga in Soveja, one of the most beautiful areas of the commune.
Every day, Poienita House welcomes its guests "with the best in the household". The menu, another one every day, with dishes made in the household or at the producers in the area, consists of appetizer, soup, second course and dessert. There is no shortage of homemade and sour cherry spirits or, for those who do not consume alcohol, the fir syrup with fresh spring water.
The Turcu spouses say they never thought of settling outside the borders, although they were abroad to win "enough to give a boost to the family".
"Soveja was also called 'The Pearl of Vrancea' and was once an important tourist attraction. We are young and we did not want to leave the country, even though my husband was away for a while abroad, a very long time before, only to be able to earn enough to give the family a boost. But the thought was never for me to leave or not to return. We have only one child, which we want to raise here, with our traditions and customs, as my grandparents raised me. So that, at some point, he came back because he couldn't lose his son's childhood. Today, Casian is ten years old and I have never regretted this decision. To those who want to open up such activities, I tell them to try. Not just such activities. To try anything, only not to leave the country. I say that if you want to work, you find something to do," says Mihaela Turcu.
The idea of opening a business has always existed, and when the opportunity arose, they took advantage of this opportunity and opened the first Local Gastronomic Point not only in Soveja, but in the county.
"We don't look at it as a business. We have here many things that we take for free from nature, a wide range of mushrooms, forest fruits, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, for which we have to only get into the forest located at a stone's throw from the house. Through this gastronomic point we want to promote Soveja and I think we will succeed in this," says Mihaela Turcu.
She learned to cook from her grandmother, and now she is helped by her mother in the work she does and says that most of the products she offers to the tourists are those from her own pantry.
"We have not received any help from the state for this initiative. We broke the personal piggy bank, but we can't say it was a very big investment. I had the products in my house. Because all these products are not made from one day to the next. We are hardworking people and since last year we have made various dishes and put them in the pantry. Everyone in the house makes food. Otherwise, it took goodwill and a bit of initiative," says Mihaela Turcu.
The greatest joy is for the Turcu spouses when their guests leave satisfied and, especially, when they recommend them to friends, because this is the best review.
"I don't know to say whether or not our prices are higher than at the restaurant. We have only one menu, but every day another, with appetizer, composed of cow cheese made in the house, fresh green onion picked from the garden, various types of smoked meat, fresh ham, ham with meat, the famous smoked cheese of Soveja, haggis (sausage made from pork entrails mixed with rice and ingredients), smoked meat, pig's trotters, eggplant and mushroom mashed vegetables, soup, second course, dessert, drinks and, although I did not make a calculation, I said that the price should be somewhere between 50 and 60 RON," says the owner.
The mayor of Soveja commune says that this type of activity can be an alternative for all those who want to make a small family business.
"To us, starting from the Soveja yellow cheese to all kinds of carob and berries, we talk about a very rich local gastronomy," mayor Ionut Filimon adds.
