"Strawberry capital of Primorye": berry festival held in Spassk-Dalny for the 11th time
The "Strawberry Capital of Primorye" Festival was held in Spassk-Dalny: a celebration that is hugely popular in the city and introduces guests to the full variety of dishes made with this berry. This year, the Primorye branch of the National Centre RUSSIA became its partner. The organisers and participants note that this time there was no shortage of people wishing to try or buy fresh strawberries.
The festival passed its tenth anniversary last year, and its popularity in its home city continues to grow. Local farmers and representatives of Primorye food outlets offering a special menu at the celebration note that demand has grown significantly this year. For example, Eduard Rozhkov, who has been selling honeysuckle at the festival for the second year, says that 33 kilogrammes of the berry were sold out in less than an hour, and people were waiting in advance for the stall to open.
"Spassk used to be a depressed city, and today it is the strawberry capital of Primorye. I grow honeysuckle myself because it is a sought-after berry, including among residents of Vladivostok who come to the festival. And I like this berry too: each variety has a new note of flavour," Eduard Rozhkov noted.
Representatives of a Primorye cafe chain also noted the influx of guests. They added strawberry mors and pancakes with strawberry sauce to the menu of their street food point. The chain’s chef, Alexander Cherevichkin, is convinced that strawberries work best in restaurants as a seasonal product, when they are associated with summer, juiciness and a special taste. At his workshop, he prepared an unusual dish: smoked chicken with a creamy strawberry sauce.
"We wanted to surprise the public with something, so we did not consider a dessert from the very beginning. We experimented for a long time, choosing different options, and decided that the sweetness and acidity of strawberries soften the taste of smoked chicken. We caramelised the berry with orange and lemon juice and used it with a creamy sauce. The public found the dish unusual, but everyone liked it," Alexander Cherevichkin said.
Creative groups from across Primorye also performed for residents and guests of Spassk-Dalny that day, and the celebration began with a "strawberry" procession involving several hundred people: families in themed costumes, creative groups and employees of institutions. The procession also included the wife and three children of Oleg Mitrofanov, Head of the Municipal District. The city administration notes that tourists from other municipalities also come in organised groups to watch the event.
Throughout the day, chefs from Primorye cafés and restaurants prepared 100 litres of strawberry jam for guests of the celebration. According to the participants, the secret of a delicious dish lies in properly coordinating efforts and understanding one another from half a word, which comes through annual practice at such festivals.
The celebration was organised by the Government of the Primorye Territory, the Ministry of Tourism of the Primorye Territory, the administration of the Spassk-Dalny Municipal District, the Tourist Information Centre of the Primorye Territory and the National Centre RUSSIA in Primorye.
Follow the National Centre RUSSIA in the Primorye Territory on MAX, Telegram and on the social networks VKontakte and Odnoklassniki.
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