Viscri Jam is made by Gherda Gherghiceanu, in the Transylvanian village of Viscri, a corner of heaven in Romania loved even by King Charles of Great Britain, who owns a property there. The jam is sold for no less than 365 euros per jar, all over Europe.
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Why is Viscri Jam so expensive?
Viscri Jam entered the Book of Records as the most expensive jam in the World. Many people, together with the international press, asked the natural question: why is it so expensive?
Well, find out that, in addition to the divine jam, which I will return to later, for the 365 euros paid for the jar, the buyer is also expropriated with five oak trees, in a unique forest in Salaj county. So, behind the business is, in fact, an ecological initiative supported by several foundations to reforest the hills of Transylvania, which have become victims of illegal deforestation in the last decades.
So far, more than 2,500 oak saplings have been planted with the help of the community, and among those who own a piece of the forest as a result of buying the 365 euro jam, there are numerous public figures, but also businessmen from both the country , as well as from abroad.
How is Viscri Jam prepared and what makes it so special?
Viscri Jam is prepared over a wood fire, from fruit picked by Gherda Gherghiceanu herself, from the hills of Viscri village. The fruits used in the production of this jam are strawberries, poppies, corcoduses, as well as apples. The Viscri Jam does not have any chemicals or preservative in it. It has very little sugar and it is prepared in small quantities to maintain the flavour of the berries.
The Viscri Jam is then poured into a unique container made of silvered glass, created by a famous glassmaker from Sibiu. Then, the jar is placed in an oak frame, the work of a skilled carpenter.
The Art of DAR package, as Viscri Jam is officially called, includes the luxury wood box with the hand crafted bottle filled with 800g of jam, a Silver spoon and a certificate for the five oaks on the land of the Barca Valley.
How did it all start?
The idea was born in 2012, when Gherda Gherghiceanu, already recognized for her exceptional jams, was contacted by several foundations for an ecological project. Since day 1, most of the profit went to projects for the repopulation of the Romanian forests and the promotion of the Romanian village.
Gherda Gherghiceanu receives only 10 lei (around 2 euros) for a jar of jam
The rest of the money from the 365 euros goes to social projects. The Art of DAR jams are delivered all over Europe with the help of two foundations, and part of the money obtained goes to various social projects related to the education of rural children and to the promotion of villages in the Mures-Brasov area.
Art of DAR aka. Viscri Jam is the favorite of King Charles of Great Britain
The fame of the precious Viscri Jam from Transylvania reached the Royal House of Great Britain, and King Charles is a declared fan of Romanian goodies. He would have tasted Mrs. Gerda’s jam at Viscri, in 2012, when he declared his appreciation for it for the first time.
Viscri village, where the jam is made, rose to prominence after Prince Charles purchased and rebuilt two 18th century Saxon mansions in the vicinity. Since then, the community has drawn a large number of tourists who want to experience rural life in Transylvania.
