Good morning,
My name is Hans Klemm and I am the U.S. Ambassador to Romania. I am very happy to be here this morning because as you said food is an international language and it is a language I most enjoy.
But I am here mostly to point out the American products, the American foods, wines and spirits that are part of the experience of Taste Ambassadors.
One of the sponsors of today’s program is the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, and I want to welcome them here today, because they have brought to Romania examples of delicious American wild salmon and black cod.
I also want to thank the U.S. Meat Export Federation. Tomorrow, at tomorrow’s session, they will feature the famous U.S. range fed beef.
Items that will be used both by the chefs in their preparation, but are available here for your tasting are American horticultural products and nuts. These are all from California – delicious prunes, cranberries, pecans, walnuts, almonds.
And I would just like to recognize a friend of mine from Ramnicu Valcea representing the Depal company. They import nuts and fruits from the United States, fresh nuts and fruits and distribute them here, throughout Romania.
We also have here at the exhibition American wines from California. Romania should be very, very proud of the wines that are produced here, but America is also very proud of the wines that are produced especially in California, in Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley, central coast, throughout the state, some very delicious wines. I am very happy that they are here at the exhibition today and tomorrow.
And I also understand that there are examples of American distilled spirits present. Again, Romania is justifiably proud of tuica, palinca, but America also produces very, very good distilled spirits and my favorite is bourbon from Kentucky.
As part of Taste Ambassadors, U.S. Embassy hosted a competition among cooks and chefs using American ingredients in traditional Romanian dishes.
I want to thank the organizers for allowing American distributors of great American beef, seafood, nuts and fruits, as well as American wines and spirits, to participate in “Taste Ambassadors” and thank you for your attention. I hope you enjoy the event and very much welcome your participation.
