Vurdijada in Babušnica | Tourist Calendar of Serbia

Vurdijada is a one-day gastronomic event that has been taking place in Babušnica since 2012, usually on a Saturday in October.

For those unfamiliar with the significance of Vurdijada, it is a symbolic competition in the preparation of vurda - a dairy spread that is an essential part of the local cuisine in this part of Serbia.

This local specialty is traditionally prepared in the villages of the Lužnica Valley, made by straining sour milk. It can be made from cow's, sheep's, or goat's milk and is usually served or paired with roasted peppers, which give it a unique flavor. The taste of vurda is also influenced by the maturity of the sour milk, allowing for different variations of the spread.

In urban areas, this dish, or rather appetizer, is known as "peppers in cream," but authentic vurda is something different and special. It cannot be found in stores and cannot be improvised, making it one of the main symbols of the Lužnica region and something that must be tried in local households and restaurants when visiting this part of Serbia.

Vurdijada is a one-day event in which the local population participates by exhibiting not only vurda but also other dairy products, preserves, and various authentic meat products from this livestock region. Therefore, one could say that Vurdijada is a market of homemade products from southeastern Serbia. While visitors have the opportunity to taste and purchase these products at reasonable prices, the most successful exhibitors receive symbolic awards.

The idea and goal of the event are primarily to connect local producers, present local specialties to guests from other parts of the country, and preserve the beautiful local tradition that has endured for centuries.

The 10th anniversary of Vurdijada is scheduled to take place on October 22nd. More details about this year's edition of the event can be found in local media and on the website of the Babušnica Tourist Organization.