Rolling in Budapest Cultural information in English … Hear everything first hand

Organizers connected to the St. Martin’s Goose Feast and the year’s New Wine gatherings throughout the country announced with great regret they will not be holding this coming week-end the traditional Hungarian St. Martin’s Day celebration according to current Covid19 government regulations.

“Q” How does St. Martin’s name relate to geese?
“A” In 371, after Martin was elected bishop of the city of Tours, he protested his election and hid. The legend tried to hide in a goose hut, but the geese betrayed them with their gagging. Thus, Martin was finally elected bishop. He did important conversion work and converted much of the surrounding pagan villages to the Christian faith. Its popularity is unbroken up till this day.

Also in the Roman times November, 11  was the beginning of the winter season and large feasts were held for new wine of the year newly produce. It was the last holiday before the 40-day fast before Xmas, so feasts and fairs were kept since then. At such times, great eating and drinking was arranged as to have plenty to eat and drink throughout the coming new year.

After the large number of events throught Hungary have had been stopped, never-the-less, many families will be holding their own St Marton’s feast day with goose meals and new wines of the year. The Fest is going to last through November, 11-14. 2020.

Below a snap of my St. Martin’s Day Goose Feast preferred with excellent wine from the Szentpéteri wine cellar – Néro Rosé  – year’s new wine selection 2020.

The Szentpéteri’s cellar covers the experience of three generations @ their Family Winery. Their winyard area lay on 65-hectare which is located in and around Kiskőrös, on sandy and loess-bedded calcareous soils … Kiskőrös is the 6th biggest city in Bács-Kiskun county by its population. It is 22 kms (14 mi) East from the River Danube and 110 kms (68 mi) South of Budapest.

Back to St Martin’s goose and wine folk tradition… According to the beliefs …
“Indeed people to drink new year wine on this day, they will have more strength and be healthly in the future.”
“Those people who does not eat typical dishes include goose soup and goose roast on Martin’s day will starve all the coming year around.”

The same day the weather was predicted:
“If Martin comes on a white horse, a mild winter, if a brown, hard winter is expected”.
According to another saying, “On Martin’s Day, if a goose walks on ice, it will dust in the water at Xmas.”

Wine could not be left out of folk prophecies either: “St. Martin is the judge of wine” as said. This could also be understood as the fact that the new wine is already drinkable at this time, according to another meaning, the weather of Fall will decide what this year’s wine will look like. Also was in their mind … at least before they got drank … the more they drank, the healthier they would be.

 ©  Aggie Reiter & snap