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Varbitsa becomes the capital of the bulgarian pie - Banitsa

Friday, May 10, 2024

A children's workshop, turning and baking a pie under a leveler, are part of the attractions of the Festival of the rag bulgarian pie - banitsa!
Colorful, authentic and very tasty, they promise to be at the eighth edition of the Ragged Banitsa Festival in the village of Varbitsa in Gorna Oryahovitsa Municipality, on May 11. The organizers from the "Gardina Varbitsa 1894", the pensioners' club and the town hall. They are preparing a sumptuous culinary folklore festival, which this year attracts a record number of participants. And they invite everyone to save this day for an unforgettable culinary journey on the open stage in the village. For a big meal, for a dance party, for old and new friendships.
Over 350 pie - banitsa makers from 43 settlements in 8 regions of the country and over 500 individual masters will be able to see the visitors. For the first time, there is also international participation from Giurgiu, Romania.
The well-established and very popular Feast of the Ragged Banitsa Pastry is now supported by the Culinary Festivals of Bulgaria. It is included in the "Guide to Culinary and Wine Tourism". Again, for the first time, three individual participants, who expressed their desire to come and perform, are included in the culinary competition. So Iliana Nikolova from Dolna Oryahovitsa has promised to show at least 10 pies. The second participant - engineer Tsveti Terzieva from Razgrad, has one of the richest and most interesting business cards. She is an artisan (artistic knitting master) and will be showing a combination of pies and souvenirs made by her. In addition, he is a biotechnologist, a teacher of natural sciences - chemistry, physics and biology, and a master's degree in psychology. And it will also come with 4-5 pre-made patties. The third individual participant is the young and enthusiastic for the cause of the festival Yordan Yordanov from Veliko Tarnovo.
The rag bun is characteristic of Varbitsa, and how the magic happens, the little ones will be able to learn at the Children's workshop with grandma Stefka from the host village, which is new to the festival. "There is no entry fee for her. This is our way to stimulate children to learn something good and useful and to preserve traditions over time," said the secretary of the local community center, Anelia Dimitrova.
The other attraction, which can hardly be seen anywhere anymore, is kneading, grinding and roasting a saucer under a vrešnik (a pile-shaped lid that is buried in embers). It will be presented by guests from the village of Izgrev, Suvorovo municipality.

Culinary products will be judged by an authoritative jury. It features Tsvetelina Tomiam, born in Gorna Oryahovitsa, but a citizen of the world and participant in Master Chef 2021, and Ivaylo Ivanov from the third season of the culinary show HELL'S KITCHEN.
The guest performers are the folk singer Ana-Maria and Simeon Slavev from the "Voice of Bulgaria" - the talent from Gorno-Oryakhov with roots in Verbija.
Representatives of the Association "Slow Food in Bulgaria" (Slow Food in Bulgaria) will be present during the Festival of the rag bun in Varbitsa. She collects and publishes old Bulgarian recipes. This is what they will do at this festival as well - they will collect information, take pictures, and then publish the recipes in a book, which will be called "Verbitsa - 100 faces of the pie". According to the association's idea, the funds from its sale will be provided to organize the next edition of the holiday in the village of Gornooryakhov. In addition, she will reward the masters of the best pies made with greens.

The official opening is at 10 a.m. in the center of the village of Varbitsa.