“A good Easter, an even better St George’s Day”, is how Bulgarians voice their attitude towards their favorite spring feast St George’s Day. Saint George is regarded in Bulgaria as patron saint of flocks and shepherds. If lamb meat is not necessarily served at the Easter table, it is a must on St George’s Day and can be served in various meals. In the past people even believed that a lamb had to be slaughtered at that day by all means. Otherwise, they could face trouble, because the ritual was associated with land and animal fertility. Traditionally, a priest says a prayer before the lamb is ritually slaughtered. Then the blood of the sacrificial lamb is spilled over the fruit trees for good yields and less diseases. This tradition has been kept until nowadays, especially in the Bulgarian villages where one can see large groups of families gathering at the consecrated ground named after Saint George. The preparation for this ritual begins in early dawn when brisk hostesses are rolling up their sleeves and cook a festive meal from the lamb meat and intestines.

First they clear the intestines thoroughly to make the favorite to all men lamb tripe soup. Bulgarian men are never tired of eating this type of soup. You could tell you have been served a tripe soup from its specific flavor of garlic and lamb intestines. To make this traditional soup you need some diced onions, butter, paprika, fresh milk and of course lamb intestines. When tripe is ready it is usually served with crushed garlic marinated in vinegar and roasted ground chilies.

If tripe is not among your favorite meals, the hosts are most likely to offer you the so-called boiled mutton soup which is made by the most skilful chefs, specialized in the making of lamb dishes. If you make such soup you have to use spring onions, carrots, fresh mint, potatoes and of course various herbs and spices. One such spice is the mint geranium which grows in abundance in the Bulgarian fields or can be bought for as much as 25 Eurocents. It is very aromatic and lamb goes well with it, as it softens up its specific smell. The intestines (liver, lungs, kidneys, heart and the lamb’s mesentery) are used for the making of liver musaka bake. The intestines must be cleaned and washed well. Later they must be scalded in boiling water for about two to three minutes. Then you need to cut them into cubes. Sweat the spring onions, some copped garlic and rice in butter and add the intestines, some mint and mint geranium. Some people even use fresh mushrooms for more intense flavor. Wild mushrooms are perfect at that time. Finally some of the meat stock is poured over the contents and the whole meal is enclosed by the mesentery and is ready to bake in the oven.

When the hosts make this type of meal, men usually spin the whole lamb over embers. If you happen to cook your lamb that way you must be careful not to burn it. Most people who roast lamb at home spread butter on its skin to make it more crispy and delicious.

When everything is ready, the family gathers around the festive table. First they nibble on green salad and drink homemade rakia brandy. Later they eat the tripe soup or the boiled mutton soup and finally the roast lamb is served with the liver musaka bake, accompanied with some homemade wine. If you attend such a festive table, you may also be served some fresh mozzarella cheese, homemade yoghurt or even curds. Of course the homemade cheese pastry and pita bread is a must on the table at St George’s Day. People say that roast lamb must be consumed while it is very hot, so it does not turn into a suet ball in your stomach, which will struggle to digest it. That is why be careful how much you eat when you sit on the festive table.