ПРОГРАМИ
en de ru fr es sr gr al tr ro
Podcast in English
Share
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Residents of village of Zmeyovo celebrate pelin wine whose recipe they jealously guard

Photo: starazagora.bg

The village of Zmeyovo near the town of Stara Zagora is celebrating today, December 21, its traditional Festival of Pelin Wine.

According to an old Bulgarian custom, guests will be welcomed with bread and salt on the square in front of the community center, and over 150 amateurs will take care of their good mood with a festive program.‎


Twenty masters between the ages of 24 and 73 will participate in the competition for the best Zmeyovo pelin wine master. Some of them, together with their families, dressed in folk costumes, will be located in the community center yard in authentic corners. ‎Various commercial establishments along the main street will also fill the center of the village.‎


The Festival of Pelin Wine is dedicated to the centuries-old local tradition, which is passed down from generation to generation. The people of Zmeyovo jealously guard their secrets for making the aromatic bittersweet elixir to this day. So it remains a complete mystery exactly what herbs, besides the fragrant wormwood, the local craftsmen arrange between the layers of quinces and apples in the 200-liter barrels before pouring them with old wine. 

Those familiar with the process claim that anyone who has tried the wine elixir remains forever captivated by the sweetness that the drink leaves on the palate, the bitterness in the throat and the burning sensation in the stomach. The sips of wormwood are necessarily accompanied by thin appetizers - sausages crackling on the grill and tender pork ribs with lots of spices.


Photos: starazagora.bg

Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.
Radio Bulgaria Life    pelin pelin wine village of Zmeyovo wormwood

More from category

Sofia celebrates 147th anniversary of liberation with historical re-enactment

The 147th anniversary of the liberation of Sofia from Ottoman rule was celebrated with a historical re-enactment in the capital's North Park. "The re-enactment recreates the three battles of the villages of Sarantsi, Dolni Bogrov and Vrazhdebna and..

published on 1/4/25 4:19 PM
Sofia Zoo director Dobromir Borislavov is particularly proud of the zoo lynx cubs.

Sofia Zoo boasts record number of newborns

The Sofia Zoo proudly announced a record number of animals born in 2024.   "Our wolf pack grew by nine wolf pups. We welcomed a baby zebra, kudu antelopes and several giraffe calves. We also had additions from the primates, the Asian small-clawed..

published on 1/4/25 1:50 PM

If Google could talk – what were Bulgarians excited about in 2024?

In 2024, Bulgarians actively used the Google search engine to get informed about topics reflecting what was happening in the world and in this country. Bulgarian athletes once again proved that they can inspire and arouse national pride. That is why..

published on 1/3/25 3:11 PM

WEATHER
Pick city: Sofía
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 2 | Max: 14
Cloudy
Min: 7 | Max: 16
Cloudy
Min: 10 | Max: 15
Overcast, rain
Min: 1 | Max: 12
Rain / Snow
Min: 10 | Max: 18
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 6 | Max: 16
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 7 | Max: 17
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 5 | Max: 14
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 5 | Max: 14
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -2 | Max: 13
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 5 | Max: 17
Rain / Snow
Min: 4 | Max: 17
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -2 | Max: 11
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 0 | Max: 12
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 6 | Max: 16
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -3 | Max: 10
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 7 | Max: 15
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 5 | Max: 14
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 7 | Max: 15
Cloudy
Min: 6 | Max: 12
Partly Cloudy
Min: -1 | Max: 10
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 1 | Max: 12
Cloudy
Min: 1 | Max: 11
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 3 | Max: 14
Cloudy
Min: 2 | Max: 12
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 4 | Max: 14
Cloudy
Min: 4 | Max: 13
BULGARIA IN PICTURES
Which world-famous Bulgarian artist designed QSL cards for Radio Bulgaria?
Yasen Gyuzelev
Theodore Ushev
Christo Javacheff - Christo
Ilia Peikov
Lika Yanko

BULGARIANS ABROAD

Български English Русский Deutsch Српски Français Ελληνικά Español Shqip Türkçe Română
MOST VIEWED

The clock of the Stara Zagora Puppet Theatre is one of the emblems of the city

The clock on the facade of the State Puppet Theatre in Stara Zagora has long been a symbol of the city. It was set in motion in 1977 and is unique on..

published on 1/8/25 7:40 AM

Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha: Young and studious Bulgarians are the country's wealth today 

The year 2024 was marked by political instability and confrontation - not so much over ideas for solving Bulgaria's long-standing governance puzzle, but..

published on 1/8/25 12:20 PM

english@bnr.bg

+359 2 9336 661

Общи условия за използване на сайта | Политика за поверителност | Политика за "бисквитки"