Why and How to Celebrate St. Martin in Pilsen?
November is here, and that means only one thing – the arrival of Saint Martin on his white horse. Or does it? Even though the snowfall has rather avoided Pilsen in recent years, we can of course celebrate it anyway. And how else should we do it than with a glass of Saint Martin’s wine, a plate full of traditional delicacies, and cheerful music in the background? We have a few tips for you on where the biggest celebrations take place or where to go for an excellent St. Martin’s Day menu. Do you know why goose is associated with Martin and the festive table, and when exactly wines from the first grapes of the season should be opened? We will reveal that to you as well.
St. Martin’s Market on Republic Square
The celebrations of St. Martin in Pilsen traditionally begin on 1st November at St. Martin’s Market. Every year, the market fills Republic Square and offers a varied selection of traditional delicacies and hand-crafted products. You can look over the shoulder of blacksmiths, woodcarvers, basket makers, candle makers, and potters. Live music performed every day by bands of various genres – from folk to country to rock – will also create a cheerful atmosphere. On his feast day, 11th November, and towards the end of the market, St. Martin will arrive here, trotting along on a white horse with his noble entourage.
Festive St. Martin’s Wine Tasting
The St. Martin’s festivities continue after 11th November with a popular event dedicated to wine. More than 14 wineries from across the country will offer tasting of delicious wine on Saturday 15th November. You can enjoy it from 11 am to 7 pm in the pleasant surroundings of Křižíkovy sady park, and of course accompanied by a special goose and duck menu. Admission to the festival is free, but to take part in the wine tasting, you need to buy a festival glass for CZK 80.
St. Martin’s Goose and Wine
Many symbols, weather lore, and folk sayings are associated with Saint Martin, but mostly the goose comes to our minds. And how did it actually appear on the plate? According to one legend, the poor goose paid the price for disturbing St. Martin too much during the mass. Another legend says that when Martin was to be named a bishop, he did not want to accept this position due to his modest and humble nature, so he rather ran away from the people and hid among a flock of geese. However, the geese could not keep quiet, so the saint did not remain hidden because of their honking. A simpler explanation is that well-fed November geese were a proper preparation for the approaching harsh winters. They were therefore an essential part of the autumn feast. Traditional St. Martin’s Day meal includes roast goose, prepared in various ways, potato or bread dumplings, and cabbage. The taste experience is often complemented by various specialties such as pâté, thick goose soup, cakes, sweet crescent rolls, horseshoe-shaped pastry (“podkovy”), or buns, and other delicious treats. It all pairs perfectly with the fresh taste of young wines. Their grapes are harvested first in the given year, and they mature in barrels for only a few weeks. On the saint’s feast day, bottles of these wine treasures are opened on 11th November, symbolically at 11:11 am.
St. Martin’s Day Menu in Pilsen Restaurants
Irresistible aroma of St. Martin’s Day delicacies will surely attract you also to restaurants and local pubs in Pilsen. You can get the traditional menu even before the St. Martin’s feast day – and where better to go for goose specialties than to Potrefená husa (goose means “husa” in Czech)? You can enjoy the familiar flavour also just a short walk away, for example at restaurants U Salzmannů, Šenk Na Parkánu, or right in the heart of the Pilsner Urquell Brewery – Na Spilce Pub. Here, in addition to a hearty “kaldoun” soup and goose leg served with two types of cabbage, you can savour poppy-seed or curd cheese crescent rolls. For a short moment, on the weekend from 7th to 9th November, a menu full of traditional flavours will be prepared for you in Klub malých pivovarů. And just beyond the city centre, there’s no shortage of excellent goose dishes in U Matasů Restaurant and Guest House. You can choose from almost ten St. Martin’s dishes – from starters to main courses and dessert. And where else in November will a St. Martin’s menu be waiting for you? For example in Švejk U Pětatřicátníků, U Pramenů, in Sokolovna Bolevec, in Kozlovna Restaurant, Flora or Plzeňka, where they will prepare the menu from 7th November – so you know how it goes, whoever makes a reservation first…
