Goose baked until golden brown, dumplings and cabbage, but also other specialties as part of a tasty St. This tradition is also popular in Budějovice. After all, who would miss the delicacies that local restaurateurs serve every year in November.
In addition to roast goose, the menu also includes various variations of goose meat dishes and often even kaldoun, a strong broth made from goose offal. St. Martin's Day menus in restaurants in Budějovice are often prepared from local ingredients and the recipes of the individual establishments are time-tested. Young wine is usually served with the goose, but remember that here you are in an area with a centuries-old brewing tradition, so don't be fooled if the staff brings you a pint of great lager.
So what? Are you coming in November for a taste? But we recommend booking in advance! We get a lot of foodies like you, so make sure there's plenty left for you.
St. Martin's Day traditions – goose, wine, and autumn
The Feast of Saint Martin is celebrated on 11 November and commemorates Saint Martin of Tours, a soldier and later bishop, who is famous for the story of how he shared his cloak with a beggar. This legend has made him a symbol of Christian charity and compassion. In Europe, his feast day soon became a popular folk day of rejoicing, the beginning of the winter season, and also the moment when the business year came to a close.
There was a rich feasting on this date, as Advent fasting began immediately afterwards. In the countryside, geese were fattened in the autumn and it was around 11 November that it was time to serve them. The meal was thus not only festive but also practical. Tradition also explains the goose legend. The geese are said to have betrayed Martin, who was hiding from being elected bishop, with their quacking, and that is why they ended up on a baking tray.
In the Czech environment, it is traditionally served with red cabbage and dumplings. In the wine-growing regions of Europe, the day includes a tasting of young wine, as it used to be ready in November. It is no coincidence that today St Martin's wine is served with the St Martin's menu. It is a return to the same idea. Before the quiet period before Christmas begins, people have one last good meal and toast.
In some regions, the feast includes lantern parades, lights or bonfires, and in the past, children and the poor would go caroling and receive pastries or fruit. Special pastries in the shape of horseshoes or horns were also baked to resemble Martin's horse. Overall, St. Martin's Day is a feast of turning points. People said goodbye to autumn, gave thanks for the harvest and indulged in a festive meal before the quiet season before Christmas began.
