Masters of the hen soup competed at the eighth edition of the Hen soup fest in Kozarevets
The hen soup fest in the village of Kozarevets for the eighth year in a row was dedicated to the most delicious homemade hen soup. On 8th of September, the day of Holy Virgin Mary, 15 teams from Lyaskovets and the villages in the Municipality, as well as guests from the region, showed their skills in preparing the dish. The fest started in the early hours of the day as the participants prepared their fireplaces and mixed bird meat, vegetables and spices in the pots. The aroma filled the park of the Culture center of Kozarevets, where the soups were simmering.
The official start of the fest was given by the deputy mayor of Lyaskovets Municipality, engineer Rositsa Gospodinova and Mrs. Krassimira Koleva – mayor of the village of Kozarevets. The chair of the local culture center “Zamedelets 1899” – Mr. Todor Todorov greeted the participants. Special blessing was made by the local priest father Dimitar, who wished health and prosper upon the participants and guests.
Singers and dance groups from the local culture centers and pensioner`s clubs, as well as guests sang to entertain the participants and the audience. This year in the musical marathon participated not only groups from Lyaskovets, Strazhitsa, Gorna Oryahovits and Elena, but enthusiasts from Pet mogili, a village in the Shumen region. The event was opened by the singers from the folklore group “Avliga” from Kozarevets. Nearly 200 participants took upon the stage and at noon the jury already tasted all the soups. As the professionals decided which one is the tastiest dish, the fest continued with the folk singer Petar Kirilov.
The people of Kozarevets treated their guests with soup, prepared in 100-littre pot, to which they added six free range hens. In its cooking were involved culinary enthusiasts and volunteers from the local culture center and the ingredients were provided with the help of the mayor Krassimira Koleva and with the contribution of the villagers. As the traditions follows there was soup from the big pot for every guests of the fest.
15 pots with soup were competing and in there was categories not only for tastiest dish, but for the most beautiful ethno-stand and surrounding of the pots, as well as category for most colourful cook. The jury had to decide whom to award with the special prize of the Mayor.
For these prizes competed against each other the hosts from Kozarevets, represented by the pensioner`s club “Zdravets”, the culture center of Lyaskovets with the young team “Melpomena”, the team of Merdanya`s culture center, the pensioner`s clubs “Zora” and “Maznevska cheshmichka” from Lyaskovets, two teams from Dragizhevo – young chefs group and the pensioner`s club, two teams from Dobri dyal, representing the culture center and the pensioner`s club,teams from Dzhulyunitsa, Balkantsi, Kesarevo. Assenovo, Strelets, Pravda. Each team was well prepared with well decorated tents, filled with traditional dishes, vegetables in baskets and other thematic decorations.
Judges were Mr. Plamen Karadzhov – manager in “Panorama “ Restaurant, Veliko Tarnovo, Boris Banov – professional cook for 40 years and Valentina Peicheva – cook in hotel “Lesoparka”, Lyaskovets.
The prize for the best homemade hen soup from homegrown hen went to the team of the pensioner`s club “Zdravets” from the village of Kozarevets. They win the prize for the second time in the history of the fest. The jury gave the second and third place to the culinary teams of Kesarevo and the Merdanya`s culture center`s team “Razvitie”.
For most colourful cook in the eight edition of the fest was chosen the cook, and head of the team from Pravda – Krassimir Nenov, who won the jury and the audience with his styling and innovative ingredients – he added the non-traditional herb thyme to his soup. The most beautiful arrangement around the pot was for the team of Kozarevets. They impressed the jury with their interesting ethno-stand and impressive carving creations. The special prize of the mayor went to the team from Pravda, which participated for the first time in the festival.
Organizers of the event were the Municipality of Lyaskovets, the village of Kozarevets, “3D” Association , Culture Center “Zemedelets – 1899” and club “Zdravets” – Kozarevets