Babinden

Today is the Slavic holiday Babinden (bah-bean-den): Baba is "grandmother", and the in is possessive; den is "day", so the meaning is "Grandmother’s Day". It’s also called Midwives Day.

Babinden is an ancient festival, still celebrated in Bulgaria, to give thanks and show respect to the women (or men) who have helped in the child-birthing process, and for all the other skills and knowledge the grandmothers have: Growing food, cooking, herb lore, looking after their grandchildren, and teaching folklore and traditions. 

The roots of this festival, however, are in fertility rites. In Bulgaria, a house full of healthy and beautiful children is a basic value, and this is the underlying focus of the rituals on Babinden.

Agenda today:
1. Journal queries

2. Hand-washing ceremony
3. Gifts: Start an embroidered bookmark
4. House cleaning and blessing
5. Make pitka (Bulgarian bread)

1. Journal queries:
Today I remember all the grandmothers in my life- my ancestors and my older friends. Also, I think about the grandchildren in my life: Honorary grandchildren of the present, and possible children-of-my-children, sometime in the future.

What burning questions would I like to ask my grandmothers? 
What wisdom would I like to share with my grandchildren?

2. Hand-washing ceremony:

Early this morning, young women in Bulgaria visit the local midwife or doctor. They bring soap, a towel, hot water in a ceramic bottle, and their young children. They perform a complicated symbolic hand-washing ritual, the purpose of which is to ensure easy births in the future and tall, strong children. The midwife gives a silver coin to each child she has delivered.

If I'm having an art class, we sometimes have a small hand-washing ceremony outside under the apple tree. My students hand me the soap, and pour water over my hands. I splash the water up into the air and say "May you all be tall, beautiful, and healthy!" Then I give them each a silver coin from my stash of foreign coins.

3. Plan gifts for my grandmothers: 
About lunchtime all the Bulgarian women go back to the midwife’s house without their children, bringing gifts and food: Socks, scarves, embroidery, bread, chicken, sweets, wine and brandy.

The lunchtime gathering turns into an all-day "women’s only" party (except the doctor might be a man, and sometimes male musicians attend- but they must dress as women) and it gets pretty wild! The women drink, dance, sing dirty songs, tell jokes, and gossip, and it goes on into the night.

Someday I'm going to throw a grandmother party! But today I'll make a list of grandmothers I have had, and those I have still, and plan small ways to honor each of them in the coming weeks (cards, gifts, food, visits, a lighted candle and a prayer...)

4. Start an embroidered bookmark:

Whenever I research Bulgarian traditions I always admire the embroidery. This year I decided to (start to) sew a bookmark for one dear friend, using motifs from traditional Bulgarian needlework. They commonly use wool and silk threads on white or red fabric, and primarily geometrical and stylized floral motifs. I made a drawing, simplifying motifs I found on a tablecloth.

Supplies: White linen, wool crewel thread (red, blue, yellow, green, and black), tapestry needle (blunt-ended), scissors, hoop

Bulgarian ornamental needlework usually involves counting the stitches, as with cross-stitch, but using a variety of flat, raised and open-work stitches. In the sample I looked at every motif was outlined with black back-stitch, and filled with a slanted straight stitch.

1. Transfer design to the linen.

2. Outline shapes with black wool.

3. Begin to fill with slanted straight stitches.

5. House cleaning and blessing:
In Bulgaria and elsewhere, water is a symbol of purity and has healing powers. Many Bulgarians will have a house-blessing after Epiphany (January 6) with a sprinkling of holy water. Several other water related rituals are also performed this month.

One effective way to bless a house is to clean it, with attention. I am well into my January month of deep cleaning, taking care of mold-related issues in my house. This week I will work on the bathroom. I hope to:

• Scrub the mildew off the ceiling and walls with detergent and warm water, then use a solution of ¼-cup bleach in 1-quart water. Wait 20 minutes and repeat. Wait another 20 minutes. Apply Borax solution and do not rinse, to help prevent mold from growing again. 
• Peel off the old caulk around the bathtub, and replace. 
• Clean and dust the shelves.
• Repaint the ceiling and one of the walls.

When I finish I will light a candle and enjoy a bubble bath in my clean bathroom.

5. Make pitka (Bulgarian bread):

Pitka is a basic Bulgarian bread recipe that is made in many ways, with cheese filling, or with honey, etc. I stuck to simple buttery bread, formed as rolls but then baked together so you need to pull it apart to eat it.

This is a nice gift for a Grandmother in your life!

Ingredients:

• 1-1/4 c. milk 
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 3 eggs (reserve 1 egg yolk for brushing)
• 5 Tbsp. plain yogurt
• 4 Tbsp. oil
• 1 Tbsp. salt
• 6 c. flour
• 1/4 c. butter

Yield: 1 loaf-

1- Heat the milk to warm (100º), and combine with the sugar and yeast. Let stand until foamy.

Kneading with a bread hook. 

2- Combine the eggs (reserve 1 yolk for brushing), yogurt, and oil in a small bowl. Whisk the salt and flour together in large bowl. Add the yeast mixture and the egg mixture to the flour, and mix to make a smooth, soft dough, slightly sticky to the touch. (I mixed on low in my Kitchenaide).


3- Knead the dough for about 5 minutes (I used the bread hook on my Kitchenaide).


4- Divide dough into 3 balls in a large greased bowl; cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled. 

5- Oil a 9 or 10-inch round cake pan or spring-form pan. Melt the butter. On a floured surface, divide the dough into 6 or 7 pieces, each about 7-inches long.

Before final rising.

6- Brush one side of each piece with the melted butter, roll up into a spiral, brush some more butter onto the outside, and put it in the pan. Repeat to make 6 or 7 rolls.

7- Preheat the oven 

to 350ºF. Let the rolls rise again until they fill the pan, then brush with the egg yolk thinned with a little water, and put them in the oven. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until golden on the outside and completely baked on the inside.