Only available today: bread that protects against rabies
In the south of the country, ‘hubkes’ are available on November 3: special bread rolls blessed by a priest of the Roman Catholic Church. According to superstition, these rolls protect against all kinds of illnesses and ailments, especially… rabies.
They look like ordinary bread rolls, only slightly squarer and with a little cross on top. Some contain anise in the dough, or raisins. But that’s not the secret of these rolls: they are traditional hubkes. These are rolls eaten on Saint Hubert’s Day, the feast day of Saint Hubertus. They used to be blessed by a priest to bring good luck.
Ailments
In the past, the bread was handed out in church. You had to eat it dry before you were allowed to eat anything else. According to superstition, it worked against all kinds of ailments, including something vague like ‘the rage of man’. But above all, it protected against rabies, as Saint Hubertus was said to have cured people of it. In the past, the bread was even given to livestock to prevent them from contracting rabies.
Today only
For years, hubkes had almost disappeared, but more and more bakers in North Brabant are baking them again. They are now simply available in supermarkets and at traditional bakeries. Fancy trying hubkes bread? Better hurry, because the rolls are only available on November 3.
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