« This is not the end of the books »: to drink coffee with Humberto Eco at a bookstore in Sofia
« People are waiting all week to be Friday, all year long – to be summer, and all their lives – to be happy » – this is one of the most famous quotes of writer Humberto Eco. For some people, happiness, summer and expectation for Friday lies in the books, and they already have a new home – Umberto & Co Bookstore in downtown Sofia.
« For me, the moments in which I can pick up a book and be alone are my innermost, because then I forget about everything around and immerse myself in this world, » Milena Valcheva told Dnevnik. It is a pleasure to enter a bookstore, touch a book and buy it.
« By traveling not only in Bulgaria but also in Europe, I was not left with the impression that bookstores are being closed. On the contrary, we have long talked to Daniel and our colleagues in the office, that we lack such a place in Sofia where you can escape from your daily routine, and it adds to the book.
| Because as Humberto Eco would say – « The book is a fragile creature that suffers from the destruction of time. » |
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Because they choose the name Umberto & Co.? « Humberto Eco is a favorite author of my husband and me. But he decided that we would have his monument at the bookstore, » says Milena Valcheva. The author of the statue is Boris Borisov, his is also the idea of the book and the poultry. « Thanks to him, we have a Monument to Humberto Eco at home, » she adds, and that’s exactly how the visitors want to feel here – at home. Therefore, there is a special podium that anyone can accommodate and honor without rushing.
« With the entry from the noisy street to the bookstore, it feels like an oasis. There are birds, we have a keeper of the books – a cat that comes every day without even feeding it, but apparently liked our yard, » explains Milena Valcheva, but she specifies that there are more details that will be added to the interior.
A special selection of books
« We cannot measure ourselves with other bookstores. We want to make personal selection rather without claiming neither I, nor my husband, nor colleagues who are books that we are great specialists. But this is our choice of books. So we have not all new editions, » she tells the bookstore selection. In it, visitors can find books with poetry, Bulgarian and foreign literature, biographies, books related to cinema and cooking, legal literature, as well as a rich selection of children’s books. They avoid foreign language publications because they think there are enough other places where they are offered.
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They still have few books in English, but which are related to art, architecture and cooking. « We want to present Bulgaria. That’s why we have many books on tourism, about Bulgarian art, which are in English and the foreigners I can buy them, » says Milena Valcheva.
| What they want a lot, but it turns out to be more difficult is to have more Bulgarian literature translated into English. |
« My request is for all publishing houses to do so, because Bulgaria has a lot to show the world. I spoke with people who are involved in printing houses, and it turns out to be my biggest surprise that no one has no interest in publishing such books, and I really wanted to make a rich booth for Bulgaria, » she added.
The selection of titles is done by Daniel Valchev, but found that they had many favorite books that no longer published. « We were thinking of not selling antique books, but you can see an old suitcase that I plan to fill with our favorite books that are not published. So people will be able, if they do not buy them, at least read them or part of them. »
Their friends are also assisted with the selection, including Prof. Amelia Licheva, Vladimir Zarev’s wife – Mirela, and Daria Karapetkova, who will rely on in the future. « They are involved in literature, follow what comes out and have a taste that is close to ours, » says Milena Valcheva. They also rely on the girls who work at the bookstore who are PhD students in Bulgarian Philology at Sofia University and who convince her that they should also offer current fantasy novels. Not much, but enough.
Flavored kisses and Turkish coffee
The bookstore also takes visitors to a cozy cafe, which is located on the bottom floor. The special in his menu is the author’s desserts of Miglena Pavlova, who is also a lawyer, but has been involved in confectionery for years, has been in courses with the most famous pastry chefs in Paris. From there, he often brings various spices and additives for the desserts I make here on the spot, she tells Dnevnik.
Among them is her reading of milk with rice, which is a soft and air dessert reminiscent of mousse, and to the familiar ingredients she adds a caramel heart, something she takes as an idea again from the French, as well as the Vanilla from Tahiti. « And even people who don’t like milk with rice like it, » adds Miglena Pavlova. It also makes its version of the classic Pavlova cake, as well as a special yellow -shaped dessert inspired by the Garash cake.
After discovering her original recipe in a book from the 1920s in the National Library, Miglena Pavlova again decides to « make it » easier « , with the marsh made of walnut flour, nuts and coconut sugar. From the menu, visitors can also order Turkish coffee, which is served with a compliment again by it – a mini -reminiscent of a cuse she prepares from baked Kadaif and praline from pistachio.
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Immediately next to the cafe, there is also a large event hall, suitable for conferences, premieres and presentations, part of the space of Umberto & Co., which has a separate entrance from that of the bookstore. However, Milena Valcheva explains that everything here is swirling around the books and is created for the people who love them. « This is our space in which we hope to recognize people who have affinity and worship of literature, because reading books is the great wealth we have. To enjoy the good book is the few pleasures that are left of us, » she adds.
Umberto & Co. is located at 14 Slavyanska Street. It works from Tuesday until Saturday.
