Another great way to get a better understanding of a nation is through its cuisine. Being geographically close, certain dishes have become popular throughout the Balkans, so in my country we also make goulash and chicken paprikash which are traditional Hungarian dishes, and we found out that we have in common several types of bread and sweets.
Hungarian cuisine has deep roots into Hungarian history. The importance of livestock and the nomadic lifestyle of the Hungarian people is reflected in the prominent use of meat in their dishes. In the period of the Renaissance spices and vegetables such as garlic, onion, ginger, saffron and nutmeg enter their cuisine. During the Ottoman rule, certain Turkish dishes are added, while during the Austro-Hungarian Empire, their cuisine is enriched with dishes and cooking methods borrowed from the Austrian one. In a word, Hungarian cuisine is a synthesis of ancient Asiatic components, mixed with German, Italian and Slavic elements. As such, it is a divine experience for every palate.
Goulash, the most popular comfort food, is attractively served in a bun and it contains chunks of beef, potatoes, and vegetables, plus plenty of paprika and spices.
Chicken paprikash, is chicken in a creamy paprika sauce and pasta.
Below you can see pork and chicken Hungarian fast food, as we were told, served in a bread that resembles a tortilla. Hubs had the pork one, I opted for the chicken and they were mouth watering tasty! Note that one serving includes both pieces which is quite enough/even more than enough.
Langos, deep-fried flat bread with varieties of delicious toppings.
Below you can see pork and chicken Hungarian fast food, as we were told, served in a bread that resembles a tortilla. Hubs had the pork one, I opted for the chicken and they were mouth watering tasty! Note that one serving includes both pieces which is quite enough/even more than enough.
It is funny that they press it with an old-fashioned iron before serving it!
They have many delectable sweets and cakes, so you won't be disappointed whatever you choose. There was a spring festival taking place at the main square and in front of a sweets selling shop we saw a miles long line waiting to buy what Hungarians call a Kürtőskalács (also called a chimney cake - see the images above), and they come in two sizes, big and small. We couldn't wait for the big one which was actually sold there and bought such (small) cakes elsewhere where they filled them with ice cream and various toppings. Don't buy such - they were extremely expensive - 4 times more than 1 big one.
Hungary has a variety of alcoholic beverages that are made exclusively in the country. For a small country, they sure love their alcohol with plenty of wines, beers, liqueurs and brandies that are unique to the country.
Their national pride is Palinka which is a fruit brandy and they have many good varieties of wines. We tried Dreher beer and Lovassy wine.
Their national pride is Palinka which is a fruit brandy and they have many good varieties of wines. We tried Dreher beer and Lovassy wine.
6 comments:
I am salivating all the way down here, Maya, at the photos of the delicious cuisine. All dishes look and sound scrumptious. I love the goulash in the bun! How fun eating your way around Budapest. It sounds as if you are enjoying your trip to the hilt!
Hmmm! Yummi! How good of you to let us know something about the history of the food in Hungary. I'm not all that picky when it comes to food (though I have to take care cause of some allergies) but when there is a language barrier it might cause some problems though and it's good to know what you might expect.
Have a great week,
Marjan
I'm enjoying your trip. :) The food looks delicious.
We really did Kim! Everything was magical and we had the time of our lives :)
I thought a bit of history would give some weight to the post. I also love learning new things especially about the history of a place, so I am sharing in order to remember :)
Thank you Kate!
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