10+1 signs you are definitely Hungarian – or Hungarian at heart
Weird food choices, cursing without taking a breath, making a sport out of complaining – these are just a few classic signs that you are a real Hungarian or, at least, a Hungarian at heart. Check out our funny compilation of little traits that make us quintessentially Hungarian.
1. You use way more tejföl (sourcream) than ketchup, mustard or other condiments. You pour a thick layer on all kinds of food, let it be sweet or savoury. Crêpes, chicken paprikash and even pasta will all get covered until unrecognisable. After all, tejföl makes everything better in life, doesn’t it?
2. Paprika has a special place both in your heart and on your dining table. You sprinkle it abundantly on every dish like there was no tomorrow. The hotter, the better! You also like to challenge your foreign friends on what level of spiciness they can still tolerate. Then you sit around the whole evening with a smug smirk and a burning mouth – but at least you have won, again.
3. You can curse for 5 minutes nonstop without taking a breath or using the same word twice. It is not uncommon to hear half a dozen of curse words in one sentence, especially when talking about politics or hurling insults at other drivers. Hungarian is a rich, colorful language and the locals’ humour and creativity really shine through when it comes to swearing.
4. The train has not even left the platform but you are already stuffing yourself with your first sandwich, which usually contains a slice of paprika or tomato and the quintessential salami or paprika sausage. Several days before the journey, you carefully calculate the number of sandwiches you have to prepare for the trip, no matter if it is just a 2-hour ride or a day trip. You do not even dare to think about the horrors of going into a calorie deficit.
5. You swear that pálinka can cure any illness from an upset stomach to the common flu. After all, pálinka, especially the one mixed with honey, tastes better than any pharmacy-bought cough syrup. Even babies sleep better if you add a few drops of pálinka to their nursing bottles. We venture even further and say: you can practically exorcise evil spirits with some good old homemade pálinka.
Read more: Stereotypes that characterise Hungarians
6. You are a champion complainer. You are ready to vent about the weather, your neighbours, your most hated political party, the food or your loved ones for a solid half an hour as a response to a simple “how are you?”. Moaning, grumbling and lamenting is just part of your national identity – what’s wrong with that?
7. You make a sport out of blowing your nose loudly in public. The more it sounds like a trumpet, the more thorough job you did. You put a real effort into the act and do not tire until all the ‘content’ is gone. When you were little, your parents probably sent you to school each day with a meticulously ironed, embroidered handkerchief.
8. You were told to eat lots of carrots when you were a kid so you would learn how to whistle. If you are well in your 30s and still can’t utter a single tune no matter how hard you pucker your lips and try to produce a tone, it must be your fault as you probably did not listen to your parents well enough.
9. You call a 79-kilometre-long lake the Hungarian Sea. No Mediterranean or Caribbean vacation can beat your nostalgic childhood memories from Lake Balaton. Even if the water was shallow and muddy and you were often scared to step on the shells of freshwater snails, you will always remember fondly the jolly good times you had at the Hungarian Sea.
10. You have an obsessive love for onion and garlic. Basically, 90% of Hungarian recipes start with the instruction: take a large onion and 2 cloves of garlic. However, Hungarians never let their loved ones down by serving something tasteless, so they usually double the portion. Despite that, we are great kissers – no wonder after all that spicy paprika in our food.
+1 You throw a big do at your place and when your foreign friends wish you a happy birthday, you just shrug “oh, it’s my nameday actually, but cheers!!”, leaving them baffled about what the hell you meant by a nameday.
As for me: tejföl – yes, paprika – yes, cursing – yes, stuffing in train – not really, pálinka – yes, complaining – not really, blowing nose – not, carrot story – yes, loving Balaton – sure, onion & garlic – absolutely, nameday – of course.
8 out of 11 — I am a true Hungarian !! 🙂
Just so that you know, rather than believe in fairytales, “The top tier of sour cream-eating countries are identified as the US, France, Poland, Russia, and Germany. The second tier includes countries of Eastern Europe and the EU.” Source: food navigator.com
As for paprika being hot, on a scientific scale that is not the case. “Chili powder…. is much spicier than paprika. Paprika pepper sits at pimento peppers level of hotness of about 100-500 Scoville while chili powder has a range of about 1000-1500 Scoville heat unit.” Source: foodiesfamily.com
In the UK Creme Fraiche is more popular than sour cream amongst people with cultivated tastes. “Creme fraiche is thicker, richer and less tangy than sour cream, and since it won’t curdle if you boil it, it’s great to use in soups and sauces.” Unfortunately it is not widely available in Hungarian supermarkets 8along with a whole host of other products considered ‘staples’ elsewhere. May be the lack of products and choice is why Hungarian food is all so ‘same’.
Moderately funny because only half true or even close.
@Andras, I think both of the first two comments are spot on. The Hungarian repertoire is rather limited compared to the cuisine en France.
Why don’t you write about Makos Beigle (Poppy Seed rolls) and Dios Beigli (Walnut rolls) – also show several pictures
This is loved around the world and brings joy to anyone who taste it.
Thomas Braun (Tamas Andras Braun) – born in Budapest but now living in Florida
Dear Tamas, thanks for the suggestion! We love them too and will definitely include them in a similar article in the future 🙂