From 11-13 October 2024, Budapest’s Zoo and Botanical Garden will come alive with the mouthwatering aroma of freshly baked chimney cakes as the Chimney Cake Festival makes its much-anticipated return. This year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever, with 13 chimney cake stalls and a variety of exciting activities and culinary surprises awaiting visitors.
Budapest Chimney Cake Festival opens its doors
Photo: Facebook/Kürtőskalács Fesztivál
One of the festival’s highlights is the introduction of a unique international twist: along with the beloved traditional Transylvanian-Hungarian kürtőskalács, attendees will get to experience its Lithuanian cousin, the Šakotis. Known for its striking pine tree shape, the Šakotis is made by layering dough on a rotating spit. Both treats share a common heritage—they’re made from risen dough and cooked by rotating over an open fire, Turizmusonline.hu writes.
Festival founder Tünde András is thrilled about this year’s addition. “We’re excited to showcase this special dessert, typically prepared for festive occasions, and we’re sure it will win the hearts of many. Visitors will not only see it in action but also get to taste it!”
Alongside these culinary delights, the Chimney Cake Festival will feature a host of traditional and modern chimney cake creations. The popular Édes Mackó chimney cake café will return with crowd favourites like the KürtősBON variations and Ízbombák. Those with dietary restrictions need not worry—gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and vegan chimney cakes will also be available, bama.hu reports.
One of the most exciting new features this year is the Kürtős Fondülde, where guests can dip their chimney cakes into a range of delicious toppings. For those who want to get hands-on, the “Csináld magad!” (Do It Yourself!) tent will give visitors the chance to create their own personalised chimney cake.
In addition to the delicious food, families with children can head to Holnemvolt Vár, where a variety of activities will keep the little ones entertained. Storytelling, face painting, crafts, animal-themed programs, and even a giant mill game will provide endless fun for kids.
Whether you’re a chimney cake enthusiast or just looking for a delightful way to spend a fall weekend, the Chimney Cake Festival offers a perfect blend of traditional flavours, international treats, and fun for all ages.
At the Chestnut Festival in Nagybánya, a Hungarian chimney cake seller’s Hungarian sign provoked anger. After Cătălin Cherecheș, the Romanian mayor had it covered with a Romanian flag, the deputy mayor took it down and got fired.
“What the Romanians do not understand, must be covered”
The Chestnut Festival in Nagybánya was held this year between 23-25 September. Every year, numerous stalls await visitors while the mayor makes sure everything goes according to plan. However, this time, one of the stalls displayed the words “kürtős kalács” (chimney cake) in Hungarian, reports foter.ro. “I have a request. Get me a tricolour and put it up nicely.”, said the mayor when he caught sight of the writing. “Where we [Romanians] do not understand what it says, we put a Romanian tricolour.” The tricolours were not placed over the Hungarian writings, in fact, but on the front of the stall. On both sides of the façade, the word kürtős was covered with a sign that read cozonac (sweet bread in Romanian).
As hvg.hu reports, Adrian Szelmenczi, journalist and human rights activist, had commented on the issue. He believes a sensible politician should have removed the Romanian writings and apologised to the vendors who were subjects of discrimination due to their origin. In addition, the RMDSZ of Nagybánya (Romanian Hungarian Democratic Association) has also reacted. Deputy mayor István Pap Zsolt described the mayor’s action as incomprehensible and unacceptable and ordered the removal of the flags. “Until now, there have been no examples of this kind of occurrence in Nagybánya. We consider it regrettable that the city’s mayor has resorted to such behaviour. We are convinced that such actions do not serve peaceful coexistence and, moreover, deepen the differences between the city’s Romanian and Hungarian communities. And this should not be in anyone’s interest.” – wrote the deputy mayor.
Meanwhile, the mayor has reacted to the incident. He said that it was a big enough gesture that they accepted the Hungarian name Nagybánya for the city, when in fact it was called Baia Mare in Romanian. Furthermore, he defended the Romanian language. According to him, if a baker did not put the word pâine on the sign, but the word kenyér (bread), “he, the Romanian” could not enter the bakery. The mayor added that since Pap Zsolt István removed the Romanian flags, his services as deputy mayor would no longer be needed.
Are you an ex-pat living in Hungary? Or an enthusiastic foodie who would like to try some Hungarian specialties? We have rounded up the top 5 must-try Hungarian delicacies and refreshers you should not miss when you visit Hungary.
Lángos
Photo: Facebook.com/langosfot
The popular Hungarian street food is an ideal choice for a hearty summer lunch. Its dough is basically the same as pizza dough, mostly round-shaped. However, it is fried in oil. Its external parts are crispy while the inner parts are softer. Lángos is suggested to be consumed fresh and hot. Its flavouring can vary from the classic savoury, to sour cream and sour cream and cheese. Many people add even more topping to their lángos, including grated cheese, sour cream, bacon, onion and parsley.
If all this sounds good to you, this year you should definitely try some lángos when you are visiting Lake Balaton.
Chimney cake ice cream (Kürtőskalács fagyi)
Photo: facebook.com/originalchimneys
If you would like to enhance the pleasure of munching on a chimney cake – listed as a Hungaricum in 2015 – you should try its ’sugar bomb’ version with a few scoops of ice cream. It is a traditional handmade product that went through years of innovation and rebranding and became a new craze in Budapest in 2016. The ice cream is placed in a perfectly sized and cone-shaped mini chimney cake offered in a wide range of flavours, including walnut, cinnamon, vanilla, coconut, cocoa etc. The result is a fantastic dessert that you can lick and bite at the same time. The top of the ice cream is crowned with toppings that come in different flavours. Additionally, at the bottom, there are additional sweet surprises for people with a sweet tooth.
Take a fine Hungarian wine, add some soda to taste, and you get a delicious summer fizz. Spritzer is a very popular refreshment in Hungary as well; it is the go-to drink for many after a busy summer day. There are dozens of different types of spritzers, distinguished by the proportion of wine and carbonated water or the type of other liquids added. According to Wikipédia,
we can choose among 10 types of spritzers in Hungary with the following proportions:
Short spritzer (Kisfröccs) – 1dl of wine and 1dl of carbonated soda water;
Full spritzer (Nagyfröccs) – 2dl of wine and 1dl of carbonated soda water;
Long step (Hosszúlépés) – 1dl of wine and 2dl of carbonated soda water;
Concierge (Házmester) – 3dl of wine and 2dl of carbonated soda water;
Landlord spritzer (Háziúr) – 4dl of wine and 1dl of carbonated soda water;
Vice concierge (Viceházmester) – 2dl of wine and 3dl of carbonated soda water;
Sport spritzer (Sportfröccs) – 1dl of wine and 4dl of carbonated soda water;
Újhazy spritzer (Újházy fröccs) – 2dl of wine and a special pickle juice;
Teddy bear spritzer (Macifröccs) – red wine, soda and raspberry syrup;
Krudy spritzer (Krúdy-fröccs) – 9dl of wine and 1dl of carbonated soda water.
Fruit soup (Gyümölcsleves)
Photo: Video still from Mindmegette
On a hot summer day, the best way to cool down is to try this refreshing fruit soup. The vitamin-packed starter can consist of redcurrants, blackberries, sour cherries, apple, pear or other seasonal fruits. This fast and easy dish may include cream or whole milk, and it is often flavoured with aromatic spices such as cloves and cinnamon. As Wikipédia informs us, the fruit soup is often thickened with crème fraîche and flour mixture. It is served cold, but some gourmets prefer consuming it hot. In the summer season, it is prepared with seasonal fruits. However, we can try its winter version as well flavoured with oranges, clementines, or any other fruits available, let it be fresh or frozen.
Túró Ice
Photo: www.facebook.com/I.love.Jegkrem/
The ice cream version of the Hungarian curd snack is a popular summer dessert in Hungary. Similarly to Túró Rudi, the so-called Túró Ice, is also available in many different flavours – filled with apricot, strawberry or raspberry jam while some versions are induced with coconut or vanilla aroma. If you would to make this refreshing dessert at home, check out its recipe HERE! 😉
While many are sad to see long and hot summer days come to an end, the nice weather in the first half of the fall season still allows for some interesting programmes.
We have recently compiled a list of things you can do and places you can visit in Hungary while the weather is still warm. You can read the article HERE. Now we would like to recommend some great fall festivals featuring diverse programmes, interesting films, great music, delicious Hungarian food and wines.
CineFest Miskolc International Film Festival, 10 September – 18 September
Photo: video still from 17. CineFest Miskolci Nemzetközi Filmfesztivál (2021) spot
One of the most popular film festivals in Hungary, CineFest Miskolc International Film Festival, awaits filmmakers, professionals, and movie lovers to watch the most outstanding films of the year. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the festival was postponed last year, but after this forced break, the 17th CineFest Miskolc International Film Festival has returned with renewed vigour and amazing movies this year.
The organisers continuously strive to keep up with the latest international trends – in 2019, they created a new competition programme for creative feature documentaries named CineDocs − and compile a line-up of truly extraordinary masterpieces of the international cinema and Hungarian classics. The Festival works together with several international organisations, and the International Federation of Film Critics sends a jury of film critics to the Festival.
In order to make the festival accessible to as many people as possible, organisers have introduced a symbolic fee of HUF 400 (~EUR 1,14), but professional programmes and information screenings can still be visited free of charge.
Zsolnay Light Festival (Pécs), 30 September – 3 October
https://www.instagram.com/p/CL6eg4ljTYr/
This year, Hungary’s first and only festival of light awaits visitors with a more diverse programme than ever. From 30 September 30 to 3 October, the whole city of Pécs will be clad in light, the streets will be carpeted with light. The façade of the Cathedral and the Downtown Candlemas Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and two iconic works by the famous Hungarian painter Tivadar Csontváry Kosztka will be brought to life by amazing animated light projections.
After New York, Hong Kong, Amsterdam, and Toronto, the spectacular light art installation of Viktor Vicsek and Limelight will be on display for the first time in Hungary.
The “Talking Heads” installation consists of two heads interacting with each other with the help of 4,000 individually controllable LED lights. The main event of the festival will be the Zsolnay Light Art International Mapping Competition, featuring animated 3D light creations of the most talented Japanese, Spanish, Ecuadorian, and Hungarian artists. Most of the programmes can be visited free of charge.
Wine Days of Mór, 30 September – 3 October
The Wine Days of Mór is one of Hungary’s oldest and largest wine events held on the first weekend of October. The organisers await visitors with delicious Hungarian food, excellent Hungarian wines, and various cultural programmes, such as concerts, pottery demonstrations, and folk fairs.
Chimney Cake Festival in Budapest (City Park), 8 October – 10 October (the official date has not been published yet)
Photo: www.facebook.com/csodasmagyarorszag
The Chimney Cake Festival is one of the most delicious festivals in Budapest, and the season’s sweetest gastronomical event, presenting various techniques of preparing chimney cakes − such as baking the pastry over charcoal or frying it in oil – as well as a wide array of flavour variations and sizes. The purpose of the festival is not only to promote the Hungarian chimney cake (‘kürtőskalács’) but also to present its traditional way of preparation, preserving and promoting Hungarian traditions.
Looks like due to the pandemic situation, this winter we are left without our beloved Christmas markets and all the yummy food that comes with them. But don’t you worry, we have got your back! Here is a go-to tasty and easy chimney cake aka kürtőskalács recipe.
Year after year, we are counting the days until the opening of Budapest’s lovely Christmas markets. We cannot wait to walk under the fairy lights at Vörösmarty Square or in front of the Basilica with our loved ones, while everything smells like spicy mulled wine and cinnamon chimney cakes. It is the unmistakable scent that tells us: Christmas is on its way.
Although we have to face the fact that this year’s Christmas and Advent period is not going to be the same, this by no means means that we have to cancel all the good stuff. If you also agree that the Advent period cannot pass without chimney cakes, we encourage you to try this foolproof chimney cake recipe.
The delicious treat that is popular both in Hungary and Transylvania might seem difficult to make at first sight, but the following version of the recipe brought to you by Magyarorszagomcan easily be made by anyone without special baking talents or equipment. You will only need a couple of aluminium beer cans to make your whole house smell like Christmas.
Ingredients
For the dough
500 g plain flour 1 egg 1 egg yolk 20 g fresh yeast (not instant) 3 tbsp sugar 50 g butter 220 ml milk (at a lukewarm temperature) pinch of salt
For the coating
6 tbsp melted butter 6 tbsp sugar 2 tsp cinnamon 2 tsp cocoa powder Or anything else you fancy rolling your cakes in: chocolate shavings, coconut flakes, ground nuts, etc.
Plus, you will need some aluminium foil and aluminium beer cans (about 6).
We are going to start with the dry ingredients: first, sift your flour and add the pinch of salt. Add the egg and the egg yolk, too.
Mix the sugar with the milk and crumble the fresh yeast in with your fingers, then let it do its magic for a couple of minutes. After you see the mixture rise, pour it into your flour mixture.
Combine everything well, then add the butter, too, and you can start kneading your dough. When you are ready, let the dough sit at a warm temperature, for at least half an hour but no longer than an hour (until it has doubled in size).
While your dough is rising, prepare the beer cans: cover them evenly with foil and grease them with butter – do this very carefully, otherwise the dough is going to stick to the cans.
After the dough is ready, divide it into 6 approximately equal pieces and start forming your chimney cakes. Roll each piece of the dough on a floured surface until it is approximately 5 mm thin, then cut it into 2 cm wide ribbons.
Wrap the dough around the cans, but not too tightly. Carefully press the dough together by rolling it on your work surface.
Grease the dough with butter and spread sugar on a tray, then roll your dough in it – this will give it a sweet and crispy layer.
Place the cakes on a baking tray, not too close to each other, and put them in the preheated oven on 200 degrees Celsius. Bake them for about 12-14 minutes – it is highly recommended to turn them every 2 minutes until they are golden.
When your chimney cakes are fully baked, roll them in the coating of your choice while they are still hot. Wait for them to cool a little bit (if you can) and then slide them off the cans.
Nicole Shaw-Provillon recently opened her boutique dessert catering business in Northern New Jersey. She makes authentic Hungarian chimney cakes that sweep locals off their feet.
The taste of Hungary’s chimney cakes arrived to New Jersey, abc7 reports. Nicole Shaw-Provillon moved to Budapest in 2013. Here, she discovered the beloved street food chimney cake, and it was love at first sight.
Nicole loved Hungarian culture and chimney cakes so much that she decided to study the traditional methods of baking chimney cake. After she moved back to the United States, she created her own business called Kurly Kürtősh, which is a boutique dessert catering business.
The name comes from the Hungarian word kürtőskalács: kürtős (of chimney stack) and kalács (cake).
She has been truly dedicated to this art form. She even had the honour of baking for the Hungarian embassy in Washington, D.C.
She is catering for all sorts of events where they actually make the cakes on site so that people can see the whole process and learn the authentic ways of making this delicious street food. Kurly Kurtosh caters to private, corporate, or pop-up events throughout New Jersey.
Nicole said:
“When I was in Hungary, I tried figuring out why this wasn’t all over the United States. So, what I learned was that it is massively labour intensive, which really goes against the culture of things in the U.S. typically. So, I said, how can I bring this so people can actually enjoy it, and it can actually become a sustainable business. That’s when I said let’s get into catering … We go out to events, we do them on site, so people get fascinated learning about the street food and eating something that is authentic and high quality.”
She is using good quality internationally sourced ingredients. She orders flour from Europe, butter from France, and cinnamon from Sri Lanka. Her chimney cakes are truly authentic, baked in small batches and topped with cinnamon, raspberry, or Oreo (to make it somewhat Americanised).
The core values of her business are spreading happiness and bringing a smile to people’s faces through her chimney cakes.
Check out Kurly Kürtősh’s Instagram fro mouthwatering pics.
Similarly to many European countries, Hungary also has desserts that are not only famous within the country but all across the globe. No matter the type, flavour, texture, or ingredients, many stole the heart of Hungarians and non-Hungarians alike.
Here is a revamp of the best Hungarian desserts according to our previous articles and Magyarországom.
Eszterházy Cake
This delicious cake does not have a single story about its origin, but this is probably why several versions of the Esterházy cake still exist. One official says that this cake was first made in the 19th century. The walnut-cream dessert and its emblematic pattern have a special place in the heart of Hungarians. It is also a famous cake in Austria.
Photo: www.facebook.com/CofetariaKremes
Dobos Cake
One of the most famous Hungarian desserts, the Dobos Cake, became an official Hungaricum last year. The delicious and iconic Hungarian Dobos Cake was introduced to the public 134 years ago by József Dobos, a confectioner. Dobos aimed to create a cake that could be stored for a long time (and so even be transported) as, at the time, no proper technique existed to keep food and sweets cold.
Photo: www.facebook.com/GerbeaudCafe
Rigó Jancsi cake
There once lived a man who was the leader of a gypsy band. He was very successful in the music world; however, he became famous through a scandalous love affair and the cake with which he wanted to seduce a woman. This is the story of Rigó Jancsi and the cake that is as sweet as love.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Zserbó
One of the most popular Hungarian desserts is zserbó, a crispy pastry with walnut, apricot jam, and a shiny chocolate glaze. It is traditionally made at Christmas and Easter time, but you can taste it in confectioneries all year round.
Photo: www.facebook.com/Gerbeaud Café
Bejgli
Not a 100% Hungarian recipe, but its cult has become strong in the country over the centuries. Usually made during Christmas time, this dessert mainly contains walnuts and poppyseed. According to an urban legend, Hungarians bake as much bejgli as the whole continent bakes in a whole year.
Photo: www.facebook.com/tarkavilag
Chimney Cake
In the Hungarian speech area, the chimney cake (kürtős kalács) is a Szekler, Transylvanian, and Hungarian dessert at the same time. Its origin has been the topic of arguments for many years as several legends can be connected to its story. Chimney cakes are characterised by an unmatched smell and aroma and divinely sweet flavours.
Photo: www.facebook.com/KurtosSarasota
Featured image: www.facebook.com/GerbeaudCafe
The top 5 confectioneries in Budapest where you can get the best Dobos Cake
The wonderful and rightfully famous Dobos cake is a favourite of many Hungarians, but as simple as its recipe may sound, it is really difficult to make well. November last year, Dobos cake was added to the Hungaricum Collection, and people immediately wanted to taste it again. The Dobos cake can be found in many confectioneries, but it is not the same everywhere. Szeretlek Magyarország has compiled the top 5 places in Budapest where this cake is truly delicious.
It is certainly true that Budapest is a magical city, and many people who have visited it said that they had fallen in love with its atmosphere. There are many things to see in Budapest, and it is the perfect mixture of modern and traditional. You could go and visit a modern exhibition or go into a modern office building on one corner, yet if you wanted to, you could almost travel back in time to the 19th century and have a delicious coffee in a salon.
As more and more companies pick Hungary for their movie set, and many blockbusters used either the cityscape of Budapest or the renowned studios it offers, the number of movie stars that think Budapest is a lovely city is also growing. As it is evident from CNTraveler’s interview with British actor Rosamund Pike, she is now among those who think back to their stay in Hungary as a joyful and extraordinary experience.
She stayed in Budapest a few years back because she was the lead actor in the Amazon Studio’s new movie, Radioactive. Most people would think that she did not have any time to explore the city as she was also caring for her children, but quite the contrary, in the interview she mentioned that she was able to see quite a bit of Budapest and some other parts of Hungary as well. Radioactive, the premier of which was delayed until 15 June in the UK and 24 July in the US, is a biographical drama about the life of Marie Curie, one of the most well-known women in science. Budapest comes into the picture as it was the set for the streets of late-19th-century Paris where Curie made her remarkable discovery.
Where did she stay?
As Rosamund Pike said to her interviewer, she mostly stayed in Budapest’s city centre near the Parliament – which she thought of as “an amazing and beautiful building right near the Danube”. She also mentioned that she particularly found the nights there magical. As she recalls, the square near the Parliament was “deserted except for maybe one guard.
[…] There was something so powerful and magical about it.”
Well, Budapest, while close in the era of some of its buildings’ style, is not exactly Paris, so the movie team had to transform the cityscape to better suit their needs. In one of Rosamund’s favourite sets on Zoltán Street, they added cafés, flower shops, horses, and carriages to make it seem like a scene from 19th-century Paris. In the movie, this is the scene where the viewers first see the protagonist. Although the new Ethnographic Museum is currently under construction – which you can read and watch videos about – and the old building cannot be visited by the public since December 2017, the production team was able to use the location as the Sorbonne University, where Marie Curie announces her discovery, as Rosamund Pike said enthusiastically. Also, parts of Bródy House were used as the apartment of Marie and Pierre Curie.
As it is the go-to place to visit for many tourists, both Hungarian and international, Rosamund Pike also visited Lake Balaton. It sounds like she was particularly fond of this part of Hungary as well. “[T]here are no motorized vehicles apart from these little electric boats. So,
you can take a little boat out into the middle of the lake where it’s the most beautiful place to swim”.
Not only that, but she admitted that she never saw anyone play water polo so passionately in England as people did in Hungary; “If you’ve never seen a water polo match, it’s pretty good! It’s not something people play with such passion in England. I enjoyed experiencing that”.
She also told her interviewer that while she stayed at Lake Balaton, she also visited some other places in the vicinity. She recalls that she enjoyed Tihany, where tourists could visit the Tihany Abbey, among other things, but it needs to be mentioned that it is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Her next stop was Krishna Valley where she spent the day with her family. It is a self-sustaining eco-community about 30km from Lake Balaton, a cultural centre, and an organic farm in one. As Rosamund said: “I ate the most delicious vegetarian food that I have ever eaten in my whole life. It was so interesting to see the serenity of this place; just to watch its effect of a community that’s not hurried by modern life”.
Photo: www.facebook.com/BalatonFelvidek.hu/
Previously, we wrote about some of the most unique museums and exhibitions in Hungary, and it seems that the famous British actress visited some of those interesting museums. “They’ve got this incredible pinball museum with the most amazing collection of pinball machines I’ve ever seen, from the very first pinball machine ever created to the cult ones of the nineties”. Rosamund also took her family to visit the catacombs of Buda Castle. As she said, she found it to be quite “spooky”. For those that visit Budapest, a lot of us Hungarians says that you should visit ‘Városliget’ (City Park) because it is a great place to get some fresh air but is also home to the Széchenyi thermal bath, the famous Vajdahunyad Castle, the Heroes’ Square, the Budapest Zoo & Botanical Garden, and many other things to see, such as the Museum of Hungarian Agriculture, which Rosamund Pike visited with her family: “which was also really interesting. I hadn’t ever been to a museum about agriculture, anywhere”.
The obvious: what were her favourite dishes?
According to Rosamund, she went to Restaurant Rosenstein a couple of times, and she tried out some of the Hungarian national dishes. She particularly liked the goose dishes there. But this was not the only thing she liked;
she seems fond of one of Hungary’s staple sweet snacks, the ‘kürtőskalács’ (chimney cake); “which is the street food that you get everywhere. It was a sweet, cylindrical-shaped, crispier doughnut”.
It would seem like she gave in to the temptation of shopping, and aside from experiences, she also acquired some items. She said to her interviewer that she liked the Hungarian skincare line, Omorovicza, and that she is now using one of their products, the ‘Queen of Hungary Mist’ regularly. “I now take on set with me all the time, actually. It’s a good one for flying and for giving your skin that drink”. Her second favourite item, however, might seem a bit unusual at first, but she was particularly amazed by the Hungarian goose down pillows and bedding: “You know, if you just desire the most enormous pillow, you could have it made with pure goose down. That’s my luxury tip for the city”.
You can eat chimney cake almost everywhere on the streets of big Hungarian cities. However, in India, it was unknown until Mohamed Kamal Lahir opened his ‘The Eatery’ in Kochi, a major port city on the south-west coast of the country.
The shop is in the city’s Lulu Mall, and it started only a couple of weeks ago serving the famous Hungarian snack. Chimney cake originates from Transylvania (Romania today), and it is
served in multiple variations all over the world.
For example, as we wrote it last year, an Indian couple opened the country’s first chimney cake shop in Chennai (known as Madras in the past), offering the famous Hungarian delicacy in eleven different flavours.
Source: facebook.com/pg/KurtoskalacsCafe
Now, Mohamed Kamal Lahir did the same on the other side of the subcontinent. “The word Kürtőskalács means chimney cake. The cake is nothing but a sweet or savoury pastry that is made with soft dough. It is typically wrapped around a conical or cylindrical skewer and then barbequed,” Mohamed Kamal Lahir, co-owner of ‘The Eatery’ brand, said to newindianexpress.com. The shop chain already has two outlets in Bengaluru and is looking to expand to Kozhikode.
The Indian shop left the swirly cone pastry unchanged, but the stuffing has been specially designed for the tastes of locals, including continental and desi flavours. “Almost
80 per cent of the menu has been customised to suit the diners here.
We did not want to throw the customers completely off by bringing in something that is entirely foreign. At the same time, we have included some exquisite global profiles that would please the NRI and non-Indian crowd that come to Lulu,” Kamal, a physician by profession, added.
Source: facebook.com/pg/KurtoskalacsCafe
For example, the Carolina chicken cone with sauteed meat chunks doused in barbeque sauce and mayonnaise packs quite a punch. With a generous coating of garlic powder and butter, that pastry is a grab-and-go version of a well-made pizza.
“The ghee roast is one of the fastest moving items on the menu. Tahini swirl and Magic shrooms are the crowd favourites among the vegetarian options,” Kamal said.
Source: facebook.com/pg/KurtoskalacsCafe
According to the New Indian Express, one should try even dessert cones. They say that the one stuffed with Nutella is as if one was transported to the chocolate heaven. Or try the Tiramisu which comes with an equally crispy and soft cone dusted in cocoa powder and filled with vanilla ice cream. The coffee-based dessert is just the right side of sweet and has the ideal balance between pastry and cream.
Street food for lunch is very popular nowadays. Due to the pulsive and intense pace of our lives, it is perfectly understandable that we do not have time for cooking at home in many cases. But it does not mean that we should give up on our needs of quality. Let us help you find some typical meals on Hungarian streets that are extremely delicious and prepared in no time.
Fortunately, these meals are not difficult to make at all, so if you are in the mood, you can easily make them yourself without leaving the comfort of your home. Be careful with the ingredients and the quantity because they may be different in the recipes and the tutorial videos that you can find below.
Lángos (fried dough/elephant’s ear)
Lángos is literally a piece of fried dough, and its shape is similar to an elephant’s ear as well. The special method of making the dough can be found above, and after you are done, you can traditionally eat it with sour cream, cheese, and garlic – click here to read the recipe.
Tócsni (rosti)
Tócsni is basically grated raw potato, fried in a pan – it is very similar to the Swiss rosti. Read the recipe here and find the video above.
Kürtőskalács (chimney cake)
Chimney cake is a sweet and extremely soft dessert on the street, with a great texture. You can try it with several different flavours, e.g.: cinnamon, walnut, vanilla, chocolate, etc. Find the recipe here and the video above.
Hurka (liver or blood/black pudding sausage of pork)
Hurka is a special Hungarian sausage filled with pork liver or black pudding, along with rice and different spices. Find the recipes of liver sausage here and blood sausage here. Watch the video (of liver sausage) above, follow the steps, and enjoy your meal!
Házi Kolbász (Hungarian sausage)
Hungarian sausage is not world-famous like the German wurst, but it is very special and delicious. You can see how it is filled properly above – you can also follow the steps of the recipe here. Good luck!
The Netherlands is usually associated with bicycles, Rembrandt, modern designs, tulip fields and wind turbines, while the first words that come to your mind regarding Hungary are kürtőskalács, lángos, pálinka, folk art. But how do Dutch people who have experienced life in both countries see their home culture and Hungary?
Index has decided to ask some Dutch people who were living in Hungary for years now to compare living in Hungary with life in the Netherlands.
Thousands of Dutch people moved to Hungary in the past decades, and while most immigrants prefer the capital city, Dutch people are more drawn to the countryside. Most of them live in Baranya, Somogy and Nógrád counties. Property prices are lower in these areas, but the climate is also an important factor when choosing location.
They say that life is more balanced in Hungary than it is in the Netherlands.
Although the language barrier presents some difficulties when it comes to assimilation (the number of Hungarians speaking German or English is still low), Dutch people say that Hungarians are usually welcoming and open.
In the video below, people talk about the Hungarian values that they have found important and which could possibly be integrated into Dutch living.
Claudia Kussel is an art curator at Mai Manó Ház art gallery, she moved to Hungary two years ago with her family. The first thing that she highlights about Hungary is that workout equipments are installed in most parks – something that you cannot find in the Netherlands. Another positive thing for her is the celebration of Children’s Day, which in her opinion could be introduced in the Netherlands as well, as there only Mother’s and Father’s Day are celebrated.
Claudia said that they were looking forward to trying lángos and kürtőskalács before they moved to Hungary, as Dutch people are keen on good, delicious food.
Tom de Smet spends half the year in Amsterdam, the other half in Budapest. He first visited Hungary in 1986, and 9 years later he began his research on Hungarian gastronomy, and is now a chef at Kelet Café. In his opinion, gastrofestivals in Hungary are one of the best things to happen to a community. His favourite is the Sausage Festival in Békéscsaba, where he is always amazed by the fact that 3000 people gather together to cook and dance, which is unusual for Dutch people.
However, he is often annoyed by pedestrians, who do not respect bikers.
Then we find Elroy Thümmler too, who was featured in Hungarian media frequently in 2017. He came to Bedepuszta in 2003, and bought the houses there with his (mostly Hungarian) friends, who eventually left. For the Roma families, who were living in the small village, Thümmler bought better houses in the villages nearby. Thümmler has ties to Sziget Festival too, but he likes the ruin pubs, the kürtőskalács and the Túró Rudi too.
He told Index that there are no open, green spaces in the Netherlands like there are in Hungary, and he found it strange at first that there are barely any people walking in the forests: in his experience, Dutch forests are always filled with people.
The most important Hungarian values in his opinion are the people’s attachment to the land and their respect of their culture.
Lastly, the video features Lóránt Kibédi Varga, the managing director of CBRE, who has been living in Budapest for 25 years. He remarked wittily that he has a ’Hungarian hardware and a Dutch software’. He highlights the Dutch people’s ability to look for compromises, which he finds useful in Hungary.
Anikó Gulyás, owner and operator of Kürtős Inc., established her company in 2015. A Sarasota resident for many years, she and her young family were looking for a business that allowed her to combine the love of great food, baking and her heritage. Meeting a Hungarian lady in Florida with the knowledge and expertise, she started learning and training and eventually opened her business that specialised in baking traditional Hungarian chimney cakes.
In the first years working out of a commercial kitchen, she sold chimney cakes for private orders, tried the wholesale route and even shipped the pastries in the continental USA (at the request of mostly people of European descents). Eventually, she joined local farmers markets, which are very popular in the area as they provide local small businesses & farmers to showcase their products to local residents. Her chimney cakes have become so popular she would sell out at most local markets.
Traditionally, chimney cakes have always been sweet; however, Aniko has come up with a recipe for a savoury version as well, which has become just as popular as the sweet one. The savoury selection includes jalapeno, cheese, olives, bacon, sesame seed, poppy seed, sunflower seed and pumpkin seed toppings. Her sweet chimney cakes are also unique as the recipe contains lemon & orange zest in the dough.
As her business has become successful, she was encouraged to franchise it and offer a mobile and a brick-and-mortar option for franchises. The next stage in growing her business was to open her own store, and she decided on the city’s famous landmark, the UTC Mall Sarasota. This provided the business with greater exposure to a larger customer base and offer a wider selection of products to customers, such as sweet kürtős chimney cones filled with ice cream and the savoury kürtős chimney cones filled with homemade salads (signature chicken, Cajun-style shrimp pasta, kale farro veggie). The store is also the headquarters and training facility for future franchise partners.
In general, Europeans, including Hungarians, enjoy the chimney cakes very much and enjoy the unique flavour Anikó has come up with. Some remember them from their childhood and often mention that they have not tasted a ‘kürtőskalács’ for decades. They are very happy that it is available on this side of the ocean and that they can indulge in this delicious delicacy and share it with their children or grandchildren as well. However, the business is mostly supported by local residents from Sarasota and the surrounding cities. It is a popular baked sweet and savoury treat, a market food and mall food, special occasion gift (gift boxed for Christmas, teachers’ appreciation, hostess gift, etc.) and party food (platters). The cone-shaped version is also very popular as it allows the pastries to be filled, and this way, they become a full meal or dessert. They are the ‘21st-century edition’ of the traditional chimney cakes, and photos of these creations are highly popular on Instagram, helping to grow the popularity of these unique pastries around the world.
In the Hungarian speech area, the chimney cake (kürtős kalács) is a Szekler, Transylvanian and Hungarian dessert at the same time. Its origin has been the topic of arguments for many years, several legends can be connected to its story. Chimney cakes are characterised by an unmatched smell and aroma, and divinely sweet flavours. If you’d like to learn how to make it, you’re in the good place 😉
Vitezkurtos.hu writes that the chimney cake is mostly referred to as a Transylvanian specialty, as the national dish of Szeklerland, which used to be made at the time of weddings, religious festivities, christenings and other events. The tradition is still alive, although the consumption of the dessert is connected to certain occasions any more.
Photo: Wiki Commons By International Kürtősh Kalách Trade Corporation
One of the main arguments around the chimney cake is about its Hungarian name. Some people pronounce it as kürtös kalács, while others say kürtőskalács. The first group traces back the origin of the dessert to the time of the Hungarian conquest. It is believed that when the incursive Hungarians sacked some flour and eggs, they made a dough, rolled it on their horns (kürt) and baked it over fire. However, others doubt that the chimney cake has anything to do with the Hungarian conquest, because the method necessitates a more developed cuisine.
According to the other theory, the chimney cake was named after the stovepipe, because it is called kürtőcső in Szeklerland. The resourceful Szeklers wanted to reuse the ember of the hardwood used for cooking and heating, so they put the burning ember on top of the stove or in front of the furnace, and baked the chimney cake.
There are many myths about the origin of the chimney cake. One of the most popular ones is connected to the Mongol invasion. It is believed that the population of Szeklerland decided to escape from the Tatar troops. Some people went up to the hills, while others hid in the caves of Budvár and Rez. Since the Tatars couldn’t attack or approach them, they decided to starve the Szeklers out. This went on for a long time, until both the Tatars and Szeklers lived up their food. But a smart Szekler woman scraped together the leftover flour, mixed it with ash and baked huge loafs, which they put on wooden dongs or tall poles and showed to the Tatars: “Look, how great we’re doing while you’re starving!” The Tatars gave up and marched off resentfully.
Photo: www.facebook.com/VitézKürtős
This is why the chimney cake is also called a dong doughnut (dorongfánk). The long and short of it is that there are many stories, but one thing is for sure: the whole world loves these characteristic and delicious treats that you have to try at least once in your life. Here is a recipe if you’d like to impress your guests with a unique dessert choice.
Ingredients (for 10):
1 kg of flour
300 grams of butter
100 grams of powdered sugar
40 grams of yeast
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
5 dl of milk
possible toppings: caster sugar, cinnamon, vanilla sugar, ground walnut, coconut flakes etc.
Photo: Wiki Commons By Vszhuba
Directions:
Let the yeast rise in 1 dl lukewarm milk, and mix it with the flour, soft butter, powdered sugar, eggs and egg yolks. Add the remaining milk and knead the dough for 10-15 minutes. Let it sit in a warm place for an hour.
After the dough has doubled in size, roll it out and cut 1.5 centimetre wide strips. Wrap the strips around the buttered wooden dongs in a way that one layer slightly overlaps the next layer. Roll the dongs on the table so that the dough will be evenly spread. Then, roll the dough into the cinnamon sugar mixture (or whatever topping you chose to go for).
Some supermarkets carry wooden dongs, but if you can’t seem to find any, wrap a smaller rolling pin with aluminium foil, brush it with butter and continue as if it was your homemade dong.
Place the wooden dong on a baking tin and bake your chimney cakes at 170-180° Celsius. Make sure to turn it two or three times until the sugar melts on the outside.
Photo: Wiki Commons By Alpha
Enjoy the dessert!
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After the changes in bread, now the kürtőskalács sees a new beginning as well. Magyaridok.hu reports that the Hungarian agricultural ministry has introduced a new regulation on the kürtőskalács, regarding the recipe, the preparation process and the ingredients. According to this, only those products can be sold as kürtőskalács that meet the requirements, thus eliminating the pastries that only resemble the original kürtőskalács.
The kürtőskalács is one of the most popular pastries of the region, sold at almost every corner in Budapest, but with huge differences between the stands. The agricultural ministry has published a new regulation with the aim of establishing a uniform quality and getting rid of low-priced poor quality products.
According to the description, the kürtőskalács should be prepared with traditional methods, from raised dough, should be rolled and be at least 17 centimetres long, with the smallest diameter being at least 5 centimetres. The dough has to be rolled on a baking spit, then covered with sugar and roasted over charcoal. The end product should have a caramelised, shiny and crispy sugar coat, with the sweet dough baked evenly up to the point where it becomes soft and sleazy.
There is a differentiation between the traditional and the market-sold kürtőskalács. For the previous ones, only butter can be used, while for the latter, the butter can be substituted with oil, margarine, the eggs with powdered eggs, and the milk with powdered milk. If the latter option is chosen, then it should be indicated on the label. In the market-sold category, it is allowed to use flavourings like lemon zest, lemon juice, rum, raisins or chopped up dried fruits, and the vanilla beans can be swapped for vanilla flavouring.
You will recognise the traditional kürtőskalács from the EU symbol and the ‘traditional Hungarian pastry’ indicated on the label and from the crust: the traditional kürtős can be coated with nuts, almonds, peanuts and cinnamon, whereas the market-sold ones are usually coated with cocoa, coconut or chocolate, as these three flavourings are allowed only in the lesser quality category.
The most important rule is that the kürtőskalács can be sold only made fresh, if it was baked over four hours ago, then it cannot be sold.
According to hvg.hu, Aniko Gulyás, who has been living in Sarasota, Florida for 11 years, launched a Kürtös Cake business under the name Kurtos Inc. She started cooking at home after the birth of her twins, 4 years ago – Sarasota Magazine wrote. Back in Hungary, Aniko’s favorite food was Kurtos Cake, as The Florida magazine reports, that is why she started the business.
Fresh deliveries of kurtos cakes arrived to #GeiersSausageKitchen, #ATasteOfEuropeSarasota, #ElixirTeaHouse and #SunnysideCafe. Stop by and pick up yours today!
Aniko Gulyás became a wholesaler; she sells her products to restaurants, and also distributes the sweets at local markets and fairs. The traditional types (almond, coconut or cinnamon) are sold the most, but she also has Kürtös Cakes with very special flavors like pumpkin seed, bacon or cheese.
Originally, she wanted to show her twins the Hungarian heritage, that was the reason she started cooking cakes at home. Later, she launched her business called Kurtos Inc. in August.
Sarasota Magazine published the short history and the preparation of the sweet as well: “Kürtös cakes originated in Transylvania in the late 1700s. To make them, Gulyás had to import a special oven from Hungary, which bakes the cakes at 250 degrees Celsius. She wraps fresh, raised dough around a wooden pin, sprinkles it with toppings and then inserts the pin in the oven, where it turns slowly for 4 to 6 minutes” until the surface is crispy and the inside is still soft — as Aniko Gulyás says. The pin is removed after the cake cooled, that is why Kürtös Cake is shaped cylindrical.
The Hungarian kürtőskalács (chimney cake) originated in the Szeklerland of Transylvania, a historical region in the central part of Romania, where a large Hungarian ethnic population still lives. The sweet delicacy is made of yeast cake, using only natural ingredients. It is made in many Hungarian homes in Romania, but also across the borders, in Hungary, where the cake is so popular, that is now also produced by local bakeries. Among them, the most popular brand on the market is Vitéz Kürtős, which celebrates this year its 10th anniversary.
The 2013 Fall edition of the Kürtőskalács Festival (October 11 – 13, 2013) is the first of its kind, an event that will hopefully enjoy enough popularity to become part of Budapest’s tradition. The purpose of the festival is to promote the kürtőskalács as a Hungarian pastry; but also to present its original, traditional way of preparation, preserving and promoting Hungarian traditions.
The festival will present various technique of preparing chimney cakes, prepared over charcoal or fried in oil, in many sizes, and different flavors. Another star of the festival will be the “Kürtőske”, a modern mini cake, with delicious creamy filling, “Kürtős Loops”, “Kürtőskalács with Chocolate Drops”, or the “Kürtős Bearing”. Visitors with special dietary needs can try chimney cakes made using whole wheat flour or gluten- and lactose-free ingredients.
The highlight of the festival is the great chimney cake bake-off, where participants from the public will learn how to bake these amazing delicacies at home.
The programme of the festival is complete with live concerts by Indygo, contests, and events for kids. The festival takes place in Városháza Park, Budapest.
In the first years working out of a commercial kitchen, she sold chimney cakes for private orders, tried the wholesale route and even shipped the pastries in the continental USA (at the request of mostly people of European descents). Eventually, she joined local farmers markets, which are very popular in the area as they provide local small businesses & farmers to showcase their products to local residents. Her chimney cakes have become so popular she would sell out at most local markets.
