Pálinka will celebrate its 700th birthday next year, and pálinka making is currently in its heyday. The Szent Istán University’s Faculty of Food Sciences was the first university in Hungary to launch the pálinkamester specialist engineering and consultant academic program. This unique academic program is the balance of theory and practice when it comes to pálinka making.
According to Infostart, in the pálinkamester postgraduate course, students can master the science of pálinka making in just four semesters, but in addition to technological knowledge, they can also expand their marketing and commercial knowledge. This will help them establish their future business, Szilárd Kun, PhD, associate professor at the Faculty of Food Sciences at Szent István University, emphasised.
“Having the opportunity to make pálinka at home gets people closer to it, dealing with food becomes more personal, and the appreciation for pálinka, so to speak, increases.
Many students in the program already make pálinka at home, but they consider the information they learned by themselves not quite enough.”
If you would like to know more about one of the most famous Hungarikums of all time, you do not need to join the academic program, we have the right article for you HERE.
Szilárd Kun, PhD, wishes that private, commission, and commercial pálinka making would be better separated. What is clear, however, is that the unique regulation has opened new perspectives.
“There are always people who say that keeping to Hungarian traditions, they want to make apricot, plum, or pear pálinka, but there are always those who are looking for something new. Of course, this is what shapes the market; I should mention hawthorn, cornel (Cornelian cherry), or distillates made from rosehip. There are some special fruit pálinkas that are quite divisive.”
According to the associate professor of Szent István University, the prices of such special pálinkas can really differ in the market, but this is often influenced by the properties of the raw materials, their scarcity, or the yield of that particular fruit.
“Wild fruits have a higher dry matter content and so they are more difficult to make pálinka from. One unit of wild fruit will make much less pálinka than the same amount of apricot, plum, or gypsy sour cherry. This is one factor that can raise prices, but it is also affected by how much of that fruit is available or how easily it can be obtained. No one wants to collect rosehips anymore.”
Szilárd Kun, PhD, mentioned that regarding quality, private pálinka making has had some negative effects on overall quality, but if someone puts their heart and soul into it, they will care about quality.
However, private makers of pálinka might try fruits that a commercial distillery cannot afford for economic reasons, further widening the flavour palette of pálinka.
A new study by Club Med has revealed the top-selling souvenirs from around the world on an illustrated map to help people relive their favourite holiday memories, and it found that Pálinka is Hungary’s most popular souvenir!
Although it’s currently difficult to travel between countries, we can explore far off lands from home and discover the kinds of souvenirs we way bring home once we can travel freely again. From hammocks to chocolate, rum to tea, find out exactly which souvenirs you’re most likely to come home with.
The top souvenir travellers leave Hungary with is Pálinka, the traditional fruit spirit we all know and love.
Regarding other Europen countries, with its famously unpredictable weather, it’s no surprise that the UK’s most popular souvenir is an umbrella! Belgium, France and Ireland all have chocolate as the top takeaway souvenir, whilst Latvia, Lithuania and Poland all prefer something sparkling other something sweet, with the top souvenir being amber jewellery.
Photo: Club MED
Germany’s most popular souvenir is beer, with Cyprus also having a tipple as the top souvenir – Cypriot wine.
North America has a lot of different cultures, but the two largest countries on the map have souvenirs that tantalise the tastebuds.
People who visit the U.S are most likely to come away with American sweets as their gift of choice, taking the unique flavours back to their family and friends. Whereas Canada’s souvenir is emblazoned on their flag, maple syrup.
Photo: Club MED
Central America and along the equator has the perfect weather and heat to make one of the world’s most loved souvenirs, coffee. Jamaica in particular grow the famous Blue Mountain variety, often regarded as some of the best in the world.
Souvenirs from Asian countries are great reflections of each country’s unique culture.
Origami paper is the top souvenir in Japan, a nod to the traditional origami cranes. Calligraphy sets are the top souvenir from China and Korean tea is the most popular keepsake from South Korea. Carved masks are highly sought after in Sri Lanka and Bhutan, whilst a belted DAGGER is the top souvenir in Yemen. Try getting that home in your carry on!
Discover the full list of top souvenirs from around the world HERE!
Unfortunately, as Gábor Pávkovics, the mayor of Mohács has announced, the Busojárás in 2021 will be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The mayor acknowledged the current situation and agreed with busó groups’ leaders that it would be irresponsible to organise the event as it can attract up to 10,000 people and would pose a great health risk due to the high potential of transmitting virus infections. He also added that no event of any kind will be held in Mohács and asks tourists not to plan any trips to Mohács during the period.
This is unfortunate news as one of Hungary’s largest traditional festivals had to be cancelled, and for many people in Mohács, the festival and the tourism connected to the Busójárás was a major source of income. It is even more depressing as, last year, the renewing of Mohács has just finished, which would have raised the festival’s standard and would have provided a much better experience for visitors. Since you cannot see this beautiful Hungarian folk tradition, in this article, you can at least read about the background of the Busójárás and the festivities surrounding it.
The Busójárás at Mohács has been a part of UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2009 and has been a Hungarikum since 2012. It’s a six-day carnival marking and celebrating the end of winter, which attracts great crowds to Mohács and the surrounding area.
Although this year’s festival got cancelled, you can check out our article about last year’s Busójárás with lots of pictures, so you can see why it is such a beloved event to witness. Before reading the article, you can also test how much you already know about this Hungarian tradition with this quiz.
The Busó mask Photo: Alpár Kató – Daily News Hungary
According to Origo, the Busójárás is a farewell to winter, a spring greeting and a fertility holiday found in many folk traditions. It is just as close to the carnival of Rio and Venice as it is to the African peoples’ customs. The busós dress up in sheepskin, wear scary masks carved from willow painted vivid colours and wear leather boots and try to scare away winter by making noise with different improvised instruments.
According to one of the legends surrounding the origin of the Busójárás, people scared away the superstitious Turkish soldiers by wearing masks, sheepskin and horns to look like devils.
Between the 16th and 17th centuries, Hungary was under Turkish occupation, however, the island of Mohács, which was surrounded by a swampy area, remained in Hungarian hands. When the Turks attacked, locals retreated there on secret roads known only to them. However, the Turks found out and wanted to occupy the island. The leader of the people of Mohács had an idea. They had no weapons, so the locals dressed up in sheepskin, carved scary masks, attached horns on their heads and made as much noise as possible. In the end, the Turkish soldiers ran away, fearing that devils came for their lives.
The masques or masquerades also referred to as “szép busó” meaning pretty busó, since many of them were girls Photo: Alpár Kató – Daily News Hungary
Another hypothesis seems to be more in line with the truth, however. The Šokci people, who originally came somewhere from the Balkans (there is an ongoing debate from where exactly) might have brought their own customs with themselves from their former homeland. These traditions might have practically merged with and then formed together with Hungarian traditions. In the end, this might have produced the Busójárás, the first written evidence of which comes from the 18th century.
The conventional Busójárás consists of three groups:
The first group are the busós. They are the typical mascots of the Busójárás; they are the ones wearing the mask and sheepskin. They also wear straw-filled trousers, boots and they attach a cowbell to their belts. They usually have a ratchet in one hand and a wooden mace in the other. Their mask was carved from willow and was traditionally painted with animal blood. They also carry the only horn (traditionally made from animal horn) of the procession which can be 2-4 metres in length.
The second group, called masques or masquerades are women with veils over their faces, men dressed in nuptial attire and figures in carnival costumes.
The third group are the jankelék (jankeles), whose faces have been smeared with ash. They carry bags full of ash, and their role is to keep people, especially children, away from the procession. They scare the children away with ash as it is believed that children can prevent the enchantments of the busós that scare away the winter and stimulate fertility and good luck from taking effect.
The bonfire at dusk Photo: Alpár Kató – Daily News Hungary
At dusk, they returned to the main square and danced around a huge bonfire, having fun with together with people. According to tradition, this is how Carnival Sunday ended. But the people in Mohács also celebrated on Tuesday. They set up another bonfire and put a coffin over it, before lighting the whole thing on fire. This symbolised the death of winter, and they welcomed spring with their dancing.
Budapest’s skyline is full of buildings topped with colorful tile. It graces the roofs of iconic structures like Great Market Hall and Matthias Church, which required five railway wagons full of roof tiles delivered to the construction site. These tiles were all manufactured right in Hungary at the Zsolnay Porcelain Factory.
The company, founded in 1853, started making the roof tile beloved by architects in the 1860s. István Komor, operating director of the Zsolnay Cultural Quarter, takes Great Big Story on a tour of the factory, which produces the famous tile to this day.
Typical colours include different shades of green, red, blue, and purple. Pyrogranite, which refers to a type of ornamental ceramics that were developed by Zsolnay and placed in production by 1886, is also of note.
Fired at high temperatures, this durable material remains acid and frost-resistant making it suitable for use as roof tiles, indoor and outdoor decorative ceramics, as well as fireplaces.
Architects such as Miklós Ybl, Ödön Lechner, Béla Lajta, Samu Pecz, and Imre Steindl utilized these kinds of materials in their architectural works.
This style is what pervades the surfaces of buildings in Budapest such as the Matthias church, the Hungarian Parliament, the Museum of Applied Arts, the Geological Institute, the Kőbánya church, as well as the Gellért baths. Zsolnay architecture can also be found in the southern cities of Kecskemét and Pécs, respectively.
When it comes to Hungarian remedies, many people would immediately think of Pálinka. In truth, many people would offer you a sip of Pálinka of their own creation or some of their acquaintance’s miracle elixir as soon as they heard you have a cold, or basically any other ailment, be it physical or emotional. And yes, those people are right, a Hungarian folk-rock band even wrote a song about the superpowers of this Hungarian Aqua vitae, but in this article, you can read about something else.
Before going further, we immediately need to mention the holder of the second place regarding all Hungarian remedies, which is a good, warm plate of traditional Hungarian húsleves a.k.a. chicken soup. These two are the staple when it comes to offering at-home cures for simple ailments, but sometimes, these are not enough. If that happens, older generations of Hungarians or people living in more rural areas have a plethora of traditional folk remedies that they can turn to. Some of them are not exactly proven to be helpful by modern medicine, but some people swear by them. Let us see some of the recipes and ingredients that could help you overcome your next stubborn cold.
Garlic
Garlic is heavily featured in Hungarian gastronomy, and most Hungarians do love it. You can find it in basically any traditional goulash and most stews, and we put it on lángos as well. But according to folklore, it also helps to cure a lot of illnesses and other health-related problems. It is said that it can help with stomach aches or other gastrointestinal problems, it can clear out your airways, it helps to lower cholesterol levels, and it is both antibacterial and antiviral.
If you had hordeolum, people would cut a clove of garlic and smear some of the garlic juices on it. If someone had an earache, they might put half a clove into their ear, and if people had a sore throat, they basically made tea out of it. The most common way people still use garlic is either to mix it with honey and put it on toast or to make tea out of it.
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According to Hellovidék, there is a Transylvanian recipe which calls for 1 whole garlic, the juice of 1 lemon, and about 4 dl of cold water. What you need to do is mix everything together and drink about 0.5 dl every morning on an empty stomach. It is believed that the antiviral and antibacterial effect of the garlic will cure any cold or small ailments but should not be used for over 10 days.
If you literally cannot stomach the previous recipe, you can cheat a bit and put it into some meat. You would need 500 g of pork tenderloin, 3 large cloves of garlic, 300 g of bacon, 0.5 teaspoonful of ground rosemary, the same amount of salt, and some pepper to taste. You basically cut the cloves into large pieces and hide it inside the tenderloin and wrap it into the bacon. Sear the bacon in a pan, then cook the whole thing in the oven at 160°C. Let it cool and make thin slices for sandwiches. If you want to superpower the airway cleaning effect of the garlic, you can have some freshly grated horseradish. Your nose will be so clean you could smell a rose from miles away.
Thyme
Thyme is actually a group of plants that has been used as a herb since the antiquities, and it is also an important part of Mediterranean and French cuisine as well as some Hungarian recipes. According to Egészségkalauz, it is one of the strongest anti-pathogenic herbs you could easily grow in your garden. Some say it is nearly as potent as garlic in many ways. The aromatic oils and other chemical compounds in the thyme can combat many bacteria and fungi. Traditionally, thyme was also used to help conserve food as it kills bacteria that can cause diarrhoea, for example.
Thyme
Source: Pixabay / photosforyou
Thyme was often used to help mitigate the infections and inflammations of the upper respiratory tract. It helps to get over sore throats and can relieve coughs. It also helps to dissolve the mucus accumulated in the airways and ensures that you can take a deep, clean breath. Thanks to the antibacterial, antiseptic, and antiviral effects of thyme, it is generally a good way to strengthen your immune system. And, last but not least, thanks to its diuretic effect, thyme can help normalise blood pressure and can help to protect your blood vessels against vasoconstriction. You can easily make a thyme tea and drink it two or three times a day, or you can create a thyme bath and also relax while the oils and other compounds do their job.
Chamomile
This might not be a surprise as the health benefits of chamomile are scientifically proven, and it is grown in many places for its uses. In Hungary, it grows in saline areas of the Great Plain and has become a Hungarikum as well, but it is part of the medicine box (usually a cookie tin) of almost all Hungarian households. Chamomile is best known for its anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antifungal, and antibacterial effects. It has a wide variety of applications both externally and through consumption.
Chamomile
Source: Pixabay / zerin117
The first use is to either make a chamomile tea (do not forget the Hungarian cure-all, the acacia honey) or to make a larger batch of solution, heat it until steaming hot, lean over it, and inhale the chamomile steam. According to Házipatika, these methods help clean your airways and mitigate any symptoms of a cold or sore throat and can even reduce inflammation in the upper respiratory tracts. If consumed, it also has health benefits for your gastrointestinal system: it helps with problems such as gastric ulcers and bloating. Due to its antibacterial and antifungal effect, its solution can also be used to heal wounds faster, cure eczema, or simply help disinfect your skin.
Black radish
From the outside, black radish might look intimidating, or even sinister, like something a witch might put into their cauldron. Despite its rather unusual and evil look, this vegetable is actually very good for your health. It contains vitamins A, B, C, and E, as well as calcium, magnesium, and iron, among many other things. This radish, which is harvested around October, is a great way to replace essential nutrients during the winter, says Házipatika.
Black radish
Source: Wikimedia Commons / Zyance
In folk medicine, it has been well-known for centuries for its beneficial effects on the digestive system. It can enhance digestion, inhibit the forming of gallstones, and it also has bile diuretic effects. Black radish also strengthens your liver and helps the organ to regenerate faster. You might need to give it a shot the next time you have a hangover. You can look up recipes, but for the strongest effect, it is best to grate it and squeeze its juices well. Eat a tablespoon of the juice after one of the main courses every day. Some herb stores may even offer black radish drops.
Hemp
It is just now coming back in Hungary for medicinal uses, but believe it or not, hemp was widely used even a few decades back. It was useful as a weaving material but also as a herb. Ökonatura says that people made cigarettes and tea out of it to cure asthma and allergies, but it was also used to make ointments for wounds. Traditionally, people also used hemp to treat impotency and to help soothe the stomach and intestines. It helped people with no appetite and, combined with an infusion of birch or willow bark, it was used to cure fever.
Hemp and its products
Source: Pixabay / CBD-Infos-com
Some other interesting things
Folk medicine called for milk freshly curdled with vinegar for an inflamed eye.
Dill seed fomentation was also used against inflamed eyes.
People treated cataract with walnut leaf fomentation, and in some cases, they thought that powdered glass would scrape away the cataract.
They told cross-eyed people to often lace a string into sewing needles, which slightly improved their vision.
Incantation or charms were also a common way to try and cure illnesses, as it was ancient Hungarian belief that every spoken word held power. This might have had a placebo effect.
There are notes on treating illnesses with sounds and singing, and there are records of early masseurs and bonesetters (chiropractor) as well.
Just to make sure, please have a chat with your general practitioner before using any of the tips and tricks in this article, and only do them at your own risk. Although some are well-recorded and without almost any side effects, it is not worth risking your health, so please be safe.
We love to share the experiences of expats living in Hungary since it might help those of our readers who are planning to visit or live in Hungary. An American expat collected some aspects that you will love about living in Hungary as well as the virtues of Hungarian people.
Lifey has shared several videos containing interesting facts about Hungarian culture, people, food, language and lifestyle.
Among others, the gentleman mentions Hungarian Easter traditions (painting eggs, sparkling the girls, Easter poems), the Hungarian language (e.g. accidentally saying palacsinta=pancake instead of pillanat=moment), whip tricks and shows, thermal baths and layered potatoes.
He considers Hungarians helpful and suggests asking them in case you cannot find a given place. Be friendly, but don’t be surprised if all of them don’t stop to help and have “resting upset faces”.
“They are just really fun, happy, beuatiful people…It’s always going to be a fun time when you go there”
Expats living in Hungary collected the 16 craziest things you only experience here. Hungarian culture shocks, funny stories, fascinating traditions and others in Lifey’s video!
Feel free to blow your nose in public
Hungarians don’t put ice in their water
They don’t sit down on benches when it is cold outside
The Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) recognises 353 dog breeds, only nine of which are Hungarian in origin, but there is one more peculiar dog breed that is, unfortunately, not recognised by the FCI but is from Hungary. This unique breed is quite rare, but if you see one, you will certainly notice it.
This special dog breed is called Májzli [mɑːjzli], and it might be the only Hungarian “bald” dog breed. When people see a Májzli, they often think they saw a Puli or Mudi that has seen better days or that has some sort of skin problem. Funnily enough, however, even though most specimens’ fur looks like the work of a drunken amateur dog groomer’s first try at the job, they are supposed to look like that.
Unofficial Hungarian dog breeds
Although the nine Hungarian dog breeds recognised by the FCI are well-known, there are many more that have not been recognised yet by this worldwide organisation; one such example is the topic of this article, the Májzli. According to Azénkutyám, the Májzli is a working-type dog in essence, and during the 2011 professional conference of Kisállattenyésztési és Takarmányozási Kutatóintézet (~Animal Breeding and Feeding Research Institute), aka KÁTKI, unofficial Hungarian breeds were spoken of optimistically:
The májzli Hungarian dog breed (Hacsek)
Source: koborka.hu/hacsek/
The májzli Hungarian dog breed (Hacsek)
Source: koborka.hu/hacsek/
The májzli Hungarian dog breed (Hacsek)
Source: koborka.hu/hacsek/
The májzli Hungarian dog breed (Hacsek)
Source: koborka.hu/hacsek/
The májzli Hungarian dog breed (Hacsek)
Source: koborka.hu/hacsek/
The májzli Hungarian dog breed (Hacsek)
Source: koborka.hu/hacsek/
“There are valuable Hungarian dog breeds that still do not have an FCI classification but will soon be classified as a (Hungarian) National Treasure; the protection of these breeds must be a priority. […] It is justified to […] protect it ex situ in gene banks and in situ […].” Other such breeds include the Kárpáti Kalibakutya (Carpathian shack dog), Kárpáti Baromfiőr Eb (Carpathian poultry guard dog), Kárpáti Komondor (Carpathian Komondor), Sinka Kutya (Sinka dog), Magyar Hajcsárkutya (Hungarian driver dog), Anwart Vizsla, Ősi Magyaragár ‐ Rabsicagár (Hungarian (poacher) sighthound).
Unfortunately, this idea has not come through since then, and according to a summary, less than a hundred individuals of the Májzli breed are in Hungary. According to other opinions, this number is even lower, with only 15-30 animals living in the country. It is hard to state the exact number of this unusual breed, as herding dogs living on homesteads are not easy to account for. Hungarian breeds are in a difficult situation in general, but the Májzli is especially close to being extinct.
The májzli Hungarian dog breed (Patsy)
Source: Állatbarát Alapítvány, Nyíregyháza
Its other names
They are most often found in villages of Germans resettled in Hungary, which is why they are also called Sváb Puli (Swabian puli). Its other name is the Magyar Kopasz Kutya (Hungarian bald dog). According to some sources, Mudi is referred to as the German Puli, and some people theorise that the Májzli is a genetically defective version of the Mudi, and this defect is what causes the baldness. This might be an explanation for the similar nicknames, but it is not certain, just a theory.
In the video below you can see a Swabian Puli, aka the Májzli:
Why is there so few?
Unfortunately, the heyday of shepherd dogs has been in decline as they are not needed as much due to the modernisation of livestock farming. And while some breeds with attractive traits, cute appearances, and friendly nature have perfectly fit into the everyday life of families, let us be honest, sadly, the Májzli would not win a beauty contest. Unfortunately, in our modern world, looks are usually the most important, and the fact that the FCI does not officially recognise the breed does not help either. Due to these reasons, selective breeding of this unusual dog has not become popular.
Its strange outside hides a loyal companion
It is just as excellent for a working dog as any Mudi or Puli. In Hungary, most of the Májzli are kept by shepherds who think it is the best herding dog and consider it their most precious treasure. Sadly, sometimes, you can find one or two in the shelters. In essence, it is an energetic, skilful, intelligent, and kind breed, just like the other Hungarian shepherd dogs, making it an ideal family member as well.
The appearance of the Májzli may deter some people from the breed, but its nature is sure to compensate for it. To be honest, the Chinese Crested dog is not the most beautiful breed either, yet it is very popular, why not save this Hungarian breed? This precious and talented herding dog should not be allowed to disappear forever.
As we approach the middle of the carnival season, it is time to make the must-have carnival doughnut and refuel from it before the upcoming Lent. Here is a traditional recipe for the most popular dish of the carnival season that is soft on the inside and crispy on the outside.
The carnival season from Twelfth Night to Ash Wednesday (January 6 to February 17 this year) was once also called the Feast of the Devil, as everyone could party until dawn at carnivals and costume parties before the restrained forty days that followed until Easter. The indispensable and most popular dish of the carnival season is, without doubt, the carnival doughnut, about which there are three legends, writes funzine.hu.
According to one source, Beatrix brought the recipe from her home, Italy, to the court of King Matthias, and the dish was consumed in the royal court as part of the carnivals organised at the time. Another story is about Queen Marie Antoinette, who loved to walk the streets in disguise and became acquainted with doughnuts on one of these outings. After the first taste, she liked it so much that she immediately ordered the pastry chef to the palace, where she shared the recipe with the Queen’s chef, who then added the treat to his repertoire.
The third story is connected to Vienna: after the death of Krapfen, a baker famous for his bread, his widow took over the bakery, where one day, the bread was not made in time, and the baker got so mad at the unsatisfied customers that she threw the bread dough in her hand at the raging customers. She missed the target, and the dough flew into the sizzling oil, but the accidentally made doughnut was a unanimous success among everyone.
According to tradition, consuming carnival doughnuts, like the New Year’s lentils, brings good luck, a bountiful harvest, and a generous amount of money to the house, but it can also help boost your love life: girls could signal their intention to get acquainted with someone with the help of doughnuts, while the ribbon running around the edge of the doughnut symbolised the wedding ring for couples.
Everyone can decide for themselves which one is the most convincing argument in favour of eating a doughnut, but one thing is for sure: consuming carnival doughnuts is a must during this period. Next, we will show you the perfect recipe.
Ingredients for 35-40 doughnuts
500 grams of fine flour
160 grams of strudel flour
4 grams of salt
35 grams of yeast
35 grams of powdered sugar
2 packets of vanilla sugar
70 grams of butter
4 egg yolks
360 ml of milk
20 ml of rum (optional but ensures that the doughnuts do not absorb as much oil)
Preparation
First, take the yeast. Crumble the room-temperature yeast and a teaspoon of granulated sugar into 150 ml of lukewarm milk, mix it, cover it with a lid, and let it activate for about ten minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the two types of flour (after sifting), the salt, the powdered sugar, and the vanilla sugar, then add the remaining milk, the egg yolks, then the yeast, and start kneading. The easiest and fastest way to do this is with a machine (it takes about 7-8 minutes to knead), but you can also do it by hand (it takes 10-15 minutes). While kneading, slowly add the melted, lukewarm butter.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it, and leaven for one hour. Tip: you can also put it in a lukewarm oven, so it leavens faster and nicer.
When an hour has passed, cover the pastry board with flour and stretch the dough with your hands until it is about as thick as one and a half fingers. If necessary, use a rolling pin. Important: handle the dough carefully to keep it as airy as possible.
The next step is making the pieces. Use a 6-centimetre cookie cutter. Be careful but firm to get the perfect shape.
Cover the doughnuts and let them rise for another 25-30 minutes. Form a small crater in the doughnuts with your finger, but do not pierce them completely.
Preheat the oil (should be approximately three fingers high in your pan). Use a deeper frying pan or a thicker, wider, and flatter pot over low heat, avoiding the doughnuts burning on the outside but remaining raw on the inside.
Place the doughnuts in the oil, the side with the small crater on it facing down. Fry maximum 5-6 pieces at the same time, otherwise the oil temperature will change and you will not get the desired results.
First, fry them for a minute with a lid covering your pot, then turn them over and fry without the lid for another 1-1.5 minutes. The goal is to get golden brown doughnuts.
Place the doughnuts on a paper towel and cool them a bit, then serve with vanilla powdered sugar and homemade apricot jam.
On the 22nd of January in 1823 Ferenc Kölcsey – one of the most important literary characters in Hungarian history – completed his manuscript of the Hungarian National Anthem which is now considered his work of art. It was first mentioned as the national anthem in 1989 and since then the day when the poem was finished is called the Day of Hungarian Culture.
Kölcsey’s Hymnus is an ode, more specifically a hymn, which is one of the most ancient lyric genres. It is essentially a desperate nation’s prayer to God, a nation that lived through much suffering for centuries.
Although it was 145-years-old at the time and was regarded as such for almost as long, Kölcsey and Erkel’s collaboration was mentioned in the Hungarian constitution as the national anthem for the first time in 1989, after the proclamation of the Hungarian Republic.
Hungarian parents wanted to register an extraordinary number of new first names last year, almost twice as many applications were received at the Institute of Linguistics in 2020 as in the previous years.
24.hu asked Dr. Judit Raátz, who said that this may have been due to the fact that parents had more time to think of names during the epidemic.
The institute received 609 applications in 2020, out of which only 46 female and 21 male names were approved.
“The majority of applicants want to register a name used abroad. These are typical names that can already be registered, but only in accordance with Hungarian spelling. However, parents want to use foreign spelling instead”
Examples of female names adopted in 2020 are Greek Altea, Elefteria, Arabic Nabila, German Lizel, Valburga, French Solina, Spanish Asella, English Heli. Male names also include Arabic (Osama, Latif, Faris, Fadi), German (Randolf), English (Lex, Szkott), Old Norse (Ejnár) and Hebrew (Raziel, Zetár) origins.
Interestingly, there was one couple who was inspired by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Fortunately we only had one such name request. A parent wanted to register the name Pandemic for their little girl. Of course, the name was not approved for registration.”
Finally, it seems like the trend which started a 10-15 years ago continues: everyone wants to give their child a special, unique name.
In a recent interview, beloved Hungarian supermodel Barbara Palvin talked about life in quarantine and how her American boyfriend loves Hungarian dishes and had great fun at a traditional Hungarian pig slaughter.
Nemzeti Sport conducted an interview with the gorgeous model. Among others, she mentions how she took her boyfriend to a traditional Hungarian pig slaughter, and how much Dylan Sprouse enjoys her cooking of Hungarian dishes.
It turns out that her boyfriend Dylan loves Hungarian cuisine. Barbara often cooks Hungarian dishes for him in the U.S., and he eats just about anything, including the traditional chicken paprikash or a good grease spread on bread. Barbara mentioned that just recently she took Dylan to his first traditional pig slaughter, and he had a wonderful time. Who would have thought?
If you would give Hungarian cuisine a try, give these popular recipes a try:
The model also said that what she misses the most from Hungary are her friends and family. She maintains close contact with them and tries to talk to them every day. Even though the couple intends to live in the U.S. for the foreseeable future, Barbi visits Hungary at every chance she gets.
She has always found it important that people know where she comes from, and those familiar with her work know about her Hungarian roots.
Hosting the MTV European Music Awards ceremony in Budapest was a challenge for her, as she has never done a project like it before. She was honoured and had a great time doing it. However, she will not switch modelling to television anytime soon. She plans to continue working as a model for the upcoming years and travel a lot more.
She did her best to adjust to the global epidemic. She spent months isolated from her parents and friends. She spent most of the quarantine with Dylan in New York; then they flew to Los Angeles. They only left home to run necessary errands. Work stopped entirely, which was weird. She could not travel, but she needed to be ready to go at any time in case they needed her.
She hopes 2021 will be a much easier year for everyone. Nowadays, she just tries to focus on the present and spend as much time with her loved ones as she can.
In 1718, Károly Hosszmann received permission to be the first to operate a confectionery in Buda. The name confectioner was not widely known until 1830 when it first appeared in the work of Count István Széchenyi. By 1841, there were already 13 confectioners working in Pest and 17 in Buda. Let’s uncover the history of the most famous Hungarian desserts that simply sweeten your days 😉
From the end of the 19th century, going to a café or confectionery was part of the civic way of life. In addition to the rich selection of cakes, confectioneries tried to entice their guests with different snacks. Ladies in particular were the target audience, who could spend their free time and gossip in the elegant confectioneries while sipping coffee with whipped cream. According to Femina, going to a confectionery was a social, aesthetic, and culinary pleasure at the same time.
Dobos Cake, Rigó Jancsi, and others
One of the most famous Hungarian cakes, Dobos Cake, is named after its creator, József C. Dobos. Dobos came from a real cooking dynasty; he studied the profession from the Andrássy family. In 1878, he opened his shop in Kecskeméti Street, and in 1884, he created the now world-famous cake named after him. The developed Dobos cream, made with egg whites whipped with sugar while warm, cocoa powder, melted cocoa butter and tea butter, has become a real speciality.
The Esterházy cake was named after Foreign Minister Pál Antal Esterházy, who later became the Ambassador to Moscow of Austrian Emperor and King of Hungary Franz Joseph. An unknown confectioner created this cake to express his respect for him. What made it special was that its dough was baked from egg whites, sugar, and finely chopped almonds.
The chocolate cake called Rigó Jancsi was created at the beginning of the 20th century. It was named after János Rigó, the world-famous leader of a gypsy band. The cake was baked by an unknown confectioner and named after the scandalous musician.
The confectioners of the time preferred to use the names of the celebrities of the age, including, in addition to Jancsi Rigó, Lujza Blaha. The cake, named after the actress, is made of brown shortcake dough with raspberry jam filling and pink sugar coating.
Interestingly, the Rákóczi cottage cheese cake did not get its name from the famous monarch. Instead, the Rákóczi cake was created by János Rákóczi, another famous chef of the 20th century. The light icing made from egg whites and sugar, moulded from piping bags onto the cottage cheese filling of the cake, has turned out to be a real innovation in confectionery.
Epiphany or as we call it in Hungary, vízkereszt is the 6th day of the new year and the second oldest Christian holy day after Christmas.
Epiphany comes from the Greek “epiphaneia” which means “appearance” or “to appear”. The word itself appears several times in both the Old and the New Testament whenever God makes an appearance or there is any kind of manifestation connected to him. In the liturgy, the Greek expression Epiphania Domini is used, which literally means the appearance of God or the appearance of our God.
The three wise men of the East
The holiday itself connects the three moments of the appearance of Jesus Christ: the arrival of the wise men of the East, the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan and his first miracle of turning water into wine at the Wedding at Cana.
The Hungarian word of vízkereszt, however, comes from the ritual of consecrating water.
All these origins differentiated a bit based on the region you live in. In the East, the baptism of Jesus Christ became important, as the consecration of water also refers to it. In the West, however, the arrival of the three wise men of the East gained importance, so much that the Roman Catholic Church only celebrates this part of the holiday on the 6th of January, since the Second Vatican Council. All the other aspects of Epiphany were moved to different days to be celebrated.
Epiphany is also the last day of the Christmas holidays, the semi-official day to dismantle the Christmas tree in Hungary, being the only tradition nowadays related to the 6th of January, which is then followed by the Carnival season.
In Hungary, the gospel of the Hungarian vízkereszt tells the story of Jesus Christ turning 30 and going to the River Jordan to be baptised by John the Baptist. That was the point in his life when he started to teach others and spread the holy message. We commemorate his baptism, so on this day waters are consecrated, baptised, mostly the rivers Jordan and Nile – writes borsonline.hu.
Epiphany – the baptism of Jesus – painting of Piero Della Francesca
In Christian cultures, Epiphany is the day of holy baptisms, when the Catholic church consecrated incense and water. The latter was taken home from the church as they believed it had healing properties. Thus it was used for all kinds of diseases.
The act of consecrating water has much more importance in Hungary than the baptism of Jesus since the focus of it is the water itself that has a certain purifying power.
Not only to cure diseases but also to get rid of Satan and keep evil forces away. Holy water once was part of people’s whole life. They sprayed it on the cradle, on the bride and the coffin. They kept it in a jar or a big jug until next January and whatever was left was poured into the well to keep its water healthy.
Not only water was consecrated but almost everything with the holy water. Houses were splashed, animals were given this water to keep them healthy throughout the year. Every single member of the family had to take some sips from the big jar to avoid throat ache, and they plashed it on each other in order not to get sick or to prevent a spell that could be put on them on the course of the year. Epiphany also used to be the day to baptise adults, apart from the eve of Easter.
In Hungary, the farsang or carnival period lasts from the day of the Epiphany until Ash Wednesday, the first day of the Lent. However, in terms of most customs and beliefs, it is mostly Carnival Sunday, Carnival Monday and Shrove Tuesday, which is called the “farsang farka”, meaning the end or (literally) the tail of the Carnival is when most of the fun happens. The day after Ash Wednesday, fasting is suspended so that leftovers from the Carnival can be eaten. This day is called “torkos csütörtök” meaning Gluttonous Thursday.
According to Rockstar, the development of the Carnival season in Hungary can be traced back to the Middle Ages, mainly due to German influence. Its most characteristic event is the masked, costumed figuring that occurs in almost every carnival custom. One of the most well-known Hungarian customs around this time is the busújárás at Mohács. It was originally a procession of the South Slavs near Mohács, but it developed into a Hungarian tradition.
The Carnival period is characterised by dancing, merrymaking and revelling and selecting a partner. It used to be a marriage and bridal season, as it was forbidden to hold a wedding during the following Lent. In addition to choosing a mate, this is also the period of scaring away Winter and welcoming Spring. In Hungary, the ball season is also celebrated during the Carnival season.
Because Carnival is a pre-Lent period, characterised by the abandonment of meat and alcohol, merrymaking and revelling are accompanied by consuming fatty and spicy meat dishes made with alcohol. In this article, we collected the typical dishes you could make to celebrate farsang along with Hungarians. All the recipes in this article are from Anna Fischer at Bien.hu.
Gombás korhelyleves (Hungarian korhely soup with mushrooms) Photo: facebook.com/hangulatvendeglo/
The essence of the korhelyleves, of course, is to soothe a hangover after a revelling; reduce headaches, heartburn and other symptoms of having had too much fun the previous night, and also to replenish energy so you can rinse and repeat.
Ingredients:
25 dkg smoked meat
10 dkg smoked sausage
35-40 dkg sauerkraut
10-15 dkg mushroom
2 onions
a bundle of parsley
5 dkg flour
2 dl sour cream
2-3 teaspoons of olive oil
salt, pepper, paprika
Instructions:
Dice the onions and glaze them in a bit of oil, then put the diced meat into the pot. Sprinkle it with paprika, mix it and then add the sauerkraut. Add as much water so that it covers everything, then cover with a lid and cook over medium heat.
While the soup is on the heat, slice up the mushrooms and fry them with a little oil. Add it to the soup, season it and bring to a boil.
Make a light roux to thicken the soup. Slice the sausage and when the soup is almost ready, add in the slices of sausage. Season the soup with sour cream to your liking, or you can serve the sour cream on the side. You should be careful not to add too much salt as the smoked meat and sausage is already quite salty. Enjoy.
The sour fricassee soup is also ideal for alleviating hangover while recharging with a little energy. Like most Hungarian cures, it works for everything; you could heal a broken heart or help you with your cold. But seriously, nothing beats a hot and delicious soup in the gloomy winter months. Thanks to the ingredients and spices, it is a genuinely nutritious soup.
Ingredients:
40 dkg pork
20 dkg carrots and parsley roots mixed
10 dkg celeriac (celery root) and kohlrabi mixed
a bundle of parsley
2 dl sour cream
2 egg yolks
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp vinegar
salt and pepper
Instructions:
Cut the meat into small cubes and sear them in a little oil. Add salt and then add approximately 1 litre of water.
When the meat is cooked semi-soft, add the chopped carrots, parsley roots, celeriac, kohlrabi and the parsley into the pot and continue cooking.
When the meat is completely tender, remove the soup from the heat. Stir in the sour cream and vinegar mixed with the egg yolks. Serve with more sour cream.
If you like heavier, more spicy foods made with white wine, then this dish might be for you. This is a main staple dish during the Carnival season.
Ingredients:
1 medium-sized, whole chicken
10-15 dkg of smoked bacon
10 dkg butter
3-4 dl white wine
salt, pepper, marjoram
Instructions:
Wash the chicken and salt it heavily and thoroughly. You can put plenty of salt on both the inside and outside of the chicken, but also put pepper on the outside and marjoram on the inside.
Pour the melted butter all over the chicken and pour the white wine into the pan.
Cover the whole thing with foil and bake it in the oven on light heat, while continually checking to see if it needs more wine.
When the chicken’s meat is baked soft, take it out and cover the chicken with thin bacon slices. Put the whole thing back in the oven and bake it crispy brown.
If you want to make a really delicious main dish, try this recipe, but beware as this Carnival roast is not dietetic at all, as you could expect from a real Hungarian Carnival dish.
Ingredients:
50 dkg pork leg
2 buns or similar bread
10 dkg mushrooms
25 dkg carrot, parsley root, celeriac mixed
1 egg yolk
3 dl white wine
a carton of tomato juice
a bundle of parsley
1-2 tbsp olive oil
allspice, white pepper, salt
Instructions:
Cut the mushrooms into thin slices and fry them in a little oil. Chop and steam the vegetables. Mix the mushrooms and steamed vegetables and add the finely chopped parsley as well.
Soak the buns in white wine and squeeze them thoroughly. Ground the resulting mixture and then add the egg yolk and spices.
Cut the meat into 4-5 larger pieces and thoroughly tenderise them. Put the stuffing on the slices and roll them up. Fry the rolls in a little oil until the meat is red and then add some tomato juice and a little white wine.
The dish is ready when the meat is completely softened. Cut into slices and serve with any garnish you like.
This dish is ideal for those who love duck meat with bacon and liver. In addition to the spices, the flavours are brought out by the aromas of red wine and cognac.
Ingredients:
1 duck for roasting
10-15 dkg duck liver
10 dkg bacon
2 dl red wine
5 cl cognac
5 dkg flour
5 dkg butter
1dl olive oil
1 onion
a bundle of parsley
bay leaves, thyme, salt
Instructions:
Glaze the duck liver in a little oil and crush it when done. In a separate pan, mix the other duck trimmings, the coarsely chopped onion and the diced bacon and sear the whole mixture in a little oil.
When the meat is reddish or has a little sear, sprinkle the flour on it and add the red wine and cognac and a little water, so that is mixes easily. Add the spices and bring to a boil over medium heat.
When done, remove it from heat and strain through a small mesh filter. Add the crushed duck liver to the filtered sauce am mix it in well.
Bake the duck in an oven until it is crispy and when done, stir the fat from the pan of the duck into the sauce. Before serving, cut the duck into slices and serve with the sauce. You can eat it with any side dish.
2020 was definitely a year that people will remember for a long time, but not because it was so good. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has turned things upside down: no travels, no big parties, and possibly no fireworks in Hungary. In order for 2021 to be less bumpy than the old year, in this article, we have collected Hungarian superstitions for you to try out; maybe they will make the new year a bit better for you all.
A little explanation
Hungarians call New Year’s Eve Szilveszter. It was named after Pope St. Sylvester who died in Rome on the 31st of December. The date only became significant in 1691, however. For Hungarians before that, the beginning of the New Year was most probably around autumn or spring as the change of seasons also marked the end or beginning of agricultural activities. This might also be a reason why it is such a superstitious holiday.
What to eat?
As Hungarians love to eat, you might have guessed we have some superstitions concerning our food, and you were right. Hungarians like to eat lentil stew or soup this time of the year as it is believed to bring great fortune and luck in the new year. According to some superstitions, people cook one single almond into the stew or soup, and if the person who finds it is single, they will marry in the new year.
/nosalty.hu/
As with many Hungarian holidays, love prediction is also prevalent on New Year’s Eve. In some households, girls boil dumplings with little notes with names on them after midnight, and whichever comes up first will be their husband. Back in the old days, Hungarians poured lead as a form of predicting events of the new year. Whatever one would see in the strange shape as the lead cooled down after pouring would be their prediction. If it was a face-like shape with a huge nose, then their lovers would have a huge nose, and so on.
Hungarians also like to eat pork this time of year as it is believed that the pig dug up good luck; if you think about it, trained pigs can find truffles, so they can literally dig up a fortune for you. Because of this, pig slaughtering is common around this time of the year as a Hungarian tradition, but modern customs are a bit milder and nowadays, many Hungarianseat pork sausages of many different kinds.
There are a few exceptions of what not to eat on New Year’s Eve. Hungarians believed that eating chicken will mean that the animal scratches away people’s luck. Also, if you eat fish, it will slip out of your hands and swim away with your luck for the new year. Eating turkey is also bad as, according to the superstition, it will bring many quarrels and arguments in the new year as turkeys are hot-headed and bad-tempered.
People who are working in business should eat a lot of fruit on December 31 as it will make their business fruitful in the following year. Making strudels is also recommended as it is said that, just like the dough, your life will be stretched out so you will live longer. Cutting fresh bread is also a good omen as it means that you will be able to provide your everyday bread in the following year, but beware, if you eat everything on New Year’s Eve, it means that you will be lacking in the new year. Also literally, as the 1st of January is a national holiday, and everything is closed in Hungary.
What to do during the day?
There are a couple of things you can do, apart from eating, or rather should not do on New Year’s Eve that could bring about a better 2021. If you are the person that does not like to do household chores, then it is your lucky day, as Hungarian superstitions provide you with an excuse this day. You should not wash nor hang or dry your clothes as doing laundry is believed to wash away your luck. Taking out the trash on the first day of the New Year has a similar effect, so be sure not to throw your luck away.
You should not give or loan any money for anyone on this day, at least if you would like to get it back in the following year. Also, do not take anything out of your house or give anyone anything from your house as you can end up having huge expenses the following year. Bathing or showering with cold water on January 1 is recommended: belief holds that people who do that will be healthy all year. If you are a woman and want to marry the next year, it will happen if the first person to wish you good luck is a single man. If he is married, however, you might end up being his lover. There is one more belief about love. If couples smear some honey onto their lips before kissing at midnight, their love will be sweet and last long.
Fireworks in Hungary during the celebration of the 20th August Photo: facebook.com/pg/firework.augusztus.20/photos
Although fireworks might not be possible this Szilveszter, making noise is an important superstition. Before all the fancy pyrotechnics, people used all sorts of noise-making tools like clappers, kereplő, which is a ratchet-like loud “instrument”, or really anything that can make noise. This comes from old Hungarian beliefs, according to which loud noises scare away bad spirits – similar to the roots of costumes during Halloween –, so if you manage to make enough noise, bad spirits will flee, and you will get rid of bad health and bad luck. Partying is good (maybe not in 2020), but you need to have time for a good sleep as whatever you dream on New Year’s Eve will come true. If you partied too hard, these Hungarian cures will help your hangover.
Some shorties
Chimney Sweeper in 1977, Szekszárd, Hungary
Source: Wikimedia Commons / Fortepan, donator: BAKÓ JENŐ
Chimney sweepers are the protectors of fire and bring fortune; if you see one, immediately touch the button of your coat.
Horseshoes symbolise the crescent moon and bring fertility.
The four-leaved clover scares away witches and bad spirits.
You should not visit or call a doctor: it means you will be ill the next year.
Baking a small coin into a cake or bread brings luck to whoever finds it.
Opening every door in your house at midnight will cause the old year to leave and let the new year in.
The most important one
The most important thing is that you spend this day with your families. Unfortunately, due to the side effects of the pandemic, travel between countries is difficult and can even be dangerous. If you are healthy and able, maybe you can meet your loved ones, but if that is not possible, give them a phone call, or video call them. They will appreciate it, and it will certainly help them cope with the hardships of this current situation.
We, at Daily News Hungary, wish all of you a Happy New Year and the best of luck in 2021! ??
In this episode of A spoonful of Hungary, Tamás Dános guides you through the process of making lángos, an iceonic and all-time favourite Hungarian dish. The classic ‘lángos’ recipe evokes memories of summer days by the shores and beaches in Hungary, so the chef suggests an unusual topping idea to catch your attention.
Lángos is an integral part of Hungarian gastronomy, which could not exist without it. Some say that lángos became a part of Hungary during the Turkish regime which lasted for 150 years, but some mention ancient Roman roots to this meal.
Lángos can be prepared at home, but it is mostly sold on the streets and at Hungarian beaches and swimming pools, like Lakes Balaton and Velence, and even at our most famous baths, such as Széchenyi, Palatinus, Gellért, and many others all across the country.
Lángos is most frequently served with cheese, sour cream, onions, bacon, cottage cheese, but some even go as far as combining it with sweet flavours!
The following recipe showcases both some traditional and novel takes on the traditional lángos ?
Ingredients:
For the dough:
approx. 4 dl lukewarm water
2 pinches of salt
2 tbsp oil
60 dkg flour (BL80)
half a tbsp sugar
3 dkg yeast
Toppings:
Sheeps curd
Sour cream
Garlic with little oil
Dill
Apricot jam
Walnut
Cocoa, chocolate cream or hazelnut spread
Preparation of the dough:
Add half a tablespoon of sugar to 4dl of lukewarm water then add the yeast as well. Once the yeast has been activated, we can mix it with the flour, the oil, and the salt. Mix thoroughly and knead. When the dough is fairly smooth and slightly sticky, put it into a previously oiled bowl, let it rise until the dough doubles. When risen, divide it into eight equal parts, round dumplings out of them, and leave them to rest for another 10 minutes before preparing the flatbreads. Shape them, then deep fry them in hot oil.
The history of the iconic bejgli is not totally clear, different sources report different origins. It came to Europe in the 14th century, and the word bejgli has been used by Hungarians since the 19th century. According to folk tradition, there is no Christmas without bejgli, because it was believed that walnuts protect from spoilage and poppy seeds bring abundance.
The traditional baking process of bejgli requires a lot of time, often a whole day. Grinding the walnut and the poppy seeds, forming and stretching the pasta and baking it are complex tasks.
Photo: www.facebook.com/Cookta
According to Origo, our grandmothers ground the poppy seed and walnut themselves, and did the dough from scracth.
It was almost a family programme – especially if there were girls at the house who, over time, passed on the knowledge of traditional bejgli making.
Although bejgli is now made with a number of fashionable fillings, the real traditional remains of walnuts and poppy seeds. Even though nothing can top off our grandothers’ recipes, below we offer a collection of articles on the topic:
