Crowds will return to Madrid’s Las Ventas bullring for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic next month for a charity bullfight to raise money for matadors left jobless by COVID-19, officials said on Saturday.
Almost all of Spain’s bullrings, or plazas, have remained closed for the last year due to lockdown restrictions – plunging the controversial spectacle and its matadors into financial crisis.
A maximum of 6,000 people will be allowed in to watch the May 2 bullfight, Madrid’s regional government said. That is equivalent to 40% capacity as the arena, considered the world’s most important bullring by fans.
Face masks will be mandatory and strict social distancing measures will be in place at the event.
Major bullfighting festivals such as San Isidro, Sevilla’s April Fair, and Pamplona’s San Fermin in July were cancelled last year, with bulls being sent from ranches straight to the slaughterhouse.
But even before lockdown bans brought bullfighting to a virtual standstill, the traditional emblem of Spanish culture had been struggling for survival in recent years.
Attitudes towards bullfighting differ among Spaniards with some considering it an essential part of the culture while others say it is a cruel spectacle.
A 2019 poll for El Español, an online newspaper, found 56.4% of Spaniards opposed bullfighting, while 24.7% supported it and 18.9% were indifferent.
In recent years, local governments have cut funding for fiestas, left-wing politicians oppose it, and a highly vocal anti-bullfight movement has grabbed headlines.
All countries and people around the world have their own traditions and habits. Northern people’s habits are strange to people living South for example. That being said, Hungary is kind of unique and distinct in its customs and the habits of people living here. There are some things about Hungary the whole world finds strange or just simply disturbing. In this article, we aimed to collect some additional habits, customs and traditions that might be totally unusual to many people but Hungarians.
The “booger” issue
We have mentioned this in the previous instalment of strange Hungarian habits, but for many foreigners, this might be the most unusual or even straight-up grossest thing they will encounter in Hungary. As Lifey’s video points out, Hungarians do not really sniffle but rather we blow our noses in public. There is probably a reason that it wants to come out of there, you just should not try and hold it in. It is a usual sight in Hungary that someone blows their nose on the bus or on the streets or even during a meeting or at a restaurant. If you see a tourist family somewhere around the world where the mother is loaded with packets of tissue papers and would give them out to whatever family member needs it, there is a real good chance that they are Hungarians. Of course, the pandemic has changed a few things and you might not encounter this habit just that often.
“Fel fogsz fázni!”
If you ever try to sit down on anything cold in Hungary, you might hear this from your acquaintances or from really any random Hungarian, but mostly from old women and especially if you are a female yourself. This means that they care about you; it approximately translates to “you are going to get a cold (bottom)”. Hungarians are kind of cautious about sitting on cold surfaces because you might get a cold, or your urinary system might get upset, or in the case of young women and girls, it might be bad for their eggs. Mothers and grandmothers often tell young children this, especially their daughters and granddaughters, but they might tell any random person this from kindness. Be cautious about your health!
No one really smiles on the streets
Being a Hungarian myself, I have not really noticed this, but according to a blogger from Panama, Hungarians can look rather serious or maybe even sombre on the streets. Some people also say that Hungarians are rather stoic or negative, but I think it is not really true. Rather, we just do not smile for anyone. Hungarians are honest and we do not really like to veil our true feelings, but if you get emotionally closer to a Hungarian, they are certainly going to smile, we just do not really give away our smile to anyone.
Peculiarities when visiting a Hungarian in their home
The blogger from Panama also mentioned that it was strange for him that Hungarians take off their shoes in the anteroom or when entering someone’s house or apartment. We usually walk in our own houses in just socks. In my household, for example, you can even walk barefoot if that is more comfortable. Hungarians just do not like to bring the dirt and anything else that might be on the shoes into the entire house and in many places the host might offer you slippers to put on your feet. Also, when you visit a Hungarian in their homes, they will show you around the house or apartment, especially if they are proud of their home. You are not just going to get introduced to the people, but also to the home itself.
There are plenty of strange habits concerning food in Hungary and there are many weird dishes even. If you would like to know more about Hungary’s most unusual dishes, you can read these articles:
It depends on what you consider chivalric. Usually, when a Hungarian couple goes somewhere, the man should enter first, especially if it is a place they have never been to before. If they often visit a place, the man can open the door for the woman and let her in first, but usually, it should be the man that enters first, checking if it is safe while holding the door from the inside for the woman to come in. Also, when a couple walks, the woman is on the right side of the man. I have not known the origin of this myself, but it is a natural thing for me. Apparently, according to Renato Calcagno, the reason for this is that a sword’s holster is on the left, so the man can better defend his partner on the right side if needed. According to others, women in Hungary walk on the right side of their partner, because only courtesans walk on the left side of a man.
Forms of greeting
In Hungary, there are several ways your friends can greet you. Not necessarily, but usually, girls and women will hug you or if you are really close to someone they might give you a kiss on the cheeks (only the sides of faces touching). When meeting someone for the first time or meeting with other men, there is the handshake, but there are some things to keep in mind, or you might look rude. You need to touch hands bare-skinned. If you have anything on your hand that you can remove, remove it before you shake hands, otherwise it is considered rude. Also, you should not be sitting while shaking hands. You should at least lift your bottom off the chair when shaking hands and also, eye contact is important.
For some more interesting culture-shocks, you should watch this video:
Sopron might not be the most visited or the most well-known Hungarian city, but it has a long history intertwined with the Hungarian spirit and the sense of belonging. It is not a very large city, it is not full of malls and shopping centres, but it is rich in history. In fact, Sopron has the second-most monuments in Hungary.
Sopron and its surrounding areas have a very long history as they have been inhabited since prehistoric times, and in the Roman period, the city was called ‘Scarbantia’ which is a very important and determining factor in the city’s image. There are a lot of archaeological areas that you can check out in the city, as well as museums, and some ruins can also be observed in the open and are a great part of the city’s style and atmosphere. There is almost always some kind of archaeological dig before any construction work. Now, let us see how Sopron changed over a hundred years or so.
Tűztorony (Fire Tower)
Tűztorony from Fő tér (Main Square), 1930
Source: Fortepan / Gara Andor
Tűztorony from Várkerület, 1970
Source: Fortepan / Lechner Nonprofit Kft. Dokumentációs Központ
View from the Tűztorony to an archaeological dig, 1971
Source: Fortepan / Szalay Zoltán
Maybe the easiest way would be to start with the most iconic building of Sopron, the Tűztorony (Fire Tower). The foundation of today’s tower was built sometime between 1290 and 1340. The iconic upper part of the tower was added later, but it is not young at all, as it was first mentioned in written form in 1409. The tower was fully renovated in 2012 and the old, larger gates were restored. Hopefully, this iconic building will remain for at least another 600 or so years.
Source: Google Streetview
Source: Google Streetview
Károly-kilátó (Károly Lookout Tower)
The Károly Lookout Tower in 1934
Source: Fortepan / Schermann Ákos
The Károly Lookout Tower was built on the 398-metre-high Károly Hill, which are both named after Károly Romwalter, a printer from Sopron, because it was him and his son who hired a carpenter to build the first lookout tower there, the one in the first image. The stone tower was finished in 1936 and has been standing proud ever since. For a small fee, you can climb to the top of the 23-metre-high lookout tower, and in good weather, you could even see as far as Pozsony (Bratislava), not to mention the stunning view of the Sopron Mountains and Lake Fertő.
Károly Lookout Tower in 2017
Source: Google Streetview / Judit Türk
You can check out our other time travel articles here:
Széchenyi Square with the statue of Széchenyi, 1905
Source: Fortepan / Vargha Zsuzsa
This square lies in the city centre of Sopron and many important buildings surround it, such as the main post office, the Ferenc Liszt Conference and Cultural Centre, three high schools, one named after the famous Hungarian himself, and many monuments on the square itself. On the opposite side of the square is the Hűségzászló (Flag of Fidelissima) which commemorates the referendum when Sopron decided to belong to Hungary after the Treaty of Trianon, earning the city the name Civitas Fidelissima (the most loyal city).
Széchenyi Square in 2019
Source: Google Streetview
Várkerület (Castle District or maybe even Boulevard)
Várkerület and the Tűztorony (Fire Tower), 1962
Source: Fortepan / FŐFOTÓ
The market on Várkerület, 1915
Source: Fortepan / Vargha Zsuzsa
Várkerület with the Mária Statue, 1963
Source: Fortepan / Bauer Sándor
Várkerület is the central area of Sopron. You almost certainly will go through there at some point when you visit the city. Not only because many shops are there, but because it cuts through the city. Also, from a tourist point of view, almost all of the monuments can be visited from the street, such as the Tűztorony, or the castle walls from which the street got its name. Over the century, it had many different looks; believe it or not, there once were no roads, but dirt and horse carriages went up and down the street. There was also a time when a tram cut through the street and connected the railway station and what is now the Heineken beer factory where the famous Soproni beer has been made since 1895.
Source: Google Streetview
Here, you may get a better glimpse of how the city has changed in just over five decades.
Várkerület through the ages
Sources: Fortepan / Inkey Tibor (top), Google Streetview (mid, bottom)
Soviet monument in Várkerület, 1964
Source: Fortepan / Lechner Nonprofit Kft. Dokumentációs Központ
The Soviet monument was replaced by one that has three bronze statues depicting three important figures throughout the history of Sopron symbolising loyalty and the unyielding fighting spirit of Hungarians.
Hűségkút (Fidelissima Fountain), 2019
Source: Google Streetview
Large Rondella, 1955
Source: Fortepan / Nagy Gyula
Sopron is also dotted with ancient stone walls, roads, and ruins, half of which are from the Middle Ages and another half from Roman times. These wall sections are quite long, and you can easily spend an entire day just discovering where they lead. But be careful, you can easily end up on someone’s front porch from the inner city.
Large Rondella, 2019
Source: Google Streetview
Petőfi Színház (Petőfi Theatre)
Petőfi Színház (Theatre), 1957
Source: Fortepan / Márk Iván
Hungary’s first stone theatre opened in Sopron in 1769, not far from the current one, however, the Sopron Petőfi Theatre has looked like this since 1909. The square in front of it was reconstructed, and there is an underground garage beneath it. The newer instalment of the square has a lot of green in it, as well as a musical fountain that entertains both the eyes and the ears with a music-driven water show.
Source: Google Streetview
Deák Tér (Deák Square)
Monument to the Royal and Emperor’s Hussars, Deák Square, 1930
Source: Fortepan / Fortepan
The Deák Square is the second-largest square in Europe and is home to many, many monuments. The square also accommodates a number of things from playgrounds to fountains to bicycle roads on both sides, as well as cafés and restaurants, but also ruin pubs. Unfortunately, now you can no longer see the above monument as it has been removed and was replaced by another one which you can see below. The square is a really good place to just sit down and relax when the weather is right, but you could also walk your dog or play with your children on the playground.
Géza Gyóni Monument, 2021
Source: Google Streetview / Attila Berta
Csík Ferenc Uszoda (Csík Ferenc Swimming Pool)
Source: Fortepan / Inkey Tibor (top), Google Streetview (mid, bottom)
The Lővér Fürdő or Csík Ferenc Swimming pool was one of the best locations to go and visit within the city if you wanted to take on some water adventure. The swimming pool is currently undergoing a major reconstruction, so it is not fully open, and the outside pool has been covered and functions as an inside pool until the construction work is finished.
Also, there is something you might not have known about Sopron. Back in the day, Sopron had an airfield, and there were multiple photos where it was used for parades or for military training. The current location of the former airfield is either a road section leading to Austria or has been turned into agricultural land. In fact, most of the time it is quite the opposite. Many open fields and hills around the city have been turned into residential areas as, thanks to the closeness of the border, there is a huge inflow of Hungarians from all parts of the country to live in Sopron and work in Austria.
Airfield in Sopron in Bécsi street, 1937
Source: Fortepan / Magyar Műszaki és Közlekedési Múzeum / Archívum / Negatívtár / Szabados József gyűjteménye
I hope you enjoyed this little time travel tour in Sopron and hope you might come to visit once things can return to a somewhat normal state.
There are Hungarian dishes that are objectively very strange. From the Scottish haggis through Chinese thousand-year-old eggs to deep-fried spiders in Cambodia, a wide range of odd culinary delights are available around the world, and Hungary is no exception. Some of these dishes we might not be proud to call our own today, but they are a part of our history and should be celebrated, in a comical context at least.
Most of the specialities were invented out of the need to save food and utilise as many parts of the animal as possible, most of which now appear in households only during the holidays. The classic examples are aspic, bonemarrow on toast, or similar dishes that are very cost-effective and are now considered strange but creative ways of utilising an animal.
Liver dumplings
It is a dish that also appears in German or Czech cuisine. It is typically served in chicken soup. This dish is an odd, large, greyish-brown ball with a slightly bitter, meaty taste. Liver in itself became an unpopular ingredient in modern times but is widely used in Hungarian and other ethnic cooking.
source: pixabay
The market burger or rat burger
Its name comes from its primary location, the suburban street markets. Sweet pickled cabbage and frozen meat are the two outstanding ingredients. Without them, there is no rat burger.
Minced meat, i.e. Hungarian spam
The miracle locked in a can. Former soldiers know it as “lizard meat,” for an unknown reason. It is available in poultry and pork versions and is most often lined up on store shelves under the name “special mince”. But why is it special? There are plenty of unanswered questions.
The fried Bologne
Or anything deep-fried, basically. If we cannot figure out anything for Sunday lunch, we check the fridge, and whatever is in it, we cut it up, add flour, eggs, breadcrumbs, and then into hot oil it goes. It is that easy. The deep-fried Bologne stands out because the thick-sliced meat product curls discreetly at the edges in the hot oil ever so invitingly, creating the perfect crevice for condiments.
It is a typical example of pantry meals and a recurring dish in canteens. Potatoes cooked in salty water are tasteless, but when mixed with fruit sauce, they form an interesting pairing.
Winter ice cream
It is meant to resemble the lovely, sunny days of summer. Unfortunately, something does not become ice cream simply because it looks like it. On the inside, it is sugary sweet chocolate frosting with a chocolate coating, in a cardboard-like cone.
The lecsó sausage is another form of Hungarian mystery meat. It is functional as a cheap protein source, but its flavour and texture add nothing beneficial to a well-made lecsó (a Hungarian vegetable stew that resembles the french dish ratatouille).
Soup from cubes
Another lovely canteen staple. The beauty of these recipes comes from the fact that they start by boiling the water and pouring in the soup cubes and also ending with that step. If the cook wants to go above and beyond, they might add frozen cubed vegetables or some kind of noodle. The pool of fat on top is a must.
The zsömirudi
It is essentially a Hungarian sweet snack, Túrórudi (sweet cottage cheese coated in chocolate) smushed in a bread roll, as some sort of makeshift sandwich. As it turns out, it is called zsömirudi, and we can replace the dessert bar with any kind of chocolate. There is only one rule to this masterpiece: the bun must be straight or circular because it is harder to put the chocolate in a curved pastry like a croissant.
Stefánia meatloaf
A large chunk of meat with a hard-boiled egg inside. What’s not to love? This classic was a staple in old-timey Hungarian canteens and buffets. It is often a little dry with a blue edge to the egg yolk, but that is the way it has always been done, and it will for sure remain that way.
If anyone is in the mood for the delicacies listed above, do not hold back. They will for sure bring back the tastes of the good old Hungarian childhood. These dishes obviously do not have much culinary value, but what they lack in sophistication, they make up for in nostalgia.
The celebration of Easter in Hungary also brought the watering of girls. This folk tradition is present in every Hungarian’s life, whether boy or girl. However, it may slowly disappear.
During the Easter sprinkling, Hungarian boys visit their girl friends, recite poems, and pour water on the girls. In return, they get painted eggs or candy from the girls. This old tradition is one of the most famous Hungarian Easter traditions, the origin of which you can read more about here.
During Easter 2020, the coronavirus pandemic was present across Europe. Because of this, everyone stayed at home, and the news took the place of watering the girls.
This year, according to the law, a small number of people can cultivate the tradition by following the epidemiological measures.
Based on the results of a survey, fewer and fewer people seem to be interested anyway. Index.hu reports that half of Hungarian women usually expect 1-5 people every year. What is even more surprising is that a third of women do not have any people coming to sprinkle at all. Significant differences can be observed between large cities and the countryside. In cities, fewer people are interested in Easter watering than in the countryside. Budapest performed the worst in this aspect. Differences were found not only by residence but also by age. Middle-age men are the least likely to water the women at Easter.
The tradition of watering is most popular among those under 18 years of age.
It is a huge experience and adventure for this age group. This tradition is an unmissable part of Easter. Although the virus situation does not allow it now, in the past, it often happened in groups, with boys visiting their classmates together. Girls also have this community experience.
An important question is what kind of watering poem the boys have. There are shorter, funnier poems, and there are longer, romantic poems as well. There are boys who learn a new poem every year, while others use the same one over and over again. In the age of the internet, it is easy to find new poems. Here you can find some watering poems in English.
Although the epidemic situation is changing our old habits, hopefully, the Hungarian Easter traditions will stay with us for a long time. Easter meals, egg painting, and watering the girls together make Easter special in Hungary.
Hungary is known for its wines, rightfully so, but the challenge of choosing the perfect bottle to uncork can also prove daunting even for the more experienced wine lovers. Péter Blazsovszky, a sommelier of the Michelin star-winning restaurant called Babel, has put together a handy guide for picking the best wines to go along with the traditional Hungarian meals eaten over Easter.
As he writes in his article, published on Index.hu, Good Friday is a day of fasting for the devout Christians of Hungary who can only eat 3 meals that day, only one of which can be filling. Not surprisingly, alcohol is also forbidden. However, for the non-religious, he recommends a dish of fried zander or Volga pikeperch, garnished with salad and accompanied by some pinot grigio (look for the name “Szürkebarát”) or Riesling (Hungarianised as “rizling”).
Catfish with paprika (“harcsapaprikás”) is also a common dish, which is perfectly complemented by a glass of Kadarka or Kadarka siller, from the wineries of Szekszárd, Villány, or the Kunság (a part of the Great Hungarian Plain).
For those who would prefer something light and fruity, he recommends a bottle of Portugieser, produced near Villány. (If you would like to find out more about the Hungarian wine regions, click HERE.)
On Holy Saturday, the tradition is to eat ham, horseradish, and a pastry called kalács (kalach), which is normally sweet but is prepared with salt for the occasion, as it is said to contain Christ’s tears. According to Blazsovszky, any bottle of Welschriesling (called olaszrizling in Hungarian) will be a great fit, as long as it comes from the wineries located to the north of Lake Balaton.
On Easter Sunday, Hungarian families typically prepare a dish of lamb shank, which can be done in many ways, making it difficult to pick a wine to go with each and every one of them, but Blazsovszky still offers a solution: a bottle of Furmint from Tokaj-Hegyalja (the same place where the world-renowned Aszú is grown and bottled).
And, of course, there is also the classic choice of pinot noir, which may come from the wine-making regions of Etyek, Pannonhalma, or Eger.
Easter Monday is more characterised by the tradition of pouring water over girls than by any dish in particular, but anything fried in breadcrumbs is always a popular choice, along with some sweets. On this day, the well-known Hungarian spirit, pálinka, is often consumed, but if someone would rather stick to wines, Blazsovszky recommends having some fröccs, the quintessentially Hungarian mixture of wine and carbonated soda water.
Easter is celebrated in Christian communities all over the world, but many countries have their own set of traditions. In modern days, these traditions are slowly fading into oblivion and capitalistic products are taking over to satisfy demand. Today we are taking a look at the Hungarian practice of ‘locsolkodás’.
During Easter, young girls are splashed with a bucket of water, and it is probably the most well-known Hungarian Easter tradition. This is a symbolical tradition and a fertility ritual of sorts. You can read more about the origin of Hungarian Easter traditions in THIS article.
It has become so well-embedded in Hungarian culture and tradition, and it has become so important for Hungarians that it is one of the Hungarikums.
Of course, not every girl is quite fond of this tradition, and in some places, it is not quite common to go around with a bucket full of water attacking every young girl you come across. If you would like to celebrate Easter according to authentic Hungarian traditions, I will not hold you back, but if you do not want to sleep on the couch, maybe there is something else you could do.
Source: facebook.com/IloveHolloko
Instead of a bucket of water, maybe grab a perfume she likes and squirt a little of that on her neck, but wait, there is something else that you should do first.
The other important part of the Hungarian tradition of locsolkodás is reciting a poem. Usually, it is either a romantic or funny Easter poem written solely for this tradition. You can also use any poem your crush or significant other would love, but here are some Hungarian locsolóversek (watering poems) translated to English that you can use.
Easter in Hollókő
photo: www.facebook.com/Hollókő, az élő falu
The first one is probably the most common, and also, because it is easy, there are many funny variations in Hungarian. It is a simple and polite question as well, so if the answer is yes, go ahead and water or spray perfume on her.
“Zöld erdőben jártam, Kék ibolyát láttam, El akart hervadni, Szabad-e locsolni?”
“I went to a green forest, And saw a blue-violet, It wanted to wither, Am I allowed to water?”
“Húsvét másodnapján, tudom, ti is, lányok, Számomra egy pár piros tojást szántok; Mert ha úgy lészen, rózsavizem készen, S megöntözlek szépen.”
“On the second day of Easter, I know, To me, you girls a pair of red eggs bestow; And if it is true, my rose water is ready, And I will water you carefully.”
“Itt a Húsvét, eljött végre, a szép lányok örömére, mert a lányok szép virágok, Illatos víz illik rájok. Kit húsvétkor nem locsolnak, hervadt virág lesz már holnap. Ne fuss el hát szép virágom, a locsolásért tojást várok!”
“Easter has come, it is finally here, to the delight of lovely young women As women are beautiful flowers, What they need is fragrant water. Who is not watered at Easter, By tomorrow they’ll already wither. So don’t run away, my beautiful flower, I’m waiting for eggs in exchange for water!”
“Húsvét napja csupa öröm, A sok kislányt megöntözöm. Hideg kútvíz szoknyájukra, Piros tojás a markunkba!”
“Full of joy the day of Easter, On many girls, water I sprinkle. Cold well-water on their skirts, Give us those red eggs first!”
“Öntözzük, öntözzük, Hadd legyen frissecske! Így lesz a leányból Szép, piros menyecske!”
“Let’s water, let’s water, So she’ll be fresh! That’s how a girl becomes Beautiful, lovely spouse!”
And finally a little naughty one just for the fun of it:
“Van nekem egy kis locsolóm, Kölni nincsen benne, Ha én azt most elővenném, Nagy röhögés lenne.”
“I too have a sprinkler But there is no perfume in it If I were to take it out Everyone would laugh out loud.”
The poems are from Citatum, and there are plenty more little Hungarian poems there. As far as the Easter eggs go, which are given as a gift for watering, we have recently published an article on traditional Hungarian methods to decorate Easter eggs. We recommend checking it out, and we hope that if you try them, you will get to like Hungarian Easter traditions.
Easter is a very important holiday and celebration for Christians. Hungary, being a Christian country, takes it very seriously, with a bunch of entertaining customs and traditions.
I will not entertain you with our odd and special Easter traditions as we have already done so. If you are interested, check out the following article:
I will tell you, however, some interesting things about the Easter brioche of Hungarians. Its form and size vary from region to region; some prefer it to be round while others prepare the traditional braided form.
In many areas, the brioche prepared for this special day was only consumed after the Sunday morning mass.
People put all the food that they were not allowed to eat during the fast in a basket: ham, eggs, horseradish (the best in Europe, if you do not believe me, find it out for yourself here), and a bottle of wine.
Everything you will need for a huge brioche enough for a big family:
500 g flour
60 g sugar
10 g vanilla sugar (this is optional, but vanilla enhances all the flavours, so it is also very much advised)
250 ml milk
50 g butter
15 g yeast
a pinch of salt
a tsp of lemon zest
1 egg + 1 more that goes on top of the brioche right before baking
Start with putting the yeast in about 100 ml of warm milk and let chemistry work its magic. Meanwhile, in a very big bowl, add flour, sugar, salt, and butter.
flour, sugar, butter, salt
Then crumble everything together with your fingers. Add the vanilla sugar and the egg, the lemon zest and maybe a bit of vanilla essence to make the flavour pop even more.
egg, lemon zest, vanilla essence and vanilla sugar
When the yeast has already risen quite nicely, add it to the dough and get ready for kneading.
risen yeast
It is going to be tough on your arms and wrists, but it will be totally worth it. After kneading for about 15-20 minutes, form a nice ball by tucking the sides under and place it back to the big bowl we previously greased a bit (with butter or oil), sprinkle the top with some flour, cover the bowl with a kitchen cloth, and leave it to rest somewhere relatively warm.
After about 30 minutes, take the risen dough out and knead it through again for about 10 minutes. Add some more flour if you feel like the dough needs it. Then you have to repeat the previous step again to let the dough rest for an additional 60 minutes.
risen dough
You can skip the second kneading and resting if you have less time or patience, but your brioche will be much lighter and softer if you do so. Once it is almost ready to braid, preheat the oven to 170°C. We are through the hardest part, all you need to do is separate the dough into 3 or 4 equal balls, roll them into long and thin snakes and braid them together like you would do your hair. Braiding 4 strands can be quite tricky, but do not worry, I had difficulties as well, so I searched for a YouTube tutorial you can find just below.
After you managed to braid your beautiful brioche, there are only two small steps left. Place it onto a baking tin, glaze your brioche with a beaten egg, and place it in the oven.
braided and egg-washed brioche
Bake it for about 35-40 minutes, but be sure to check it every 10 minutes as the baking time may vary by the type of oven you have, and we definitely do not want it to burn.
plus-size braided brioche
The outcome will be a neutral-flavoured brioche, despite the sugar we added to it, so you can decide what you would like to eat it with – be it the traditional Easter breakfast with ham and casino eggs, or if you prefer a sweeter taste, with honey or fresh jam.
Girls used to be whipped instead of the now customary watering? Get to know the traditional roots of the Hungarian Easter celebration!
Is the egg brought by the Easter bunny a new-age urban custom? What about old traditions like Good Friday morning pálinka drinking, Pilate burning, border detour, or Easter whipping? We gathered these forgotten festive folk customs for a joyful Easter weekend.
Hungarian customs surrounding the days of Easter are often thought to be entirely Christian, but thats definitely not the case. As it will become very apparent later on, Hungarian customs have strong pagan roots that were later moulded to fit the Christian standards. There are a few modern, western influences as well that make our celebration on the surface very similar to commercially well-known Easter.
Pagan fire cleansing ritual, illustration
As early as the third century, there are records of how the Hungarian ancestors celebrated Easter. For example, traditionally, one shall not be sweep on Easter morning because then you are sweeping luck from our lives. It is also forbidden to shake or dust the blanket, as this will bring us bad luck. Its also believed that a squirrel crossing our path is a sign of bad luck.
Anyone who wears a new outfit on Easter will be lucky all year round. On the other hand, if you wear something inside out, you should brace yourself for a period of bad luck!
On the Friday before Easter, also known as Good Friday, several unique habits are customary. It was believed that feeding peppercorn or chilis to our gander or rooster that day ensures that the birds have a prolific summer.
Pálinka
Pálinka for breakfast
It was believed that whoever drinks pálinka, a distilled spirit made out of various fruit, on Good Friday morning and falls asleep somewhere in the summer, the snakes will not crawl into their mouth. But in the countryside of Szeged and Subotica, the girls went to wash and comb under the willow tree on Good Friday because then their hair could become beautiful – according to hellovidek.
Doll burning ritual
Pilate-burning rituals
According to the Hungarian Ethnographic Lexicon, Pilate was burned on Good Friday, Good Thursday or Good Wednesday. A straw puppet symbolising Pontius Pilate, who crucified Jesus, or in some cases Judas, who betrayed the Son of God, was made to be beaten or burned.
Ritualistic village tour against the evil spirits and frost
The lads and the newlywed men bypassed the church, after which they marched through the village singing loudly, praying for a bountiful and generous year. The lads later pinned a pine branch decorated with colourful, ornate ribbons, pieces of paper, and wax-painted eggs to the gate of their loved one. Its name was Dawn Tree. These traditions protected the spring sowing from evil, frost, and hail.
Easter whipping for fertility
It is still customary to sprinkle or water on Easter Monday, meaning sprinkling the women with a bit of water or cologne, or in more extreme cases, water them thoroughly with soda water or a bucket. In the Bakony, on the other hand, there was no watering but Easter whipping. Both habits are mainly for fertility in traditional pagan work. The lads whipped the girls on Easter Monday, saying this:
“Keléses ne légy, Bolhásos ne légy Esztendőre frissebb légy!”
This short rhyme roughly translates to “Don’t have warts/don’t have fleas/be fresher this year!” It functioned as an amplifier of fertility and feminine energy.
Easter is celebrated in Christian communities all over the world, but many countries have their own set of traditions on how to celebrate it. In modern days, these traditions are slowly fading into oblivion and capitalistic products are taking over to satisfy demand. Today we are taking a look at traditional Hungarian methods to decorate easter eggs and a little history on the tradition itself.
Probably the most well-known Hungarian tradition around Easter time is “locsolkodás” or watering. During Easter, young girls are splashed with a bucket of water. This is a symbolical tradition and a fertility ritual of sorts.
The tradition in Hungary is so well-embedded and important for Hungarians that it has become a Hungarikum. You can read more about it HERE.
As for the Easter Eggs, there are a few concepts of where they might come from. Usually, women who get splashed will give different coloured eggs to young men who splashed them. In more modern traditions, the different colours could symbolise different things, red meaning love, green meaning friendship and yellow meaning something negative. However, originally there were only red eggs and it was believed that the blood of Jesus dropped on a basket of eggs is what had coloured them. No matter what the truth might be, the art of decorating Easter Eggs is something truly beautiful to behold.
Nowadays you can easily buy pre-painted eggs by the dozens and there are a lot of products you can use to colour eggs to any shade you want, but
the traditional Hungarian methods would include different plants that needed to be boiled to colour the eggs.
The longer you leave the egg in the colouring water, the more vivid the colour gets. According to Színesötletek, these are the plants to achieve the desired colour:
Red – (dried) petals of common hollyhock (the black or the red variant), the boiled berries of rosehip usually create a nice pinkish colour.
Brown – dried and browned husk of walnuts, also dried onion and red onion peels. The latter can also create a purplish colour.
Yellow and Brown – the peels of onions can create reddish-brown hues and if you add alum, you can achieve bright yellows.
Yellow – you can achieve yellow hues with calendula and saffron but also from buds and young twigs of apple trees.
Green – you can use nettle, spinach and the green berries of European black elderberry to achieve hues of green.
Purple – you can use grated beats, flowers of an aspen tree with alum and red cabbage.
Source: Pixabay
photo: Wikimedia Commons – Rlevente
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Berzselés
Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org by Dirk Ingo Franke
After you have decided what colour you want, there are two traditional methods with which you can decorate the eggs. The first one is called “berzselés”. This is probably the easiest method. You gather different small leaves and plants and place them on the egg. You then need to put the whole thing in a piece of pantyhose. This will hold the leaves in place and when you are satisfied with the colour, you just take them out. The whole egg would be coloured except where the plant or leaf was. This is how it looks like:
The other, more crafty method is called “írás” literally meaning to write. You guessed it, you write on the egg, but with wax. People usually recommend beeswax, but even an old candle will do. You create the desired pattern with the heated, hence liquid wax and put it in cold, or no hotter than lukewarm dyeing water and colour the egg. The last step is to melt the wax off of the egg with a hairdryer for example and then you are left with a beautiful pattern where the markings were. You can play with several layers of paints or dyes if you fancy it, making really nice multi-coloured eggs.
The special pen used for this method is called “íróka” and there is a video on how you can create yours from scratch. You only need a twig, the end of a ballpoint pen (or any little tube or even shaped tin foil will do), and a little piece of twine or string. You can follow this video to make yours:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D0wckKglEU
If you do not have inspiration, you can find over 200 traditional patterns HERE. There are also a few other techniques that need to be mentioned. Of course, you can just simply paint your egg with acrylic or oil paints and with a little finesse, you can create wonders. There is also a technique where you carve the eggshell and create ornaments like that. It is a very tedious thing to do and requires a lot of skill, but the effort is well worth it.
When you walk on the streets of Budapest, it is actually worth taking a better look at your surroundings. You may never know what you can find. It might just be an ordinary convenience store or some other type of small shop, but in Budapest, you can never know what any ordinary place could hide.
Although even the façades in Budapest are mesmerising and could take you hours just to fully appreciate every detail of a single one, let alone all of them, there are quite a lot of things to look out for in such a city bustling with artistic expression, historical objects and places. In one of our previous articles, we have explored the beautiful floors of Budapest’s buildings. Someone took the time and made beautiful details where only a few people look.
In this case, it was time that played a trick with this series of cabinets. According to 24, the story of the cabinet started in 1899 and even a bit before. There was a pharmacy founded by Ignác Tóth in 1795 called Saint István (Stephen) around today’s Margit körút. This very pharmacy moved in 1816 to a different place and then, in 1843, it moved back to Margit körút, and over the years, it changed its location a few times. The only thing that did not change was the name.
The cabinets in question were made and installed in the pharmacy in 1899. For more than three decades, it was untouched, but the then-owner, Pál Kerpel, sold it in 1932.
The person who purchased it was Blum Gyula, who decided to move the beautiful piece of furniture to the Pest side of the city.
The pharmacy that was reopened on István Street was first named Flóra, but years later, it was renamed King István (Stephen) to honour the Hungarian historical figure, but also because of the name of the street.
This was in 1940, and although regimes changed and landlords went, the furniture made of walnut stood the test of time and waited relentlessly.
Source: Google Streetview
As 24 writes, the interior of the store did not change much, and up until 2014, it remained a pharmacy utilising the beautiful cabinets as many Hungarian pharmacies do. But then the pharmacy closed, and a tobacco shop opened in its place. For a couple of years, it was there, lying under the boxes of cigarettes until the tobacco shop closed down and an Asian store selling many things was opened in its place.
Unfortunately, the new store did not embrace the beautiful craftsmanship of the walnut cabinets which are about 122 years old. They often used other, cheaper materials to cover it up to utilise any space in the store.
One of the readers of 24 noted the beautiful cabinets, and the news outlet went there to check up on it themselves. When they arrived, there was a note on the door that said that due to the moving of the cabinets, the store will be closed between March 20th and March 31st.
Fortunately for this piece of furniture, it is being moved to the Hungarian Open Air Museum in Szentendre.
It will probably be restored where necessary and will be part of an upcoming exhibition in the Hungarian Open Air Museum in 2022. Hopefully, by that time, the coronavirus pandemic will not be as great a threat and tourism can spring back a little. If possible, we recommend you visit the museum, and if you are there, be sure to look for the black walnut cabinets. If you are impatient and have not already clicked on the original source, you can see a few more images in 24’s article.
In this case, it is not the colour but literally the little flower. In this article, you will get a glimpse into the creativity of cooks and can try out something completely new and unique.
According to 24, violas are one of the first flowers of spring, somewhat of a harbinger. Even though the current weather in Hungary does not seem like it would be spring, it is. This little flower is edible and has a lot of scent and aroma; therefore, it can be used in gastronomy in many ways.
Both the garden and wild varieties can be used to spice up your meals, and usually, wild violas are more aromatic. You should collect them when the flower is fully open, preferably after the morning dew has been dried. According to the recipe, the flowers have the most aroma and flavour in this state.
Viola cake
Source: facebook.com/ennivalotermeszet
This recipe is one of Mónika Halmos’s recipes, who has rediscovered many viola-based recipes in age-old cookbooks. As it turns out, violas can be used in many foods and in many ways: sorbets, salads, candied violas, and several types of cakes.
Only use flowers that have not been treated with arboricides.
Instructions:
Beat the eggs until they are foamy and then mix them together with the warm butter and the sugar. Mix the baking powder into the flour and slowly add the flour mixture to the foamed eggs. Add a little viola syrup to it until it becomes a thick mass.
Line a small pan with baking paper and smooth the mass into the pan. Bake it at 180°C for about 20-25 minutes. Let the cake and the pan cool down for a while and then horizontally cut the sponge into three sheets.
While the sponge is in the oven, you can easily make the cream. First, melt the chocolate over steam, add the mascarpone, the dried flowers, and the liqueur, and mix it until it is fully homogenous.
Put it into the fridge for about 15-20 minutes. Use half of the cream between the layers and use the other half to coat the outside of the cake, then decorate. Enjoy.
You can find more recipes like this in Mónika Halmos’s book and on Rózsakunyhó.
Yurts had been used by ancient Hungarians for centuries. These tent-like structures served their nomadic lifestyle really well, and it was in use in some regions up until the 14th century. Recently, however, the trend to have vacations or even to live in yurts started gaining popularity again.
If you would like to know more about these interesting homes, which are very comfortable and can be packed up within minutes, we have an entire article dedicated to yurts. In order to get more insight into this new trend, Hellovidék interviewed Árpád Magyar, the business leader of Nomádjurta.
According to Árpád Magyar, many people have contacted the company, and the demographic is also quite varied. There are younger people who are planning their future life or even older people who want to try something out during their years of retirement. Magyar mentioned that a few years back, living in yurts was mostly connected to the preservation of traditions, but today’s new worldviews and the longing to experience closeness to nature play an important role in the popularity of yurts. The uses of modern yurts are also quite colourful.
Some people want to experience a certain free lifestyle, others see the potential for entrepreneurship or spiritual freedom.
Source: facebook.com/nomadjurta
Source: facebook.com/nomadjurta
While older yurts could only be used for one to two years consecutively, the development in modern materials has made it possible for such buildings to last multiple decades without any problems. Also, while picturing a yurt,
you might think about a fully nomadic lifestyle, but in truth, as Magyar mentioned, modern yurts can be well insulated and equipped with a plethora of things and services.
Apart from gas heating, almost any type of heating – electric or wood, for example – can be incorporated into these yurts. The owners also do not have to give up electricity, and there are also other functions that can be built into these modern yurts.
“Currently, aiming for the comfort of a light-frame house with a yurt is no longer unthinkable at all,” Árpád Magyar said.
There is no need to miss out on comfort
Source: facebook.com/nomadjurta
There is no need to miss out on comfort
Source: facebook.com/nomadjurta
Source: facebook.com/nomadjurta
There are a couple of benefits to living in a yurt. Depending on the structure, you most likely do not need any construction permits, and according to the interview, installing one is quite easy and can be done in many places. He highlights that because there is no specific mention of yurts in Hungarian law, it is necessary to at least contact your local authorities about setting one up, but according to his experience, just the simple act of cooperation can go a long way, and he has never experienced major problems. Yurts can also be declared as one’s home address due to the somewhat vague law about its criteria.
If you got interested, you can rent a yurt for HUF 28,000 (€77) a day or even buy your own custom yurt starting from only about HUF 4.19 million or €11,500.
Here is a healthy and delicious Hungarian vegetable that even helps you to fight a virus thanks to its high concentration of vitamin C.
Hungary is a proud owner of many traditional folk methods to cure basically all sickness. This time, I am not referring to Pálinka – though, if you would like to give it a go, you can find Hungary’s best pálinka here. Furthermore, not so long ago, we already set up a list of some Hungarian remedies offering alleviation to many health issues. You can find further information by clicking here.
Today we bring you another speciality. Even though horseradish is popular in many European countries, as in Germany and Poland, both of these receive quite a big part of their daily horseradish intake from Hungary. This root vegetable used worldwide either as a spice or as a condiment is produced in a considerable amount in the European Union, around 30 thousand tons a year – almost half of which comes from Hungary, thus
making the small Eastern-European country the biggest horseradish cultivator of the EU.
Apart from the two already mentioned countries, Hungary exports the most to the United Kingdom and the Czech Republic. Only after consuming a significant amount already inside the country, of course. And especially so at Easter-time, when horseradish is an obligatory condiment of the holiday feast.
In 2020, Hungary cultivated almost 12 tones of this delicious, indigenous vegetable on 1400 acres of land, mainly in the Northern part of the Great Plain. Debrecen, Makó, Nagykáta, Kiskunfélegyháza and certain territories around Budapest used to have original horseradish farms. Today, 98% of all cultivation areas are found South-East from Debrecen, writes sokszinuvidek.24.hu.
There are three typical types grown and consumed in Hungary. The first one proudly bears its cultivator city’s name, called debreceni édes-nemes (sweet and noble from Debrecen). This type grows abundantly into a longer form with a smooth surface. It is a fairly spicy vegetable full of aromas that make it perfect for industrial use and to be exported. The sweet from Nürenberg and the one from Erlangen might be a bit less known but not at all less tasty.
“Harvesting the crops usually starts in the middle of October and is done periodically for several months.
Under proper conditions, raw horseradish can be kept on the shelves for a long time.
The food industry usually uses the root of the vegetable for pickled products, thanks to its unique spicy flavour that enhances that of cucumbers, cabbages, beetroots, assorted pickled vegetables or peppers.”
Its unique and characteristic flavour is provided by the roots containing two chemical compounds: butyl thiocyanate and allyl isothiocyanate (the latter is an oil that also gives that pungent taste to mustard and wasabi). They both irritate the mucosa and the tear glands, causing sobbing while enjoying its strong but delicious flavour.
Freshly grated horseradish is rich in vitamin C, thus effectively fights bacteria and viruses,
improves the blood flow of the mucosa; it is, moreover, effective against kidney and urinary tract infections and chronic bronchitis. Furthermore, the horseradish juice stimulates the gallbladder and alleviates symptoms. However, excessive consumption can very much irritate the mucosa in a not so comforting way.
Travelling abroad is the best way to get to know a foreign country, its people, its culture, or its cuisine. But when a global pandemic paralyses almost the whole world, crossing borders is not an option. What can be done then?
One of the best ways to discover another culture and at the same time bond with its people and hopefully find new friends is through food. It is especially the case in Hungary, where the saying “the way to a man’s heart is through food” might be a bit more true than in other countries. Although we have no control over the opening of borders and countries, we can try our best to present you with the delicious side of Hungary and provide some help to travel to a Hungarian restaurant until you get to do so in person.
When the lockdown started, my flatmate and I decided to organise thematic dinners at the weekend to try to have a good time, apart from simply coping with the situation. I have the same proposition for you: Let’s take your kitchen to Hungary, or the opposite, let’s sneak some Hungary into your kitchen, wherever you might be in the world.
Today, we start with a very simple recipe that includes few ingredients and less than 45 minutes to prepare, together with preparation and cooking. The name “poor man’s stew” or potato paprikash already suggests a simple meal. It consists of two main ingredients, potato and sausage; however, do not judge simply by the name, its flavours are more intense and more complex than the name suggests. Here is what you need to prepare a quick but delicious meal for 4 people:
1 kg potato
150 g sausages – preferably a dry type made of pork (quite a lot of people nowadays prepare it with hot dogs, which is a fine choice, but please make sure to use a quality type as it adds a lot to the flavour)
1 medium onion
2 cloves of garlic
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp paprika (preferably Hungarian paprika; however, the recipe has been tested with a sweeter, ground red paprika)
Salt and pepper to taste
ingredients
The first step is to peel the potatoes, the garlic, and the onion. Cut the potatoes into medium-sized cubes, dice the onion, and mince the garlic cloves.
Heat the oil and simmer the onion until it becomes completely transparent. Then remove the pot from the stove before adding the paprika so that it does not burn.
Mix it together, add the garlic and the potatoes, put it back on the stove, and add some water, but without completely covering the potatoes.
Then season it with salt and pepper and cover the pot to cook the potatoes until half-done, for about 15 minutes. To finish, add the sausages to the pot and cook it for another 15 minutes.
The final consistency can vary a bit by regions; some people prefer to cook the potatoes completely but leave some water on them, while others overcook it a bit so that some cubes become a bit smashed and more water evaporates.
I told you it would be easy and quick but delicious.
If you decide to give it a go and cook some “paprikás krumpli” and you think it turned out especially good and looks beautiful on your plate, feel free to send us a picture.
The national flag was hoisted with military honours in front of Parliament on Monday morning, marking the anniversary of Hungary’s anti-Habsburg revolution that started on March 15, 1848.
The single central event of this year’s March 15 national holiday was followed by only a few people in Kossuth Square, where President János Áder is scheduled to deliver a speech.
Like last year, all other state commemorations have been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Though the Kossuth and Széchenyi Awards will also be handed out at a later date, the names of the recipients will be released today.
Budapest, Hungary. March 15 – National flag hoisted by Parliament. Photo: MTIBudapest, Hungary. March 15 – National flag hoisted by Parliament. Photo: MTI
The revolution and freedom fight was part of a series of uprisings in Europe in 1848.
On March 15, citizens of Pest gathered in front of the National Museum and demanded independence from Habsburg rule.
Budapest, Hungary. March 15 – National flag hoisted by Parliament. Photo: MTIBudapest, Hungary. March 15 – National flag hoisted by Parliament. Photo: MTIBudapest, Hungary. March 15 – National flag hoisted by Parliament. Photo: MTIBudapest, Hungary. March 15 – National flag hoisted by Parliament. Photo: MTI
Hungary’s first independent government with Count Lajos Batthyány as prime minister approved a reform package called the April laws. Later, the uprising grew into a war of independence, stifled by Austria and Russia in late 1849.
The Hungarian hussars are quite a unique sight to behold. Not because they are particularly rare, as there is a prominent culture in Hungary that is keeping the hussar tradition alive, but because they are mesmerising in their beautifully adorned uniforms and armaments. Today, on the occasion of the Hungarian National Day, you will be able to learn a little bit about this spectacular light cavalry unit and its equipment.
The hussars were the light cavalry dedicated to fending off the Ottoman invaders. They were established under Hungarian King Matthias Corvinus who created this form of cavalry. Hussars were first incorporated into the Black Army of Hungary, and by 1490, they became the standard form of cavalry. After the death of Corvinus, the Hungarian hussars were hired as mercenaries by Habsburg emperors as well. Most Hungarian units were active during Rákóczi’s War of Independence in the early 1700s (this might have made them iconic) and during the 1848-1849 Hungarian Revolution. Hussars were considered to be the ‘cool’ guys in the army. They were thought to be reckless, they could drink anyone under the table, and any woman would have gone mad for them. There is some debate about the origin of their name, however, but you can read more about that and more on hussars in general in THIS article. Hungary also has the largest hussar statue in the world.
Hungarian (Honvéd) Hussar, c. 1900
Source: Wikimedia Commons / Scan by NYPL
Honvéd Hussar, 1885
Source: Wikimedia Commons / Scan by NYPL
Szekler Hussar, 1778
Source: Wikimedia Commons / Scan by NYPL
The Uniform
In Hungary, we aim to actively preserve and show this rich military tradition with the help of the Hungarian Hussar and Military Heritage Federation. This federation helps provide hussars for events and anniversaries, such as March 15th.
From the 18th century, the Hungarian hussars’ military uniform was inspired by contemporary Hungarian fashion, but these are also the typical uniforms most people imagine when they hear the word ‘hussar’, one of the few English words with Hungarian origins.
Shako – Csákó
There are a couple of iconic things in a hussar. One of those things is the shako, a cylindrical soldier’s hat with a plume, a decoration of feathers or fur fastened by a rose, or just a standalone rose. The shako itself is adorned with golden or silver laces and other intricate designs.
Dolman – Dolmány
This item of clothing is probably the most iconic of them all. This is a short jacket, a medium-long jacket was called an attila. The jacket is decorated with a heavy horizontal braid across the breast with a golden or silver lace ending in beautiful knots on each side. The sleeves, the neck area, and the bottom of the jacket were also decorated with golden or silver laces. Hussars wore these over a shirt.
Three types of dolmány
Source: Wikimedia Commons / Hungarian officers’ uniforms
Pelisse – Mente
Hungarian hussars wore a pelisse as well, which was a short-waisted over-jacket similar to the dolmány. This piece of clothing was worn on only one side most of the time, so it was held on by an ornate cord.
These were tight-fit breeches at the shin, so as not to intervene much with the high boots. The decoration of silver or golden laces makes it onto the breeches as well. They can be observed on the thigh area and going down the sides to help hide seamlines.
Boots – Csizma
These are high riding boots with similar knot-like ornamentation on the leather. The hussars typically also wore spurs on their boots.
The accessories
They wore an ornate cord-belt on the outside of the dolmány, a leather sword-belt. Hussars decorated their sabres with sword tassels that were coloured differently according to rank. They also wore a patrontáska (tölténytáska), or ammunition pouch, and the officers’ pouches were highly ornamented.
Bag – Tarsoly
Hussars also wore a tarsoly as part of their uniform. This was not a particularly functional bag, as it was very flat, they could only store small items in them despite their size at first appearance. These were decorated by the initials of the monarch. Naturally, the higher-ranking a hussar was, the more ornamented this accessory got.
The long moustache was also an essential “accessory” of hussars, which is not mandatory today, but many people who keep this tradition alive also have moustaches.
Naturally, the colours, lacing, and decoration of the uniform were different not only through the ages but also unique to each regiment.
The Lifey channel is known for sharing the experiences of American expats who have lived in different parts of the world for at least over a year. The following video contrasts life in Hungary vs. life in the USA ⬇️
One of the outstanding phenomena is connected to superstitions, such as not sitting on a cold bench because you can easily catch a cold or a urinary tract infection.
The expat also finds that toilets are quite different in Hungary than in the USA.
Besides the unique language, one of the things that stood out quite fast is that many people smoke in Hungary. On the bright side, Hungarians are very hospitable and are happy to welcome you into their home.
Also, Hungarians do not greet each other on the street, so they will look at you weirdly if you do so.
The expat is a fan of Hungarian food (except for blood sausage and pig jelly), and he likes to compare stuffed cabbage to a cabbage burrito.
