Hungarian cuisine

Robert Graves, a famous English poet, called Hungary “a big small country”. The national Hungarian cuisine is reputed one of the best cuisines in the world — it goes after France and Italy. “A great range of products, their piquancy and freshness turn Hungary into the Country of Taste and Scent,” — wrote one of the French travelers only two hundred years ago.

Goulash, the king

Goulash is undoubtedly the culinary symbol of Hungary. Medieval books mentioned that in Hungarian cuisine preference was given to sweet, sour and salty tastes that were supplemented by bitter-piquant seasonings. Dishes made for the Court were practically the same as the folk ones. In shepherd pots this very famous soup-goulash was cooked: peaces of meat stewed together with small peaces of onion, then spices were added — but there were no paprika, tomatoes and potatoes that were imported to Europe much later.

Add piquancy…

Hungarian cuisine differs from others by piquancy of many dishes. It is achieved by adding pepper and cayenne, onion, paprika, tomato paste, sour cream and piquant sauces like ketchup. Paprika is the most important ingredient of the Hungarian cuisine; it was imported to Hungary by two ways simultaneously — from the West by Columbus and from the East, from Ottoman Empire. Paprika became the symbol of Hungarian cuisine though it has been used for two centuries only. Green and yellow unripe paprika pods are used in different salads and garnishes, ripe red pods are grinded and become a spice. Hungarian paprika has a dozen shadows of taste; it can be pink, sweet, piquant and fiery.

Hungarian wine rhapsody

Tokay is the most famous Hungarian wine. It was supplied to the Court of Louie XIV, who called Tokay “the king of wines, the wine for kings”. To make this sort of wine, grape is dried and becomes sugared on vines, it gives the wine fruit-flower odor and taste. One shouldn’t forget other fascinating wines — dry red such as “Bull blood” for example. After fat and nourish dishes it is useful to drink Hungarian apricot vodka — palinka.

Hungarian sweets

For many centuries Hungary has been occupied by Austria, but it gave an obvious advantage — the Hungarians learned how to produce splendid confectionary. Chestnut puree with whipped cream is the most favorite dainty of the Hungarians. Chestnuts are grinded and whipped to make a thick cream, the top of this mass is decorated with whipped cream. The Hungarians have an eye for delightful chocolate cakes, enormous torts. Often these torts are given female names — as a rule, in honour of the cook who has invented it. In Russia the most famous torts are “Stephanie” and“Marika”, in Hungary “Zhuzha” is the most popular one.

Modern Hungarian cuisine was made under influence of other countries. It has changed greatly because of Italian, French and Turkish influence. As a result of these impact Hungarian cuisine preserved its original features but lost its first crudity, reached refinement and got world’s acclaim.