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In The Know
Did You Know?
Ask anyone to name a Hungarian dish and the answer invariably will be goulash. They will also make the mistake of calling it a 'stew' when it is in fact a soup (a mistake I confess making). Perhaps because of decades of Communism, Central European cuisine has been associated with the sort of meal one would describe politely as filling, nutritious, yet unimaginative and bland - a misconception. Hungarian cooking can compete with the finest in Europe.
Characteristic Features of Hungarian Cooking
Traditional Hungarian 'peasant' cooking is based on the use of rantas, a rich roux of flour and pork lard. Bland and heavy, it requires lashings of paprika to spice it up. Paprika is still widely used and now thought of as a defining feature of Hungarian cooking. As the saying goes, 'a real Magyar can handle his strong paprika well'. Another characteristic is the use of sour cream, which adds a sharpness to the flavour. Soups and pasta also figure strongly, with the ever-present paprika either ready at hand on the table, or already in the dish. However, Hungarian cuisine prides itself on being rich, full of flavour, and substantial - which means you won't leave Hungary feeling hungry!The Carnivore and the Vegetarian
Most, if not all, Hungarian menus are dominated by meat dishes. Favourite meats are chicken (their livers are a Hungarian speciality), pork, veal, venison, duck and beef. Sometimes you can discover, as with 'Tenderloin Steak Budapest Style', for instance, any number of different meats mixed together. In this case, the steak sits alongside smoked bacon, pork bones and goose livers. Hence Hungarian cuisine's reputation for richness. Fish is also well represented on Hungarian menus, especially pike, carp, perch and trout. Being a land-locked country, the scarcity of sea fish is not surprising, but if anyone can turn a pike or carp (fish generally frowned upon else-where) into a mouth-watering dish, it's the Hungarians. Pike dumplings are delicious in a dill sauce, as is carp served with mushrooms in a sour cream sauce. But the vegetarian shouldn't entirely despair. Most restaurants, even those with hard-pressed staff, will be sympathetic to visitors' dietary preferences and palates.Wines, Beers and Spirits
We are all familiar with Hungarian merlot and cabernet-sauvignon reds and whites, also with the legendary Egri Bikaver (Bull's Blood) which once rubbed corks on the lower shelves with popular vins de table. This wine is still very popular in Hungary, but for superior quality try Vestztergombi Bikavér. Tokaji is what Louis XIV of France called 'the wine of kings, the king of wines'. Rumour has it that since so little of this exceptional white wine is produced from that region, you're bound to buy a fake bottle. This is not quite true. The best Hungarian beers are Kőbányai and Dreher, but you'll also find an abundance of familiar foreign brands. Traditional Hungarian spirits are brandies called pálinka, and are available in various flavours. Be warned though: they are generally strong. Other wise, all the usual spirits are available, for example whisky, vodka and gin. Those who prefer soft drinks can get anything from mineral water to cola.| COUNTRY |
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