Comments for Taste Hungary

Comment on Home-Cooking In the City by Pamela Curtin

Pamela Curtin — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 00:38:52 +0000

My husband and I were in Budapest in March for our Ninth wedding anniversary and we hope to go back for our tenth next year. I bought the Food & Wine Lover’s Guide to Hungary in the airport on our way home and i really hope we do go back now to avail of all the things we missed out on this time . We visited Osteria on Dohany Utca and Ristorante Krizia while there and loved them both. Thank you ,Carolyn, for a brilliant book. I am only sorry i hadn’t discovered it sooner.

Comment on Szilva Lekvár {Recipe} by admin

admin — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 18:23:55 +0000

Thank you! I’m glad it worked out for you. Next week I am planning to experiment with sugar-free plum jam.

Comment on Szilva Lekvár {Recipe} by Eliz

Eliz — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 18:10:46 +0000

Hi – just discovered your great blog while looking for a recipe for plum jam without pectin. My mother made amazing plum jam and sadly I just never paid attention to how she made it. Just used your recipe and I am thrilled that it tastes exactly like my mom’s! It was a bit of a test, using just two kg of plums; I now feel confident enough to make a bushel full in a couple of weeks’ time.

Thanks for sharing.

Eliz

Comment on Tamás Bereznay’s Greek Lemon Cake by Ellen

Ellen — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:27:00 +0000

When I was in Budapest I tasted Hungarian cuisine. It is truly delicious. I bought in Budapest different seasonings and even tried to make several dishes at home.

Comment on Home-Cooking In the City by Michelle

Michelle — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 19:38:49 +0000

I will be in Budapest soon, and am so excited to try out some of these authentic, homey spots. My kind of food!

Comment on Where Everything is Made From Scratch by admin

admin — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 09:28:23 +0000

Let me know how it goes….It will give you a reminder of Hungary when you are in Dubai!

Comment on Vienna’s Fashion District by admin

admin — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 09:09:34 +0000

I admit that I like to occasionally go to Parndorf. But, yeah, the little shops in the 7th district are much more fun. Prices are more expensive than Budapest, but not outrageous considering the quality, and the fact that you probably won’t ever see anyone else wearing the same thing. I am waiting to get one of those bags (pictured at the top) next time I go…they are very cool.

Comment on Vienna’s Fashion District by Molly

Molly — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 11:56:10 +0000

I still have lots of Hungarian friends who go to Austria to shop, but mainly to the Parndorf outlet mall! Your suggestions sound much more fun. How do the boutique shops compare in price to Budapest?

Comment on Where Everything is Made From Scratch by Wendy

Wendy — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 12:09:03 +0000

I love chicken paprikas! I’m totally going to try your recipe!

Comment on On Menus, Spelling, and Translation by Kimberly Scutt

Kimberly Scutt — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:50:09 +0000

Hi Carolyn
Thanks for giving me my chuckle of the day. My family and I travel frequently (we stayed in your apartment last August), and see this all the time. I always take it with a grain of salt and enjoy the differences that a new place brings. Many tourists feel it is their right to have menus written in their native language when in actuality, they are a guest. It is a bonus if the menu is translated. (However, it does increase the chances of tourist business).

Comment on Szilva Lekvár {Recipe} by Debi Weber

Debi Weber — Wed, 20 May 2009 22:28:38 +0000

I’m not looking for anything to be published. i was just wondering if you knew where I can purchase some prune lekvar to bake with. I used to live in New Jersey and had no problem purchasing it. The store went out of business now and I now live in South Carolina and can’t find it any where. Please help.

Comment on Only in Hungary: Túró Rudi Ice Cream by zsuzsika

zsuzsika — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 17:48:45 +0000

nekem van egy kisfiam ugy szereti a turorudit hogymindig eszi

Comment on The Appetizer by a

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:48:56 +0000

Your choice of wine sources for the article is quite OK. My top pic however is now a bookstore in Budapest (no mistake), in Alexandra you can find only a few dozen different wines but they’re from a very good selection of well-known and emerging, very promising wineries. Maligán and 75cl stores also have some unique offering. Although I don’t think this matters for Canadians living in Canada :)

Comment on On Menus, Spelling, and Translation by cbanfalvi

cbanfalvi — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:42:43 +0000

Vándorló:
“But all that aside the thing I *really* hate on Hungarian menus is the translation of regional dishes or styles. So ‘Egri módra’ gets translated as ‘Eger style’. What? What on earth is Eger style? Of course now I’m use to this nonsense, but even Hungarians are clueless on this linguistic game, in their own language, too.”

Yes! Why not just add a description about what these styles are? Some places do that already, but usually the waiters have to run back and ask the chef what the dishes are, because they don’t even know them all themselves. Also, adding a few words of description would be much more appealing that just saying “Eger Style.”

Comment on On Menus, Spelling, and Translation by cbanfalvi

cbanfalvi — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:38:36 +0000

Glad you liked my book. I totally agree with you about all of those mistakes that you mentioned (and I am the first to admit that my Hungarian spelling is terrible). Regarding the spelling of my husband’s name, that copyright page was written by someone else (and it obviously stuck out like a sore thumb as soon as I saw it AFTER the book was already printed). The typeface is a long story, but to make it short the designer did not have one that could handle those difficult accents, so the publisher decided to make do with that one….which bothered me as well, especially since all of those long o’s and u’s got converted into funny characters that had to be corrected on the proofs. I’m sorry that there were other odd spelling mistakes (if you feel like it you could let me know by email what they were), which obviously really grate on my eyes when I see them on the pages of my own book! Have you been to the Bajor lately? I like that little place also, but the last time I went it was not quite as good as it usually is.

Comment on On Menus, Spelling, and Translation by Varangy

Varangy — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:24:11 +0000

Carolyn,

While I enjoyed your book — I find your complaint about misspellings a bit ironic.

1) You spelled Krúdy Gyula multiple ways, sometimes even on the same page.

2) Your husband’s(?) name Bánfalvi Gábor was spelled with the first ‘á’ intact, but the second missing.

3) There were other odd misspellings as well.

4) Lastly, why did you choose a typeface that could not render all of the Hungarian letters? That made absolutely no sense to me.

However, I do commend you on your recommendation of one of my favorite haunts, the little known Bajor söröző és kolbászda. Good food and good prices.

Comment on On Menus, Spelling, and Translation by Vándorló

Vándorló — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 17:59:53 +0000

For your informations (sic), includes plenty of examples from menus:
http://fuckedtranslation.blogspot.com/

Comment on On Menus, Spelling, and Translation by Vándorló

Vándorló — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 10:01:20 +0000

There may be a an excuse for mistranslating ponty as ‘crap’ rather than ‘carp’ as this is how their neighbours the Romanian spell it (http://www.crap.ro/). Ok, so that’s a feeble excuse, just trying to be generous for once.

I’ve translated a few menus and it can be tricky in parts. For example, for an Italian restaurant, you have to decide whether to use English, French or Italian (should it be called starters, hors d’oeuvre or antipasto?). It may just depend on how posh you think the overall menu is and where the restaurant is (play to the lowest common denominator)

When the Hungarian menu says ‘nyers sonka’ do they mean specifically ‘prosciutto’ (quite likely) or just ‘dry cured ham’ (general, but hardly inviting).

Even worse take the ubiquitous drink ‘frappé’, Hungarians don’t mean frappé in the Greek sense (a wonderful coffee invention), not the french, nor the New England (milk shake), no the Hungarians use the word in the same way as Serbians do as a kind of ice-cream (fruit) milkshake.

But all that aside the thing I *really* hate on Hungarian menus is the translation of regional dishes or styles. So ‘Egri módra’ gets translated as ‘Eger style’. What? What on earth is Eger style? Of course now I’m use to this nonsense, but even Hungarians are clueless on this linguistic game, in their own language, too.

Please excuse any spelling mistakes in my comment.

Comment on Sunflower by Krudy’s Bujdos and Budapest. « The Hieroglyphic Streets

Krudy’s Bujdos and Budapest. « The Hieroglyphic Streets — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 02:54:52 +0000

[...] in Hungarian Literature Online. Here is much more from vackor, Thomas McGonigle, Ray Keenoy, and Carolyn Bánfalvi. And Mark Sarvas interviews Arthur Phillips about Krudy and Sandor [...]

Comment on Mangalica Madness by Hungria:uma paixão pela gastronomia « Dinheiro Incrível

Hungria:uma paixão pela gastronomia « Dinheiro Incrível — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 02:34:22 +0000

[...] húngaros adoram a carne de porco, como a autora do Buda Bites, Carolyn Bánfalvi, explica: Since I’ve been living in Budapest I’ve been eating more pork than I ever have before in my [...]

Comment on Mangalica Madness by Global Voices Online » Hungary: Passion for Food and Wine

Global Voices Online » Hungary: Passion for Food and Wine — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:04:24 +0000

[...] love their pork, as Buda Bites author Carolyn Bánfalvi explains: Since I’ve been living in Budapest I’ve been eating more pork than I ever have before in my [...]

Comment on Balaton’s Best by Joshua Pines

Joshua Pines — Thu, 29 May 2008 11:08:28 +0000

I completely agree about swimming in the lake. On all but the hottest days, I am generally uninterested in swimming in it.

Comment on Balaton’s Best by Wienermaedel

Wienermaedel — Sun, 25 May 2008 14:42:29 +0000

Oh, it is a great view to the lake Balaton and the cold plate looks wonderful. I can imagine to sit there with a glass of wine!

Comment on Mangalica Madness by cbanfalvi

cbanfalvi — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 09:35:55 +0000

Yeah, I’ve heard about that company. Let me know how it turns out!

Comment on Mangalica Madness by Matthew Amster-Burton

Matthew Amster-Burton — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 01:49:26 +0000

Hey, Carolyn. I have some Mangalica pork belly in my freezer and I’m going to cook it next week–I’m so excited! There’s a farm in Washington raising Mangalica hogs:

http://woolypigs.com

Comment on Eating Like a Kid by Bochi

Bochi — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 18:10:32 +0000

Why dont you show a picture of her cute little face?

Comment on Only in Hungary: Túró Rudi Ice Cream by Eating Like a Kid « BUDA BITES

Eating Like a Kid « BUDA BITES — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 15:23:39 +0000

[...] absolutely loves túró rudis. But who [...]

Comment on Hungary as a Top Culinary Tourism Destination by Budapest

Budapest — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 18:40:14 +0000

Hungarian wines are underestimated. The problem is that they are too expesinve compared to equal quality French or Italian wines. The export is nearly down to 0 unfortunately.

Comment on Wild Duck Móra Módra by Danny

Danny — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 21:30:08 +0000

Happy New Year!

Comment on Pumpkin Seed Oil and Bread by cbanfalvi

cbanfalvi — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 12:24:14 +0000

Marc–I’ve seen it at Azsia, the shop on the lower level of the Central Market Hall. And I’m sure that they also have it at Culinaris.

Comment on Pumpkin Seed Oil and Bread by Marc

Marc — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 02:25:44 +0000

Any good shops for pumpkin seed oil in Budapest?

Comment on Markets as Museums by Danny Chapman

Danny Chapman — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 02:39:09 +0000

Happy Thanksgiving!

Comment on The Country Life by Bela

Bela — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 14:00:42 +0000

I share a type of recipe and making of kürtőskalács
1 kg flour,
0,5 l milk
5 dkg yeast,
5 spoon sugar,
10 dkg melted butter,
l egg,2 yolk
l lemon-skin, needed.
Mix the dough well, then let it rise for one hour. Roll it with a rolling pin. Cut 3 cm slices, then one of the most important move is coming: rolling, twisting on oily roll.
You need to put lot of oil on it with brush, and roll in sugar.
That is why it gets shiny and crunchy outside,
while the wooden roll with a knob is rolling in the machine.
When the cake is baked, we stand it on the bottom, let the
stove(the hole) chill out.
I wish to everyone to make good cakes with this recipe and steps. If you do this way, it is going to happen. You can not produceindustrial size quantities, it is different and needs more detailed training. I am sorry, but I give my experience only for those who join us. That is buying an oven or long-time renting. For those who require it,we train them, on a place where it can be done, that multiplies your income, and decreases your mistake, almost to null.
The recipe is not always enough, sorry for this, but it matters what kind of flour you use, matters what order I mix them, matters what temperature the dough or air has, humidity, matters how it is risen, matters how I put it on a roll, how long I bake it, what kind of oven I use for baking it, and a lot of things. But who joins us, going to be a kürtőskalács-baking professional, that is for sure, in short-time, since we get you our technics and experience.

Comment on Túrós csusza with lecsó {Recipe} by Homesick Texan

Homesick Texan — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 00:25:36 +0000

I’m with you…everything’s better with bacon! I’ve not familiar with lecso, but it’s high time we become acquainted, especially with tomatoes and peppers at their peak.

Comment on Túrós csusza with lecsó {Recipe} by mansi

mansi — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 00:00:26 +0000

Pasta, cheese, tomatoes and peppers work for me!! I’ll just omit the bacon and use other veggies instead:) and add more garlic and pine nuts!!

Comment on Summer at Fény utca by cbanfalvi

cbanfalvi — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 20:02:27 +0000

Yes, I know. I usually hate shopping in Budapest because everything seems so expensive. But the food markets are the few places where I feel like I’m getting a bargain—especially after a trip back to the States earlier this summer when most of the strawberries and melons that I ate tasted like nothing and were amazingly expensive compared to Budapest.

Comment on Summer at Fény utca by Uncle Drew

Uncle Drew — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 19:29:53 +0000

Even though things are getting really expensive in BP, even at the markets, I was so relieved the other day to come home with a plastic bag stuffed with fruits and vegetables for a mere 1,000 forints or so. Thank the stars for abundance.

Comment on The Royal Cooks by cbanfalvi

cbanfalvi — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 19:28:58 +0000

Hi Leila, There’s a wine festival in City Park from August 16-20, and the 20th is also a national holiday so there will be fireworks, an air show over the Danube, and all kinds of other festivities. Email me if you want any other info about what to do here (although I’ll be out of town from Wednesday)…have a great trip!

Carolyn

Comment on The Royal Cooks by everydaytrash

everydaytrash — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 19:02:09 +0000

Yum! Great photos. Your cousin Julie sent me your link to help plan my trip to Budapest next week. Are there any food festivals coming up?

Leila
NYC