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HUNGARIAN CUISINE HUNGARIAN PAPRIKA AND DISHES.
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The most characteristic element of Hungarian dishes, paprika was used as a medicinal and ornamental plant until the 18th century. Its name spread from Hungarian language to a number of other European languages, indicating that this immigrant plant from America received a special importance in Hungary.
The famed ground paprika of Kalocsa and Szeged (they are towns in the South of Hungary) is perhaps the most important element of Hungarian dishes and it became an indispensable ingredient of meat stews, ’gulyás’, fish soup and other paprika-based dishes. It might look red hot, but good paprika doesn’t taste violently hot. It’s a unique spice and not hotter than commonly used black pepper.
We would like to talk about some of our national dishes which are complemented with ground, red paprika. Cooking traditionally, the use of pig fat and frying onions in fat is still the basis of a number of Hungarian dishes. Many of them are enriched with a diary product little known and used in Europe: sour cream. Originally, this cream was skimmed from the top of sour milk while sweet cream is from the top of fresh milk.
Gulyás: It’s a rich soup-like dish. Outside Hungary most dishes which are prepared with paprika are called gulyás, but in Hungary it’s entirely different. Prepared with paprika and onion containing cubed meat and potatoes with small bits of dough.
Pörkölt: It’s more like a meat stew made from red meat. Beside pork or beef cubes, a lot of chopped onion is used which makes the gravy thicker. It’s usually garnished with Hungarian noodles ’galuska’ or ’tarhonya’.
Paprikás: In this dish white meat (mainly chicken or hare) is used instead of red one and less onion and paprika flavour it. It’s quite often eaten with sour cream which smooths the gravy. On menu lists in Hungarian restaurants you should look for the English translation of ’Paprika chicken with noodles’ as it’s also eaten with a kind of fresh noodle. For a side dish it’s a good idea to order some cold cucumber salad which can go well with the food.
Halászlé: Hungarian Fish Soup or Hungarian Fishermen’s Soup. It’s made with fish caught from one of the rivers in Hungary; Tisza, Duna or Lake Balaton. Fish soup usually takes one of the courses on the Christmas menu. It’s typically but not only eaten on Christmas Eve.
Actually, there are two kinds of peppers grown in Hungary. One for spice we’ve just talked about and the other one for eating fresh. These fresh, green or yellow vegetables have a very refreshing taste and they are consumed either raw or in salads. Beside tomato it’s the other basic ingredient of ’lecsó’ which is similar to French Ratatouille. In contrast to the French version Hungarian ’lecsó’ has slices of Hungarian sausages instead of zucchini and aubergine. Eaten with fresh bread is very refreshing in summer.
If the weather is fine, all these dishes can be made in couldron (’bogrács’) hung over an open-air fire and cooked until they’re ready to eat.
HUNGARIAN SAUSAGES AND SALAMI Shepherds and herders, who spent most of the year away from their homes always kept dried meat with them, which allowed them to prepare a delicious stew. One of the most important celebrations of rural farms was the killing of pigs. The meat of these fattened animals was preserved and portioned carefully, which led to the development of modern sausages. The most famous brands of traditional Hungarian sausages are Csabai and Gyulai. There are types of smoked and flamed, thick and thin, slightly hot or hot sausages.
Pick salamiis also an internationally renowned product and a protected Hungarian brand. Its reputation is partially enhanced by the mystery of producing the salami: its recipe is still a closely-guarded secret.
And here now we would like to talk about one of our products we are proud of; and it’s the wine of Tokaj. It grows on the sides of about 400 inactive volcanoes. The region’s microclimate is due to the vapours of the river curling along the feet of the mountains whilst the autumn fog is favourable for the spread of botritys fungi which is responsible for the noble rot of aszú grapes. Although there are only 5.500 hectares left of the former 14.000 hectares of vineyard, the aszú wine of Tokaj still achive internal acclaim.
The production of the aszú of Tokaj requires a lot of delicate, yet hard work. Late harvest, proper selection and traditional production are also crucial factors. This fine substance was already highly regarded in the middle ages. Later, Louis XIV of France was so delighted that he called it ’Vinum regnum, rex vinorum’- which means ’Wine of Kings, King of Wines.’ Pope Gregory XIII called it ’talia vina’ (wine fit for the pope) But it also served as an inspiration for numerous artists such as Voltaire, Schumann, Anatole France and Heinrich Böll. The name of Tokaji aszú is a protected Hungarian brand now.
