Transcript HUNGARIAN CUISINE HUNGARIAN PAPRIKA AND DISHES

HUNGARIAN
CUISINE
HUNGARIAN
PAPRIKA AND
DISHES
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 salami is 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.
TOKAJ WINE REGION AND HUNGARIAN WINE
OF TOKAJ
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.