Magyar News, 1994. szeptember-1995. augusztus (5. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1994-12-01 / 4. szám

ALMOST LIKE HOME An international collaboration between the Hungarian National Museum and American counterparts brought an outstand­ing exhibit to the States. After a journey in many cities it arrived in New York. It was shown at The Gallery at the Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts. Two hundred pieces of gold and silver objects made by Hungarian goldsmiths were on display. There were jugs, tankards, bowls and beakers. Chalices, jewelry, armor and arms. Embroidery and lace were sewn with golden threads. The paintings of the period showed how some of the artifacts were used, and how the jewelry was worn. During theTurkish occupation, the gold­smiths left the war-tom areas and settled in Transylvania and the northern unoccupied parts of Hungary. Here they continued their trade. It was compulsory to stamp the maker’s mark on every object. This made it possible for us to know what the goldsmith’s names were. Hungary at a time was known to be the largest supplier of gold and silver for all Europe. No wonder that there were so many goldsmiths in the country and that so many came from other countries. Their talent and skill created master­pieces that cannot be surpassed even by today’s standards. Thebeauty and the abso­lute perfection of the great scenes is simply mesmerizing. It is a pity that the exhibit wasn’t brought into our area. The other experience of New Y ork being almost like home was a little restaurant. The name doesn’t reveal that it is a Hungar­ian restaurant. It is called the MOCCA on Second Avenue between 81st and 82nd Streets. It is surrounded by many other eating places that didn’t seem to do busi­ness. Around two o’clock the Mocca was so busy that the people were standing in the street waiting for their turn. When you are inside you learn why the popularity. It is a nice, neat place, fast service and authentic Hungarian food. For lunch they have a standing menu of a dozen entrees. To start with we had something to nibble on, also bread and butter. There was a choice of salad or Gulyas soup—nice and hardy. The entrees included chicken paprikas, szekely gulyás, gulyás, both the soup and the stew, viener schnitzle and others in a good por­tion . Then you have a choice of ice cream or even better, filled palacsinta. When you finished your coffee you happily noticed IS IT FROM THE CAPSICUM ANNUUM L. CONVAR. LONGUM? In other words: Does it come from the paprika plant? This question came into the foreground in the past weeks. The local paper gave news that the Hungarian pa­prika was tainted with lead paint to look nice and red. This mixing didn’t add any nutritive value to the paprika, but definitely made it a health hazard. We also learned about the fake Herend porcelain. To clear the air, I got in touch with Tibor Nemes, who is the head of the Hungarian Commerce Office in New York. He told me that there was a problem with both items. Some people growing their own paprika mixed in lead paint. This is the red paint that in the past was used to paint steel structures. This paint was discontinued a few decades ago, but they must have found it in some storage place. Unfortunately some waxpaper bags for Kalocsa were also sto­len. This was a relatively small amount and it was intended for domestic use only. All the export paprika was clean of any mis­handling, and it is under state control. Recently a new law was passed making it mandatory for anybody putting their prod­uct in the market to have a government perm it and it should show the con trol sticker just as the wine bottles do. People who bought paprika through the regular export channel, or purchased it in Hungary from reputable stores have nothing to worry about. Those who visited Hungary and came back with paprika from questionable sources, lose, unpackaged, should throw it out. The whole scare was blown out of proportion. It was a domestic matter and very limited. Also it was cleared up in a short time. The other issue was even less of a prob­lem. Some painters at the Herend Factory were working on individual pieces at home and somehow managed to get it into the market. Naturally this operation was foiled also. As Hungarians say it is better to be aware than to be scared. Joseph F. Balogh HUNGARIAN AMERICAN-ITALIANS It sounds strange to have three nationali­ties strung together. This time it wasn’t the choice of the Hungarians. It so happened that Italians in America were sporting our Hungarian colors, the Red-white-and-green. Some time ago at the 90 Acres Park there was an Italian Festival. The booths were decorated and they had banners wrapped around them. The stripes were horizontal, so one reads it from top going down. They should have been Italian color, green-white­­and-red, but they were upside down. They were the Hungarian colors. Now, if the strips are arranged vertically then one should read them from left to right. A person wearing a sash across the right shoulder going down in front of the body into a knot below the hip, should be read from the left. For Italians it would be green-white-and­­red. On Columbus-day at the Italian parade Governor Cuomo and Mayor Giuliani with some other celebrities displayed the Hun­garian colors. Maybe the Hungarians should have a copyright on the red-white-and-green. that the bill was only S6.45. Now try to beat that. Did I say Almost Like Home? How about better? J.F.B. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ! (ijener^l Auto Radiatfir^ AUTO AIR CONDITIONING GENERAL AUTO REPAIR 163 Andover Street Bridgeport. CT 06605 (203) 336-0800 Frank Zilinyi j SCHOLARSHIPS Just a reminder that the Mary Katona Scholarship and the Pannónia Scholarship applications have to be in by the end of November. Do not delay because those sent in after the cut-off date will be automati­cally rejected. THE F1RST/THE FINEST HOWE DRIVING SCHOOL JOYCE HOWE - SPEAKS HUNGARIAN 2318 MAIN STREET STRATFORD, CT 06497 (AT THE FLAG POLE) 375-HOWE 588 MONROE TPKE. ROUTE 1 1 1 MONROE, CT 06468 261-0500 page 7

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