Magyar News, 1998. szeptember-1999. augusztus (9. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1999-03-01 / 7. szám
The Mary Katona Scholarship of the American Hungarian Heritage Association requires an essay on the students Hungarian experience. This year the scholarship was awarded to Kara-Lynn Pekar who is attending Columbia University. Some years ago she wrote an essay, so now we have two to present to our readers. The first is not given in its full length to avoid repetition. This year the usual Scholarship Tea Party, where the awards are given out, was cancelled because of the very bad weather. We made up by presenting the check to Kara-Lynn at the January 10 video showing on the Hungarian history at the United Hall in Bridgeport, CT. At the meeting: Joseph F. Balogh, Bette Johnson, Kara-Lynn Pekar and Joseph Stiber Essay by Kara-Lynn Pekar, 1992 One of my most fond memories of childhood were the yummy, pastel frosted honey cookies sold in St. Emery's gym for twenty-five cents. I always loved going to church on the following Sunday to have my mom buy some of the leftovers. This is just one of my favorite pastimes in being a part of the Hungarian culture. Being a member of St. Emery's Church has always brought my Hungarian ethnicity to life. Whether it's the delicious “fánk” with the powdered sugar, or the stuffed cabbage or kolbász at the annual picnics, or even the Hungarian processions full of celebration, my church always has a way of making me proud to be who I am. Growing up in a house where my mom knew how to cook Hungarian food was always a special joy. When I was young I always loved coming home from school to find out my mom was making dumplings to go in the chicken paprikas, my favorite meal of all time. One Sunday morning I remember taking a walk down to the store at the comer of our street. I had specifically asked the store clerk for six “sós kifli”-s, I was left baffled when he couldn't understand what I was saying, not realizing I was asking for salt sticks in Hungarian. When I entered adolescence my grandpa came to live with us. He began making many suppers full of kolbaz and potatoes, and stuffed cabbage and stuffed peppers. Now I had him to cook the delicious Hungarian foods for me, and my mom still cooked too. On the cold, wintry nights my mom would make the Hungarian goulash which I always dreaded tasting due to the name. I remember one night when she had made palacsinta. She made so much I decided to bring some over to my friend Mary's house where a lot of people were getting together that night. So I brought over some of the leftover palacsinta insisting they tiy it with jelly, or cottage cheese with cinnamon in the middle. That night we all just ended up munching on it throughout the entire movie. They all had thought it was one of the best things they tried, even though they couldn't pronounce Page 4 the name. More of my favorite foods of the Hungarian culture also reminded me of the holidays, especially Christmas and Easter when my mom would bake the little Hungarian cakes filled with poppyseed, nuts, lekvár or apricot. I remember the sweet potatoes during Thanksgiving and the “kalács” on Christmas Day. I also remember, which just happened recently, having a Fourth of July picnic in which every year my family has szalonna as an appetizer. My neighbor, Mr. Crown couldn't get enough of the bread with drippings, he thought it was absolutely delicious. Now that I'm in college I don't get to savor and enjoy the dinners my Grandpa cooks, or attend the honey cookie sales, or ask for “sós kifli”-s at the store. However when I do come home for the holidays, the house is full of the warm, delicious odors of fresh baking Hungarian cakes and “kalács.” Chicken paprikas is still my favorite meal of all time, especially with the homemade dumplings. My personal experiences in the Hungarian Community have left me delighted, with a stronger sense of connection to the culture I am a part of. I have a special wholehearted love for not only the Hungarian culture, but also for the food. I have such a sincere appreciation toward my church and family that one day, when I'm out of college and have a family of my own, I will do for my children what lias been done for me. I will continue with the Hungarian tradition and will learn how to cook the delicious Hungarian food. Essay by Kara-Lynn Pekar, 1998 When I first applied for this scholarship it was during my undergraduate years of school in 1991-1992; I looked back and saw that I wrote about my Hungarian cultural experiences I had at St. Emery's church and school, along with favorite childhood memories of Hungarian foods cooked by my grandmother, which I have eaten throughout my life. I was brought back to the memory of when I took part in a Hungarian procession, dressing up in a beautifully embroidered blouse, red satin vest, white skirt with red and green ribbons, and a red crown with golden edging. This was probably the richest experience I
