William Penn Life, 2010 (45. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2010-08-01 / 8. szám
Tibor's Take and detailed recipes that capture authentic, unadulterated Hungarian cuisine. It also has articles and stories that deal with the history and lore of Hungary, whether it is the legends about the csárda (roadside inn) or Hungarian Christmas traditions. I like Culinaria Hungary because it is part history book, part tourist pamphlet, part picture book, and mostly, a really, really good cookbook. Yet, I confess there is another reason for it being my favorite cookbook. Over the years, our copy has grown and swelled with newspaper articles, recipes scribbled hastily on index cards, pictures drawn by my siblings and me, and many other items of note. Just by cracking open Culinaria, half of our family history falls out. That is why I recently acquired a second copy of Culinaria Hungary. I now use one copy for archiving and casual reading and the other copy for whipping up a great Hungarian dish. With two copies of the cookbook, I can concentrate on either cooking or reminiscing. Maybe the same is true in your family. Maybe there is a cookbook that has been used for decades, passed through generations, and with each passing year, it becomes more than a cookbook. Maybe Grandma put a birthday card next to her favorite goulash recipe, or maybe the writing next to the krémes recipe is the last bit of handwriting left from Great-grandma who came over from Hungary. Maybe there are old newspaper clippings announcing engagements, weddings or births. Maybe there is the odd photo of an uncle's military graduation or an old letter hastily written in Hungarian. Much of my family's history is contained between those yellowed pages. Every stain or smudge is an artifact left over from bygone days. Cookbooks in my family are like time capsules. As a general rule, every time our recipe books are taken down from the shelf, it returns to its place with something new. Whether it is my sister inadvertently dripping some lekvár on a page or my Dad clipping a newspaper article next to a preferred recipe, our cookbooks grow and swell with the history of the Cseh Család. As a historian, it gives me chills to think that one day that my descendants may be carefully opening some of the cookbooks that my family and I used. Who knows, maybe in the distant future, paper and bound books will be an antiquity, obsolete just as a telegraph machine is today. No matter, our heritage will be preserved for the generations that will follow me. If only it was that simple for all Hungarian-Americans. So, whether you are just buying your first Hungarian cookbook, or if you are looking for one to fill some space on the shelf, choose carefully. Buy one that is practical of course, but make sure there is plenty of space between the pages, as you can bet that little mementos and notes of your family's past will sneak their way in. I know now it may seem inconsequential, but believe me, it will be cherished by your future Magyar-American generations. / Éljen a Magyar, Tibor Tibor Check Jr. is a member of Branch 28 Youngstown, Ohio, and a student at Cleveland State University. He serves as host of the “Souvenirs of Hungary” weekly radio show broadcast on WKTL-90.7 FM in Struthers, Ohio. What's your take? Let me know how you enjoy my thoughts and views on growing up Hungarian Style. If you have any questions or comments about me or my column, please email me at: SilverKingl937@ yahoo.com, or drop me a letter in care of the William Penn Association, 709 Brighton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15233. Did you know they're Hungarian? Did you know John Ratzenberger is Hungarian? The name may not ring a bell, but this popular actor and voice for Pixar/Disney animated movies is best known from a television show “where everybody knows your name.” That’s right, Cliff Clavin, the know-it-all mailman from the beloved sitcom Cheers is a true red, white and green Hungarian-American. He was born János Desző Ratzenberger in Bridgeport, Conn., on April 6, 1947, son of Desző and Bertha Ratzenberger. He attended St. Ann’s school and briefly enrolled at Sacred Heart University. Like many comedians, he tried several occupations before hitting it big in show business. He spent 10 years in England as a carpenter, and in his spare time tried his hand at English theater. He then returned to America and unsuccessfully tried out for small acting roles in television. His big break came when he was invited by the creators of Cheers to read for the role of Norm. After being rejected for that part, he approached the show’s idea people about having a bar buddy for Norm. The new character would be a smart aleck know-it-all that could solve everybody’s problems but his own. Ratzenberger’s presentation was so convincing that the producers of Cheers hired him on the spot for the newly-created role. He was given free rein to develop the character of Cliff Clavin. Besides Cheers, Ratzenberger hosted Travel Channel’s award winning show Made in America! (2003-2008). Recently, Ratzenberger’s voice has become one of the most recognized in the world of cartoon animation. He has voiced the roles of “Hamm” in three Toy Story movies and “Mack” in Cars. He is one of Hollywood’s top 20 money makers over the last 20 years. □ William Penn Life 0 August 2010 0 9
