Fraternity-Testvériség, 2010 (88. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
2010-10-01 / 4. szám
Fraternity I Testvériség Part The Hungarian Chef's Corner As a relic of the earlier church tradition of tasting for Advent, it is still traditional for fish to be eaten by many Hungarian families on Christmas Eve. Popular desserts with poppy seeds, like the poppy seed roll and poppy seed pudding, recall an even older tradition. The innumerable tiny seeds were originally meant as a fertility charm to ensure a plentiful harvest in the coming year at the winter solstice. On the first and second day of the Christmas holiday, Hungarian people visit their families. They eat a starter meat soup or spicy white wine soup. Then a Christmas turkey with chestnut stuffing or stuffed cabbage is served. If a pig has been butchered before Christmas, the menu consists of soup, sausages, and roast pork with the usual potato and vegetable garnish. Finally, there is some sort of sweet confectionery of which poppy seed rolls and walnut rolls are particular favorites. From these Christmas dishes, we offer the recipe of spicy white wine soup. Instructions Put 3 cups of white wine and 1/2 cup of water in a pan with the sugar, cinnamon, and cloves and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks with the remaining wine until creamy. Add the hot wine mixture to the egg yolks, stirring continuously and reheat. Be careful though; the soup must not be allowed to boil; otherwise the egg yolks will curdle. Pass the soup through a strainer and serve immediately. Spicy White Wine Soup Ingredients (for 4 people) white wine: 3 1/3 cup crystal sugar: 1 /2 cup cinnamon stick: 1 small cloves: 4 egg yolks: 4 Chef Viktor Merényi Christmas Shopping in Hungary Kathy A. Megyeri Photo courtesy of Miklós Gyorgyovich Photo courtesy of Miklós Gyorgyovich W ant authentic Hungarian Holiday shopping? Then, head in December to Budapest for the annual Christmas Market. In small booths, set up in front of the Gerbeaud Coffee House on Váci Utca, and reminiscent of Germany’s long-time Christmas market tradition, one can find the finest arts and crafts of Hungary at affordable prices in a most enjoyable setting. Hot wine, pastries, and folk music on stage warm the heart and bring whole families to center city as they choose from books, felt Christmas decorations, hand-loomed wool scarves and mittens, carved wooden but moveable toys, coins and jewelry, pillows, pottery, wines, hand-embroidered table linens, and leather key chains and wallets. My own prized possession from my last trip was a large sheep-skin purse with a brass latch and fine leather strap that would have cost me hundreds more in the states. I still carry it wintertimes and remember my favorite gift to myself from Budapest. During the market, Christmas is brought outdoors in a celebration of festivity and tradition, plus if your escort is Hungarian, as was mine, you can bargain with the vendor while enjoying the laughter, sights, sounds and smells of the holiday season. It’s an outdoor street fair and market you won’t soon forget in a city that goes all out to mark St. Mikulás Day and celebrate the birth of our Savior at this time of year.
