William Penn Life, 2006 (41. évfolyam, 2-12. szám)
2006-04-01 / 4. szám
The Hungarian Kitchen with Főszakács Béla Happy Easter, Happy Anniversary FÁRAD JON BE A MAGYAR KONYHÁBA. Chef Vilmos and I would like to wish you all a Happy Easter. This particular column is special for a few reasons all of which have to do with the number four. This is the start of my fourth year writing the Hungarian Kitchen; the column contains four years worth of Easter recipes, as this is the fourth Easter I celebrate in the HK. So, go out and buy a lottery ticket with 444 and you might win something big! Easter time is always special. I can remember my younger days back in New Brunswick, N.J. We would all get new Easter outfits to wear to church on Sunday morning. After church services we would head home for quite a feast and to find Easter baskets with chocolate eggs and chocolate bunny rabbits. My grandparents would visit, and we all had a joyous time at the dining room table just relaxing and enjoying the day for what it was all about. The Saturday before Easter Sunday, we would visit the Hungarian bakery for some bread, and then go to the butcher shop for some Easter kolbász the butcher made special for the holiday. If you're fortunate enough to live in an area that has a Hungarian butcher shop, you know what I'm talking about. Once we had the bread and the kolbász, everything else we ate on Easter Sunday was prepared by mom and grandma. We never went hungry, and we always had leftovers to enjoy for the next few days, which included the colored eggs we did Saturday night before we went to bed. I do remember sneaking into the kitchen to get a few carrots out of the refrigerator to leave for the Easter bunny. It must have worked because I always got a nice basket and the carrots were always gone that next morning. Those memories of growing up Hungarian in New Brunswick will always be a reminder of those good times in my life. Writing the Hungarian Kitchen gives me the opportunity to research and write about different foods, recipes and techniques we use in the kitchen. I remember the first column and how simple it was with basic information and three recipes. Since that time the columns have gotten more complex with more recipes, kitchen tips, practical ideas and many spotlights on foods we eat. All this is possible because of the support given to the Hungarian Kitchen by all the faithful readers and those I meet in person when attending William Penn events throughout the year. I am always grateful for the opportunity to write the column and provide you all with more information about Magyar cooking. There is a lot to learn and I try to make it fun and adventurous. I do get a few cards, letters and emails during any given month that give me direction of where the column should be heading. All signs indicate that you fellow Magyar cooks want to learn more and more and more. Chef Vilmos has been retired for 3 years yet he still helps me in the kitchen when its time to try new recipes. He has been a faithful friend and a knowledgeable companion in the HK. Another factor of how wise and talented all you readers are was demonstrated this past year. Look at all the recipes that were sent in for the new cookbook-over 570! The name of the new cookbook is "A Taste of Hungarian Heaven." Together, we completed the project and helped the Scholarship Foundation gain a bit more financially. While there will be advertisements forthcoming about the new cookbook, they are for sale at the Home Office in Pittsburgh. Just call the toll free number 1-800-848-7366 and ask how you can purchase a copy for yourself. All proceeds go to the WPFA Scholarship Foundation. A lot of the food written about in the HK comes from reader's suggestions and ideas. One cook in New Kensington, Pa., suggested I write a column about variety meats Hungarians enjoy. So next month we will learn about all the variety products we can make or purchase. If you ever have a suggestion about a future column for the HK please write to me in care of the Home Office, and I can make it happen. Continued on Page 12 10 William Penn Life, April 2006
