William Penn Life, 2015 (50. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2015-12-01 / 12. szám
Tibor's Take holiday, Sabina's European Restaurant and Duna Csarda in Los Angeles can be counted on to serve up some delicious Magyar cuisine. Outside of Los Angeles, feel free to try DJ's Bistro in Concord or the Café Marika in Sacramento. Also, stop by Blue Danube Wine Company outside of San Jose and Krixa Cakes in San Francisco. Washington, DC Things are a little sparse near our nation's capital, but there is still plenty to eat and buy if you know where to look. Bookshops like Second Story Books and Kramerbooks can be counted on to provide mainstream and off-beat Hungarian monographs, artifacts and maps. Perusing the stalls at Eastern Market will often yield the rare map of Hungary or a series of prints from Hungarian travel posters. If you get hungry for some Eastern European fare, try Old Europe in Glover Park, Café Mozart downtown or Ambar in Eastern Market. (The latter labels itself as Balkan cuisine, but one man's slivovitz is another man's szilva pálinka.) Pennsylvania As we travel further west, many Hungarian options begin to tempt the purchaser (and if I happen to omit anyone, I'm sorry). For Hungarian meats in Southwest Pennsylvania, try Hungarian Smokehouse in Carmichaels. Josza Corner is a quirky Hungarian café in Pittsburgh's Hazelwood section that serves dinner by appointment only. Paprikas restaurant outside of Allentown and The Darlington Inn in Ligonier offer Hungarian cuisine. Barbara's Hungarian Foods and Blue Danube are just across the Delaware River in Trenton, N.J. Michigan Michigan is a stronghold for Hungarian food and retail options. The Hungarian Rhapsody restaurant in Southgate has been a favorite of the Check family for decades. Hungarian Strudel Shop still delights the locals of nearby Allen Park. Zingerman's bakery in Ann Arbor also serves up rétes for the hungry Magyar traveler cruising around the home of the Wolverines. Illinois Bende Incorporated near Vernon Hills, is a wellknown import house where you can pick up those sought-after spices and raw ingredients essential for authentic Magyar cooking. For the holidays, be sure to pick up some szaloncukor. Hungarian Kosher Foods is also a great one-stop shop for culinary needs in Evanston. Ohio I've saved (in my biased opinion) the best for last. If you find yourself cruising through the Buckeye State, there is no excuse to miss out on some Hungarian gifts, groceries or gastronomy. Starting in the state capital, Hungry Soul Café in Columbus is a relaxed spot for burgers and American- Hungarian cuisine. Toledo, of course, cannot be forgotten with its multiple Tony Packo's locations. When my parents' traveled to Toledo recently, I had them stock up on jarred pickles and Hungarian hot dogs. Kovács Meats in the Birmingham neighborhood of Toledo makes delicious cserkész kolbász. Tulipán in Wooster offers delicious Hungarian pastries and is well worth the stop after a long day of shopping in Amish Country. if you're in Cincinnatti, try Laszlo's Iron Skillet Restaurant. In Cleveland, there is enough to fill an entire day with Hungarian grocery shopping. The West Side Market is home to multiple vendors purveying Hungarian goods. Down the street, Farkas Bakery makes unrivalled krémes and Hansa Haus can always be counted on for unique Hungarian wines and confections. Tommy's Pastries in Lakewood also makes wonderful pogácsa and Mertie's Hungarian Strudel Shop and Lydia's Hungarian Strudel Shop are also great stops for...well, isn't it obvious? In all seriousness folks, no matter where you happen to celebrate the holiday's this year, Hungarian food and traditions may be well within reach. While all of these shops and restaurants are precious in their own regard, what's truly important is being able to share your Hungarian heritage with those most near and dear to you. So, during this blessed holiday season, be sure to take the time to share a little bit of Hungarian culture-whether it is a shot of pálinka, a link of kolbász or a bottle of Egri Bikavér-just share and rejoice, because that's what the season is all about. See you all next year. / Éljen a Magyar! Tibor II Tibor Check, Jr., is a member of Branch 28. Let's hear your take 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. William Penn Life 0 December 2015 0 7
