William Penn Life, 2017 (52. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2017-11-01 / 11. szám
Our adventure to Hungary began with a group of 22 travelers leaving Detroit on Sept. 6 for Amsterdam and then Budapest. Our first stop was Eger and Szépasszonyvőlgy ("Valley of the Beautiful Woman"). Staying at the Imola Hotel Platán with its beautiful wellness center allowed us to get comfortable and to adjust to the time difference. When in Hungary, you have to take advantage of the amenities that such wellness centers offer. Hungary is famous for wellness treatments and spas, and you have to say that you tried them. Our welcome dinner at the hotel was wonderful: cauliflower soup, flounder stuffed with wild salmon, fish sauce, asparagus and baby spinach, with créme brűlée for dessert. This was just meal number one, and the meals got better as our trip progressed. The wine cellars were numerous and enjoyed by the travelers in our group. Day 3 of our trip was in Szilvásvárad, featuring a visit to the Lipica Stud Farm in the Bükk Mountains, where the world-famous Hungarian Lipizzaner stallions are bred and raised. Our horse-drawn carriage ride to the barns was a treat. I am a city boy whose "horse-drawn" vehicle has four wheels and hundreds of horse power. What a change this was for me. The first of many highlights on this trip began when our wagons-I mean, carriages-arrived at the pasture where about 100 horses came trotting down to where we could see them better. There were newborn foals, moms that were getting ready to deliver and youngsters that were suckling. A very impressive sight, indeed. The day continued to get better. We took a train ride to a field in the Szalajka Valley, where we had a "trout picnic." It was a hands-on experience. We each took prepared and seasoned trout and szalonna (bacon), sat down around a huge fire and roasted our lunch. We heated the szalonna until the grease began to drip and used those wonderfully delicious bacon fat drippings to further season the trout--a true Hungarian culinary treat. Once we were told that our fish was ready to eat, off to the tables we went where salads and breads awaited us. Wine was poured—for some of us right into our mouths, or into a glass, if preferred. I had been looking forward to this lunch for about eight years. Once again, impressive. The trip continued to get better. We visited a cheese factory at Mónosbél for a cheese tasting and tour of the cheese making process. We tried five different cheeses that were served with a delicious cherry jam. We then made a quick visit to the Saliris Spa in Egerszalók, a spa known for its salt deposits, which could be seen on the grounds of the resort. We continued our journey to the Mezőkövesd and the Matyó land, Miskolc, and a micro-brewery for instruction on the beer making process, another new experience for our travelers. Not to be forgotten was the honey cake maker where we got to decorate our red cookies with the white icing (mézeskalács). From there, we went to the Tokaj wine region and the Hotel Magita in Erdőbénye, along with a visit to Sárospatak and Rákóczi Castle. This is where I got áfánk (donut) filled with jelly from a lángos stand. It was incredible! Another trip highlight was a visit to the Hélia-D Herbal House Visitor and Beauty Centre. Hélia-D is an internationally-known Hungarian skin care company. The company uses plant-based ingredients in its products. Those on our tour had the opportunity to create our own special brand of skin cream, anti-wrinkle cream and shampoo. We were able to create our own scents and add minerals, vitamins and other plant-based ingredients to achieve the results we wanted. I don't think you will be able to recognize our travelers once the creams and lotions are applied. We also were able to visit the workshop of a cooper (wine barrel maker). We got to see the steps that are taken in the wine barrel making process. It was nice to see what has to be done in order to achieve a finished wine barrel. After our visit, we walked downhill for our dinner in the garden of the Budaházy Fekete Mansion and winery, constructed in the 1600s. Our paprikás csirke (chicken paprikash) dinner was cooked in a cauldron and served outside. What a great evening. We continued on to eastern Hungary and the Hortobágy Puszta for a horse show featuring Hungarian csikós (cowboys) and then on to Debrecen, "The Calvinist Rome." I took a tour (via elevator) of the upper portion of the great church and saw a portion of the original church which was built hundreds of years ago. Next, we visited my favorite place: Hajdúszoboszló. Continued on Page I 2 LEFT: Roasting szalonna in the Szalajka Valley. TOP: From a visit to the Hotyek Cooper Workshop in Erdőbénye. WILLIAM PENN LIFE 0 November 2017 0 1 1
