It’s time for a blog report. Yes, I know it has been a few days since any information has slipped out of Eastern Europe but it’s been a bit quiet here. It’s not that we haven’t been doing interesting things; writing proposals to journals, cleaning the stove, watering the plants, soaking feet,(I have a nasty planters’ wart that is driving me crazy) mopping the floors, re-writing proposals to journals, limping to the market, making paprikash, more foot soaking and more re-writing proposals to journals. Interesting but just not blog able. But wait, did I say “making paprikash,” maybe you could expound on that, that would be more interesting than the foot soaking.
There have been numerous discussions on this blog about food, and, I am determined to leave Budapest with the mastery of at least 2 traditional Hungarian dishes, goulash and paprikash. There has been a lot of research conducted on these subjects, we have eaten goulash in every country we have visited and have found that the recipe varies from country to country. Red and soupy in Hungary to brown and stewy in Czech. Goulash is similar to chili in that the recipe varies from country to country and grandmother to grandmother. More research must be conducted to come up with the definitive Hungarian recipe although I have determined you start with a bunch of root vegetables and it has caraway in it. The rest is rather vaque. Paprikash, on the other hand seems to be somewhat standard but I know by saying this I will cause a debate among my Hungarian readers.
Last Thursday evening our friend Barbara Guttman invited us for dinner and she make paprikash. Through arm twisting and looking over her apronned shoulder I have determined the secret recipe she has in her head. Barbara is ½ Serbian and ½ Hungarian and she learned the recipe from her Hungarian grandmother, it’s not written down and has a lot of dashes’ and abouts in it but here is the basic recipe.
Large pot, 4# of white onions chopped fine, cook the onions in oil and a bit of water, cook them for a long time, add more water if needed, keep cooking the onions, still not ready, when they are finally ready remove the onions from the stove, add several scoops? of special paprika only found in some small Hungarian village deep in the Carpathians, return to the fire and add 2# of tomatoes and cook for a long time, you shouldn’t need to add any more water as the tomatoes add liquid. This is the basic recipe for paprikash.
Barbara made paprikash with forest mushrooms and it was spectacular. But with the basic recipe you can add many different things, beef, chicken, potato even peas. We made ours with chicken and potato. You just add the final ingredient you desire at the end. The paprika adds so much flavor you don’t need salt and you can add a lot of it. Paprika of course varies and the Hungarians are very persnickety about it, we have heard of annual pilgrimages to buy a special paprika. This recipe will take some practice and continued development. It’s very healthy, hearty and flavorful.
Goulash on the other hand…still a complete mystery but I am determined.
Other notes…Clayton is in DeKalb working with Dad. We enjoyed his time here and we hope he did as well. We met our train friends Andrew and Agnes for dinner on Friday night and are going to the flea market with them this morning. They are an interesting couple, they are retired and traveling the world. They are originally from Hungary but have been in California for over 30 years. They have sold their house and are living out of suitcases.
We have finalized our plans for the return trip. We will be back in Budapest from Oct. 12th (D and D's Anniversary) thru Oct 27th so plan your Fall vacations now. It looks like we will be able to use the same flat so we have plenty of room and plenty of towels. Lisa will be busy but I will be available for tours.
Enjoy a few pictures; a unique t-shirt combining a motel and a motor oil, tree lined Andrassy Boulevard, recipe needed for these cookies, dinner with Agnes and Andrew and dinner at Barbara's with a woman who only spoke Flemish, from Flemland I guess.
My foot is better, thanks for asking.
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