Devouring Budapest

It was 9 am when we arrived at the Great Market Hall to rendezvous with our tour guide Virág along with two other travellers with whom we would share the tour. Budapest’s covered markets were created in 1896 to remove vending from the streets and Danube. Having the markets in an enclosed area was cleaner and easier to control. There are five markets in all, the Great Market being the largest and definitely the most popular with its magnificent architecture.

Ready to start the tour we headed upstairs to a tiny bar stuck in the corner. Pressing up against the bar, our guide ordered five shots of Unicum a strong liqueur of purported medicinal qualities created in 1790 by Dr József Zwack. This was according to our guide the way some Hungarians kick-start their morning and ready their system for the day.
With the Unicum taking the edge off and warming the seat of our pants we plunged into the crowd to wiggle our way to breakfast. Lángos is a common Budapest street food that is a simple fried bread dough usually topped with garlic, sour cream and cheese. Grouped around a small table we all enjoyed our first taste of Budapest. Moving on, we slipped our way through a narrow aisle of delicious looking ready to eat foods and down a staircase to the main floor. Salami and prepared meats filled this section of the floor, piled high and hung with care. While admiring the displays and the delicious smell of fresh smoked bacon our guide ordered up a tasting plate from one of the vendors. Smoked pork loin, hot and sweet Hungarian salami, horse salami, smoked salami and summer sausage, all delicious. Walking around the corner, the counters start to fill with things like stacks of sausages, piles of bacon and entire cases of chicken. Here you will find any and every cut of fresh meat including rooster testicles, organ meat and the popular fattened goose liver. Continuing our walk we ended up at the back of the main floor where there is a lone stall selling fresh dairy product. A selection of local cheeses was in order and Virág had even brought a cheese board, knives and napkins (very thoughtful). Setting up our impromptu cheese tasting at an empty stall we enjoyed all sorts of different flavours of cheese including a cheese similar to cottage cheese with a nice bite, a crumbly cow’s milk cheese with dill and even chocolate covered sweetened fresh cheese (quark).The basement was next and my nose told me instantly that fish was being sold down there. Game meat was also sold, mostly frozen, but plentiful and stalls of pickle makers took up the remainder of the floor. We are not talking just some cucumbers in brine but pickling of the highest order. Barrels of different types of vegetables like squash, carrot, baby corn, peppers and of course cabbage, filled the stalls and cute displays of mixed pickles where stacked in every available space. Stopping at one stall we sampled a cone of fresh sauerkraut and an array of tangy vegetables including a huge sour pickle.
Upstairs again we were now in the vegetable section of the main floor and the displays were beautiful. Huge mountains of the freshest peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, you name it! Artfully arranged and accented by huge strings of dried Hungarian peppers. Working our way down the aisle we soon came upon rows of different honey and bags of dried spices containing the famed Hungarian paprika used in just about everything. Our guide quickly steered us away from the inferior, mass appeal, paprikas to the good stuff made for years by the same family and considered the best by Hungarian cooks. The market hall pretty much covered, it was time for us to move on down the street to a very local lunch spot to sample some of their most popular dishes. On the way, Virág spotted her favourite chocolate shop and had to have us try their uniquely blended flavours before we moved on.

Arriving at Belvárosi Disznótoros, we found the place to be packed but we staked our claim to an outdoor table and Virág disappeared inside to order, while we guarded our spot.
 In very short order she returned loaded down with plates of different food with more coming when it was ready. The sampling at the market had managed to take up more room than any of us thought but it all looked so good we dug in like troopers. We carefully divided up all the dishes between our plates so that everyone had a good taste of each. Salt cod potato croquette, venison stew, potato pancake with sour cream and garlic, Lecsó (a vegetable stew, this one had sausage in addition) fresh Mangalica pork sausage and blood sausage with a touch of mustard and kraut on the side. Lunch conquered, we were glad to keep moving since we were all feeling pretty full and knew we were not at the end yet. Budapest, like Vienna, has a big coffee culture and also shares the love of pastries and the art of the confection. Knowing the locals’ preferred pastry shop we headed just a few blocks away to a very busy corner and the shop was bustling. Inside, we again waited patiently for Virág, as she ordered a sampling of traditional Hungarian cakes and pastries. We begged her not to get too much but there were five we had to try and they only cut the pieces one size. Grabbing a fork we cut into each piece while Virág described their makeup. All were incredibly fresh and beautifully made. The rigó jancsi, chocolate sponge cake with chocolate cream filling was moist and denser than it looked.  The Dobos torta, the most famous cake in Hungary, stacked chocolate buttercream topped with a thin crust of caramel.  They were all good but the one I liked best was the Kapros Turos Lepeny, filled with sweetened cottage cheese and lightly flavoured with dill, one of the most unique cakes I have ever had. Now we were full, but with over three hours of walking, sampling and eating, what could be left? How about a wine tasting at a great little outdoor bar with seating in the adjacent park? The wine came by the glass starting with a Sauska white, made with the Furmint grape variety, the same as the famed Tokaji but not sweet. Next was a chilled Kékfrankos that was super drinkable, perfect for the hot afternoon and last was a Kadarka, a bigger, fruitier red and also fantastic. The tour was now officially over but we lingered at the table for a bit talking about our future plans and what a great day we had tasting the real Hungary in the beautiful city of Budapest.

Our thanks go out to Carolyn and Gábor Bánfalvi for inviting us out for a wonderful day on Taste Hungary’s culinary walking tour. If you’re going to Budapest and are interested in authentic Hungarian cuisine and wine, book a tour with Taste Hungary!