In the village of Horány on the southern tip of Szentendre Island, which floats in the Danube between the Danube Bend and Budapest, there is an older lady referred to by most as “the néni.” The néni runs a cafe at the bottom of a path leading up to a riverbank that is used as a beach in the summertime. The cafe is…

If someone had told me this time last month that the best rabbit I will have ever eaten would be served to me at a restaurant in Balaton, I would’ve laughed a hearty laugh indeed. And if the person followed up with a whisper, “And it will be locally sourced,” I would’ve furrowed my brow angrily…

The word menza means “cafeteria” in Hungarian and is often associated with institutional eateries of Hungary’s Socialist Era. During this time food options were limited to simple and substantial dishes such as vegetable főzelék served with fried meat, always preceded by some sort of watery soup. Flavors weren’t particularly interesting but they were ones that a hardworking comrade could easily learn to love when they signified sustenance…

My sister-in-law seemed determined enough when she recommended a place to get lunch last week. I found no reason to protest. We drove to A Szűcs Fogadója, located half way between Gödöllő and Szada about a half hour road trip from Budapest. It’s a tavern-type establishment with not the most scenic of surroundings – a busy highway and a…

“Neeeeeeeeeeeeee,” comes the loud protest from a Hungarian child served a bowl full of főzelék. They don’t like it too much. I, on the other hand, have come to crave the stuff often. I guess the distance from this childhood staple has boosted my fondness for it and, when home, I’m never ashamed of asking for it. I beg…

Lake Balaton is often referred to as the “Hungarian Sea” and holds a deeply meaningful place in the hearts of many Magyars. Only two hours by train from Budapest, it’s a place to get away from the urban grime and unbearable summer heat of the sweltering capital and immerse oneself in a weekend of bare feet and…

Hungary for me automatically means family and home-cooking. Uncles, aunts, grandparents, cousins seated around tables dressed hours before for this occasion. Little things to nibble on before the main course reaches the table. Talking, drinking my grandfather’s pretty terrible wine, cracking jokes about it behind his back. Telling stories in an attempt to describe my…