Customer Reviews

Culinaria Hungary (Culinaria)

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am so happy with this book! I love that it's split up by region of Hungary and full of the history of the dishes, along with the history of the use of certain ingredients such as bacon, plum puree, spritzer wine, etc. I miss my Hungarian grandmother so much and never paid as much attention to her cooking as I should have...it warms my heart (and fills my stomach!) to have access to some of the dishes she used to prepare!

Brings back memories from my childhood and looking forward to trying recipes like mom used to make. Sorry I don't have hers, but hoping these will come close. Beautiful pics and history, and very reasonable price! Would make an impressive gift! Looks much more expensive.

Out of all the Hungarian cookbooks out there, this offers the largest selection and variance on recipes that I have seen. In addition is has BEAUTIFUL photos and offers you a look in to the history and traditions of Hungary.

I have the hardcover version of this book. Payed an obscene amount for it, but it was well worth it. The recipes are clearly described. I also own Horváth Ilona's book titled "Szakácskönyv," which seems to be very widely used in Hungary, but the recipes are harder to decipher.

Anikó Gergely's book is just spectacular. It has lots of fascinating background information, lots of beautiful pictures, and solid recipes for making authentic Hungarian food. I recently made Pörkölt Csirke (in an Emile Henry Tagine for the heck of it). It came out great.

My other favorite was Spenót which reminded me of the same dish my Mom made when I was a kid still living in Hungary.

If you want to see how obsessed Hungarians are with food, just do an image search on Google for "vásárcsarnok budapest". Keep in mind that this enormous building is in the center of Budapest. You can buy goose liver the size of an American football, or any kind of game you can think of, or fish, or paprika, or garlic, or sausage, salami, etc. If it's edible, they have it.

If you are traveling to Hungary, this is a great book to look through. It will help you formulate ideas of places to visit, and help you create a lists of the foods and beverages you may want to try while there. This book is ideal for anyone trying to get in touch with his/her Hungarian roots.

My husband is from Hungary, so he knows his Hungarian food. This book was EXCELLENT! We have found a few Hungarian recipes in English in the past, but not to much avail. I searched for months to find him the perfect book to open on Christmas morning and this was it! When he opened it and started looking through it, tears started to well up in his eyes. To me that is what makes this so wonderful. It blends their culture with comfort food favorites. The best part for me, it is in English so that I can really understand what things were like there. My husband thought this was his most special Christmas gift. I worked hard finding something I thought would be perfect, so if you are in the same situation I don't think you can go wrong with this. There are beautiful photos, with wonderful stories behind dishes.

I bought this for my Dad who is Hungarian. He lost alot of his old recipes and I thought this book might help him to remember. This book is very informational and a very good read.

This is as much travel book as cookbook....really a wonderful combination for someone who is going to visit Hungary or just wants to learn more about the country and Hungarian food.

My Hungarian grandmother was one of the best cooks of Hungarian food I have ever encountered. Unfortunately she was loathe to share the secrets that made her such a wonderful cook.

With "Culinaria-Hungary" I feel I have not only cracked that code but I have also gained a sense of history for all the dishes I grew up eating (and loving! This book is a MUST for anyone trying to discover their Hungarian heritage, or just simply rediscovering a sonewhat "lost" cuisine.

Normally, I'm the type of person who prefers a no-nonsense reference to cookery like Joy of Cooking to "pretty" cookbooks with pages of beautiful photography that tend to lack in recipes. This is an effective balance between the two:pretty enough to serve as a coffeetable book for leafing through just to admire the wonderful imagery conveying a sense of the country and the cuisine, and an informative, extensive source for the food researcher. With over 150 recipes, this book covers a wide range of Hungarian cookery, including short sections on Serbian and Transylvanian influences. The notes on the use of paprika and the technique of using it properly (add to oil and onions off the burner or over low heat to prevent from scorching, then add wet ingredients before returning to heat) are invaluable.

I lived in Hungary for 5 years, and even in its homeland, this book in the native language has become a popular reference. The recipes are "authentic," insofar as "authentic" could be defined within a traditional cuisine, and the book does an effective job in capturing the spirit of the Magyar people and their food. All in all, this the English-language cookbook I would recommend for anyone interested in learning about the cuisine. Karoly Gundel's _Gundel's Hungarian Cookbook_ would be a great companion piece, but if I had to pick one book for someone beginning to explore Hungarian food, this would be my undisputed choice.