CHIMNEY BREAD

Budapest is definitely well known for its amazing gastronomy experiences, ranging from traditional Hungarian foods to decadent desserts and sweets, not forgetting about the good wines and spirits this small country has to offer. Besides the typical restaurant atmosphere where these are showcased, Budapest often sets up various food and cultural fairs during different times of the year to showcase handmade goodies, “Pálinka”, Hungary’s national drink, flavorful dishes, and my favorite, “Kürtőskalács”, which in English is called “chimney bread”. Located in the heart of downtown Pest, Vörösmarty Square is the happening spot where there is both a winter and spring fair held every year. The spring fair consists of many little cottage stands sitting one after the other, selling foods, jewelry, soaps, alcohol, desserts, pottery, and hand painted cups, just to name a few.

They display whole pigs roasting on a stick, right in front of your eyes, which to some, including myself, is rather vulgar and I have to look away in fear that my eyes will burn. Another amazingly delicious food is "Gulyás leves", which is a famous Hungarian soup consisting of meat, carrots, and potatoes, seasoned with Hungarian paprika powder, and is the ultimate comfort food on a cold day.  By itself, this food would be rather healthy, except that they decide to put the soup into a bread bowl which, after you eat the soup, is just sitting there soaked in delicious juices and practically enchants you to eat it all. A favorite of some are the marzipan desserts, which are small square chocolatey and sugary treats ranging in a variety of colors and flavors, basically a rainbow for both your eyes and taste buds. Another crowd favorite is “Lángos". Lángos is one of the simplest foods you could make, yet so mindblowingly amazing that after eating one you always crave more. It's deep fried bread dough, about the size of a large man's hand, circular, topped with garlic, sour cream, and shredded cheese. Sounds weird, but I promise you, all of the million calories are worth it. My personal favorite dish, or dessert I should say, is the “Kürtőskalács” (chimney bread),  a twisted, spiral sweet bread wrapped around a wooden baking roll, which looks like a chimney, and when it is ready, rolled in a topping of your choosing (my preference being cinnamon sugar). This treat is one I have no willpower over and will spend the 1.500 Hungarian Forints on (a few streets over its about 300) because I know that it will satisfy my taste buds, put a smile on my face, and make me jump with glee as I rip off each piece and put it into my watering mouth. I can typically eat an entire one by myself, sharing with those around me if necessary, this time my boyfriend, if he’s fast enough. As I’m eating I always have to remind him not to waste time and eat some before I devour the entire thing in about two seconds. The amount of calories I consume is a thought I try not to let distract me, typically vowing to not eat for five days to make up for the calorie consumption, a plan that never actually works.

But it doesn't matter, because the atmosphere is lively and cheery, people, mainly foreigners, walking around admiring all of the (overpriced) items, ones which you can get for about a third of the price a few streets over. But money is not a concern to these people, the whole idea of being at a “traditional” Hungarian fair is enough to make you pull out your wallet and happily hand over several thousand Forints for a number of items you otherwise wouldn't purchase. And even I do it too because in that moment when I walk through the crowded streets of the fair, I am once again a bright eyed young girl staring at all the beauty this city has to offer- at the time, a city I only visited once a year and one I dreamed about when I was away. For this moment I am that girl again, optimistic and awed by everything around me, as if in that moment nothing else exists but me, the person by my side, and all of the beauty that surrounds me. #dianasays