Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/970887
3 4 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t HUNGARIAN WINES, PARTICULARLY dry Furmint and botrytized Aszú styles from the renowned Tokaj region, are currently enjoying a well-deserved comeback. Celebrated for their historical im- portance and food-pairing prowess, the wines of Hungary have adorned European dining tables for centuries, where they've been swirled and sipped by kings and commoners alike as they feasted on local culinary specialties. So what, exactly, are the regional ingredients and dishes that define Hungary's cuisine? If paprika and goulash come to mind, you wouldn't be far off, but Hungarian food is embodied by so much more than the humble yet celebrated Capsicum annuum pepper or a steaming bowl of herdsmen stew . . . just ask the travelers flocking to Michelin-starred eateries in Budapest and the lauded res- taurants dispersed throughout the country's rural areas. Weathered by the imperial tides of history, Hungary's gastronomic traditions have congealed into a melting pot of hearty, regional flavors. Spices and vegetables like garlic, onions, ginger, and poppy seeds first arrived with intermittent invaders and settlers, particularly from Turkey, and were quickly incorporated into the Hungarian diet. Yet Hungary's dynastic, 50-year reign in the Austro- Hungarian Empire is when cross-border exchanges with Austria, Croatia, Romania, and Serbia truly spread throughout the region. "The food pantry of Central Europe" is how Dr. Ákos Horváth, Agricultural Attaché for the Em- bassy of Hungary in Washington, D.C., describes his country. Indeed, nearly two-thirds of Hungary's territory consists of plains and farmland blessed with some of the most fertile luvisol soils in Eu- rope (much of Hungary once formed the floor of the ancient Pannonian Sea). In addition to paprika, tomatoes, and cabbage, other important crops include corn, wheat, sugar beets, barley, potatoes, sunflower seeds, orchard fruit, and wine grapes. CULINARY TRAVELS Chimney cake, or kürtőskalács in Hungarian, is one of the country's most traditional desserts. After being basted in butter and roasted over charcoal to create a crispy crust, the pastry is then rolled in sugar, cinnamon, or nuts before serving. DEEP-ROOTED TRADITIONS, HIGH-QUALITY INGREDIENTS, AND ROBUST FLAVORS DEFINE THE COUNTRY'S CULINARY CULTURE by Cliff Rames Made with Hungarian Heart Chef Frigyes Vomberg, coach of the Hungarian Bocuse d'Or team, recommends pairing late-harvest Tokaji or 5 Puttonyos Aszú with roasted pork belly and sweet potatoes.