PUMPKIN

 

A HUNGARIAN- AMERICAN INTERPRETATION OF HUNGARIAN ALL SOULS and ALL SAINTS CAKE GIVING

In Hungarian tradition, which is surprisingly like the Mexican one, families take food to the cemetery.  They clean the graves, leave flowers and food for the ancestors. They light candles on the graves.  And they may also give "Beggers" who are outside the gates some of the bread or cake they brought with them.  It makes practical sense that the beggers should eat, for food can only be 'eaten' by the spirits who are in the next world. 

May I suggest that a way for Hungarian-Americans to continue this tradition is to donate to a food bank?

Though I'm no longer volunteering at meal or food bank - distribution sites, I've made some inquiries about how it's going at a local food bank.  I'm told that as the cost of living has gotten out of control, the contributions are way down, especially of the fresh produce, and so they are giving out more dry goods - pasta, rice, and so on, and even the canned goods tend to be potato and corn.  I can tell you that too much of these foods is not a healthy diet and the cause of weight gain and even problems with sugar. These carbs must be balanced with proteins and vegetables. I know that I myself sometimes make too much of a meal with them.

However, I realized long ago that the things that are given out - and sometimes that includes non-food items such as soap and shampoo and toothpaste - are still appreciated.  If a person goes to a foodbank before their money runs out, they may be able to spend on the items that they do not receive at no charge.

Most food banks cannot accept your home baked goods, even though the same baked goods could be given to a church bazaar or event. This is because of health department rules that aim to prevent food illnesses and also because of the rare but terrible events in which evil people intend to harm others through things they bake in or put in foods. Packaged and store bought items rather than home baked items are even required for schools. I sure wish we were back in the day with this.  As a result, what you donate to a food bank must also be purchased at a store.

Bread is something that is inexpensive for most stores to donate to food banks and so there is usually quite a bit of it given.  However, I noticed that my local stores that used to have drastically reduced day-old pastries and breads are also out of these items. 

Please consider my suggestion.

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A MESSAGE

WARSAW MUMMY PROJECT ID'S FIRST PREGNANT MUMMY

You may want to look at past posts here at MAGYAR AMERICAN BLOGSPOT dealing with the HUNGARIAN MUMMIES too.

The Warsaw Mummy Project is applying the latest medical science techniques to EGYPTIAN MUMMIES and has discovered a pregnant mummy,  they call The Mysterious Lady.

Death in childbirth was (and is) a real threat and so it's surprising that no pregnant mummy has been found before.  Perhaps those in museums were pregnant and only now can this be detected?

WARSAW MUMMY PROJECT

This site is beautifully designed with an interesting interactive...

FIERY

RECIPE FOR ALL SAINTS CAKE Mindszenti Kalacska - SOUL CAKES

CATHOLIC CULTURE LITURGICAL RECIPES   This cake has lemon or orange rind intended for a little flavor, yeast, lots of eggs.  However this citrus cannot be a traditional cake because citrus was not traditionally available in Hungary.  I know from other research that the source of vitamin C in Hungary was peppers and cabbage. An orange or lemon was imported was a special but unusual treat for a long time.

Small round cakes with a cross on top - be that by cutting or decorating a cross icon - are called SOUL CAKES and other European cultures also had a tradition of giving out these cakes.  An English tradition had children praying for souls and being given these cakes as a kind of treat.

There are also pagan traditions that suggest that food is offered for Hungry (not Hungarian) Ghosts.

If you have a recipe you want to share please send it in a comment~  thanks!

POST SUMERIAN SCYTHIAN MAGYARS

  

Post Sumerian Scythian Magyars.

This station promotes the notion that the ancient Magyars were the Sumerians.  On other videos posted by the same channel, links between languages are shown.  This is one of many theories.  I think this is a very beautiful and well done video.

REINCARNATE

TOLEDO OHIO HUNGARIANS

HUNGARIAN CLUB OF TOLEDO   

I was unable to find an official web site for this active group, other than Facebook.  I personally have never done Facebook but I realize some people like it.  So, I will allow you to do your own bit of research in order to connect with your Hungarian and American-Hungarian peers in Toledo.  For those of you, who are like me, not familiar with Toledo, they are in the Birmingham area and it appears they have a club house.

The group appears to be very active and get involved in local festivals like the Beer and Bacon. 

If you're a member of this club, please use COMMENTS to tell us more

PS:  Ohio and New Jersey have the most people of Hungarian or American-Hungarian descent.

DO YOU KNOW A HUNGARIAN GHOST STORY?

 Please leave a comment!  Maybe a referral to a book or article?

CAPSICUM FRUITS IN SZEGED

What a wonderful photo!

Capsicum fruits in Szeged, Hungary. Photo by Váradi Zsolt.

 

PAPRIKA PAPRIKA PARIKA : HUNGARIAN/ HUNGARIAN-AMERICAN STEREOTYPE

 

Hungarians supposedly use PAPRIKA generously and more so that salt.  I mean on EVERYTHING not just Chicken paprikash.  When I started this series on nationalistic stereotypes, I mentioned goulash.   You say "I'm Hungarian."  They say "Oh, Hungarian goulash."

 Well, it seems goulash has paprika in it too.  So do many recipes that have become traditional.  Hungarian cooking is said to be the only European fare that embraces heat.

 So what's the 'scoop?'

In Hungary there are many varieties of the peppers that were introduced, like tulips were, by the Turks, who were so much the enemy that they slaughtered two thirds of the Hungarians in order to occupy and take over the country. But then maybe the Hungarians only borrowed the name for the plant from Turkish words and were more comfortable with the notion that the peppers originated in Portugal. The Hungarians liked these peppers, not to be confused with the Spanish/Mexican peppers, as these have a more sweet taste. Peppers are higher in Vitamin C than citrus and provided much of the vitamin C at a time when citrus was a tropical fruit that didn't grow in a temperate climate and wasn't imported much either. There are a variety of these peppers with different degrees of heat, from none to mouth burning.

Supposedly if you buy paprika you should use it within 6 months because of flavor changes that could mean the taste goes bitter but I've had the same tin longer than that, from an American grocer too, and it's just fine sprinkled on boiled eggs after 'deviling' the yolks, and on potato salad or on freshly made humus.

So here's the catch. In the United States only one type of paprika spice is generally sold (but for a little importing into rare specialty stores) so many a Magyar-American may not even know about the other flavor varieties available in Hungary and so have a limited number of recipes to use it in. (American paprika is often a product of California.)  Depending on the region of Hungary, the soil there, the pepper has a different flavor.

Which means that Hungarians in Hungary have the variety and the knowledge on how to use the various peppers and paprikas made of them and are judicious.  And get this : a pepper is a pepper and a chili is a chili... sometimes they look the same but they are not, so if you enter a hot chili eating contest you're not eating hot pepper. Sweet, hot, or smoked, you basically have two varieties, and the one that began to be integrated into Hungarian cooking in the 17th century is from Szeged. 

No, Hungarians DO NOT lavish paprika on everything or without first tasting the dish before deciding to sprinkle more on.  However, paprikas are used in very many recipes. So, as for this stereotype, perhaps it's one to be applied more to the Hungarians than the Hungarian-Americans?

Here is a good discussion about the history and use of paprika! THE HUNGARIAN PAPRIKA

C 2022 Magyar-American BlogSpot

HARVEST ANGEL

 

THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO BEING HUNGARIAN : AN INTELLIGENT BOOK THAT IS ALSO FUN

 Sixteen notable writers.

These writers tackle subjects beyond stereotypes (like the cover of the book - peppers and mustaches) about what Hungary and Hungarians are about, looking at the past as well as the present situation as a result of the past. Pride in a unique heritage is one thing, people not picking up dog poo in Budapest is another.  From places to go and things to do, to relatives who got stranded in what is now another country before the country was significantly chopped. From heritage horses, pigs, and sheep, to the fact that the Hortobagy Plain was once forested and the vacant salty expanse of it now is due to overgrazing of animals.

Folk customs... likely begun in the 17th century or so not brought from Eurasia. Regional dress that used to identify village, class, and so on, now mainly worn by textile sellers and people on their way to dance class but yet there are places in Hungary where there exists people who can 'read' or identify the dress. The

difference between folk tale and folk legend and more than one origin story.  These short essays seem more reckoning than opinion,  I thoroughly enjoyed this intelligent book, which also, I am so happy to say, is not mired or overly sober.

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TENDER