Comments on: Mom’s Secret Stash: Hungarian Goulash

By: mrs D

mrs D — Sat, 01 Oct 2005 02:13:37 +0000

Hey Owen, Zsofi’s blog is lovely, isn’t it? I have quite the urge to learn culinary terms in Hungarian so I can figure out the recipes. They look delicious!

I totally hear you on putting cookbooks away before cooking. We do that here, too.

By: Owen

Owen — Fri, 30 Sep 2005 16:46:01 +0000

Hey! A hungarian food blog! (Click on Zsofi’s name) It looks great - the words too - shame I can’t understand them. Lovely name and logo too. And yes, I found some English recipes on there, but the Hungarian ones are so much more mysterious and interesting is that red dish made with yoghurt (I got that far) also made with beets or cherries or berries or red food coloring? I could probably find out but I like the mystery.

As for family recipes - alas - we have none - my mother is of the not really using recipes here school - which explains why I’m that way too. On the other hand we both have tons of cookbooks which I LOVE to look at, read thoroughly and then put away just BEFORE starting cooking…

By: mrs D

mrs D — Fri, 30 Sep 2005 13:55:07 +0000

Melissa, sounds like your mom’s got some ’splainin’ to do! :-)

Hey Jill — found it: Beef & Ham rolls, page 42. That does sound good. Chopper’s up for anything involving prosciutto!

Hey Kitchenmage — we have a bunch of books like that. I’ve got one that’s all notebook pages, with tons of margin notes. Also, any of the books that fall open to particular pages are covered in recipe size conversion notes — usually to make a double amount for a larger family.

Hi Zsofi! I’m not at all surprised this recipe isn’t very authentic! This book first came out in 1954, when it was all about “Americanizing” recipes from “exotic” lands. Like Europe. ;-) Heck, somewhere in here there’s probably a dessert recipe that incorporates Jell-o cubes! I’d love to see your goulash recipe — I hope you post it!

By: Zsofi

Zsofi — Fri, 30 Sep 2005 05:50:16 +0000

Your goulash looks absolutely delicious! And since it’s a family recipe and one of your favorite childhood dishes I don’t even dare to go into the details of the recipe very much. But the thing is, I’m Hungarian. And I always have to smile about what is considered as “Hungarian” goulash all around the world..(there are at least two ingredients that are never ever used for a goulash in Hungary: butter and canned tomatoes)Maybe I will post the recipe of the authentic Hungarian dish sometimes.
But I’m sure your goulash tastes fantastic! And I love your site!
Cheers

By: kitchenmage

kitchenmage — Thu, 29 Sep 2005 16:07:26 +0000

My “family” recipes are either written in the margins (inside covers, shreds of paper stuck in, etc) of “regular” cookbooks…or handed down by the old oral story-telling tradition. The goulash looks marvelous, and just right for the nip that’s in the air.

I had to laugh at Jill’s description of the recipe–no name, just where it is in the book and some ingredients. Bet the book falls open to that page. :-)

By: Jill Behpour

Jill Behpour — Thu, 29 Sep 2005 13:54:17 +0000

Wow - I have that cookbook!!! One recipe that is SO good is in the Italian section - it is on the left hand page near the front of the book, at the top, and consists of sirloin steaks with prosciutto inside, then cooked in a tomatoey sauce. It is delish - somehow the combination of meats adds exponentially to the flavor. Haven’t tried many other recipes yet from the book - too many other cookbooks competing for attention, me being a cookbookaphile! Here’s to good eating, wherever and however!! >

By: Melissa

Melissa — Thu, 29 Sep 2005 07:51:22 +0000

Great story. You’ve made me start to wonder where MY mother’s handwritten recipe cards originated. Come to think of it, most of them are not even in her handwriting…