it’s kind of messed up to write about something made almost exclusively of milk, sugar and gluten in the middle of a whole30… but i shall endure it to tell you all about the deliciousness of the hungarian kürtőskalács (chimney cake). the hungarians have my kind of cuisine: uncomplicated and flavourful. we ate a lot of delicious, belly-distending meals in budapest, but indulging in the omnipresent kürtőskalács was a daily temptation – one which we simply could not resist.
kürtőskalács is a very simple thing: a ribbon of yeast pastry rolled around a wooden cilinder, which is baked on the fire for a few minutes, and then rolled around in different sweet toppings, like sugar, cinnamon, coconut or nuts. some of the sugar melts in contact with the warm surface, which makes for a sticky mess – which is why they’re usually served inside a clear plastic sheet.
the result is a tube that comes apart in your hands in a spiral of fluffy goodness, cooked soft dough with a hint of lemon on the inside and a sugary shell around it, giving it a crispy texture. it’s… delightfully sinful, and heartily recommended! :)
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budapest, II
Categories
budapest, I
when you hear about the austro-hungarian empire, it all sounds so grand and splendid… the lovely danube, the habsburg monarchy… truth is, the grandeur is still there, but the degradation is so striking and overwhelming that one cannot but feel a certain sadness, and wonder… where did it all go?
budapest hit us like a slap in the face, our heads ringing with a million questions… so for now, i hope the photos will do the talking, while we meditate on the rest.
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the nasty bits
i’ve just started reading the nasty bits, but already i find myself nodding in agreement at moments:
My pal A. A. Gill once suggested that the older he gets, and the more he travels, the less he knows. And I know what he means now. Seeing the planet as I’m seeing it, you are constantly reminded of what you don’t know – how much more there is to see and learn, how damn big and mysterious this world is. It’s both frustrating and addicting, which only makes it harder when you visit, say, China for the first time, and realize how much of it there is – and how little time you have to see it. It’s added a frantic quality to my absurd life, and an element of both desperation and resignation.
here’s to a year of discovery and awe!
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happy holidays!
the end of the year goes by in a daze, a rush of days tangled together by hugs and errands. work has this tendency to stretch its arms and take over all the available time we have – and between that and all the trips & travels, time to sit down and write has been scarce. so instead of half-assing my way through a couple of posts, let me just close the year by wishing all my friends happy holidays – and see you next year! :)