Hungarian Pig Slaughter

I finally took part in a pig slaughter! I've really been focusing on charcuterie for the last year or so and I've been wanting to take part in breaking down a whole hog so I jumped at the chance when invited by a close friend. The morning started early, or course, and since it's February it was cold and there was still some snow on the ground. Actually I got this opportunity because it had been postponed from the previous weekend due to snow. The pig in question was chosen as a piglet and raised to slaughter weight by friends of the family. In Hungary a pig slaughter is meant to supply the family with enough meat, fat, offal, sausage, salami, and other charcuterie for an entire year.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween! 

We miss you!

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

Happy Mother's Day!

Student made pie, it was delicious!

As the subject of my latest cooking lesson we made pie. Strawberries are coming into season and I found a good deal at the market.  The hard part was finding enough rhubarb. It's not a well-known ingredient in Hungary, but is slowly becoming more popular. Here's hoping rhubarb finds it's rightful place in spring cooking.

Please visit Smitten Kitchen for a wonderful recipe!

Bacon, Leek, and Potato au Gratin

Since we were planning a quiet little Christmas dinner, we wanted to do something special yet simple. I've had gratin on my mind for the last few weeks so I took a peek in Mastering the Art of French Cooking for ideas. I found two. One was the master gratin recipe and the second was a recipe for ham and leek gratin. Sections of leek are parboiled in salt water and boil, wrapped in ham, then covered in sauce then baked until beautiful. We didn't have any ham, but we had freshly made bacon. So we went ahead with the idea that we would make the bacon leek gratin and put it on top of potatoes.

Leek rolled in bacon


The bacon rolled leeks on the potatoes


The egg and cream mixture


Bacon, Leek, and Potato au Gratin

Bacon!

After years of wanting to, I finally cured my own bacon at home. I realize that this is almost passé back home where all things bacon became so popular that it's now uncool, but here in Hungary serving and curing food is something that many families embrace as a way of life, certainly not a passing trend.

I conceived the idea that since we were hosting Christmas this year that I would cure my own bacon for our Christmas breakfast. I was very easily able to purchase a beautiful slab of pork belly at the market, about 4 kilos worth, with the ribs still attached.

I then removed the ribs and used them in a Japanese curry, which was amazing. I added the salt, sugar, and curing salt to the belly. I put it all in a bag and kept it in the refrigerator. I turned it every day for a week until it was firm. Then I roasted on low until it reached 150° F.

I sliced off the skin and let it cool, then I carefully wrapped it up and put it in the refrigerator to firm up for slicing. A week later, I took the belly to my Italian meat and cheese purveyor at the market and had him slice it on his deli slicer.

Behold, Christmas Bacon!

Busójárás

This guy is up to mischief

Busójárás is the Mohacs event that signals (or creates?) the end of winter to make way for the coming of spring. It is marked by parades of Busó, large masked creatures, sometimes even wielding weapons who scare off winter.

Parading winter's coffin


He's looking to scare away winter


Parading Busó


More parading Busó


And yet more...


Busó children


Night at the Roxbury anyone?


Franny and the Beast


The Beast and the Beast



This Busó took a little inspiration from Guy Fawkes


Little Boy Busó come blow your horn...


Putting the effigy of winter on the pyre


Silly busó with donut horns


Cel-e-brate good times, c'mon!


Burning man, winter edition


Die, winter, die!


Hardcore busó


Happy dancing busó


Party time!


The Busó are happy


Mischief managed.