Product Description
These enticing Old World Hungarian recipes were brought to America by the author's grandparents, but they have been updated to accommodate today's dietary concerns and faster-paced lifestyles. The author also explores the seasonal and ceremonial observances still practised by Hungarian Americans: bacon cookouts, fall grape festivals, weddings, Christmas, New Year's, and Easter. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Truth to menu?
I bought this cookbook for my mother to give to her on Mother's day. Our family is Hungarian (my great-grandmother immigrated to America from Budapest, and we still know family that lives there), and we have passed down recipes through the generations. I thought it would be interesting to buy a Hungarian cookbook, so that we could learn more Hungarian recipes.

The food in here is delicious, I won't deny that. But is it authentic Hungarian food? That I'm not so sure of.

About half of the recipes in the book are comparable to recipes that have been passed down in my family. What worries me is that there is a vast difference in both seasoning and ingredients. The main meat ingredients are the same, and the recipe titles are pretty much the same, but beyond that they're often so different from one-another that without the title I wouldn't have even known that they were supposed to be the same recipe. We haven't compared taste-wise yet, as we have been trying the recipes that we don't already know so far, so I can't say if they taste similar or not. But with such a big difference in ingredients, I'm doubtful of that.

There could be a lot of explanations for the differences. It could be that the recipes are from different regions of Hungary, and the differences are based on regional tastes. It could be that my family made slight variations over the years, based on what was available and what each person preferred. It could even be that the recipes in this cookbook were varied slightly based on the authors tastes. I don't know. But what I do know is this: when it's a choice between what a cookbook says and what three generations of my Hungarian family say, I'll go with the latter.

That said, the food still does taste good. They're decent recipes in their own right. My only question is about truth to menu.

Hungarian Cookbook
I purchased one of these books a couple of months ago, because my mother's side of the family is Hungarian. When I mentioned it to my mother, she expressed a desire to have a copy, so I ordered another one for her. It arrived before schedule, in A-1 perfect condition! Each and every purchase I have made through Amazon.com has met or exceeded my expectations! I am a very satisfied customer! You can believe that I will purchase again!

Hungarian Cookbook
It has all of the famliy favorites made the same way of my grandmother! This is The best Hungarian Cookbook!!

None Better
As the owner of dozens of cookbooks, I have to say Yolanda Fintor's 'Hungarian Cookbook: Old World Recipes for New World Cooks' is my hands down favorite. The snippets of family stories interspersed with bits of history make this an engaging read on its own. Add in the most delicious recipes you will ever find, written with easy to understand directions, and you get your money's worth and more. With food prices rising and household budgets tightening, this cookbook offers an amazing assortment of flavorful dishes using inexpensive basic ingredients. My favorite recipe is the Chicken Paprika with dumplings. I make a double batch because you can never have too many dumplings. The Stuffed Cabbage is another yummy favorite. Try any of the soup recipes and I guarantee you'll never go back to canned soup again. I recommend the Sour Cream Potato Soup for cold winter days. For Christmas I make batches of kiflis (named Grandma Kish's Crescents in the cookbook) with a variety of fillings - walnuts, apricot and raspberry, and give them as gifts. There's something for everyone in this cookbook from the most finicky eater to the die-hard lover of all things edible. Highly recommended. You won't be disappointed.

Loved this book
I love the title of this book and when I saw terms like Grandma and Grandpa Nagy in the introduction, I smiled because, I, too, am a Nagy.That was my maiden name and many of these recipes reminded me of my Grandmother's kitchen in Cleveland, OH.I'm keeping this book with my small colection of Hungarian culture for my daughters and grandchildren. ... Read more

Product Description
"Our appetite for this interesting cuisine, a melding of Germanic, Slavic, Tartar, and Turkish influences, has been whetted by [this] excellent new work."--New York Times ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Great recipes full of comfort and variety
I have really enjoyed this cookbook.We've had this now over a year and love picking out recipes to try.I don't consider myself a good cook because rarely can I follow a recipe exactly, however, most of the recipes in here don't have to be followed to the letter to be good.The cucumber salad has become a fixture at our meals and I really like the dumpling recipes.The dishes in this book aren't too heavy (especially if you adjust for low fat) and they bring a lot of comfort on a cold winter day.The soup recipes are excellent and a great way to expand veggie horizons.

My only complaint is I tend to get a little lost reading the instructions for recipes.I think that may just be my impatience, but something numbered or bulleted would be nice.Don't let this stop you from buying this book - it is really great.You'll learn a bit about Hungarian culture and get to have some wonderful food.

Great for someone just getting started with Hungarian cooking
I purchased this as a gift for my brother. All of us siblings enjoyed grandma's and mom's real Hungarian cooking and like to dabble ourselves. My brother is a very decent cook but was lacking a nice Hungarian cookbook. As I scanned this one, I noticed many of our family favorites. This is a simple and attractive little book that I'm sure he and his family will enjoy.

I have several Hungarian cookbooks that look and read like History books. While interesting and well written, they are not as easily navigated. This is better for the busy cook who just wants good Hungarian food.

Hungarian Cooking
Excellent cookbook,interesting addtional information. Recepies close to mum's. A bit of a shame that it contained no creative photographs but that was known at the time of purchase. The real value is in the authentic recepies.

The Hungarian Cookbook
I bought my first copy of this book over thirty years ago, and even then had to special order it.In the last couple of years I have bought four more copies for family and friends as many of the recipes are identical to those of my mother-in-law whose family was from Croatia.Any one whose family originated in the Slavic area of Europe, including Austria, may find some family favorites in this wonderful, entertaining and reliable book.

A nice introduction to Hungarian cuisine
I'm really pleased with this cookbook. Many of the recipes remind me of the dishes my grandmother used to make. I'll admit to adding a bit more paprika to the goulash than the recipe called for, but overall I was very happy with the results, as were my guests.
I like that the author recommends side dishes and desserts to accompany and follow the main courses. The section on wine is most welcome as I find more Hungarian wines in my local wine shop.
If you are of Hungarian descent or simply interested in Hungary, this cookbook makes a good addition to your culinary library.
... Read more

Product Description
An introduction to the cooking of Hungary, including recipes for such dishes as goulash, stuffed peppers, and paprika chicken. Also discusses the geography and history of this central European country. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Hungarian Cooking
The book arrived in time. It is in perfect condition. The recipes are similar to the ones my mother made when I was growing up, so I am looking forward to trying them! It was a pleasure to do business with this seller. Would purchase from this seller again!

So,So
I am an experienced Hungarian cook and looked forward to learning new dishes from this book. While it would be ideal for a young adult or inexperienced cook, I did not learn anything new from this book. I plan on giving it to my public library.

Hungarian family
My grandmother was the first generation born in the US and her parents were both born and raised in Hungary.This book is fabulous.Great recipes, ones my family has used for decades, and wonderful tid-bits about the culture.Wonderful purchase! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Hungarian cookery
I have this book which was published in 1955.I still use it to create recipes from my childhood, the favorite being Chicken Paprika.The dishes are easy to prepare and with a little thought you can update the ingredients and not change the flavor of the food.Good memories. ... Read more

Product Description
Over 70 traditonal recipes from these rich historic cuisines, all shown in easy to follow step-by step pictures. ... Read more

Product Description
A Taste of the Past is an entertaining reconstruction of the daily life and household of Therese (Riza) Baruch (1851-1938), the great-grandmother of the author, Andras Koerner. Based on an unusually complete cache of letters, recipes, personal artifacts, and eyewitness testimony, Koerner describes in loving detail the domestic life of a nineteenth-century Hungarian Jewish woman, with special emphasis on the meals she served her family.

Based on Riza's letters, part one offers an imaginative sketch of growing up in a religious middle-class family in the 1860s and 70s in an industrial town in western Hungary. Part one also describes Riza's reactions to the dilemmas posed by the early signs of Jewish assimilation. In part two, the heart of the book, Riza has married, moved to a smaller town near the Austrian border, and become the central figure of a large household. Koerner recreates a typical day in the life of Riza and her family, peppering his narrative with recipes of the food she served for breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, afternoon coffee-and-cake, and the much more modest evening meal.

Riza's family was religious, and Koerner also describes the special foods (pike in sour aspic, cholent, apple-matzo kugel, and much more) she served to celebrate the Sabbath and the six major Jewish holidays. Short introductions to the recipes describe the evolution of the dishes through the centuries, their role in Jewish culture, and how cultural influences and religious traditions shaped Riza's cooking.

More than 125 evocative pen-and-ink illustrations bring Riza's story and her food to life. A Taste of the Past offers an enchanting look at Jewish daily life in western Hungary in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, a time when middle-class Jews were increasingly assimilated into mainstream Hungarian life and culture. Such small-town Jewish life had completely disappeared due to the Holocaust. Koerner's book revives this lost world and invites the reader to be a guest in Riza's house to watch her caring for her family, shopping, cooking, and preparing for the holidays. By offering easy-to-follow updated versions of her recipes, the book also allows readers to savor Riza's dishes and desserts in their own kitchens, thus completing this experience of a visit to the past. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Exploring my ancestry
"A Taste of the Past" is just that for me. I was over 30 when I learned that my mom's dad was Jewish, not merely Hungarian. After my mom's death, I began to study about Jewish family life. My mom and her dad had visited their family in Hungary in 1907, 1915 and 1922, but my mom spoke little of that. I visited his birthplace (near Kosice, Slovakia - formerly Hungary) in 1996. I joined on-line Jewish genealogical websites. I found two aging Jewish relatives in Cleveland. "A Taste of the Past" has opened for me rich insight into Jewish family life in Hungary in the late 19th century and 20th century. I am no cook, so the food recipes are beyond me - except that my imagination allows me to savor them! The author is a man of great generosity of spirit, that imbues every page of "A Taste of the Past"! Am I ever in his debt!

A great book for foodies and history buffs alike
This lovely book brings a slice of Hungarian Jewish culture to life in a uniquely three-dimensional way - the sights, the tastes, the details of everyday life. I found the recipes easy to follow and the pictures charming. The author's great-grandmother whom he profiles here is a refreshingly complex character -her views about such things as religion and national identity change over time, along with historical changes, and some of these shifts are even reflected in her food! For example, this is one Hungarian cookbook that is light on the paprika - apparently ginger was the spice of choice in the 19th century. Who knew?

A great book for foodies and history buffs alike
This lovely book brings a slice of Hungarian Jewish culture to life in a uniquely three-dimensional way - the sights, the tastes, the details of everyday life. I found the recipes easy to follow and the pictures charming. The author's great-grandmother whom he profiles here is a refreshingly complex character -her views about such things as religion and national identity change over time, along with historical changes, and some of these shifts are even reflected in her food! For example, this is one Hungarian cookbook that is light on the paprika - apparently ginger was the spice of choice in the 19th century. Who knew?

Engages all your senses
The book really brings to life a community that was wiped out by the Holocaust.The description of life in the small city in Hungary is vivid and the amazing illustrations are a great complement. The easy-to-follow recipes round out the experience. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Authentic Hungarian cooking
I bought this book for my mother, who remembers the Paprikas Weiss in New York City. Her grandmother was from Hungary and she missed many of the recipes she grew up with.It seemed very well laid-out and organized, and the recipes are easy to follow.Win-win.

Hungarian cooking
I just returned from Hungary and fell in love with their food. This book was purchased to keep those memories alive and thus far it has truly succeeded.

Reliable home cooking
The Paprikás Weiss Cookbook is a decent ethnic cookbook from the end of the 70s. Its recipes all are authentic Hungarian "home" fare, with few surprising dishes. (I'm a Hungarian). This also means that it might be an excellent first cookbook for someone who wants to get acquainted with Hungarian cuisine. Classics such as goulash soup, cold sour cherry soup, chicken paprikas, Eszterhazy steak, pancakes or strudels are very well described. Every recipe lists the utensils separately as well, this can be a great help for a less experienced cook. Were it possible, I'd give four and a half stars to this book, it gets four from me due to the lack of interesting regional recipes and the low number of "special occasion" recipes. Nevertheless, I recommend this cookbook, however, I personally like Susan Derecskey's The Hungarian Cookbook and C. M. Czegeny's Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes better.

Authentic Hungarian Recipes
You don't get any more authentic than this book.Most other cookbooks are phoney.This is the real thing.I am Hungarian and this is how my Mother cooked and now so am I.You want the real thing...this is it.The ingrediants are easily obtained.The directions are easy to follow and the dish turns out exactly how it is meant to be.

Jo etvagyot!
This book is a collection of standard Hungarian recipes that would be familiar to any Hungarian cook.It includes chapters on soups, main dishes, side dishes, and desserts. Each chapter begins with a brief description of the type of dish and its role in the food culture of Hungary, discussing, for instance,what were foods were readily available on the farm. The recipes are provided with both their English and Hungarian names.One helpful feature is that each recipe includes not only a list of ingredients, but also a list of utensils needed for the recipe.In keeping with Hungarian farm traditions, most of the recipes call for butter, sour cream, eggs, and one or more types of meat, especially pork.Virtually all the recipes call for fresh foods, not canned foods or convenience mixes, but there are few exotic ingredients needed.

This book would make a great reference for American cooks who want to create authentic-tasting Hungarian meals.There aren't many fancy recipes in the book for special occasions- -mainly the book is about basic home cooking down on the farm, Hungarian style. ... Read more

Product Description
Songs of Hungary reveal that love and food are closely entwined in the hearts of this frankly and enthusiastically food-loving nation. The Art of Hungarian Cooking is a delightful accomplishment. In Hungary the spirit with which a special dish is cooked is almost as important as the ingredients and the measurements. Hungarian cooking is not spicy. It is pleasing in a sophisticated way, having that indefinable quality which also distinguishes the people. In this book there are many varieties of menus to be found, dishes to bring adventure to your cooking, give satisfaction to you as you cook and hostess over and above all the pleasure and enjoyment these dishes will afford your family and guests. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Art of Hungarian Cooking
This book has ben a bible of hungarian cooking for my not Hungarian wife. The original book, bought some 30 years ago was in complete tatters and this edition put a book back at her disposal. Like the updates in it. This is a book for anyone attempting basic Hungarian cooking. Dependable and easily follow recipes.Highly recommend. ... Read more

Product Description
Various recipes of Hungarian Goulash from different areas of Hungary, the Great Plains - as well as Dunantul and the Budapest regions. ... Read more

Product Description
From the back cover: "Here, for the first time, is a concise, luxuriously illustrated guide to the joys of Hungarian cuisine. Those who have discovered its hearty, distinctive flavour agree it is the most tasty in Central Europe. Written in collarboration with a team of Hungary's leading chefs, each recipe has been selected from the scores of candidates - both traditional and regional. With this book you move easily from the printed page to the dinner table." ... Read more

Product Description
An oversized hardcover that features over 50 traditional Hungarian main dishes, breads and desserts.Text is in English, Hungarian and German. ... Read more

Product Description
You won't want that Hungarian to leave after you've tried some of the Hungarian/American/Kosher recipes that fill this delightful cookbook. Written for both the novice cook and sophisticated chef, it comes complete with "Aunt Ethel's Helpful Hints". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

How dare you, aqua121!
What kind of an anti-semite is aqua121? There are many Hungarian Jews and their cooking may be a little different in that they don't mix dairy and meat, but you should only be as good a cook as my Jewish Hungarian mother, who could have been a rich woman had she opened a restaurant or bakery. Shame on you! Looks like bigotry will never die. You don't deserve to live in this wonderful democracy, USA. Go back to communism where it looks like your roots come from!

That Hungarian's in my Kitchen
1)The copy that came to me has a picture of cans of Paprika and pepper.It is not the cover that I expected.2) Almost EVERY recipe was for Jewish cooking, and NOT Hungarian.I am Hungarian and I know my Grandma's cooking.This is not Grandma's cooking.

A few comments from That Hungarian...
These recipes are enjoyed by a family with Hungarian roots who happen to be Jewish and enjoy kosher cooking. The book promises to give you some Hungarian, American, and kosher recipes and that it does. Signed ... That Hungarian - Linda F. Radke, [...].

The Joy of Hungarian Kosher Cooking
I grew up with Hungarian kosher cooking.My family comes from Kisvarda and Szeredne and Tokaj, and it's an insult to us, and to the martyrs from those places, to say that their cooking was a joke.

There's nothing like the smell of a hot goulash cooking on a cold winter day to warm a person, and to lift his/her spirits.

I enjoy and continue to enjoy Linda Radke's recipes.I just wish she had included more, such as fluden and g'ribener peas.

from a Hungarian mom
First of all, Hungarian food and kosher just won't match!!! What a joke! Then, I have no idea where these recipes came from... not from a Hungarian's kitchen, for sure.
Instead of this, I'd recommend "Magdi's Quick and Easy Hungarian and Gourmet Recipes" for great tasting real Hungarian food, with detailed step-by-step pictures and explanations. ... Read more

Product Description
Healthy, simple recipes for Hungarian Peasant food. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Terrific
A terrific Hungarian cookbook. One caveat, though, is that there are an overabundance of recipes for pork. ... Read more