Bio Market Budapest

The Bio Market in Budapest is a weekly market only trading bio and organic products located on the parking place of the Budapest Congress Centrum (link to map). Every Saturday traders of bio and organic goods come together to sell their products. On the Bio Market in Budapest you can find anything from vegetables to clothes all biologically or organically produced. Most of the visitors you find there are young families having children to buy fresh vegetables, milk, bread, creams, fruits and much more for their children but also for themselves.

As stated on the picture the Bio Market is open from 6.30 till 13.00 every Saturday. Nearby you can find a park with a playground where most people are going to after or before shopping to play with their kids and spend the time after on the fresh air.

The Bio Market is a collection of little wood houses where the traders offer their goods and talk with the visitors. I think it is a good opportunity to buy fresh and local vegetables and fruits and not to buy all your grocery in the big shops like Tesco or Auchan even though it is a bit more expensive. Additionally you can find there interesting new products especially what they make there fresh. Another reason for me to go there is Mangold, the “spinach like” vegetable which you always get in Croatia next to your fish and potatoes. This is actually the only place in Budapest where I have seen Mangold.

So if you fancy bio and organic foods and drinks and want to spend a Saturday morning out in the nice weather than I recommend you to go there one day. I also wonder if there are other bio markets somewhere around the city so if you know one please let me know.

Written in Budapest News, Hungarian Food, Shopping

Goulash Soup

Goulash Soup, in Hungarian Gulyásleves, is THE number 1 food people all around the world connect with Hungary. Maybe only Paprika comes close to Goulash Soup but as we are talking here about ready foods that is definetly the one to go for. Goulash Soup is a soup made basically of beef and vegetables but there are variables in there which depend on the region or on the simply on the family receipt. One fills up the pot with wine, the others with water. Some add Nokedli (a kind of pasta) some leave it out. So there are many different varieties of the traditional Goulash Soup but on thing they have all in comon:

The original Goulash Soup is boiled in a so called Cauldron (in Hungarian Bogrács) which is a big bowl hanging directly above the fire. Of course you can just use it outdoors above the open fire but it gives the entire Soup a different flair. It is almost like a BBQ… you smell the meat, the fire is burning and slowly the food gets ready. By that time you had already some Pálinka and a couple of beers and you are ready to eat the soup with a piece of bread. These things you can experience in many public open air places around the city and also in the gardens in Budapest and on lake Balaton. There is nothing more social than having a good Goulash Soup with friends and family. But after talking so long I will give you a receipt of Goulash Soup as I know it (but remember, everybody makes it different) but I won’t give you exact amounts because I just do it by feeling.

Goulash Soup Recipe

Ingredients for your Goulash Soup

• Beef meat
• Spices: Paprika powder, salt
• Vegetables: Green peppers, carrots, tomato, onions, parsley root, potatoes

How to do your Goulash Soup

So you finely chop an onion and fry it in some oil for a moment and add some paprika powder to it and fry together for a bit. After you add the meat which should be cut into nice chunks to have something to bite on. Than you add a pinch of salt, a bit of hot pepper, depending on how spicy you like it but rather be careful you still can give it some extra heat afterwards, and a chopped tomato. All this you let simmer until the meat is tender.You know add some sliced carrots, parsley root, diced potatoes and all other vegetables you would like to have in there and top it with wine or water. As mentioned above it is up to you what you use. Cover your pot, simmer till everything is tender and you have your Goulash Soup.

Enjoy!

Written in Hungarian Food