KUGLOF - IS IT TRULY HUNGARIAN?

KUGLOF - IS IT TRULY HUNGARIAN?

(reposted from our archived posts Nov 2008)

Gugelhupf or Kugelhupf From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia German cake called "Gugelhupf" Czech version called "Bábovka" with cocoa filling. A Gugelhupf or Kugelhupf is a southern German, Austrian, Swiss and Alsatian term for a type of cake. In the Czech Republic it is called bábovka, in Poland it is called babka, in Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia, it is called kuglof. It has the general shape of a torus, like a donut. As with the Jewish dish kugel, the name 'gugelhupf' is related to the Middle High German word Kugel meaning "ball" or "globe".

A common Gugelhupf consists of a soft yeast dough and contains raisins, almonds and Kirschwasser cherry brandy. Some also contain candied fruits and nuts. It is baked in a special circular pan, originally made of enamelled pottery, now also used for making Bundt cakes. It is usually eaten for breakfast or a coffee break.

It was the sweet chosen to represent Austria in the Café Europe initiative of the Austrian presidency of the European Union, on Europe Day 2006.

One of the lovely ladies who purchased our cookbook wondered if there were kuglof recipes in our book. 

Although we have a few coffee cake recipes, we tried to only classic hungarian favourites. We have the Aranygaluska (which translated means Golden Dumplings - they are not dumplings, but because the yeast sweet dough is torn into sections into the buttered pan - hence the name Galuksa)

I had to re-route her to Kuglof Heaven. http://kuglof.lap.hu/

There's probably 500 or more recipes of every kind of Kuglof on the planet. And oddly enough - the website is from Hungary.

Enjoy

Clara (Hot Hungarian Chef)

Visit our website for more recipes and information about Clara & Helen Czegeny

Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes TM

Clara's Sister Anne Lindsay writes in the book's congratulations.... "Clara and my dear mother Helen co-authored these treasured Hungarian family recipes. It must have been an amazing task - God bless you both! Great Job!"

You will thoroughly enjoy this Rhapsody of recipes as you walk through the culture and savour the flavours of Hungary!

Hungarian Meal Planner - Elegant, Elaborate and Simple Everyday Peasant Meals

Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes ™ 

6th Anniversary Edition

by Clara M. Czegeny.

Best-Selling author says... it is an exquisite and wonderful array of  My Mom's Hungarian Heritage Recipes™
 and is a celebration of  our edition published on Helen Czegeny's 80th birthday, Jan, 14, 2006. 

As a result of this amazing event, Senior Editor and Journalist for the Brantford Expositor wrote an exquisite full-page newspaper column to celebrate the book launch. 

The story title was “Hungarian Rhapsody - Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes Capture Flavours of Hungarian Heritage” Monday, February 27, 2006. At the end of the article, Kit McDermott said excitedly ...”Truly, these are he best of  
"Helen’s Hungarian Rhapsody of Recipes"

We loved the article and what it meant, so we used the new name all over our book and media posts and blogs and for the title of our Heritage Edition immediately. So from that moment on, we coined our Heritage Book’s Edition
 – Helen’s Hungarian Rhapsody of Recipes. (2006)

On the 6th Anniversary of the Best-Selling cookbook, (2012) we are offering our Jan 2006 edition, signed by Chef Ilona Szabo and author Clara Margaret Czegeny, as an exclusive offer. 

Nothing shows off  the secrets of Hungarian cooking" like this lovely keepsake heritage edition which contains 220 original recipes, stories, great photos and more. 

From the simple peasant dishes to elaborate and very elegant celebration dishes- pleasing any discerning palate. Helen shares the flavours of Hungary" in grande style. And remember to, 

"Put a little Paprika in your life"!TM.

Over 440 recipes complete with History of Hungarian food, paprika, wines, celebrations, chef’s hints, measuring guides, mouth-watering food photographs from talented graphic artist and photographer Evangeline Czegeny Mackell of Design in Bloom

(Helen’s grand-daughter)

Elegant, Elaborate Celebration Meals

Meal # 1

Course # 1   Hen Soup w/Cork Screw Noodles (Tjuk Leves Csiga Tésztával)

 Course # 2         Cabbage Rolls (Toltött Káposzta)

 Course # 3         Breaded Chicken (Kirántott Csirke) w/Parsley Potatoes (Petrezsélymes Krumpli) w/Cucumber Salad (Uborka Saláta)

 Course # 4         Dobos Torte (Dobos Torta)

Meal # 2

 Course # 1         Mixed Potato Vegetable Soup (Zoldséges Krumpli Leves) Or Kohlrabi Cream Soup (Karalábe Krémleves)

 Course # 2         Chicken Paprika (Paprikás Csirke) with Dumplings (Nokedli) w/Cucumber Salad (Uborka Saláta) (Side-Dish Buttered Peas or Carrots)  (Párolt Sárga Répa)

Course # 3         Apple Filled Pastry Squares (Almás Pite/Lepény)

Simple Peasant Type (Everyday) Meals

Meal # 1

Course # 1      Dry Bean Soup with Pork Hocks 

(Száraz Bab Leves Csulokel)

Course # 2      Hungarian Crepes (Magyar Palacsinta) filled with Cottage Cheese (Túrós Palacsinta)

Meal # 2

Course # 1     Sour Cream Potato w/Pork Hocks 

(Savanu Krumpli Leves)

  Course # 2      Layered Potato Sausage Casserole

(Rakott Krumpli Kolbászal)

Course # 3     Sponge Cake (Jelly Roll w/Apricot Jam) (Piskóta Tekercs)

Meal # 3

Course # 1     Savoy Cabbage and Potato Stew

(Kelkáposzta Fôzelék)

Course # 2     Golden Walnut Sweet Bread 

           (Arany Galuska)

Meal # 4

Course # 1     Goulash Soup (Gulyás Leves) Hungarian Bread (Fehér  Kenyer)

Course # 2     Cottage Cheese Noodles with Bacon & Sour Cream

(Túrós Csusza)

Course # 3     Fruit Compote (Apple or Pear) 

(Gyümölcs Compote)

Meal # 5

Course # 1     Mixed Potato Vegetable Soup (Zoldséges Krumpli Leves)

Course # 2     Pork & Sauerkraut Rice Casserole

(Kolozsvári Rakott   Káposzta)

Course # 3     Cottage Cheese Strudel or Apple Strudel 

(Almás Rétes)

Contains great Chef's Hints too!

Clara and Helen’s cookbook contain a "Hungarian rhapsody of recipes" that include Gulyas, Csirke Paprikas, Paprikas Krumpli, Retes, Palacsinta, Dobos Torta, Beigli, Kifli, and many more mouth-watering national treasures not available anywhere else except from a Hungarian Trained Chef.

Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes tm  
says it all.Visit our websites today for great 
stories, pictures and of course - amazing recipes.

http://www.helenshungarianrhapsodyofrecipes.com/

Helen's Hungarian Rhapsody of Recipes™ 6th Anniversary Edition

ANNOUNCING....

Helen's Hungarian Rhapsody of Recipes™ by Clara M. Czegeny. Author says... it is an exquisite and wonderful array of "My Mom's Hungarian Heritage Recipes" and is a re-release of our original heritage edition published on Helen Czegeny's 80th birthday. On the 6th Anniversary of the BestSelling cookbook, we are offering our Jan 2006 edition, signed by the author at an exclusive offer. Nothing shows off "The Secrets of Hungarian Cooking" like this lovely keepsake heritage edition which contains 220 original recipes, stories, great photos and more. 

 

From the simple peasant dishes to elaborate and very elegant dishes- pleasing any discerning palate. Helen's Hungarian Rhapsody of Recipes™ shares the "Flavours of Hungary" in grande style. And remember, "Put a little Paprika in your life"!TM.

 

http://www.helenshungarianrhapsodyofrecipes.com/

Hungarian House Blessing - Magyar Házi Áldás

-->

Hungarian House Blessing

Where there is Faith,

There is Love.

Where there is Love,

There is Peace.

Where there is Peace,

There is God.

Where there is God,
There is no need.

 Magyar Házi Áldás

 Hol hit, ott szeretet,

Hol szeretet, ott béke,

Hol béke, ott áldás,

Hol áldás, ott Isten

Hol Isten,

Ott szükség nincsen.

  

We are helping people everywhere, fall in love with Hungarian food - one cookbook at a time.

Enjoy the Hungarian Rhapsody of Recipes that you will find in the pages of "Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes".
Helen' s Hungarian Heritage Recipes 

Hungarian Rhapsody "Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes Capture Flavours of Heritage" Monday, February 27, 2006

Hungarian Rhapsody
"Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes"
Capture Flavours of Hungarian Heritage

Monday, February 27, 2006 

  Seniors Byline: Kit McDermott  In
Touch Dateline: BRANTFORD Source: The Brantford Expositor
COPYRIGHT BY SUNDMEDA 2006

There are books and albums for preserving memories and photographs of past and present events, as well as images of loved ones. But how do we recapture the taste and aroma of homemade delicacies, favourite meals or celebration dinners?

Easy for some, with cookbooks and family recipes for quick reference, not a problem for most of us. Imagine, however, that the creative chef and her secret recipes has most ingredients and methods for preparation stored in her head, with only bits of information jotted down on scraps of paper and the backs of envelopes, sometimes in Hungarian, or Swedish, German, or even Russian.

"That was the problem in our case," Clara Czegeny told me.

"My sisters and I were in the habit of phoning our mother, from Alberta, with requests for ingredients of familiar recipes, and mother would always include a mild rebuke, namely, we should have paid attention in her kitchen when we were girls at home."

When I suggested that Helen's Hungarian Heritage Cookbook must have been the direct result of solving the problems, Clara assured me, 'yes,' but it happened in rather a round-about way.

"We, the family, wanted to give mother a surprise party for her 80th birthday, Jan. 14, 2006. Last October (2005) I suggested that we put together a collection of her Hungarian recipes and offer them to the invited guests.

"Originally, we had planned to have five books printed, one for each of the girls in the family," Clara said. "Knowing that friends and relatives would bring gifts to the party, we asked instead that they make a 'Love Gift' donation, for a fund designed to support
a young missionary and his family in Hungary on behalf of our church, Evangel Pentecostal Church, on Fairview Drive in Brantford."

Clara told me that 55 books were printed, but after extra orders began arriving from friends in California, Ohio, Sweden and Australia, another 50 books were ordered. Her mother adds, "and the cheques kept pouring in, so that we ended up sending $1,100, that's 137,000 florins in Hungarian money, enough for a period of four months living expenses for the missionary family."

Although written, compiled and edited by Clara, her introduction in the book states, "Helen was the translator, the teacher, the master chef, chief editor and consultant."

Clara acknowledges support and thanks to sisters Elizabeth Hart and Anne Lindsay and their families, assisting with testing and tasting, and to Uncle Nick Czegeny.

Clara thanked her daughter, Evangeline, for her great contribution to the overall look of the cookbook, with its charming floral cover and illustrations, including colourful photos, the graphics and colour matching. Evangeline is a graphic artist and webmaster.

First published by Clara's, Dream Machine Publications, the cookbook was printed by Hurry Print in Brantford in January 2006. Included in the contents is a brief history of Hungary and foods, a bio of chef Helen, a checklist for successful baking, and the origins and development of Hungarian Cuisine.

It was when Clara and I spoke on the phone, setting a date for the interview, that Clara warned me not to eat lunch because her mother planned to offer samples of some of her favourite recipes. Naturally, I was glad to heed the warning and expected a tea party with home baking. Instead, to my surprise and delight, Helen had set the table for dinner, a three-course meal, followed by an astonishing array of dessert treats.

The traditional Hungarian chicken, or "hen" soup featured the delicate homemade snail noodles. The chicken paprika was served over another variety of noodles, with extra sauce on the side. The cucumber salad, served with an extra dollop of sour cream, to
bring out the flavour of special herbs, was delicious.

Where to begin describing the taste and texture of the cakes and pastries! The Hungarian names rolled easily off the tongues of Helen and Clara as they identified each dessert, with me recognizing kifli, poppy seed and walnut cake, and tiny jam-filled croissants.

I'm told that the French croissant is believed to have originated in Hungary, and then taken to France by the chef, one of many who were imported to Hungary by Royalty and wealthy citizens, adding famous French cuisine to the native dishes. There are also
Austrian and Turkish influences to be detected in the internationally famous cuisine.

Helen says she first learned to cook when she was six years old, wanting to surprise her mother, she says. "Even now, I always have six or seven types of baked goods in the freezer, in case someone comes in for coffee or tea."

She makes all her own pasta, showing me the variety, each type intended for specific recipes, with some noodles requiring hours of patient shaping by hand.

"We were all taught to make the tiny snail noodles," Clara said, "working with a small hand-held scraping board. And mother would say, the ones that unravel are the ones Clara made, so we'll put those in her soup," she laughed.

"Hungarian ladies in Brantford all get together to make those noodles, which are sold at the Hungarian Club on certain days, and are in great demand."

As for Helen, her serious training as an exceptional cook began when she was 13, taught by her great aunt, who was the wife of a High Court Magistrate.

"We lived in a small town located 240 km east of Budapest," Helen said. "It's a beautiful area, with great fields of poppies grown for their seeds, with guards posted to protect them from theft."

"I wanted to become a teacher, but the war started, the Russians invaded and set curfews, so I couldn't attend teachers college in a nearby city. Our village actually changed hands between the Russians and the Germans, nine times."

Helen Szabo met and married Alexander Czegeny, who, she says, told her to forget about teachers college, because, "she would be teaching their children."

"In 1947, we moved to Sweden, and our daughter Elizabeth was born. We lived in Sweden for six years."

Helen learned to speak, read and write Swedish and to this day she reads Swedish newspapers on the Internet, as well as Hungarian and Russian ones.

"But the climate didn't suit us, with the summers too chilly to grow my tomatoes and peppers," Helen said, explaining their move to Canada in 1953, settling first in Montreal, where Clara was born. There were many other Hungarian ex-patriots with shops
selling traditional specialties. There was a temporary move to Brantford to work in tobacco and third daughter, Anne, was born here.

"We settled in Brantford and my husband worked as a machinist at Massey's for many years and supervised the building of our house. He seemed to know so much about construction although he had attended agricultural school in Sweden."

Always an ardent gardener, Helen took over all the outside work following her husband's death seven years ago.

"I even caught her resealing the driveway," Clara smiled, "and sometimes I find her dressed like a spaceman, spraying the fruit trees or fertilizing the garden."

Helen loves her flower garden, but all the vegetables and herbs and fruit are preserved and canned in her well-appointed kitchen.

Nevertheless, the talented chef assures me that she always takes time to set the table and sit down for a complete dinner every afternoon, one of the secrets to staying healthy and active.

Kit McDermott finally and enthusiastically stated... "Helen's Hungarian Rhapsody of Recipes" truly captures the unique "Flavours of Hungary" and Hungarian Heritage. If you ever re-print the book, you already have a name!

For over 440 recipes that reach back as far as 70 years of perfecting, visit our website
to own your copy.  There is no other cookbook worthy of the honour and prestige afforded this recipe book.


HELEN'S HUNGARIAN HERITAGE RECIPES TM

Chapters - Kitchener, Ontario Taste & Sign

Chapters Taste & Sign 

"Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes" Cookbook

December 7, 2009

"Helen’s Hungarian Heritage Recipes" by Canada’s newest cookbook author, Clara M. Czegeny from Paris, Ontario, is a truly authentic collection of treasured Hungarian family recipes passed down through generations of the Szabo-Czegeny families. We SNAP'd Clara at a Taste & Sign event to promote the book at Chapters in Kitchener. 

Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes, is a collection of classic, cherished and treasured Hungarian family recipes handed down through the generations. You will never find a more unique, authentic cookbook.

Check out http://www.helenshungarianrecipes.com/

Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes TM

SNAP KITCHENER/WATERLOO Dec2009

Hungry for Hungary-HELEN'S HUNGARIAN HERITAGE RECIPES ™©2006

Local News - November 22, 2008 - Brantford Expositor

Brantford, Ontario, Canada

Hungry for Hungary

Mother-daughter team create new cookbook

HELEN'S HUNGARIAN HERITAGE RECIPES ™©2006

  Posted By HEATHER IBBOTSON, EXPOSITOR STAFF

Do you crave cabbage rolls, drool over dumplings or get all atwitter about torte?

Recipes for these favourites and more than 300 others are included in the latest 312-page edition of
Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes.

The cookbook, based on the culinary magic of Helen Irene Czegeny, of Brantford, is self-published by her daughter Clara Margaret Czegeny, of Paris, Ontario

The bulked-up fourth edition of the Hungarian cookbook debuted this summer, bursting with 325 recipes from the sublimely elegant Dobos Torte to the sublimely simple cabbage noodles.

The Czegenys will be at Coles at Lynden Park Mall on Saturday for a Taste and Sign from 1 p. m. to 3 p. m. where samples of goulash will be available as well as signed copies of the cookbook.

Nearly 3,000 copies of the cookbook have been sold since its first printing two years ago.

"I never dreamed something would come of it," said Helen, who remains amazed at the constant demand for the recipes she simply kept in her head.

Along with hundreds of mouth-watering recipes, the updated and expanded edition includes trivia, anecdotes, memories and traditions penned by Clara.

Recipes in the final chapter, Passport to International Fare, are a tribute to Helen's culinary talents in preparing classics and favourites from other lands.

Cooking is as natural to Helen as breathing.

STARTED COOKING AT 12

Now 82, she has been cooking since she was 12 when she began working for her great-aunt in the village of Hajduhadhaz, Hungary.

Helen and her husband, Alex, slipped out of Hungary in 1947 and went to Sweden, where they lived and worked on farms, until 1953 when they immigrated to Canada.

Her husband worked mostly at Massey Ferguson, but the family spent some years as tobacco sharecroppers in the Oakland, Scotland and Mount Pleasant area. Helen's hearty cooking was a natural hit with hard-working tobacco labourers at harvest time. The Czegenys returned to Brantford in 1963.

The cookbook was Clara's brainchild and originally was printed as a keepsake for family members in celebration of Helen's 80th birthday in 2006.

Everyone in the family was astounded and delighted when the book began to take off and requests for copies began pouring in, Clara said.

The self-publishing route has worked out well, Clara said, adding that maintaining control over the venture is important to her.

"This is fun and I want it to stay fun," she said. Still, putting together a cookbook is no cakewalk.

Helen prepared her recipes from memory. The ingredients, amounts and instructions were recorded and the results taste-tested. Recipes were fine-tuned if needed and then prepared again.

Somewhat challenging was the conversion of Helen's pinch-of-this and handful-of-that ingredients into proper cookbook measurements, Clara said.

Many a midnight was passed in the kitchen conducting taste tests, she said.

For ordering information, visit www.helenshungarianrecipes.com

TASTE AND SIGN

What: Taste and Sign with Helen and Clara Czegeny of Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes

Where:Coles at Lynden Park Mall

When:Saturday November 22, 2008 From 1 p. m. to 3 p. m.

Website: www.helenshungarianrecipes.com

Article ID# 1307004

Put a Little Paprika In Your Life!
================================

Clara's Sister Anne Lindsay congratulatory cookbook note says..."Clara and my mother Helen co-authored these amazing treasured Hungarian family recipes.

So, whether you crave Chicken Paprikas or Almas Retes, this authentic, beloved, cherished and Hungarian Heritage Recipe collection includes a vast array of national favourites, from appetizers through desserts. Learn about, create, and taste the flavours and culinary traditions of Hungary - from Cabbage Rolls to Poppy seed and Walnut Rolls and the famous regal Dobos Torte. It must have been an amazing task - God bless you both! Great Job!