Carolyn Bánfalvi, author of Food Wine Budapest (Little Bookroom).

The Hungarian Girl will now be featuring various chefs, foodies, writers, bloggers, artists and people who are connected to Central and Eastern Europe. This means I get to interview lots of exciting and interesting people from around the world!

Today’s featured interview is with author & tour company owner of Taste Hungary, Carolyn Bánfalvi.

Enjoy!

Who are you?

Carolyn Bánfalvi, originally from Washington DC and now based in Budapest.

What do you do?

Many things! I am a writer and the owner of a culinary tour company in Budapest. My culinary guidebooks to Budapest were released in 2008—Food Wine Budapest (Little Bookroom) and The Food and Wine Lover’s Guide to Hungary (Park kiadó). I also continue to write articles for a variety of international magazines, newspapers, and web sites. My husband and I run Taste Hungary, a culinary tour company. And we have a small publishing company through which we aim to publish Hungarian translations of classics in the areas of children’s literature and cookbooks. Our first book was recently published—the Hungarian translation of Curious George—and we have several more in the works. I also have two daughters, ages two and four, who are full of energy. 

 What inspires you to write?

I love doing research, and then sharing my experience and knowledge with readers so they can go out and eat and drink all of the good things that I come across.

Tell us a bit about Taste Hungary?

Fény Utcai Piac in Budapest.

Taste Hungary grew out of my book, and the abundant amount of research that went into it. I run the company with my husband, who is Hungarian. We specialize in organizing and leading personalized food, wine and market tours. We like to keep our tour small, and we aim to show our clients the best that there is in Hungary….no over-rated tourist spots, buses, or mediocre wineries or restaurants. We personalize the itineraries for the wine trips for each tour (and we always like to add time for cultural, outdoor, or spa activities), and we will plan trips or itineraries based on any special interests. We have never done the same trip twice, and we are always learning and discovering new things.  

What’s your favorite dish?

That’s tough. In terms of Hungarian cuisine, it really depends on my mood (or time of year). During the winter I like things like Jokai bean soup and stuffed cabbage (I prefer the Transylvanian style, however, which has less paprika and sauerkraut). I also love buying ingredients from the markets like homemade gomolya cheese and lardo made from Mangalica.

What’s your favorite drink?

I love wine, and living in Hungary, I drink mostly Hungarian wine. Lately my favorites are furmint (white) and kadarka (red).  

Any additional comments you want to share?

There are so many delicious and various things to taste in Hungary—the food, the wines, the pálinka, the fancy desserts—but the cuisine remains relatively unknown outside of the region. My clients and personal visitors always count the eating and drinking experiences as the highlight of their trips to Hungary…so come for a visit!

Related posts:

1. Food Wine Budapest, by Carolyn Banfalvi
2. Interview with owner and founder of Adventure Slovenia
3. Interview with Csárdás Dance Company

Want a taste of Hungary? If you’re planning a trip to Budapest or are looking for information about what to eat and drink in the city, you may want to pick up a copy of Carolyn Banfalvi’s book called “Food • Wine • Budapest.”

This insightful guide features extensive information about restaurants, cafes, pastry shops, tea houses, wineries, markets, and various other food related establishments.

The book begins with a great introduction to Hungarian food along with its historical origins and background. From there it contains various sections entitled a Hungarian wine primer, what else to drink, restaurant basics, Budapest’s markets, specialty food & wine shops, essentials, and lot’s more.

There’s also a full culinary dictionary translated both in English and Hungarian (just a few of the helpful resources for travelers on the go).

Although, it can be said that Hungarian food is mostly unknown abroad. It is now taking on a new renaissance and is quickly becoming a recognizable cuisine.

As author Carolyn Banfalvi’s says in her book, “There’s a lot to do, see, eat, and drink here, and there’s a reason so many expats suddenly realize that they’ve stayed years longer than they planned.”

Whether you are looking to spend several months in Budapest or just passing through, this guide gives you everything you need to know to enjoy the best foods of this dynamic and affluent city.

I know I will be bringing this handy little guide with me the next time I visit Budapest!

Food Wine Budapest is available for purchase online at Amazon.com, as well as Little Bookroom stores and at various independent book shops throughout the United States. Carolyn Banfalvi is a food and travel journalist who is based in Budapest, Hungary. She has also written The Food and Wine Lover’s Guide to Budapest: with Budapest Restaurants and Trips to the Wine Country (Park kiado, 2008).

Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Food-Wine-Budapest-Terroir-Guides/dp/1892145561

The Little Bookroom
http://www.littlebookroom.com/foodwinebudapest.html

Related posts:

1. Interview with Author & Tour Company Owner Carolyn Bánfalvi
2. The Budapest International Wine Festival
3. Tokaji Wine: Fame, Fate, Tradition by Miles Lambert-Gocs