In my Budapest kitchen - July 2017

Greetings to you from Budapest in Hungary, where my summer holidays will soon be drawing to a close. This postcard depicts a stone statue of Saint Stephen (Szent István, 969-1038), King of Hungary, which sits on Gellért Hegy (hill) with the Danube River and Szabadság híd (Liberty Bridge) as the magnificent backdrop. It is one of my absolute favourite monuments in this most beautiful city.

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Having spent a month travelling through Peter's homeland in the UK, we arrived in Budapest and caught the train north to my mother's town of Sátoraljaújhely, which is in the Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, bordering with Slovakia. After walking in the footsteps of my maternal forebears for almost a week, we travelled back to Budapest, the birthplace of my father.

A few weeks on and it's now almost time to go home to Australia. I am very much looking forward to seeing my son and daughter again. That said, I will be leaving Hungary with something of a heavy heart, because I feel so strongly bonded to the land of my ancestors.

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In Budapest, the Adina Apartment Hotel in District XIII has been our home base once again, and I cannot sing its praises highly enough. The property is exceptionally well-appointed; quiet, clean, modern, stylish and comfortable. I would also like to make mention of the warm welcome, and outstanding service and attention to detail provided by hotel management and all of the staff. It has been faultless. We will most certainly be coming back here for another long-term stay.

Vistas over District XIII Budapest from our living room at the Adina Apartment Hotel.

Our one-bedroom apartment has a full-sized, well equipped kitchen. With an Aldi supermarket one block away, and one of Budapest's busiest produce markets at the other end of the street, we have been able to shop fresh and cook for ourselves. That said, there are also numerous cafés and étterem (eateries) in close proximity, along with dozens of little shops selling just about everything you may need.

Little shop selling zöldség and gyümölcs (vegetables and fruit).

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So, let's now take a peek at the good things in my Budapest kitchen:

Édes (sweet) Hungarian paprika, the essential ingredient in the Magyar kitchen.

Fresh pastries filled with turó (Hungarian farm cheese), still warm, from a nearby bakery.

Fresh salmon with peppercorns, ready for the oven or grill, bought from Aldi.

Hungarian wax pepper (semi sweet-tasting rather than hot).

Fresh pékség (baked goods) are exceptionally good in Hungary.

Our Magyar lunch - pékség with salad and a selection of cold cuts.

A bowl of sweet cherries (cseresznye) fresh from the market.

We're looking forward to sampling this Kräuter Bitters, bought from Aldi.

Peter's favourite zingy Gösser beer with lemon (alcoholic or non-alcoholic available).

Another of Peter's favourites, Carling cherry cider.

Ripe and ready to eat peaches.

Naughty but nice, creamed Turó with vanilla and sultanas, available everywhere here.

Breakfast bowl with toasted muesli, fresh fruit and creamed turó (farm cheese).

Exquisite chocolates from around the world, purchased from Budapest chocolate shops.

And finally, egg-white facial soap from Sweden. Highly recommended for the busy traveller.

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This month's IMK is part In my Kitchen and part travel log. I'm linking up with host, Sherry from Sherry's Pickings, and a bunch of other talented food blogger friends from around the world. Please pop in and say hi from me! As we are still travelling, I may not publish as often as in the past. Please kindly bear with me. 

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It's your turn now, dear Good Things readers. Tell me, what's happening in your July kitchen. And is it summer or winter in your part of the world?