Cookbooks...

The Hungarian Cookbook
The Pleasures of Hungarian Food and Wine

By Susan Derecskey
Copyright 1972
Published by Harper & Row
New York, NY
256 Pages

The Cuisine of Hungary

By George Lang
Copyright 1990
Published by Crown Publishers
New York, NY
495 Pages
Price: $17.50

This was the only Hungarian cookbook my mother ever owned, and it remains my favorite. It is available from Otto's in a paperback edition.

It is the perfect guide for the first-time Hungarian cook, with its clear directives and interesting background information. A goodly part of the book is dedicated to meat dishes including beef, pork, poultry, and veal. There are several classic dessert and pastry recipes as well.

Cookbook? 'Hungarian food bible' would be a better description. Clearly one-third of this book's content is dedicated to Hungarian history as it pertains to food.

Originally published by Atheneum in 1971, this reissue contains over 300 recipes with an emphasis on pastries and desserts. Also included are a few suggested menus for different occasions. One unique touch is the presentation of the Index which is printed in both English and Hungarian.