"Salami, goulash, marmalade-filled crepes and many other specialties: this is the best of Hungarian cuisine! From hearty casseroles, meat dishes and sweet baked goods all the way to the most exquisite culinary pleasures the "Danube Republic" has to offer, Hungarian cooking offers a wealth of possibilities. The richness of the country's culinary palette is no accident: the Orient and the Occident are melded in many typical Hungarian recipes that inspire gourmets to wax enthusiastic about the wonders of Hungarian cuisine. This volume is far more than just a cookbook, however. Commentaries describe the tradition of Hungarian wine culture, introduce Tokaj, the king of Hungarian wines, and relate the "fiery" history of the pepper. The texts range across the wide plains of the puszta, the cosmopolitan Danubian metropolis Budapest, and the Hungarian landscape with its sandy plains, mountains and wild, romantic forests. Colorful pictures invite readers to participate in a peasant wedding as well as Easter and Christmas feasts--and to try the refined recipes for themselves."