Paprika
OK, I've had a jar of paprika (poured out once a year because it's never used up) in my spice drawer forever. Who wants to use this crap? How could paprika be the signiture spice of an entire culture? Something was wrong here and my inquiring mind wanted to know what.
I tracked down the only Hungarian emporeum I could find - Otto's on a residential block in Burbank.
Burbank, Glendale, etc. used to have a fair scattering of neighborhood markets on street corners in residential neighborhoods. Some still exist, and Otto has converted one to his Hungarian deli/grocery.
Major Problem
Otto, also a perveyor of "Black Forest Hams" and such, apparently goes back to Europe for Octoberfest - from the begining of October 'till the end of October (well, you need some sober-up time, after all). Otto's was closed up tight for the duration.
He opened on Friday and I went over there today. He's a talkative guy, but I wasn't ready to talk much, so I just bought one "sweet" paprika and two "hot" paprikas (he has them labeled by the city in which they were ground, and the two "hots" were noticeably different, but unless you are a Hungarian, not enought different to matter).
My suspicions were justified. Hungarian paprika resembles American paprika about as much as it resembles plaster of Paris. THIS IS GOOD STUFF - very sweet, very tasty. The "hot" is pretty mild by Southern California standards, but hot enough for government work.
Conclusion: if you use paprika, use genuine Hungarian paprika or don't bother.
The peppers used, incidentally, were probably introduced through Turkey, since they differ substantially from Spanish and Portuguese sweet peppers (which reminds me, I scored some fresh pimento peppers last weekend and they are deeeelicious!
I just finished reading (cover to cover, except for a few deserts (I am not a desert person)) Gundel's Hungarian Cookbook, first published by Karoly Gundel in 1934 and revised by his two sons in 1956 (the year of his death). Since he was one of the greatest and most successful Hungarian chefs (until the Communization of his restaurants in 1949), it can be considered definitive.
Hungarian cuisine is robust, so if you are afraid of lard (and more lard), bacon, goose liver, pig parts, sour cream and sauerkraut, you will just have to stand on the sidelines and drool.
Unfortunately, American supermarket lard is of unusable quality - aternative sources are available - more subsequent to ongoing investigation.
Ah, yes, I just got in a book with a recipe for real traditional haggis, though it's not on the front burner right now (some of the ingredients are inconvenient to obtain even in Los Angeles (unless you have your own sheep, and, well, she's just not been putting out lately)). When I get around to giving it a try, I think I'll leave out the sheep eyes though. Also, I'll have to locate a piper to pipe it to the table (that's usually not real hard around here - there's plenty of pipers available for a few bucks and a few beers).
One author I've got a book by around here somewhere says the worst haggis he ever had was served in Italy, made by a cook who learned how from the cook of a British destroyer just after WWII. He said he'd cut the guy some slack - except the BEST haggis he'd ever had was served a few blocks away by an Italian cook who probably learned the same way.
Interesting things happen at the end of wars when the only food available is stuff that was not previously considered food.
