THE CHEESE FESTIVAL COMES TO TOWN

HAND MADE CHEESES

THERE IS NO HUNGARIAN FAST FOOD

OVEN FOR LANGOS

TOPPINGS FOR LANGOS

Yesterday my landlord was gifting me with a new sofa and desk. The catch was that they were being delivered between 10 AM and 6 PM. I would get a call when they were an hour away so the challenge was to find something interesting to do in a short walking radius that could get me in place for delivery within the time window.
I've pretty much explored the local attractions and so was resigned to a quiet day at home of reading and catching up with the stuff one catches up with when obliged to stay at home on a beautiful day.

It seems however that heaven looked on my plight with pity. The day before D-day, ( delivery that is) as we were driving to the gas station, I noticed that a small cluster of wooden huts had sprung up overnight on an empty piece of ground adjacent to the main square in the very heart of the city, where, I happily, live.

Since my area of exploration was circumscribed by the above referenced time constraints, I figured I had nothing to lose. Having no idea if these huts were a post-communist interpretation of Port-A-Potties or a new home for the Hungarian Crown Jewels I bravely set out to see for myself.

Imagine my surprise when as I approached the first hut I saw a young man with a blow torch trying to set the thing on fire!!!! Well actually he was just starting the fire in the oven that would be used to make the outrageously yummy and endlessly versatile Hungarian delicacy, langos  pronounced "longosh".
These along with chimney cakes are a staple at any outdoor fair or event and are culturally equivilent to Philly soft pretzels but certainly not the culinary equivilent.

Langos is a type of flat bread that Hungarians eat with all sorts of weird toppings like the classic garlic sour cream and cheese combo, but also with cabbage, dill or cottage cheese. Its a typical summer snack and apparently you can see huts popping up selling langos everywhere. Its served hot out of the pan and they say you can tell who is not a "REAL" Hungarian when you see someone put sweet toppings like sugar or homemade apricot or cherry jam on Langos!

Guess which line I'm in! Hint. Pass the jam please.