In, From, & With book edited by Grace Denis

My dear friend Cathy Opie donated the amount of money it took to get a catered dinner for 10. I was so happy to be able to cook for her and on top of it all it was her birthday. I remember making mayonnaise with Cathy one of the first times we met at her house. She went out back and collected fresh eggs and we got to it. We both really like to eat.

For the birthday dinner we decided on: goose fat on dark rye with onion, körözött (sheep cheese spread) on sourdough, pea soup with semolina dumplings, rockfish smothered in sauerkraut, pork three ways (smoked, ground, and paprika sausage), layered with sauerkraut and rice. The same ingredients used for most stuffed cabbage recipes but layered in a big casserole, deconstructed, if you will. Salad was lettuces, radish, dill, cucumber with a simple vinegar sugar dressing á la Grandma Batki. Dessert was a buckwheat crepe cake, layered with no less than thirty individual crepes, with plum jam and farmers cheese in between each layer, and covered with apple cider syrup and pecan butter, thanks to the Bar Tartine cookbook, where I got the recipe. Couldn’t omit the chestnut puree with whipped cream for the full effect.

I made too much food. It’s very hard for me to cook for less than twenty on any given day. If you ask me to cook for 5, I will cook for 20. If you ask me to cook for ten I will cook for thirty. Everyone was full and happy. I was mostly pleased with the meal, though I would change a few things. I guess this is what making a cookbook is all about. Trying, tasting, testing, experiencing.

Smoked Pork and Paprika Sausage. There will be so many more options once I get to Hungary.

Kickstarter Campaign for Hungarian Cookbook Pitch

January 31, 2019

KICKSTARTER WEEK TWO

October 9, 2018

I am in week two of fundraising for Hungry, the Hungarian cookbook! I am over half way to my goal! This is an historical Hungarian image of wheat farmers and their scythes. I love their costumes and strength. I'm so curious to know what modern day grain farming is happening here and how it's done. I remember going to a farmers market in the country a few years ago, the last time I was there. I was overwhelmed by the amount of local and naturally made foods and housewares. Hand rolled tiny dried pasta made with sheep milk, smoked grey salt, and sea buckthorn berry tincture! I began to learn the words for foods and I can't wait to learn more and more.

Thank you again for supporting this project and please share widely. I have 3 weeks to go, and if I don't get ALL of the funds I don't get ANY of the funds.

Sincerely,

Eden

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hungryhungarians/hungry-0?ref=creator_nav

THANK YOU to all of the Kickstarter Supporters!

January 30, 2019

In October 2018, my Kickstarter campaign was funded and I felt grateful. The moment the campaign ended, I was already in Prague, and about to head to Budapest for my first toe dip into the country and into this project. I met some interesting food people, took a tour with Taste Hungary https://tastehungary.com/ which began at 9 am with a shot of Unicum, the coveted recipe bitters digestive, and Lángos (fried bread) with sour cream and radish. Standing in the bustling central food hall with my 74 year old uncle and 5 strangers around a skinny worn wooden table, we toasted the start of our walking culinary tour, which did not disappoint. I may have been the most exuberant guest on the tour, making loud oohs and ahhs over the cured meats selection and the kids eating sauerkraut in a paper cone like it was ice cream. Warmth and comfort washed over me that I had maybe made a good decision to set out on this cookbook pitch journey, that up to this point was giving me anxiety and fear. Hungary had begun to open it’s door a sliver to my wandering stomach’s desires.

THANK YOU

· A.K. Burns

· A.L. Steiner

· Aaron Tuller

· Abby Kojola

· Alissa Anderson

· Alysha Naples

· Amanda Hunt

· Amanda Marsalis

· Amie Siegel

· Amy Von Harrington

· Ann Sunshine

· Anna Craycroft

· Anna Maria Desipris

· Anna Mindess

· Anne K. O’Malley

· Arturo Schwartzberg

· Arty Smith

· Betsy McCall

· Bill Daniel

· Bobbi Jablonski

· Briana Gonzales

· Carl Harders

· Caroline Eden

· Cathy Opie

· Chloe Flores and Tim

· Christian Bruno

· Christopher Bartley

· Claressinka Anderson Pugliese

· David Magid

· Debora Fletcher

· Derek Werner

· Diane Hirsch

· Elizabeth Marion Lowe

· Emily Nathan

· Franny Silverman

· Gail Butensky

· Gina Colombatto

· Grace Denis,

· Heather Millstone

· Hillery Sklar

· Ioanna Morelli

· Iris Porter

· Jared Jensen

· Jason Dubaniewicz,

· Jaye Fishel

· Jd Samson

· Jed Lackritz

· Jen Smith

· Jess Atwood Gibson

· Jesse Klein Seret

· Jibz Cameron

· Joseph Voden

· Joshua Harron

· Jude Rosenberg

· Julie Moon

· Kasey Barrett-Singer

· Kira Simon-Kennedy

· Koenig and Clinton

· Laura Reoch

· Lenny Gonzalez

· Lizzie Swift

· Mahdis Keshavarz

· Marc Silverman

· Maria Pineres

· Mariah Garnett

· Math Bass

· Matt Lipps

· Maya Batki

· Megan Palaima

· Mel Shimkovitz

· Melantha Bobrick

· Michael Tolson

· Miranda Lloyd

· Miriam Klein Stahl

· Molly Frances

· Nance Klehm

· Nancy Baker Cahill

· Nancy Johnson

· Natalie Chaput

· Natasha Garcia Lomas

· Nicole Thomas

· Onya Hogan-Finlay

· Peter Relic

· Rachel Berks

· Richard Rossi

· Rosanna Ferrera

· Rosemary Pham

· Ruthie Doyle

· Sarah Filley

· Shauna Steinbach

· Simone Rubi

· Sonya Kharas

· Steve Batki

· Steven Synstelien

· Swan Moon

· Terrence Beckett

· The Development Factory

· Tom Dolby

· Van Nguyen

· Yemisi Oyeniyi