TOP:
DEBRECEN’S MARKET
IS GIVEN A PICTURESQUE
FLAVOUR BY PASSING
TRAMS.
ABOVE:
HANDMADE DECORATIONS
DECEMBER-JANUARY 2012/13
WIZZ MAGAZINE 35
DEBRECEN
Dates
1-30
December
Where
Head to Nagytemplom, or Great
Reformed Church, the city landmark.
Standing before it is a tall tree decked in
white lights and handmade decorations
that manages to be stunning without being
gaudy. Nearby is the Christmas market,
lent a unique picturesque flavour owing to
passing trams; wooden stalls line the tram
rails that run up to the church.
Happy Christmas!
Boldog Karácsonyt!
Local traditions
Browse for folk art,
embroidery and ceramics, painted wooden
toys and boxes. In December there are
Advent concerts and seasonal events
in Kossuth Square (the Nativity Play
is 7-9 December), Kölcsey Centre and
Nagytemplom. On New Year’s Eve there
are concerts and parties in Kossuth Square
and a concert by the prestigious Debrecen
Kodály Choir in the Nagytemplom.
To eat
Stalls will be selling fish soup,
usually made with carp or any other
freshwater fish (Hungary is a landlocked
country), and with paprika, noodles, onion
and potato. “It’s easy to put a Hungarian
spin on the traditional Christmas dish,”
says Peter Patakay, chef at Ikon restaurant
(
ikonrestaurant.hu). “Catfish is good, and
we add mussels and crayfish to make it
more interesting. It reminds me of growing
up on the river in Tiszalök, 50 miles from
Debrecen. If I can get nice quality carp, I’ll
put that on the menu.” In the market, look
out for stuffed cabbage, made with minced
pork, sauerkraut leaves and sour cream,
and sold in traditional handmade pots.
Bread and dripping (goose fat) with onion
slices and paprika is another treat.
What tipple?
Try mulled wine, from good
quality Hungarian vineyards. Unicum bitter,
sold in a distinctive black bottle, is best
drunk cold. Or pálinka – Hungary’s version
of schnapps. “Royal Tokaji Furmint 2008,
a dry white wine, is a perfect match for
Christmas,” says Peter. For a dessert wine,
try Tokaji ‘Aszu’, from north-east Hungary.
Candy time
Gingerbread, made and
sold in the market by the Radics family for
generations.
Szaloncukor
,
a fondant sweet
in foil used to decorate the tree.
Beigli
,
a
sugary pastry roll made with poppy seeds,
nuts and cloves, is eaten on Christmas Eve.
FEATURE
CHR I STMAS MARKETS
PHOTOGRAPH: DIANNA POTTER
