Zsolt Erőss, the Snow Leopard

Zsolt Erőss, the Snow Leopard

Although I decided not to devote my blog to Hungary but to conquer English-speaking cultures, I would really like to share something about this great man. Not because he’s from Hungary or because he’s recently died but the reason is my admiration towards him. He had such a strong and motivational character that I would like to introduce him as a role model.

Zsolt Erőss was definitely the most famous Hungarian mountaineer summiting 10 out of the total 14 mountains on Earth above 8000 m (which are also called eight-thousanders). He was also the first Hungarian citizen to climb the Mount Everest in 2002. (These facts are for us Hungarians truly amazing concerning the fact that our highest mountain is only 1014 m…)

He was one of the most dedicated and persistent people I've heard of. As a result of an avalanche accident in 2010 his right leg had to be amputated but despite the amputation he didn't give up his passion. He’s said to have learnt to walk again because he wanted to continue mountaineering. Half a year after his accident he returned to climbing and he conquered many peaks with the help of a prosthetic leg, among them two eight-thousanders.

His last challenge was the Kangchenjunga. Erőss successfully reached the summit of 8586 m on May 20, 2013 but unfortunately he didn't manage the way back. Two days after reaching the peak the 45-year old Erőss and another Hungarian climber (the 26-year-old Péter Kiss) went missing. After the unsuccessful search they have been declared dead in absentia.

Although Erőss has been criticized by many that he shouldn't have insisted on continuing mountaineering after his accident, he is mourned by the whole nation. Many claimed that he should have thought of his family (he had two little children) and given up climbing but he wasn't someone to give up what he wanted. His wife, who is an amateur mountaineer, said that she had accepted her husband’s passion. Of course Erőss was aware how dangerous the mountains can be and he didn't want to die, but he was brave enough to take the risk and to fulfill his dreams. That’s something everybody should respect about him.

Food discussion: NATIONAL DISHES

The Hungarian Cuisine

Question 7: Do you think your country's food is the best?
Answer: Hmm... Let me consider it!

As I come from Hungary, I decided to write about the Hungarian cuisine and I would like to present a couple of typical Hungarian dishes to you.

But first of all, I have to explain, what 'eating' means for the average Hungarian people. For us, there is no holiday without an abundant family dinner. For example, my mother starts planning the Christmas menu weeks before Christmas. We always have an endless to-do list, we do the shopping, and then we start preparing food days before the holiday. By the time Christmas Eve arrives, the fridge is filled with the family's favourite dishes, at least 5 types of 'cakes' are baked and we are all tired of the kitchen and cooking, but from that point on we do nothing else, just enjoy the holiday, eat and drink together. The whole family gathers for dinner, and we usually stay together until supper. So we can say, that the family events are somehow all centered around food.

Usually - even on normal days - we spend lots of time in the kitchen preparing our food. An average meal - almost without exception - consists of soup (e.g. goulash soup, clear chicken soup or fish soup), main course and afterwards often something sweet, pastry or cake.

Halászlé (fish soup)

Töltött káposzta (stuffed cabbage)

One of the most important components of the Hungarian cuisine is definitely MEAT. I think, there are hardly any Hungarian dishes that cannot be somehow connected to pork, beef, chicken or fish. The most well-known dish is certainly the world-famous 'gulyás' (goulash) soup or stew made of beef, noodles and vegetables, especially potato, onion and paprika.

Gulyás

Another remarkable element of Hungary's cuisine is the 'vegetable stew' (főzelék) which is somewhere between the soup and the stew. It is a thick vegetable dish which can be made of cabbage, potato, tomato, peas, beans or even spinach. It usually does not appear in restaurants as it is a mainly home-made food and is considered to be an ordinary type of meal.

Főzelék (vegetable stew from peas)

Hungary has plenty of different desserts, for example the Dobos cake, 'bejgli' (cake roll filled with poppy seeds or nuts, mostly eaten at Christmas) or 'kürtőskalács' (chimney cake, baked over open fire, originates from Transylvania).

Kürtőskalács (chimney cake)

Dobos cake

And last but not least, the drinks. Hungary is famous for having a perfect climate and soil for wine production. As a result, the country has numerous excellent types of white and red wine. Another typical symbol of the country is the 'pálinka', a range of fruit brandies (usually plum, pear or peach), which are extremely strong, around 50 (V/V)%.

Wine

Pálinka

Question 7: Do you think your country's food is the best?
Answer: I wholeheartedly think, that Hungary's food is the best!

At least for me, the Hungarian meals outdo every other cuisine.

And finally a video: