Hungary Has More to Offer Than Bulls Blood Wine

Hungarian wine has a history dating back to at least Roman times, and that history reflects the country's position between the Slavs and the Germanic peoples. The best-known wines are the white dessert wine Tokay (Tokaji) and Bull's Blood (Egri Bikavér), a full-bodied red wine.

Despite what many may think, the area known as Hungary holds more wine tradition than any other country in Europe. Most of this very tradition is just now surfacing in the light, with people finally starting to catch wind about everything Hungarian wine has to offer. Even though many wine drinkers aren’t familiar with Hungary - there are many who are.

Hungary is home to over 20 wine regions, fully of forests, vineyards, and orchards. With several different varieties of grapes to offer, the vineyards found in Hungary have flourished since the great Roman Times. The weather in Hungary is seasonal to say the least, with cold winters and extremely hot summers. This weather allows the soil in the country to be diverse, which allows wine makers to create a variety of quality wines.

Despite the communist control in the past, there are several different wines found in Hungary. Although the vineyards here produce a lot of excellent wines, Tokay Aszu is by far the favorite here and the wine that locals always love raising their glass to. Tokay Aszu is a popular wine with meals or dessert, in Hungary and also happens to be one of the most popular dessert wines in the entire world.

Tokay Aszu was discovered in the mid 17th century in Hungary, quickly becoming a favorite for many European aristocrats. Even though it was great to the taste, many believed that certain types of the wine had mystical healing powers. Although this was strictly a rumor, it actually helped the wine become more popular than ever. Over the years, Tokay Aszu was one indeed the most popular wine in Hungary, spreading to other areas of the world as well.

Egri Bikaver, also referred to as Bulls Blood is another popular wine found in Hungary. This is another popular wine for locals, and can be found throughout the world as well. Getting it’s name from it’s color, Bulls Blood is truly a feast for anyone who likes wine. The wine is dark red in color, yet sweet to the taste. The wine was first developed back in the 16th century, and remains popular even to this day.

If you ever visit Hungary, there are many places you can visit to get some great wine. You should also make a point to visit Tokay, located in the northeast. You can take a train from Budapest and arrive here in a few hours. There are several different wine flavors and varieties here, sure to please just about anyone. The wineries found throughout the Tokay area are normally open for tours and tasters from May to the end of October. If you visit during these months, you can tour the underground cellars, sample the superb wine, and learn more than you ever thought possible about the manufacturing of Hungarian wines.

All in the all, the wine found in Hungary is great to have in your collection or just have around the house for special occasions. You can get it by the bottle, the glass, or by the case. All types of Hungarian wine has been perfected over the years, making it something that you really can’t go wrong with. If you like to drink wine, as most of us do, you really can’t go wrong with any type of Hungarian wine. Hungarian wine gives wine lovers plenty to study, plenty to order, and plenty to drink. The wine is very tasty and refreshing - and it helps to keep the nation of Hungary thirsty for more.

Visitors who refer to Hungary as a Balkan country risk getting a lecture on how this small, landlocked nation of just over ten million people differs from "all those Slavs". Hungary was likened by the poet Ady to a "river ferry, continually travelling between East and West, with always the sensation of not going anywhere but of being on the way back from the other bank"; and its people identify strongly with the West while at the same time displaying a fierce pride in themselves as Magyars - a race that transplanted itself from Central Asia into the heart of Europe.

Best of Hungary

Danube Bend One of the most enchanting stretches of the River Danube sweeps its way up from Budapest before twisting dramatically through a forested valley towards Slovakia - the views are best appreciated from atop Visegrád Citadel.

Szentendre This once thriving artists' colony, just 19km from Budapest, is now a delightful town boasting some magical museums, great art and a rich Serbian legacy.

Sziget Festival One of Europe's premier rock festivals, held on Sziget Island in Budapest, brings together a host of stars from every musical genre for eight hectic days.

Tihany Peninsula The picturesque village of Tihany, overlooked by a Benedictine abbey, is the jewel in Lake Balaton's crown.

Thermal baths There's no better way to relax than in one of Budapest's magnificent Turkish Baths.

Budapest Zoo The kids will love the animals, whilst the adults will appreciate the fabulous Art Nouveau pavilions they're housed in.

Gundel You'll have to dress the part if you want to dine in Budapest's most celebrated, and most expensive, restaurant.

Statue Park Communism isn't quite dead in this extraordinary Budapest park housing a collection of monumental statues from the old regime.

Watersports on Lake Balaton Siófok and Keszthely are just two of the resorts where you can sail, windsurf or, of course, swim.

Even under Communism, Hungary was renowned for its abundance of food: material proof of the "goulash socialism" that amazed visitors from Romania and the Soviet Union. Nowadays, there is more choice than ever, particularly in Budapest, where almost every cuisine in the world is available.
For foreigners the archetypal Magyar dish is "goulash" - historically the basis of much Hungarian cooking . The ancient Magyars relished cauldrons of gulyás (pronounced "gou-yash"), a soup made of potatoes and whatever meat was available, which was later flavoured with paprika and beefed up into a variety of stews, modified over the centuries by various foreign influences. Hungary's Slav neighbours probably introduced native cooks to yogurt and sour cream - vital ingredients in many dishes - while the influence of the Turks, Austrians and Germans is apparent in a variety of sticky pastries and strudels, as well as recipes featuring sauerkraut or dumplings. Another influence was that of France, which revolutionized Hungarian cooking in the Middle Ages and again in the nineteenth century. Today, the influences are "international", with fast food such as pizzas, hamburgers and kebabs spreading from the capital to provincial towns, and even signs of vegetarian food and nouvelle cuisine .

Breakfast, snacks and takeaway foodAs a nation of early risers, Hungarians like to have a calorific breakfast ( reggeli ). Commonly, this includes cheese, eggs or salami together with bread and jam, and in rural areas is often accompanied by a shot of pálinka ...read more >>

Main mealsTraditionally, Hungarians take their main meal at lunchtime , although the old tendency for restaurants to have fewer dishes available in the evenings has now disappeared. However, it is worth remembering that many places still close early,...read more >>

Coffee houses and patisseriesMany Hungarians like to kick-start the day with coffee , followed by further intakes at various intervals throughout the day, usually in the form of tiny glasses of kávé : super-strong, served black and sweetened to taste, this is a...read more >>

DrinkingHungary's climate and diversity of soils are perfect for wine ( bor ), though cold winters mean that reds are usually on the light side. In the last few years the wine market has really begun to take off, and, though good vintages...read more >>

Wine bars ( borozó ) are ubiquitous and far less pretentious than in the West: the wine served is often pretty rough stuff, and there's usually a cluster of interesting characters round the bar. True devotees of the grape make pilgrimages to the extensive wine cellars ( borospince ) that honeycomb towns like Tokaj and Eger. By day, people often drink wine with water or soda water, specifying a fröccs or a yet more diluted hosszú lépés (literally, a "long step"). Wine can be sweet ( édes ), dry ( száraz ), semi-sweet ( félédes ) or semi-dry ( félszáraz ). Hungarians enjoy the ritual of toasting , so the first word to get your tongue around is egészségedre ("EGG-aish-shaig-edreh") - "cheers!" When toasting more than one other person, it's grammatically correct to change this to egészségünkre ("cheers to us!"). Hungarians only consider it appropriate to toast with wine or spirits. A simpler version that will get you by is szia (see-ya) for one person, and sziasztok (see-ya-stock) for more people.


Hungary
•
Badacsony village
•
Badacsonyörs
•
Balatonalmádi
•
Balatonfüred
•
Balatonlelle, Kishegy and Balatonboglár
•
Balatonszemes
•
Balatonszárszó
•
Balatonvilágos
•
Budapest
•
Csopak
•
Dobogóko and Dömös
•
Esztergom
•
Fonyód
•
Hévíz
•
Keszthely
•
Nagybörzsöny, Kóspallag and Márianosztra
•
Nagymaros
•
Pomáz
•
Siófok
•
Szentendre
•
Szob
•
Tihany
•
Visegrád
•
Vác
•
Zebegény

This is MY Kind of Article, Cocktails and Exotic Destinations

You Have Just Got To Try A Bahama Mama

Well, I tried them all... hell of a hangover, but had a great time!

This is the LPR article of the weekend (might be upgraded to article of the month).

Bahama Mama is one of the well known and favorite drinks in the Bahamas. If youre in the island of the Bahamas you can never do away with having a try on this drink. Its a combination of an alcohol fruity taste drink thats totally out of this world as well as refreshing and tangy. Who knows you may even want to have more when you get a taste of it. But you dont really need to be in the Bahamas to take a sip on this drink, all you need is its various recipes, and youre on your way to getting that feel of the Bahamian spirit. Here are some Bahama Mama recipes:

Bahama Mama (Original Recipe)

1/4 oz 151 Proof rum

1/4 oz Coffee liqueur

1/2 oz Dark rum

1/2 oz Coconut liqueur

4 oz Pineapple juice

Juice of 1/2 lemons

How to do it: Combine and stir all ingredients with ice. Strain into a chilled tumbler filled with ice or pour over cracked ice in a Collins glass. Dress up with cherry or strawberry and serve.

Bahama Mama 2

2 oz Orange juice

2 oz Pineapple juice

1/2 oz Heering cherry liqueur

1/2 oz Grenadine syrup

1/2 oz Lemon Juice

1 oz Coconut rum

1 1/2 oz Rum

How to do it: Shake all ingredients combine with cracked ice. Serve in a 12 oz glass and decorate with cherry and 1/2 slice orange in a tooth pick.

Bahama Mama 3

1/2 Bananas

1 splash Grenadine syrup

2 oz overproof rum

4oz coconut milk

4oz Pineapple juice

How to do it: Put all ingredients in a blender with half a cup of crushed ice. Blend well and pour into a tall glass, serve.

Bahama Mama 4

6 oz Pineapple juice

1 oz Nassau Royale rum

1 oz Malibu coconut rum

1 oz Dark rum

1/2 oz Grenadine syrup

How to do it: In a cocktail shaker, shake all ingredients together with ice. Pour with ice into a hurricane glass and serve with a slice of orange.

Bahama Mama NC

3 oz pineapple juice

3/4 oz Banana liqueur

3/4 oz Light rum

1 oz Malibu coconut rum

1 oz Orange juice

1 dash Grenadine syrup

How to do it: In a cocktail shaker, pour all ingredients together and shake well. Pour in a pina-colada glass with cubed or crushed ice. Serve.

Bahama Mama Sunrise

1/2 oz grenadine syrup

2 oz Pineapple juice

1 oz dark rum

1 oz spiced rum

4 oz orange juice

How to do it: Combine and mix all ingredients and serve over ice in a tall glass.

Easy Bahama Mama

1/2 tsp Sugar syrup

1 dash grenadine syrup

1 dash Amaretto almond liqueur

1 Maraschino cherry

2 oz Pineapple juice

2 oz Dark rum

How to do it: Just pour everything over crushed ice in a margarita glass and decorate with a cherry.

All these Bahama Mama recipes will surely afford you that feeling of the Bahamas so get those ingredients, follow the procedures, and shake yourself a Bahama Mama.

Article Republished From: Liberated Press Releases a web site that DOESN'T use Google Adsense text links in or around articles.


Author Resource:- If you are looking for free website content or need travel and tourism information for your website you can display live travel article rss feeds on your website - Just visit Articles.net.au - Your source for free Articles, Information and Website Content.



REAL EASY NAVIGATION - SELECT TOPIC BY INITIALSA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T V W

More About the Bahamas

Destination Guides > Central America & Caribbean > Caribbean > Bahamas

Graced with beautiful beaches of pink sand, evocative windswept panoramas and countless opportunities for diving, snorkelling and fishing, the islands of the Bahamas are well established as one of the world's top draws for both intrepid explorers and casual vacationers. An island chain beginning a mere 55 miles east of Miami, Florida, the Bahamas offer an array of tourist hotels, all-inclusive resorts, and even rustic lodges, making staying there a relatively simple endeavour. Indeed, more than three million travellers each year choose the islands as their prime destination for outdoor sports, sun worship, casino gambling and, on some of the slightly more remote spots, eco-tourism.

In total, the Bahamas include around seven hundred islands, no more than thirty of which are inhabited, as well as smaller cays (pronounced "keys") and rocks - an impressive arc stretching from just beyond the Atlantic coast of Florida to the outlying waters of Cuba, where Great Inagua lies only sixty miles offshore. Although deeper oceanic troughs surround some of the islands, most are encircled by shallow, crystalline water that reflects a light turquoise hue during the day and glows with purple luminescence at night. This combination of shallow and deep water makes diving and snorkelling both challenging and intriguing, with numerous reefs waiting to be explored just beyond the shores of the gorgeous, uncrowded beaches.

The native music of the Bahamas is a combination of African and Caribbean rhythms, often played on drums and various skin or pipe instruments. Rake'n'scrape music, prominent on the Out Islands, features rough guitars and percussion instruments made from ratchets and saws; calypso and reggae are also popular.

Traditional Bahamian meals may include seafood like grouper, conch and snapper (usually broiled or baked in a tomato sauce), along with tropical fruits like guava and papaya. As former members of a British colony, Bahamians have adopted many traditional English dishes , or adapted them to suit local tastes. These include macaroni and cheese, peas and rice, boiled potatoes and other vegetable dishes. A Bahamian breakfast may consist of anything from fried eggs, bacon, toast, tomato and coffee to more Caribbean-influenced dishes like johnny cakes with coconut. Lunch tends toward seafood stews and soups or large conch salads.

With tourism expanding to the Bahamas, many different types of imported culinary styles have flourished here as well. On New Providence and Grand Bahama, you can find restaurants serving Continental, Mediterranean and Greek cuisine, and even Mexican and pan-Asian dishes, in elegant surroundings with excellent service and fine wines. Many of these restaurants are located at major hotels and resorts and require reservations, while other eateries in Nassau, Paradise Island and Grand Bahama operate independently and cater to a more eclectic crowd.
Every town or settlement in the Bahamas has its share of take-away restaurants, featuring traditional offerings like fried chicken, french fries and deep-fried seafood . Most Out Island restaurants serve fairly simple and uniform fare, usually fish, conch or fried chicken, with fresh Bahamian lobster a rare treat. Island desserts are often delightful, especially the coconut concoctions, rice pudding, gingerbread and fruit cocktail.

Bahamians are not much for drinking wine or liquor, though the national beer , Kalik, is a fine elixir enjoyed throughout the islands. Fruit juice and soft drinks are popular, and major brands like Coke and Pepsi are predictably ubiquitous. Fast-foo chains have also invaded the Bahamas, and the major islands all feature at least one pizza or hamburger joint from each chain.

Destination Guides > Central America & Caribbean > Caribbean > Bahamas > New Providence > Nassau