International politics can be as dull as dishwater. Yet, gastro-diplomacy is an appetizing exception.
One of the most effective and, of course, enjoyable ways of understanding the values of a nation is through its cuisine, providing an extended insight into its culture. As the ultimate bridge-builder between nations, each of the wafting aromas can reveal folkloric cultural narratives and pieces of history while also functioning as a trigger for memories, reviving forgotten moments that connect one to that particular taste.
Similarly, the Istanbul Liszt Institute Hungarian Cultural Center's invitation to a Christmas dinner, offering a menu traditionally prepared in the villages of Hungary, was more than just an invitation, it was a chance to begin a cultural friendship through the medium of historical delicacies. It was also an occasion to deep dive into the cultural patterns of the country within the frame of societal beliefs. Moreover, bringing together two cultures around the round table of gastro-diplomacy, the menu consisted of Hungarian dishes made with Turkish ingredients prepared by Hungarian chef Agnes Toth.
Toth has been organizing events focused on Turkish culture and gastronomy for nearly 20 years. Starting her career in the field of cultural diplomacy, Toth transferred to the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs after introducing Turkish culture to Hungarians for three years as the project coordinator at the Yunus Emre Institute's (YEE) Turkish Cultural Center in Budapest. While introducing Turkish cuisine in Hungary, she also introduces Hungarian cuisine in Türkiye, helping transform bilateral relations.
Of course, Christmas is an annual festival that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, but, as Toth elaborated before the meal, celebrations in Hungary tend to take place around Dec. 21 on the December solstice, symbolizing the ceaseless battle between light and dark since light triumphs over the night on this day.
At the beginning, each table was presented with an apple and a knife. According to Toth, it is a tradition that the head of the family slices the apple and distributes it to family members as a symbol of togetherness, with the hopes the family will spend the new year bonded. According to tradition, the apple must pointedly be eaten before dinner. Blending two cultures, Toth offered guests Amasya apples that are native to Anatolia and widely known for being small, crisp and pleasing to the palate.
Toth elaborated that historically, the celebration of Christmas was preceded by a 40-day fasting ritual. As the people do not consume any food that comes from animals during this period, the traditional menu consisted of mild dishes that Toth put together accordingly.
The starter was traditional "birsalmasajt," widely known as quince cheese, a sweet, thick jelly made of the pulp of the quince fruit, which was deliciously accompanied by a goat’s cheese that the sweetness and saltiness of the dish.
According to Toth, the soup on the menu was called "böjti kaposzta leves gombaval," which roughly translates into "fasting cabbage soup with mushrooms" and nowadays is only cooked in the villages by grandmothers. The soup interestingly included cabbage pickle, which Turkish people generally choose to eat in accompaniment to a main dish. Toth elaborated that the pickling process differs from the Turkish version since Hungarians use more sugar to accelerate the fermentation process, a tradition inherited in the period of socialism as everything had to be prepared rapidly.
A compulsory element of the Christmas table is fish, according to Toth. This is because in Hungarian folklore it symbolizes wealth and a successful year ahead for the family, correlating this to the rapid movement of fish in water. Apart from its folkloric importance, it is also a nod to Jesus' 12 disciples who were mainly fishermen who Jesus commanded to be the "fishers of men." For this, Toth chose "rantott hal burgonyasalataval" as the appetizer, a fried haddock dish with sweet-sour potato salad. Haddock is relatively abundant in the waters of the Black Sea and Marmara.
Finally, the main course consisted of farm-raised chicken roasted with plums and a purple cabbage strudel called "szilvaval sült tanyasi csirke lilakaposztas retessel," as strudel symbolizes happiness in the coming year. A large helping equals more happiness!
Last but not least, the menu was finalized with the legendary treat "makosguba torta vaniliasodoval," poppy seed bread with vanilla cream. Just like lentils, poppy seeds were believed to bring good luck and prosperity to the home in the coming year. This exceptional dessert is one of the oldest traditional Hungarian treats as it was included in a cookbook published in 1695. In the initial recipe, the dough was softened with water to save money but it is commonly made today with milk.
