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Tag: Hungarian paprika

  • Must-Buy Souvenirs When On The Viking River Grand European Tour!

    Must-Buy Souvenirs When On The Viking River Grand European Tour!

    Everyone has different opinions but here’s my cheat sheet for what to purchase at each location when going on the Grand European Tour with Viking. We traveled from Budapest to Amsterdam so my guide is in that order.

    Prior to going, I formed a mental list by reading posts from others. I really picked up some great tips. For example, reading other posts is how I knew about the amazing roof tiles in Budapest as well as the to-die-for fruit-filled chocolate bars at the Melk Abbey gift shop.

    I vowed to shop with some thought versus coming home with stuff to clutter up the house. I wanted items, with the exception of Christmas ornaments, that we would consume or use. The biggest surprise was probably how fantastic Hungarian chocolate is. I subsequently read that Hungary is really well-known for chocolate – go figure! We actually enjoyed the Hungarian chocolate more than the chocolate from Germany.

    Budapest

    Roof Tiles from Saint Matthias

    Christmas ornaments from shops near Saint Matthias

    Chimney Cake from the stand adjacent to Saint Matthias

    Paprika, Lavender, wooden spoons, leather goods ,such as belts, and chocolate from the stands at the Central Market. My husband bought a terrific leather belt that the vendor customized to his waist for $20 Euros.

    Vienna

    Mozart Chocolates from shops near the cathedral

    Christmas ornaments from the Schonbrunn Palace Gift shop

    Melk Abbey

    The fruit-filled chocolate bars are an absolute must! They are just fantastic. We also bought a few prints. Others bought wine which they loved.

    Passau

    I bought nothing

    Regensburg

    Sausage sandwiches from the Sausage Kitchen, pretzels, mustard and Christmas ornaments. Our tour guide recommended a shop for ornaments and he was spot on with his advice. We bought an adorable German smoker and incense for about 1/3 price Amazon charges for German-made ones.

    It started to rain heavily towards the end of our afternoon. We were waiting to meet our cruise director for the return walk to the ship. To stay warm, we stumbled upon a book store. Another lady from the ship (we still stay in contact) and I made a beeline for the Christmas ornaments. We found some very unusual ones.

    Nuremberg

    We went on a Sunday when most stores are closed but the bakeries were open and wow! The Lebkuchen are an absolute must-buy item. We bought ones to eat on the ship as well as a package to take home. I can see why these spicy soft cookies are so popular.

    Bamberg

    We bought Christmas tree ornaments from two adjacent Christmas tree ornament shops. Bamberg is famous for its smoked beer and one of the shops sold smoked beer ornaments as well as glass sausage and mustard ornaments. Both shops beautifully wrapped my ornaments in tissue paper and boxes. I did not have a single ornament break during our travels.

    Wurzburg

    Here we did one of our favorite things. We went to a local grocery store – close to where the tour guide left the group. We bought German coffee and cookies. The prices were very reasonable and we loved the coffee. I wish we had purchased more coffee. In addition, we enjoyed a lunch at a cute cafe along the bridge – next to the wine bar.

    Wertheim

    Here we had fun buying a few pretzels and amazing Linzer cookies at a local bakery. We only bought two of each. The pretzels in Germany have no preservatives so they get hard within two days. They were so delicious. In addition, I bought a few items a local gourmet shop – including the best jarred pesto sauce I have ever tasted.

    Koblenz

    We found a great shop on the corner of the main shopping street. Yes, I bought a few ornaments but the store had so much more to offer. I bought a few delightful heat-resistant pads to protect my table from damage by hot casserole dishes. Also, I found some cute appetizer forks and a cool wooden wine bottle coaster as a souvenir for my brother-in-law.

    Cologne

    Our morning tour guide pointed out a great souvenir shop near the cathedral where I bought German-made Christmas ornaments (as opposed to imported ones made in China) and a gift box of mini bottles of 40711 cologne. In addition, we bought a fantastic assortment of chocolates from the gift shop at the Lindt Chocolate Museum. Our Viking ship was docked within blocks of the museum. We participated in the evening dinner and pub crawl. Peter’s, our first stop, sells the beer glasses used. They are smaller and unique. I regret not buying one or two glasses.

    Kinderdijk

    The gift shop at the Windmill stop is great. I bought several Christmas ornaments including a Delft one as well as a cute cheese board. I am a professional cheese monger so I can’t resist anything related to cheese. My husband actually bought socks with a windmill theme – out of necessity. He still wears them now that we are back home.

    We loved our cheese farm tour and stocked up on Gouda which was sold vacuumed-pack. I picked up multiple packages of three different types. My favorite was a new flavor- it included ginger.

    Amsterdam

    We found a fun souvenir shop near Rembrandt’s house where I picked up wooden tulips, Christmas tree ornaments and colorful socks for John. At the Rijksmuseum gift shop, I bought a few more Christmas ornaments – ones that replicated artifacts we saw at the museum as well as some fun refrigerator magnets.

    The Ship Gift Shop

    I can’t say enough positive things about the Viking cookbook sold on board the ship for $20 Euros. We really enjoyed the goulash and soups served onboard. The book includes some of the recipes for what we enjoyed during our cruise. I especially enjoy the goulash recipe as well the recipes for Swedish meatballs and gravlax. I recommend getting the cookbook early – our ship sold out. I got mine from another Viking ship that adjacent to ours.

    Duty-Free Shopping

    We loved the shopping at the airport in Munich – way more impressive than what was available in Amsterdam.!The liquor and wine selection was impressive. I bought more Dutch cheese as well as some wonderful German sausages.

    My final suggestion is to pack an extra suitcase for your souvenirs. We packed a Goldie-style bag that really came in handy on the return flights home.

    The Chimney Cake Stand
    The Chimney Cake
    Chocolate Stand at the Central Market in Budapest
    A Lavender Stand at the Central Market in Budapest
    Paprika at a Stand in Budapest’s Central Market
    Mozart Chocolates in Vienna
    The Melk Abbey Gift Shop
    The Famous Sausage Kitchen in Regensburg
    The Saint Matthias Roof Tiles Sold in the Gift Shop – I bought a Blue One; a friend bought an Emerald Green One
    Christmas Ornaments From a Book Store Across from the Cathedral in Regensburg
    Must-Buy from a Bakery Near the Castle in Nuremberg
    Nuremberg Treat – Much Better than What We Get in the U.S.
    Musicians Onboard Our Ship – Sorry I Didn’t Buy the CD.
    One of Two Great Christmas Shops in Bamburg
    Amazing Christmas Ornament Shop in Bamberg – Sells Smoked Beer Ornaments
    Wurzburg Cafe
    Wurzburg Grocery Store
    Outside Wurzburg Grocery Store
    Glass-Blowing Demonstration Onboard Our Ship – I Bought Glass Angels for My Tree
    Wertheim Bakery
    Goodies from Wertheim Store
    The Ship Sells the Viking River cookbook for $20 Euros. It’s a great cookbook – love the Goulash and Swedish Meatballs Recipes!
    Wertheim Linzer Cookie
    Inside the Lindt Chocolate Museum Gift Shop
    The Famous 4711 Shop
    The Exterior of the Lindt Chocolate Museum in Cologne
    The Lindt Chocolate Gift Shop
    The Lindt Chocolate Gift Shop
    The Lindt Chocolate Gift Shop
    The Lindt Chocolate Gift Shop
    The Lindt Chocolate Gift Shop
    The Lindt Chocolate Gift Shop
    Peter’s in Cologne Sells Its Beer Glasses – Sorry I Didn’t Get One
    Gouda Cheese in Kinderdijk
    Gouda Cheese in Kinderdijk
    Amazing Treat At Rembrandt’s Square in Amsterdam
    Oliebollen – Warm Dutch Donuts
    Avoid the Tourist Cheese Shops in Amsterdam
    Hungarian Christmas Ornament from Shop Near Saint Matthias in Budapest
    Christmas Ornament from Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna
    Bamberg Smoked Beer Ornament
    Christmas Ornament From Shop Near Saint Matthias in Budapest
    Bamberg Christmas Tree Ornament
    Bamberg Sausage & Mustard Christmas Tree Ornaments
    German-Made Smoker From Regensburg
    Table Coasters from Koblenz
    Table Coasters from Koblenz
    Cheese Board from Kinderdijk Windmill Gift Shop
    Paprika and Wooden Salad Tossing Set from Budapest’s Central Market
    Duty-Free Shopping At Munich Airport – Orange Jaegermeister is Hard to Find Near Me…Great in Coffee!
    Fun Print La from the Melk Abbey
    Got Accustomed to Mozart Coffees Onboard the Baldur
    Rijksmuseum Art Magnet
    Rijksmuseum Art Magnet
    Tulip Magnet from Amsterdam

  • Hungarian Paprika Soup – Wow!

    My First Attempt Using My New Stash of Imported Paprika From Budapest

    I recently returned from an incredible 15 Viking River cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam. Budapest was probably my favorite place we visited. While there, we visited the Great Market Hall where I stocked up on a variety of paprika products including paprika paste.

    Today was the day – I finally felt alert enough, after battling severe jetlag from a nine-hour time difference, to attempt making homemade soup.

    The result was an amazing soup with so much flavor that my family gave me a standing ovation.

    Ingredients:

    3 tablespoons avocado oil

    1 large onion finely chopped

    3 smashed cloves garlic

    4 peeled carrots – diced

    3 stalks celery – diced

    1 red bell pepper – diced

    2 tablespoons paprika paste

    1 12 ounce can tomato paste

    1 cup red wine

    2 cups vegetable stock

    3 bratwurst sausage links

    1 cup shredded green cabbage

    salt and pepper to taste

    2 cups diced potatoes

    First, sauté the garlic, onion, carrots and celery in the avocado oil. Add in the diced red bell pepper. Add in the paprika (preferably in paste form).

    After five minutes, add in the tomato paste, wine and vegetable stock.

    In a separate pan cook the sausage links until partially cooked. Cut into pieces and then add into the soup. Add in the shredded cabbage and salt and pepper to taste. Let the soup simmer for 20 minutes at medium heat.

    Finally, add in the cut up potatoes pieces. Let the soup continue to cook at a low temperature for another 20 to 30 minutes. I dislike overcooked potatoes so I always add them in last.

    This is a great soup to make the day before and then reheat the next day. It gets better overnight.

  • The Amazing Grand Market in Budapest

    The Front Exterior of the Grand Market
    Our amazing tour guide Anna Marie – a guide with 35 years experience
    One of Several Honey Stands

    Our Viking tour of the Grand Market surpassed our expectations. It helped that our guide, Anna Marie, is a native of Budapest with 35 years experience as a tour guide. It was a small group of us from the ship on the tour. Instead of a tour bus, we walked a few blocks and took the tram several stops to the market. The tram cars were built in Prague and the system goes back to 1887.

    Upon arriving in the market building, which is enormous and with multiple levels, Anna Marie walked us around the entire main floor – sharing cultural stories and local traditions as she explained various products. I knew going in that I was coming home with paprika but Anna Marie showed us variations that I was previously unaware of. The night before, our ship’s chef had made the most spectacular goulash; Ana Marie showed us a paste form sold in tubes that is specifically designed for goulash. Hungary is known for its sausages and our tour guide arranged for us to sample an extensive variety – including a delicious one with smoked paprika.

    After walking the market with us, she gave us a half hour to shop before the next phase of our adventure. Naturally, John, my husband, and I bought lots of paprika. I spent an average of about $5 per container of Paprika. In addition, we bought an assortment of Hungarian chocolate bars, a few refrigerator magnets and hand painted wooden spoons. John saw a leather booth and picked out a really nice belt. The shop owner measured John’s waist and cut and finished the belt for John. He charged us 20 Euros for the belt – we were thrilled. The leather station was the only place where we paid cash. Just about every booth took credit cards.

    We then met with our guide and fellow Viking tourists. Anna Marie escorted us upstairs to a large restaurant where we enjoyed a late lunch of local favorites. We started with small glasses of a plum alcohol that was very strong. I told John I felt like we were drinking rocket fuel; he nodded in agreement. The bread, cheeses, meats and salads were so fresh and delicious. I especially enjoyed a dark smoked ham and a local Brie. My husband hates pickles but I was in heaven. They served us a cheese spread that our waitress called cottage cheese but tasted and looked very different from what we call cottage cheese in the U.S. I normally hate cottage cheese but this was incredible!