Apologies for the light posting over the last few days. And apologies in advance if we have another dry spell a few days hence. Which, unfortunately, may be likely, as the second annual Budapest Pálinka Festival kicks off tomorrow in downtown’s Városháza Park. Over the course of the four-day event, visitors can taste nearly 300 different pálinkas made by 23 distilleries. It is apparently the widest selection of Hungarian white lightening ever assembled in one place open to the public, and a great reminder of what you’re missing if you don’t live in a city where it’s considered normal to have multi-day shots festivals held in the shadow of city hall. And yes, we’re talking about you, New York.
According to the festival’s official site, one of the goals of the event is to educate caterers and the public about the difference between real pálinka – which is a pure, or near-pure fruit brandy – and pálinka-like alcoholic drinks. Even in Hungary, menus at bars and restaurants often list several drinks that are officially not pálinka under that title, and when a guest asks the bartender or waiter to recommend a pálinka, what they often recommend – without knowing – is one of these non-pálinka drinks, which contain added aromas (aromák), flavor enhancers (ízfokozók), caramel (karamell) or coloring (színezék). Ick!
So go drink some of the real stuff. Entry is just Ft 1,200 (roughly €5), which includes a tasting cup and a Ft 500 tasting coupon, and the booth are open from noon to midnight, not counting what you take away and drink on the street. Sweet.
