David Willett: Last Day in Pecs

Ms Kimberley Yang Davis communicated her disappointment via blog comment, that yesterday's blog post had so few food photos. The management agrees with her viewpoint. Today's post will hopefully rectify that regrettable situation starting with the Pecs produce market. The huge hall and outside awning covered areas were packed with people buying small portions for tonight's dinners.

All kinds of meat products were available behind sanitary glass cases - 1/2 of a pig's head, pig trotters, chicken gizzards, livers, gizzards, feet, and all manners of innards and offal.

Pickled everything......including sauerkraut-stuffed pickles.

And sauerkraut with peppers (paprika is the general name for all colors and heat levels of peppers in Hungarian.

Bacon, smoked ham, and all manner of delectable sausages, smoked and otherwise. It's a very good thing we had already eaten breakfast.....

Today was the day, to catch a few sights we missed, walk the winding medieval streets and try a few classic Hungarian dishes which we have so far eluded us and possibly fit in a nap...

The 16th century town wall - still a few remaining sections...

The Romanesque Cathedral's bronze front doors and other details.....

More Pecs architectural details...

I'm trapped!

Hotel Palatinus interior...

The central square....

Ahhhhhh, and now lunch! One of our favorite meals on this trip.......

Pleasant day, sidewalk restaurant, 2 hour leisurely lunch. Oh we love being Europeans....

We made a pact early-on to try to taste every traditional, authentic, dish that each cuisine (Austrian, Hungarian, Polish) was famous for. Today at lunch we scored 3 new Hungarian dishes that were on the list at a traditional restaurant recommended by our guide Brigitta. All three were wonderfully tasty.

Hungarian Fish Soup (halaszle). Chunks of carp and other fish in an extremely fragrant fish/ paprika broth, and served with noodles. Wonderfully tasty.

Real Hungarian goulash (goulyas). Chunks of tender beef and potato served in a fragrant paprika broth....

And my favorite - Sour cherry soup (meggy leves)!! I could have slurped down 3 bowls after my fish soup. As it was, it was nearly gone before I remembered to take a pic!

After a quick food-coma nap at the hotel, we are ready to attend the theater festival gaiety here in Pecs. The food stand offerings look really yummy, but we could only sample a couple...langos (deep fried dough with garlic, sweet sour cream and cheese) and Villanyi wine (local).

Fried sardines covered in rock salt and sprinkled with lemon juice.