The Bread Woman

This is the "Bread Woman" another little moment from our holiday visit to the central market in Budapest. We rounded a corner and saw a line of serious local shoppers that was at least 20-30 people long. They seemed to be waiting anxiously so we explored ahead to see what folks were lining up for.

Bread.

Big, huge, round, fresh loaves. Sold whole or quartered as shown here. Obviously of limited quantitiy so there was a certain tension in the line as it was clear that when the bread ran out that was that.

The yeasty smell was fantastic. And the whole scenario lasted about 15 minutes, but you could tell it was a frequent ritual performed in this bustling city market.

Budapest Central Market

Central Market Budapest- click for large view.

It is no surprise that I love food markets. This gorgeous shot above is from the Budapest Central Market. We spent the last morning of our trip browsing the stalls, eating tasty treats and thinking about food culture. The basement floor is a pungent area of fresh fish dealers, and the famous pickles (the major form of vegetables in a Hungarian meal) Pickles and all sorts of pickled vegetables and saur kraut.

The main floor pictured above is all fruits, breads, paprika, meat stalls, and a few sweets shots. Plus LOTS of goose liver sellers. Hungary is the 2nd largest producer in the world of Goose Liver just behind France. It is practically a national obsession.

There were also a few great cheese shops and wine stores.

The catwalk type 2nd floor is all handicrafts, a few standing bars and lunch stalls, lots of handmade lace and quite a few tourist stalls with postcards and knick-knacks.

The building itself is gorgeous and HUGE. One thing to watch out for is the little old ladies doing their shopping, if you are in their way you will be manhandled and pushed around a bit. It was almost a part of the charm of the place though one lady got me pretty good with an elbow. I'll be ready for her next time.

There were treasures for the eyes and taste buds in every direction. This will definitely be a place I will visit again when I make it back there.

My purchases included-
a few bottles of deadly UNICUM as gifts
Delicious honey cookies coated with vanilla and cinnamon (ridiculously cheap!)
Some Hungarian paprika for a few chef friends
and a great Goulash (Gulyas) lunch with potatoes and fresh bread.

Good memories to treasure.