It's June---cukrászda time!

SO I am a day late in posting this exciting news, but who cares, It's JUNE. Summer's coming (actually I hear it's arrived in Ontario at least), it's my birthday, its half way to Christmas, its almost through allergy season...its...its...JUNE :)

It's...... also raining here in Budapest. It has been raining for one week, but things are looking up as it promises to be 'partly clear' by Friday.

Hooray!

This afternoon I decided to walk home in the drizzly weather. I felt like I have been stuck inside for so long now, that I just needed some fresh air...however, walking home also makes me walk into temptation. That is right, the wonderful world of cukrászda's. These are pastry and cake shops, and unlike bakery's in centretown and Parkdale,---they sell cakes and Kremes and Meringues and cookies by the slice, piece, portion, and DB (decagram), with each one costing between 50 and 250 HUF. They also have the packaging down to a science, where they have figured out how to package said 'one' piece of cake in such a way that it can safety be taken home to be eaten in it's original form. (it is a plate, cellophane, Subway Sandwich/Harvey's style wrapping technique). Do you like the details?

I was telling my dad (and well, everyone) about the pastry smells in this city (trust me, you can't walk more than about a block without at least passing by a pastry chain called Princess or Fornetti..or a pékség for that matter....it is also impossible to get off a train at metro station and NOT see one (or smell) one at the top of the escalators...they bake them on site....) anyway, my dad reassured me that it is genetic, that my aunt and grandmother both could smell a bakery a mile away. I guess I have inherited this trait. :)


After walking over Margaret Hid, watching constructions going on the bridge, I decided to detour just on the pest side of the bridge. I had always noticed the bustling side streets while riding the tram, and I thought, 'hey, here's my chance'. However, soon enough, my detour found me right smack in front of the Vanillia cukrászda. A cute little pastry shop. I quickly examined the interior, and 'the goods' and the 'patrons'. The goodies looked scrumptious , and there was a good enough amount of locals inside to conclude that the place was good.

I thought about it for a second, thought about my health, my happiness, and the rain, and well, I just couldn't resist the wafting smells of butter, sugar, flour, creme, and yummy-ness. Plus, it was a learning experience, I do have to practice my Hungarian speaking and reading, right?

(On that note, I am getting better at ordering in three words or less, plus while I still understand pretty much nothing, I can now pronounce key pastry ordering syllabus and words such as 'SZ' which is a schhhhh sound, and Egy (like Egg), which means one (for full clarity, I also hold up my thumb, with is the non-verbal way of saying one, holding up 'the pointer' figure will get you two)). Kreme is (well I pronounce it like in french, and well, that seems to work :)). )

At the cukrászda, I couldn't decide between a Fluffy meringue biscotti shapped torta with a layer apricot and a square of chocolate cherry torta with custard, so I got both.

They are sitting in my fridge for dessert.... with noticeable bites marks missing ( Of course, taste testing is a must in these situations)... Perhaps when they reemerge I will take a picture for all interested parties.....