Recipe of the week: Kossuth crescent

Lajos Kossuth was one of the greatest figures of the 19^th century, the leader of the fight for national autonomy and the head of the 1848-49 War of Independence. It is believed that he loved to try new gastronomic experiences during his trips. This is how the delicious half moon-shaped cake was named after him. Even though it’s called crescent or crescent roll in Hungarian (kifli), it is something different 🙂

According to mindmegette.hu, the nutty dessert, which is the Sunday favourite of many people, started its conquering tour from Pozsony (Bratislava). That was where the parliamentary sessions were held in the 19^th century, and that was where Lajos Kossuth represented two dowagers, Baron Anna Révay and Count Bóra Pongrácz. His name became famous when he started his Parliamentary Reports during the 1832-36 session and started popularising the reform opposition in the manuscript journal that was spread in the form of letters.

The young lawyer usually ate at Jakab Palugyay’s Vasforrás Restaurant in Bratislava, which was the favourite of the members of parliament. The menu of the famous chef and wine-merchant always featured the characteristic dishes of the region, like the walnut and poppy seed Bratislava crescents. Legend has it that Kossuth preferred the almond version, this is why the crescent-shaped dessert created by Palugyay was named after the famous Hungarian.

The life of Kossuth and the host known as the “Gundel of Bratislava” had another joint venue: in the beginning of 1848, Palugyay took over Zöldfa Hostel (Hotel Carlton today), where Kossuth was a regular guest and where Lajos Batthyány, the prime minister of the first independent Hungarian government was presented to the public. (The balcony was taken to Hungary, it can be visited in the garden of the Calvinist Church of Cegléd.)