Come nostalgic with me!

My favorite foods are not only delicious, but they also hold happy memories. I think it’s fitting for a food blogger to commemorate these, and now, on my 36th birthday, the time has come to do so. This is not a classic recipe recommendation/list of what to cook. It is a recollection of the flavors that have influenced me from childhood to the present day and the recipes that have enchanted me. I have arranged my favorite foods and recipes in order by decade. Each one has a story behind it. Looking at it from a data analyst’s perspective, a pattern emerges from the past: my favorites are simple, home-style dishes that can be prepared quickly. Looking ahead, my goal is to expand this list every year. Let’s see what’s on it by July 10, 2025!

The first 10 years: 1989-1999 (age:1-10)
The second 10 years: 2000-2010 (aga: 11-21)
The third 10 years: 2011-2021 (age: 22-32)
In the fourth 10 years: 2022- (age: 33 to present)
To be continued

The first 10 years: 1989-1999 (age:1-10)

Kindergarten isn’t fine dining, is it?

I sat at the huge, set table and waited for us to finally start eating. The plates and cutlery clattered loudly. The air was filled with the smell of vegetable soup, but there was also an unpleasant smell of tension in the room. We waited impatiently for everything to fall into place so we could start eating. If there was one thing I loved about kindergarten, it was lunch. I don’t remember the taste of the food, only that I had a strange ritual. First, I tasted everything separately. I took a sip of water, then ate the food, which I broke down into its constituent parts. With soup, I first ate the meatballs, then the noodles, and finally the vegetables, one by one. I tasted a bite of everything and only then did I eat “properly.” That was the sequence of my ritual. I did the same with the main courses. A bite of bread, then a bite of vegetable stew, and finally a bite of meatloaf. Then came the “proper” meal. I don’t think anyone noticed what I was doing, but even if they had noticed and asked me about it, I wouldn’t have been able to answer why I was doing it. I still don’t know, I can only guess. I think I was driven by curiosity. I was extremely interested in the dishes and how the flavors complemented each other. My love of analysis may have also played a part. Of course, I only realized this later, looking back.

Weekend breakfast before big trips

I can’t remember any specific foods from kindergarten that I would have considered my favorites. However, I can recall many such foods from home, from my mother’s cooking. For example, “the weekend breakfast before big trips”, which was scrambled eggs with peppers and tomatoes. It got its name because my mother often made this breakfast on weekends before we went on an outing. Perhaps this is what she made when we first visited the Budapest Zoo. I’m not sure about that, but I do remember that my sister and I often asked, “Mom, make us a weekend breakfast!”

Note: Scrambled eggs still symbolize days off for me. I associate them with weekends and being together with my family. You don’t make scrambled eggs on busy weekdays.

Butter-honey bites

The other taste I distinctly remember is buttered honey bread. Our grandmother usually made this for us when our parents had to work in the morning and she looked after us. Our parents sold goods at the market at that time, and when we woke up in the morning, they were no longer at home. Our grandmother, Mama Földi, lived next door. She would come over at that time, and when she asked, “What would you like to eat, children?”, the answer was always: butter-honey bites. This meant (white) bread spread with butter and drizzled with honey. Grandma cut the bread into small cubes and stuck a toothpick into each bite to make it easier to eat from bed. (Today we would say we were being spoiled.) We could only ask Grandma for this. I don’t think we tried asking anyone else. Because it wouldn’t have been the same.

Note: I think that’s when I got my fill of honey. Nowadays, I’m not particularly fond of it. If I eat it, it’s only in small quantities. I haven’t eaten butter and honey bread since I was a child.

Homemade cocoa, which could only be drunk from a car mug

My parents didn’t just work in the mornings, they often had to go to the market at night too. We often slept at our grandparents’ house on weekends, and my mother’s mother would make us breakfast. We grandchildren (my sister, my cousin, and I) had our own car mugs in Grandma’s cupboard. I always wanted the green car. It was the only way to drink the delicious homemade cocoa that Grandma made from powdered milk. There was also a retro yellow milk jug for the powdered milk. The milk was always kept in it. Grandma brought fresh milk for the cocoa. She boiled the milk in a pot and added cocoa powder and sugar. I think that was all there was to homemade cocoa, but I admit that I can’t make anything like it today. It was somehow so “Grandma-like.” Mine isn’t.

Hungarian spaetzle “galuska” or “nokedli”

My grandmother often made us Hungarian spaetzle (“galuska” or “nokedli”nokedli). Most of the time we ate it with sour cream, but my real favorite was when there was some vegetable stew (what we call it: “lecsó”) left over from my grandmother’s lunch, and she stirred it into the nokedli for me. I remember a time when I could have eaten nokedli anytime, anywhere.

I later posted Hungarian spaetzle recipe on my blog.

Liver sausage is best when made by hand!

When I was a child, we often had pig slaughtering feast. Fortunately, I don’t remember the horror of these events (or perhaps I wasn’t allowed to participate in them), but I do remember the meals. The taste of the delicacies prepared there has stayed with me. Especially the taste of liver sausage. I remember that it contained marjoram and was always served with potatoes boiled in salted water, but I liked to eat it on its own. By hand!

Note: As a child, I ate so much of it that I got sick of it. Nowadays, I don’t eat much pork, and I don’t even like liver.

Dad’s liver pâté and sour cream snacks

Dad loved to snack in the evenings, and his favorite snacks were white bread spread with liver pâté and dipped in sour cream. He ate it with such relish that I always asked for a bite or two. Actually, I didn’t like it that much, but he ate it with such enthusiasm and special ritual that I always wanted some too.

Note: Sour cream (what we call it: “tejföl”) is still one of my favorite foods as an adult. I love it on its own, and I think sour cream goes well with all Hungarian dishes. However, as an adult, I no longer crave it with liver pâté on bread. 🙂

Grandma’s Hearty Chicken Soup with Gizzards

Grandma’s meat soup was legendary. Only she knew how to make it. It was chicken soup with all kinds of vegetables that Grandma had freshly picked from her own garden – in the old days, that’s how it was almost everywhere. They always served it with chicken gizzard, and since we grandchildren loved the chicken gizzard, there was always plenty of them. We always fought over the chicken gizzard. “Who ate more?” I think Grandma always felt she hadn’t put enough in.

Note: I don’t eat chicken gizzard anymore.

When I cook chicken soup on Sundays, I always have a little ritual: after adding the vegetables and letting them simmer for a while, I take a deep breath and let the aromas fill me, bringing back the scent of my grandma’s soup.

Chicken Soup with liver dumplings — Nowadays, I make chicken soup with liver dumplings. Click the picture for the recipe.

Kids love pretzels

I often baked pretzels with Grandma Földi too. Not the big ones you could get at the zoo, though. Grandma’s pretzels were about the size of a child’s palm and had a strong lye flavor. Perhaps my sister and I didn’t even love the taste that much – we enjoyed the process of making them far more. Grandma had a pretzel mold that you simply pressed into the dough, and when you popped it out, you had a perfectly shaped pretzel. Just plain, salty pretzels, always satisfying to nibble on.

My Favorite Food: Whatever Mom Cooked

I haven’t written much about Mom’s cooking, and that’s because, aside from the “weekend breakfast,” there aren’t many childhood dishes I could highlight with a story. But everything Mom made was incredibly delicious. I remember the crispy schnitzels, the creamy mashed potatoes, Sunday chicken soup, spaetzle with eggs and fresh salad. I can still taste her pork and bean soup, her meatballs, her Milanese macaroni. Every single dish was heavenly. She never got it wrong. I didn’t have a single favorite – I loved everything Mom cooked.

The second 10 years: 2000-2010 (aga: 11-21)

Mushroom Stew with Noodles

If you had asked me when I was 10-13 years old what my favorite food was, I would have definitely said mushroom stew with noodles – and of course, plenty of sour cream. My mom made it best of all.

Nowadays, I don’t eat it as often, but whenever I crave a meat-free meal, this is always the first dish that comes to mind. If you want the recipe, you can find it in this Recipes Cookbook. It’s just as good as my mom used to make it.

Spaghetti Carbonara

This recipe brings back memories of the “good old days” when I spent my summers in Balaton Zamárdi as a child. Our favorite spot became a wonderful Italian restaurant called Mauro. Alongside their pizzas, they served an amazing spaghetti carbonara. Sadly, the place has since closed.

As for me, the only change is that nowadays I make this pasta in a much lighter, healthier way. You can find the recipe on my blog here: >> Spaghetti Carbonara

Oatmeal Pudding Dessert

I got this recipe from a friend, and I’ve been grateful ever since because there’s hardly an easier treat – and that simplicity was perfect for me when I was younger. You just cook pudding from a mix, then stir in some oats. The topping is an adorable cinnamon apple with honey.

This dessert isn’t super quick, since you need to wait for the pudding to cool, but it’s very filling thanks to the oats and apples. I think it tastes best slightly warm, but if there’s any left, it’s still delicious straight from the fridge the next day.

I included the recipe in the Lifestyle Transformation Package. In my opinion, it’s a “must-have” for any sweet-toothed lifestyle changer.

The third 10 years: 2011-2021 (age: 22-32)

Chicken breast for bodybuilders

This recipe dates back to the time when I first started my diet and was looking for an exciting alternative to the classic chicken, broccoli, and rice trio. This became my “bodybuilder’s chicken breast.” I made it a lot back then, and I was thrilled that for years it was the most popular recipe on my old blog.

Since then, I’ve moved the recipe to this Recipes Cookbook.

Mediterranean-Style Tuna Couscous Salad

One of the easiest and quickest recipes to make is this tuna salad. When I was still working in downtown Budapest, I often took it to the office because it’s perfect for a packed lunch. I would steam the couscous at home, pack some vegetables in a separate container, and bring along a can of tuna, which I’d mix in just before eating. It makes a filling and delicious lunch.

I’ve included the recipe in this Recipes Cookbook.

No-bake desserts

In 2020, I published my first book, Fitness Sweets. In it, I specifically compiled a selection of no-bake desserts. The reason was simple: the apartment I was renting at the time didn’t have an oven, so I couldn’t bake for a few years. However, the recipes in the book are still my favorites, and I regularly make delicious cream desserts, energy balls, or Gabriel’s favorite chocolate cake from it.

e-book (pdf)

Fitnesz Édességek

Ez a könyv tele van szuper receptekkel, hogy bűntudat nélkül élvezhesd a sütizést. Ideális választás életmódváltóknak, diétázóknak vagy bárkinek, aki szeret egészségesen nassolni.

Megnézem

In the fourth 10 years: 2022- (age: 33 to present)

Mozzarella and Tomato Tortilla

This recipe was inspired by those tired weekday evenings when, after work, I have no energy to fuss in the kitchen but crave something warm and crispy – preferably with gooey melted cheese! This mozzarella tortilla even fits into my diet, and I make it quite often for dinner. You can find the recipe in this Recipes Cookbook.

Bolognese spaghetti

I think this recipe became really popular with me after the very strict diet years. Partly because I was starting to enjoy and seek out dishes with ground pork after eating so much chicken breast during my diet. But also because it’s a go-to recipe for busy workdays – it’s ready in no time. You can find the recipe in this Recipes Cookbook.

Penne with Ham and Sweet Corn

This recipe became a favorite of mine because of its simplicity and speed. The ham-and-corn combination is also a hit on pizza, and in pasta, it makes a great lunch. It’s a good example of how delicious a ragu can be even without ready-made mixes or sauces. You can find the recipe in this Cookbook.

Hungarian vegatable stew : “Lecsó”

In recent years, I’ve been eagerly waiting for summer just so I can devour Hungarian vegatable stew (we call itt: “lecsó”). Whether with zucchini or eggs – it doesn’t really matter. I’m open to a thousand variations. I even made a baked version with feta cheese, which I included in the Diet-Friendly Summer Recipes Cookbook.

What I love about lecsó isn’t just the delicious taste, but also that it’s low in calories. You can enjoy a big serving without consuming too many calories.

To be continued

These have been the most important dishes of my life so far. Thank you for joining me on this nostalgic journey. If reading this article brings a food, a flavor, a memory, or a recipe to your mind, feel free to share it in the comments section.

Rita Földi