Farkas Zoltán is a serious fan and lover all good things Hungarian,
which is why he is standing behind the counter at Balaton Izlelő (Taste
of Balaton), a specialty foods store and bistro stocking a dizzying
variety of gourmet treats produced around Hungary’s iconic lake region.
Neatly prepared on the counter to the delight of eager customers, the
sampling Farkas offers is as colorful as it is mouth-watering:
elderflower and quince syrups, basil and pesto-infused cheeses, and
chocolate and cinnamon covered pumpkin seeds were being offered on a
recent day.

“This is what I like to call the Hungarian ying and yang” says
Farkas, before dipping the sampling spoon in the arugula- pumpkin-seed
paste and handing it to one excited guest. Anecdotes and a deep
knowledge of ingredients and producers pepper the conversation as the
sprightly salesmen continues the taste test. “The arugula is a
documented female aphrodisiac while the pumpkin-seed paste is a
gentleman’s best friend as it’s really beneficial for prostate health.”

Along one wall, neatly packed blonde wood shelves are packed
with specialty food items as familiar as szörp—thick fruity syrups used
to sweeten water—and jam that incorporate some unusual flavor
combinations (think pear with chocolate, plums with lavender, carrots
with orange, or pumpkins with vanilla and orange), or as entrancingly
unique as arugula-pumpkinseed paste, apple and beer mustard, and caramel
cream with lemons and lavender.

Discerning shoppers can also choose from dozens of different artisan
beers, fruity ciders, vinegars, spices and oils ranging from organic
cooking oils made from walnuts, sesame seeds, and grape seeds to
essential oils for massages.

“Lots of people walk in wondering what the place is, and now they’ve
become regulars,” says Farkas. “They go out of their way to stop in
because there are a lot of things they find here that they can’t find
anywhere else.”

The inventory reflects the refined palate of owner Annamária Kulcsár,
a passionate gourmet with a special love of the Balaton region, who
made a childhood dream come true by opening this high-end delicatessen
in the summer of 2014.

“The goal is to display and represent the small-scale producers and
family businesses working in and around the Balaton region that don’t
necessarily have the means or opportunity to get large scale
representation in supermarkets,” explains Kulcsár. For many people Lake
Balaton (which Hungarians like to call “The Hungarian Sea”)
is synonymous with cheap beer, lángos, and fried food by the
lakeside. Balaton Izlelő proves that there is much more to discover.