• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • ABOUT
    • All About Grantourismo
    • Work With Us
    • Meet Lara and Terence
    • Itineraries, Tours & Retreats
    • Media Coverage
    • Contacts
  • SLOW
  • LOCAL
  • EXPERIENTIAL
  • RECIPES
Grantourismo Travels Logo

Grantourismo Travels

The website of globetrotting professional travel writing and photography team Lara Dunston and Terence Carter

Grantourismo Travels Logo
  • AFRICA
        • KENYA
          • Masai Mara
          • Mombasa
          • Tsavo West
        • MOROCCO
          • Essaouira
          • Marrakech
        • SOUTH AFRICA
          • Cape Town
  • ASIA
        • CAMBODIA
          • Battambang
          • Phnom Penh
          • Siem Reap
        • INDONESIA
          • Bali
        • JAPAN
          • Tokyo
        • LAOS
          • Luang Prabang
        • MALAYSIA
          • Borneo
          • Kuala Lumpur
          • Penang
        • MEKONG RIVER
        • SINGAPORE
        • MYANMAR
        • THAILAND
          • Bangkok
          • Chiang Mai
          • Isaan
          • Phuket
        • VIETNAM
          • Dalat
          • Hanoi
          • Hoi An
          • Saigon
          • Sapa
  • AMERICAS
        • ARGENTINA
          • Buenos Aires
        • BRAZIL
          • Rio de Janeiro
        • COSTA RICA
          • Manuel Antonio
        • MEXICO
          • Mexico City
          • San Miguel de Allende
        • UNITED STATES
          • Austin
          • New York City
  • AUSTRALASIA
        • AUSTRALIA
          • Adelaide
          • Darwin
          • Gold Coast
          • Melbourne
          • Perth
          • Sydney
  • EUROPE
        • AUSTRIA
          • Vienna
          • Zell Am See
        • ENGLAND
          • London
        • FRANCE
          • Céret
          • Paris
          • Perpignan
        • GERMANY
          • Berlin
        • HUNGARY
          • Budapest
        • ITALY
          • Alberobello
          • Calabria
          • Italian Lakes
          • Sardinia
          • Venice
        • MONTENEGRO
          • Kotor
        • POLAND
          • Krakow
          • Zakopane
        • PORTUGAL
          • Porto
          • Portugal Wine Regions
        • SCOTLAND
          • Edinburgh
        • SPAIN
          • Barcelona
          • Jerez
          • Mallorca
        • TURKEY
          • Istanbul
  • MIDDLE EAST
        • JORDAN
          • Desert Areas
        • QATAR
          • Doha
        • UAE
          • Dubai
A Budapest Wine Tasting of Hungarian Wines, Budapest, Hungary. Copyright © 2023 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

A Budapest Wine Tasting of Hungarian Wines – At Home!

We open the door to our Budapest holiday rental and in walks Gábor Bánfalvi of Taste Hungary, pulling a canvas shopping cart on wheels behind him like the one my grandmother used to use. I’m midway through drying a dozen wine glasses I’d washed in preparation, which it turns out aren’t necessary. Gábor has come prepared for our Hungarian wine tasting.

In the cart are the eight bottles of Hungarian wines we’ll be trying this evening, plus an extra bottle of each in case any are corked, all of the glasses we’ll need for the night’s tasting, a large map of Hungary identifying the different wine regions, and photocopies of tasting notes which Gábor lays out on our dining table. Tonight Gábor is guiding us through a tasting of Hungarian wines, and, for a change, the wine tasting has come to us – we’re doing it ‘at home’.

A Budapest Wine Tasting of Hungarian Wines, Budapest, Hungary. Copyright © 2023 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

We’ve experienced an array of wine-focused activities this year in places with strong wine cultures, such as Barcelona, Paris, Venice, Sardinia, Buenos Aires, and Cape Town. We’ve done wine tastings with sommeliers and winemakers at wineries, wine stores and wine cellars, visited wine fairs and wineries, and enjoyed wine-themed walks, wine-bar hops, and wine tours. But this is a first.

We’re so excited by the idea that it’s possible to have a wine-tasting delivered to your door that Terence sets up a camera on a tripod in the corner to document the occasion, and I get ready to live-tweet the event on Twitter. In case you missed it on the night, it went something like this… my ‘tweets’ are in italics.

@gran_tourismo Like Hungarian wines? We’re about to live-tweet a #wine tasting @ our #Budapest @HomeAwayUK apartment with Gabor of @tastehungary

@gran_tourismo Getting an intro from Gabor to Hungarian wine regions. We’ve learned there is more to Hungarian #wine than Tokaj! @tastehungary

For most people, Hungarian wine is all about the sweet dessert wine from Tokaj and the heavy red wine known as Bull’s Blood or Egri Bikavér from Eger, yet Gábor reveals that there is so much more to Hungarian wine as he points out the country’s 22 wine regions on the map propped up on our sofa.

Hungarian Wine Tasting

A Budapest Wine Tasting of Hungarian Wines, Budapest, Hungary. Copyright © 2023 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

#1 Hudácskó cellar, dry Szamorodni 2003 Pincészet, Tokaj region

@gran_tourismo Started with dry Szamorodni 2003 Hudacscko Cellar Tokaj region – delish, Gabor said they’re an acquired taste… @tastehungary

Tokaj, we learn, produces some six grape varieties, including Hárslevelű, Furmint, Sárga Muskotály (yellow Muscat), Kövérszőlő, Zéta (a marriage of Furmint and Bouvier grapes), and Kabar (a cross between Hárslevelű and Bouvier grapes). Furmint, Hárslevelû and Sárga Muskotály are used to create dry (száraz) white wine, while Kövérszőlő, Zéta and Kabar, which have a high sugar concentration and are susceptible to botrytis or noble rot, are used to make the distinctive sweet, golden aszú wines.

“‘Szamorodni’ means ‘as it comes’ in Polish,” Gábor explains. “The botrytized or aszú grapes are normally picked separately but with Szamorodni they harvest the healthy and botrytized berries together. Depending on the amount of aszú berries, the wine can be dry or sweet. There are three harvests altogether, the first for the base wine or dry wine, the second for Szamorodni, and the third is hand-picked. 2003 was a very good year.”

@gran_tourismo Gabor tells us Hungarians love starting with late harvest wine such as Szamorodni as aperitif, yet it’s very heady @tastehungary

@travelingsavage @gran_tourismo how are you enjoying Budapest? I swear, you’re hitting all the places I had planned!

@gran_tourismo @travelingsavage Loving it! Especially wine tasting we’re having; they’ve brought it to our apartment & we’re live-tweeting it! #Budapest

@gran_tourismo The Szamorodni is almost like fortified wine, a sherry or like a light dessert wine for me. It’s opening up now… @tastehungary

A Budapest Wine Tasting of Hungarian Wines, Budapest, Hungary. Copyright © 2023 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

#2 Szöke Mátyás cellar, Irsai Olivér, 2009, Mátra region

@gran_tourismo We’ve moved onto a new wine region now, Matra, 60kms from Budapest, not famous or well-marketed… @tastehungary

Gábor describes the Mátra region, at the foot of the Mátra Mountains, as a hidden treasure, producing some of Hungary’s finest whites. “It’s still relatively undiscovered and its wines are unique, almost exotic,” Gábor says.

@gran_tourismo Tried an Irsai Oliver 2009 Szoke Matyas Cellar; it’s gorgeous. It tastes pretty, very aromatic, feminine, perfumed @tastehungary

@gran_tourismo The Irsai Oliver is like drinking roses; the men don’t like it. I think it’s a feminine #wine but they don’t agree @tastehungary

While wine growing may have begun in the Mátra in the 11th century, according to Gábor, Communism was a major setback for the industry in Hungary.

“Communism was like a bad virus. It takes a long time to get over it,” he says. “We had a long tradition of wine-making in Hungary that was thousands of years old. Yet the Communist years were not about quality, only quantity. We’d get a figure from Moscow – how much wine they wanted – and we’d have to deliver. Now we have to play catch-up.”

#3 Erzsébet Cellar, Király Furmint, 2009, Tokaj Region

@gran_tourismo Just fallen in love with the Kiraly Furmint 2009, Erzsebet Cellar, Tokaj Region – a unique beauty. Heavenly. @tastehungary

“Furmint is the number one varietal here in Hungary. If Hungary has a flagship varietal, this is it,” Gábor claims. “This wine comes from the Erzsébet cellar, a family-owned winery ran by two siblings who experiment and are innovative. It’s a crisp, long white wine, with a mineral lick – it’s the volcanic soil that gives it that minerality – and it has a lot of depth and complexity, and is balanced.”

@gran_tourismo We’re discussing flavours of the Kiraly Furmint. It has a candy flavour. Gabor from @tastehungary says it’s Gummy Bears! :)

@gran_tourismo @cbanfalvi Isn’t it divine? Shame you’re not here. We’re talking about food matches… crab, lobster, sweet fish… @tastehungary

@gran_tourismo @winepleasures are you following our live tweeting of a Hungarian #wine tasting with @tastehungary ? #Budapest

#4 Györgykovács Cellar, Hárslevelű, 2008, Somló region

@gran_tourismo Now we’re trying a Harslevelu, 2008, Gyorgykovacs Cellar from Somlo, a tiny wine region in Hungary. Beautiful. @tastehungary

@gran_tourismo Wines from Somlo region are very interesting – volcanic region, so high minerality, so all about the terroir. @tastehungary

“This is a very tiny wine region of just 800 hectares of grapes owned by around 2000 wineries,” Gábor tells us. “It’s volcanic soil so the wines are all about terroir and minerality. The wines are all white and the number one wine there is Riesling.”

We like the wine a lot, but it’s definitely an unusual wine. It’s like no other we’ve ever tried before and is difficult to describe.

“What gives me great pleasure and satisfaction is when people say they’ve never tasted anything like this before,” Gábor reassures us. Phew.

A Budapest Wine Tasting of Hungarian Wines, Budapest, Hungary. Copyright © 2023 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

#5 Konyári Cellar, Kékfrankos, 2008, Southern Balaton Region

@gran_tourismo Trying a Kekfrankos 2008, Konyari Cellar, from Southern Balaton Region. Wow! I can smell prosciutto on nose! @tastehungary #wine

@gran_tourismo Gabor says the Kekfrankos goes well with game, esp. duck with berry sauces. Agree. We prefer it to a pinot noir @tastehungary

@gran_tourismo Discussing Kekfrankos. Really enjoyable. Gabor says it should be Hungary’s flagship red. We agree! @tastehungary #wine #Budapest

“After the Russian wine market collapse at the end of Communism, Hungarian winemakers began need to think they needed to please Westerners by making Cabernet, Merlot and so on and Kékfrankos was looked down upon as a table wine,” Gábor reveals. “But foreigners would come here and they’d prefer the Kékfrankos to the others!”

“Hungarian winemakers produce a lot of single Kékfrankos wines but it’s also popular in blends, especially because of its colour,” Gábor says. “It’s important to Bulls Blood (Egri Bikavér), which is from the regions of Eger and Szekszárd.”

A Budapest Wine Tasting of Hungarian Wines, Budapest, Hungary. Copyright © 2023 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

#6 Heimann Cellar, Kadarka, 2008, Szekszárd region

“Heimann owns 25 hectares, which is supposed to be a perfect size for a wine-growing family, and I really like this guy,” Gábor tells us. “Kadarka was the number one grape before Communism and it’s fine on a small scale but it’s not for large-scale production, as it rots easily if there’s too much rain and not enough sunshine.”

Gábor says that it’s often called the Hungarian pinot noir because of its thin skin. It’s complex, a little spicy, and elegant, and isn’t an easy wine to understand.

@gran_tourismo Gabor & Terence discussing order of tasting red #wines we’ve just had: should the Kekfrankos or Kadarka go first? @tastehungary

@gran_tourismo Discussing importance of wine labeling, marketing & perception at our @tastehungary wine tasting in #Budapest Fascinating chat!

@gran_tourismo Does the wine bottle label affect your decision as to the wines you buy? We’d love to know. #Budapest #wine @tastehungary

@gran_tourismo Hungarians follow Germans when it comes to wine bottles/labels. As foreigners we’d love to see more info on labels @tastehungary

@mhovorka Live tweeting of Hungarian wines. Check out @gran_tourismo — they are really doing a full overview w/ @tastehungary

A Budapest Wine Tasting of Hungarian Wines, Budapest, Hungary. Copyright © 2023 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

#7 Szent Andrea Cellar, Áldás Bikavér, 2007, Eger region

@gran_tourismo We’re trying our last red, ‘Bulls Blood’, Aldas Bikaver 2007, Szent Andrea Cellar, Eger region. It’s wonderful! @tastehungary

“The Bull’s Blood we’re trying now was produced by the vineyard’s owner, György Lörincz, who was ‘winemaker of the year’ in 2010,” Gábor says. “He’s a pioneer who is really trying to develop a new style of Bull’s Blood. During Communism Bull’s Blood was flat and heavy. This interpretation is not as heavy as what most people expect from a Bull’s Blood. It’s more interesting and complex. It was aged for 12 months in the barrel…”

@gran_tourismo We’re still discussing the ‘Bulls Blood’, Aldas Bikaver. Gabor thinks it’s too young. Terence thinks ready… @tastehungary

@gran_tourismo Gabor reckons Hungarians drink wines too young, that the ‘Bulls Blood’ we’re trying should go away for 10 yrs @tastehungary

@gran_tourismo If you went to #Hungary & you wanted to order a ‘bull’s blood’ wine, how would you know how to do that? @tastehungary #wine

@WineTravel @gran_tourismo I seem to remember Bulls Blood is called Eger Bikaver in #Hungary.

@WineTravel Yes, indeed, that’s ‘bull’s blood’ in the local lingo. But most tourists would never figure it out looking at the shelves.

@gran_tourismo Gabor says most of the ‘bull’s blood’ wine on the shelves is bad @tastehungary

A Budapest Wine Tasting of Hungarian Wines, Budapest, Hungary. Copyright © 2023 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

#8 Hudácskó Cellar, 5 Puttonyos Aszú, 2003, Tokaj region

@gran_tourismo Drinking #8, last wine: 5 Puttonyos Aszu 2003 (a v good year), Hudacsko cellar, Tokaj region. Sublime. @tastehungary

“We’re back to the first winery we started with,” Gábor reminds us. “This is serious stuff. It’s a complex process to produce this wine, very labour intensive. The high sugar level and acidity are in harmony. It has different dimensions, a different story, a different world. It’s a very special wine.”

@gran_tourismo Tokaj keywords = minerality & acidity, not sugary. We’re discussing ‘Puttonyos’ (sugar levels) & Aszu process. @tastehungary #wine

@gran_tourismo Discussing wine-food pairings. Gabor thinks Puttonyos Aszu matches with Indian, Thai, even Szechuan @tastehungary #Budapest #wine

@gran_tourismo Well that was a sweet way to finish. What an awesome Tokaj. Beautiful. We’re off to have some dinner. Cheers @tastehungary

Taste Hungary can bring a wine tasting to you or organize a wine tasting at their own venue. If you’re staying in a holiday rental, we highly recommend the former! They also offer scheduled wine-tasting day trips and organize bespoke wine tours. See their site for details: www.tastehungary.com

Support our Cambodia Cookbook & Culinary History Book with a donation or monthly pledge on Patreon.

SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Share32
Tweet
Pin1
Yum
33 Shares

SUBSCRIBE TO THE GRANTOURISMO TRAVELS NEWSLETTER

Sign up below to receive our monthly newsletter to your In Box for special subscriber-only content, travel deals, tips, recipes, and inspiration.

100% Privacy. We hate spam too and will never give your email address away.

Share32
Tweet
Pin1
Yum
33 Shares

Related Posts You Might Like

Advertisement

Find Your Hungary Accommodation

Booking.com

Shop for related products

About Lara Dunston

A travel and food writer who has experienced over 70 countries and written for The Guardian, Australian Gourmet Traveller, Feast, Delicious, National Geographic Traveller, Conde Nast Traveller, Travel+Leisure Southeast Asia, DestinAsian, TIME, CNN, The Independent, The Telegraph, Sunday Times Travel Magazine, AFAR, Wanderlust, International Traveller, Get Lost, Four Seasons Magazine, Fah Thai, Sawasdee, and more, as well as authored more than 40 guidebooks for Lonely Planet, DK, Footprint, Rough Guides, Fodors, Thomas Cook, and AA Guides.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Australian Wine Info says

    July 12, 2011 at 10:58 pm

    Your recipe is just amazing! Thanks for posting this!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

About Grantourismo

Lara and Terence are an Australian-born, Southeast Asia-based travel and food writers and photographers who have authored scores of guidebooks, produced countless travel and food stories, are currently developing cookbooks and guidebooks, and host culinary tours and writing and photography retreats in Southeast Asia.
READ MORE…

Featured Posts

Jerez Tio Pepe Sherry Tour, Jerez, Spain. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

Xerez, Jerez, Sherish or Sherry, it’s all sweet to me!

Pickled Jalapenos Recipe. Homemade Pickled Jalapeños Recipe. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

Homemade Mexican Pickled Jalapenos Recipe for Quick and Easy Refrigerator Pickles

Chive and Pork Dumplings Recipe for Cambodian-Chinese Jiaozi. What to Cook This Week. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

What to Cook This Week – Curry, Carnitas, Cacciatore and Chinese New Year Recipes

Footer

ABOUT GRANTOURISMO

  • All About Grantourismo
  • Meet Lara and Terence
  • Work With Us
  • Itineraries, Tours & Retreats
  • Media & Advertising
  • Media Coverage
  • Contacts

THE GRANTOURISMO SHOP ON SOCIETY6

The Grantourismo Shop on Society6

GET THE BEST MANAGED WORDPRESS HOSTING

Get the Best Managed Wordpress Website Hosting with Flywheel

IMPORTANT DETAILS

  • Terms and Conditions
  • Editorial Policy
  • Comments Policy
  • Advertising
  • Privacy Policy

AMAZON AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE

Grantourismo Travels is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, audible.com, and any other website that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program.

GRANTOURISMO AFFILIATES/SUPPORT

Grantourismo is reader-supported. Posts contain various affiliate links. If you click through and purchase something, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. That income supports the work we do to create content. Here are more ways to support Grantourismo.

SUBSCRIBE

SOCIALLY CONNECTED

  • 6,048 Followers
  • 2,579 Likes
  • 1,859 followers
  • 19,049 Followers

INSTAGRAM FEED

Still looking for Christmas cooking inspo? Check o Still looking for Christmas cooking inspo? Check out our seafood recipe collection, especially if you celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve with a fish focused meal in the Southern Italian tradition, transformed by Italian-Americans into the Feast of the Seven Fishes, or like Australians, who celebrate Christmas in the sweltering summer, feast on seafood for Christmas Day lunch, we’ve got lots of easy seafood recipes for you.

Our recipes include a classic prawn cocktail, blini with smoked salmon, a ceviche-style appetiser, and devilled eggs with caviar. We’ve also got recipes for fish soup, seafood pies and pastas, salmon tray bake, and crispy salmon with creamy mashed potatoes.

You’ll find the recipes here: https://grantourismotravels.com/seafood-recipes-for-christmas-eve-and-christmas-day-menus/
(Link in bio if you’re seeing this on IG)

Merry Christmas if you’re celebrating!! 

#christmas #christmasfood #seafood #fish #recipes #christmasrecipes #foodstagram #foodblogger #food #foodlover #igfood #picoftheday #igfood #igfoodie #cooking #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #grantourismo #grantourismotravels #xmas #merrychristmas #happychristmas
If you’re still looking for food inspo for Chris If you’re still looking for food inspo for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day meals, my smoked salmon ‘carpaccio’ recipe is one of dozens of recipes in this compilation of our best Christmas recipes (link below). 

The Christmas recipe compilation includes collections of our best Christmas breakfast recipes, best Christmas brunch recipes, best Christmas starter recipes, best Christmas cocktails, best Christmas dessert recipes, and homemade edible Christmas gifts and more.

My smoked salmon carpaccio recipe makes an easy elegant appetiser that’s made in minutes. If you’re having guests over, you can make the dish ahead by assembling the salmon, capers and pickled onions, and refrigerate it, then pour on the dressing just before serving. 

Provide toasted baguette slices and bowls of additional capers, pickles and dressing, so guests can customise their carpaccio. And open the bubbly!

You’ll find that recipe and many more Christmas recipes here: https://grantourismotravels.com/best-christmas-recipes/ (link in bio if you’re seeing this on IG)

Merry Christmas!! X

#christmas #christmasfood #recipes #christmasrecipes #foodstagram #salmon #smokedsalmon #foodblogger #food #foodlover #igfood #picoftheday #igfoodie #cooking #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #recipedeveloper #writingacookbook #grantourismo #grantourismotravels 
#xmas #merrychristmas #happychristmas
If you haven’t visited our site in a while, I sh If you haven’t visited our site in a while, I shared a collection of recipes for homemade edible Christmas gifts — for condiments, hot sauces, chilli oils, a whole array of pickles, spice blends, chilli salt, furakake seasoning, and spicy snacks, such as our Cambodian and Vietnamese roasted peanuts. 

I love giving homemade edibles as gifts as much as I love receiving them. Who wouldn’t appreciate jars filled with their favourite chilli oils, hot sauces, piquant pickles, and spicy peanuts that loved-ones have taken the time to make? 

Aside from the gesture and affordability of gifting homemade edibles, you’re minimising waste. You can use recycled jars or if buying new mason jars or clip-top Kilner jars, you know they’ll get repurposed.

No need for wrapping, just attach some Christmas baubles or tinsel to the lid. I used squares of Cambodian kramas (cotton scarves), which can be repurposed as napkins or drink coasters, and tied a ribbon or two around the lids, and attached last year’s Christmas tree decorations to some.

You’ll find the recipes here: https://grantourismotravels.com/homemade-edible-christmas-gifts/ (link in bio if you’re seeing this on IG)

Yes, that’s Pepper... every time there’s a camera around... 

#christmasgiftideas #ediblegifts ##christmasfoodgifts #foodgifts #giftideas #homemadegifts #christmasfood #ediblegiftideas #hotsauce #chillisauce #sriracha #pickles #homemadepickles #recipes #foodstagram #foodblogger #food #foodlover #igfood 
#blackcat #blackcatsofinstagram #picoftheday 
#christmas #christmastree #xmas #merrychristmas #happychristmas #cambodia #siemreap
This crab omelette is a decadent eggs dish that’ This crab omelette is a decadent eggs dish that’s perfect if you’re just back from the fish markets armed with luxurious fresh crab meat. It’s a little sweet, a little spicy, and very, very moreish.

Our crab omelette recipe was one of our 22 most popular egg recipes of 2022 on our website Grantourismo and it’s no surprise. It’s appeared more times than any other egg recipes on our annual round-ups of most popular recipes since Terence launched Weekend Eggs when we launched Grantourismo in 2010.

If you’re an eggs lover, do check out the recipe collection. It includes egg recipes from right around the world, from recipes for classic kopitiam eggs from Singapore and Malaysia and egg curries from India and Myanmar to all kinds of egg recipes from Thailand, Japan, Korea, China, Mexico, USA, Australia, UK, and Ireland.

And do browse our Weekend Eggs archives for further eggspiration (sorry). We have hundreds of egg recipes from the 13 year-old series of recipes for quintessential egg dishes from around the world, which we started on our 2010 year-long global grand tour focused on slow, local and experiential travel. 

We’re hoping 2023 will be the year we can finally publish the Weekend Eggs cookbook we’ve talked about for years based on that series. After we can find a publisher for the Cambodia cookbook of course... :( 

Recipe collection here (and proper link to Grantourismo in our bio):
https://grantourismotravels.com/22-most-popular-egg-recipes-of-2022-from-weekend-eggs/

If you cook the recipe and enjoy it please let us know — we love to hear from you — either in the comments at the end of the recipe or share a pic with us here.

#recipe #recipes #eggs #eggslover #breakfasteggs #WeekendEggs #egg #breakfast #brunch #igfood #igfoodie #cooking #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood  #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #recipedeveloper #lookingforapublisher #writingacookbook  #grantourismo #grantourismotravels
I’m late to share this, but a few days ago Angko I’m late to share this, but a few days ago Angkor Archaeological Park, home to stupendous Angkor Wat, pictured, celebrated 30 years of its UNESCO World Heritage listing. 

That’s as good an excuse as any to put this magnificent, sprawling archaeological site on your travel list this year.

While riverside Siem Reap, your base for exploring Angkor is bustling once more, there are still nowhere near the visitors of the last busy high season months of December-January 2018-2019 when there were 290,000 visitors. 

Last month there were just 55,000 visitors and December feels a little quieter. A tour guide friend said there were about 150 people at Angkor Wat for sunrise a few days ago.

If you’re looking for tips to visiting Angkor, Siem Reap and Cambodia, just ask us a question in the comments below or check Grantourismo as we’ve got loads of info on our site. Click through to the link in the bio and explore our Cambodia guide or search for ‘Angkor’. 

And please do let us know if you’re coming to Siem Reap. We’d love to see you here x

#siemreap #cambodia #asia #travel #instatravel #traveldeeper #slowtravel #localtravel #experientialtravel #exploremore #neverstopexploring #goexplore #igtravel #angkorwat #angkor #temple #temples #angkorwithoutcrowds #unesco #unescoworldheritagesite #unescoworldheritage #archaeology #archaeologicalsite #traveladdict #beautifuldestinations #beautifulplaces #travelgram #wanderlust #picoftheday📷 #grantourismotravels.
Our soy ginger chicken recipe will make you sticky Our soy ginger chicken recipe will make you sticky, flavourful and succulent chicken thighs that are fantastic with steamed rice, Chinese greens or a salad, such as a Southeast Asian slaw. 

The chicken can be marinated for up to 24 hours before cooking, which ensures it’s packed with flavour, then it can be cooked on a barbecue or in a pan.

Terence’s soy ginger chicken recipe is one of our favourite recipes for a quick and easy meal. I love the sound of the sizzling thighs in the pan, and the warming aromas wafting through the apartment. 

It’s amazing how such flavourful juicy chicken thighs come from such a quick and easy recipe.

Recipe here (and proper link to Grantourismo in our bio): https://grantourismotravels.com/soy-ginger-chicken-recipe/

If you cook it and enjoy it please let us know — we love to hear from you — either here or in the comments at the end of the recipe on the site or share a pic with us x 

#recipe #recipes #chicken #soygingerchicken #asianfood #southeastasianfood #igfood #igfoodie #cooking #cookingtime #recipe #recipes #comfortfood #foodblog #food #foodstagram #healthyfood #instafood #healthy #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #recipedeveloper #writingacookbook #grantourismo #grantourismotravels
Who can guess the ingredients and what we’re mak Who can guess the ingredients and what we’re making with my market haul from Psar Samaki in Siem Reap — all for a whopping 10,000 riel (US$2.50)?! 

Birds-eye chillies thrown in for free! They were on my list but the seller I spent most at (5,000 riel!) scooped up a handful and slipped them into my bag. She was my last stop and knew what I was making.

My Khmer is poor, even after all our years in Cambodia, as I don’t learn languages with the ease I did in my 20s, plus I’m mentally exhausted after researching and writing all day. I have a better vocabulary of Old and Middle Khmer than modern Khmer from studying the ancient inscriptions for the Cambodian culinary history component of our cookbook I’m writing.

So when one seller totalled my purchases I thought she said 5,000 riel but she handed back 4,500 riel! The sum total of two huge bunches of herbs and kaffir lime leaves was 500 riel.

Tip: if visiting Siem Reap, use Khmer riel for local shopping. We’ve mainly used riel since the pandemic started— rarely use US$ now as market sellers quote prices in riels, as do local shops and bakeries, and I tip tuk tuk drivers in riels. I find prices quoted in riels are lower.

Psar Samaki is cheaper than Psar Leu, which is cheaper than Psar Chas, as it’s a wholesale market, which means the produce is fresher. I see veggies arriving, piled high in the back of vehicles, with dirt still on them — as I did on this trip. 

The scent of a mountain of incredibly aromatic pineapples offloaded from the back of a dusty ute was so heady they smelt like they’d just been cut. More exotic European style veggies arrive by big trucks in boxes labelled in Vietnamese (from Dalat) and Mandarin (from China), such as beautiful snow-white cauliflower I spotted.

Note: the freshest produce is sold on the dirt road at the back of the market.

#cambodia #siemreap #foodwriter #foodblogger #foodphotography #igfood #foodstagram #instafood #instafoodie #foodie #instadaily #picoftheday #market #siemreapmarket #psarsamaki #marketfresh #vegetables #healthyfood #marketshopping #traveltips #foodtravel #culinarytravel #localtravel #cooking #cookingtime #curry #homemade #currypaste #grantourismotravels
My Vietnamese-ish meatballs and rice noodles recip My Vietnamese-ish meatballs and rice noodles recipe makes tender meatballs doused in a delightfully tangy-sweet sauce, sprinkled with crispy fried shallots, with carrot-daikon, crunchy cucumber and fragrant herbs. 

The dish is inspired by bún chả, a Hanoi specialty, but it’s not bún chả. No matter what Google or food bloggers tell you. Names are important, especially when cooking and writing about cuisines not our own.

This is an authentic bún chả recipe:  https://grantourismotravels.com/vietnamese-bun-cha-recipe/ You’ll need to get the outdoor BBQ/grill going to do proper smoky bún chả meat patties (not meatballs).

My meatball noodle bowl is perhaps more closely related to dishes such as a Central Vietnam cousin bún thịt nướng (pork skewers on rice noodles in a bowl) and a Southern relation bún bò Nam Bộ (beef atop rice noodles, sprinkled with fried shallots (Nam Bộ=Southern Vietnam) though neither include meatballs. 

Xíu mại= meatballs although they’re different in flavour to mine, which taste more like bún chả patties. Xíu mại remind me of Southern Italian meatballs in tomato sauce.

In Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, home to millions of Khmer, there’s bánh tằm xíu mại. Bánh tằm=silk worm noodles. They’re topped with meatballs, cucumber, daikon, carrot, fresh herbs, crispy fried onions. Difference: cold noodles doused in a sauce of coconut cream and fish sauce. 

Remove the meatballs, add chopped fried spring rolls and it’s Cambodia’s banh sung, which is a rice noodle salad similar to Vietnam’s bún chả giò :) 

Recipe here: (link in bio) https://grantourismotravels.com/vietnamese-meatballs-and-rice-noodles-recipe/

For more on these culinary connections you’ll have to wait for our Cambodian cookbook and culinary history. In a hurry to know? Come support the project on Patreon. (link in bio)

#recipe #recipes #vietnamesefood #cambodianfood #asianfood #southeastasianfood #ricenoodles #rice #noodlebowl #meatballs #igfood #igfoodie #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood  #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #writingacookbook #writingacambodiancookbook #patreon #patreoncreator #grantourismo
It is pure coincidence that Pepper’s eye colour It is pure coincidence that Pepper’s eye colour matches the furnishings of our rented apartment. So, no, I did not colour-coordinate the interiors to match our cat’s eyes. 

I keep getting DMs from pet clothing brands wanting to “partner” with Pepper and send her free cat clothes and cat accessories. Although she did wear a kerchief for a few years in her more adventurous fashion-forward teenage years, I cannot see this cat in clothes now, can you? 

#pepper #blackcat #blackcats #blackcatsofinstagram #blackcatsrule #blackcatsmatter #cat #cats #catsofinstagram #catstagram #catlover #catlovers #catlove #catoftheday #catphoto #catpic #catpics #cambodiancat #cambodiancatsofinstagram #catlife #catloversclub #catoftheday #catgram #catstagram #cats_of_instagram #catphotography #catsofig #catsoftheworld #catsofinsta #cats🐱 #siemreap #cambodia

SAFETY WING INSURANCE

Safety Wing Insurance

Images Protected By Pixsy

Protected By Pixsy

Footer Widget Header

WEB LOVE

As Seen in The Guardian As Seen on NineMSN As Seen on Tnooz
As Seen In The Independent As Seen on Frommers As seen on Viator
As Seen in Afar As seen on Gadling As seen on Context
As Seen in Fathom As Seen on Matador As seen on Inspirato with American Express
As seen on the Daily Mail website As seen on the Forbes website Grantourismo on the SilverKris website

ALL MEDIA COPYRIGHT © 2009–2023 GRANTOURISMO | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
DESIGNED IN APARTMENT RENTALS, HOTELS AND RESORTS AROUND THE WORLD BY GRANTOURISMO MEDIA.
ASSEMBLED IN SOUTH-EAST-ASIA.
GRANTOURISMO TRAVELS AND ‘MAKING TRAVEL MORE MEANINGFUL AND MEMORABLE’ ARE ™ TO GRANTOURISMO MEDIA.