Indulgences

1. Pálinka

   Pálinka, Hungarian fruit brandy

   Usage

   An EU protected designation — only fruit grown in Hungary (and four Austrian regions) may carry the name. No sugar, flavouring or colouring is allowed, and it is bottled at 37.5% ABV or more. Common fruits are szilva (plum), kajszibarack (apricot), körte (pear) and meggy (sour cherry)

2. Törkölypálinka

   Grape pomace brandy

   Usage

   Distilled from grape pomace (törköly) rather than whole fruit, so it is legally a separate category from pálinka. Also a registered hungarikum, and comparable to Italian grappa

3. Unicum

   Unicum, a bitter herbal liqueur

   Usage

   A registered hungarikum: a 40% ABV gyomorkeserű (stomach bitter) made by Zwack from more than forty herbs and aged six months in oak. Strongly bitter, so it is served in small measures as an aperitif

4. Tokaji aszú

   Tokaji aszú, a botrytised sweet wine

   Usage

   A registered hungarikum: a sweet wine from hand-picked botrytised berries, aged at least three years in oak. Sweetness is graded 3 to 6 puttonyos — the higher the number, the sweeter. Made from Furmint and Hárslevelű grapes

5. Egri bikavér

   Egri bikavér, a blended red wine from Eger

   Usage

   A registered hungarikum from the Eger region. The rules require a blend of at least four varieties in which no single one may dominate, with Kékfrankos making up 30–65%, aged at least six months in wood. The name translates literally as "bull's blood"

6. Törley pezsgő

   Törley sparkling wine

   Usage

   A registered hungarikum. Pezsgő is also the general word for sparkling wine, and is what people open for toasts and at New Year

7. Fröccs

   Fröccs, wine mixed with soda water

   Usage

   A registered hungarikum: wine cut with soda water, the summer standard. Each ratio has its own name and you order by that name (see the next two cards); just saying fröccs will get you asked how big

8. Kisfröccs

   Small fröccs: 1 dl wine, 1 dl soda

   Usage

   One decilitre of wine to one of soda. The 1:2 version, with more soda, has its own name: hosszúlépés, "a long step"

9. Nagyfröccs

   Large fröccs: 2 dl wine, 1 dl soda

   Usage

   Two decilitres of wine to one of soda. What is "big" is the wine, so it is stronger than a kisfröccs. Other named ratios include házmester (3:2), viceházmester (2:3) and sportfröccs (1:4)

10. Forralt bor

    Mulled wine

    Usage

    Wine warmed with sugar or honey and spices — clove, cinnamon, ginger, pepper. A winter drink, and the staple of Christmas market stalls

11. Szaloncukor

    Szaloncukor, wrapped Christmas tree sweets

    Usage

    A registered hungarikum: bite-sized sweets in silk paper and foil, hung on the Christmas tree as decoration and eaten off it. A seasonal product that only appears in shops in December

12. Cigaretta

    Cigarette

    Usage

    Not sold in supermarkets or kiosks — only in the licensed shops on the next card. A cigar is szivar, a lighter öngyújtó, an ashtray hamutál

13. Nemzeti dohánybolt

    National Tobacco Shop, the only licensed tobacco retailer

    Usage

    Since 2013 tobacco may only be sold in these licensed shops, colloquially called trafik. Under-18s may not even enter, let alone buy. The windows are covered so you cannot see in — look for the sign

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