Goulash

One of my prized passport visas is for a visit to Magyar Népköztársaság: the ( at the time ) communist Hungarian People’s Republic. It was not long after the fall of communism that I visited, circa 1990 thereabouts and at that time Hungary was still trying to find its way, a sentiment echoed by the hotel desk clerk who stated that Hungary had been something of a chained animal and now freed, really had no idea where to go. One destination that I was certain of was where this dinner of goulash was headed and it couldn’t get there fast enough. I’ve been to Hungary a couple of times, here’s one of my essays about it.

It’s a common misconception that Appalachia is nothing more than folks of Scots-Irish descendants, but it has influences of native Cherokees, African, Italian, German and Hungarian immigration. Hungarians specifically made their way to Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania where they worked in mining camps. There’s even a project known as the Appalachian Hungarian Heritage Project that is working to explore, preserve and share the literary and narrative remains of these communities.

It’s worth learning about the story of Martin Himler, an 18 year old ethnic and impoverished Jew who arrived in 1907 to New York City aboard the S.S. Carpathia. His first job was in Thacker, West Virginia, beginning a trajectory that would ultimately lead to the establishment of the town of Himlerville in Martin County, KY which was the only known coal mining co-operative town. More than 200 homes were built, inhabited by mostly industrious Hungarian immigrants. A railroad was constructed, along with a bridge over the Tug River to transport supplies, lumber and coal in and out of Himlerville. It had a bank, a town hall, a water reservoir, a power station and a newspaper printed in both Hungarian and English: Magyar Bányászlap

All of this would only last until 1928 when the Himlerville Coal company went bankrupt due to a devastating flood and all the Hungarians left town for other opportunities. Very little remains of this once exclusive Hungarian community in what is present day Beauty, Kentucky. 

When the Hungarians came, so did their food tradition of goulash. In Hungary, goulash is a marvel: tough cuts of meat simmered low and slow with onions, garlic, bell peppers, potatoes, carrots, and its signature spice—paprika. Adapted for what was available locally, goulash in Appalachia is a much different dish than what you find in Hungary but delicious nonetheless….

Ingredients

• 1 lbs hamburger meat
• 1 large can of dice tomatoes with the juice
• 1 cups Beef stock
• 1 lbs elbow macaroni

Directions

Brown and drain your hamburger meat. At the same time, boil your noodles and drain. Add hamburger back to your pot. Season with salt and pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Add the can of diced tomatoes and the broth. Stir in noodles. Simmer uncovered for 15 mins. Simple. Delicious.