Making the festival a bit international by inviting foreign creators who represent one of kurtoskalacs’s traditional variations had been a great dream of ours for a long time, and now it has come true. It is common knowledge that the recipe of kurtoskalacs made its way to the court of the Transylvanian lords from German language area. We’ve also read a lot about how different countries have preserved their own pastry that is made of yeast dough and wrapped around wood.
And so, along with the traditional, large chimney cakes of Lehel Kürtősház from Székelyudvarhely, we’re also bringing Šakotis, or, as Lithuanians call it, raguolis, for our customers. This is a unique, pine tree-shaped pastry that is built up layer by layer on a hot, rotating skewer.
The relation between the two pastries can be observed regarding two features: they are both made of yeast dough and baked while being rotated on a cylindrical piece of wood next to fire. The pastry of Šakotinė, the team that came second in this year’s Lithuanian Šakotis making competition, is made of a rich combination of butter, eggs, sugar, and cream. Its texture is much more flowable than that of chimney cake. Through several hours, its dough is gradually dribbled down onto a wooden skewer and baked over open fire, thus a crispy, yet soft dessert is created, much like chimney cake itself.
We hope this special dessert which is usually made for festive occasions becomes the favourite of many people – as, apart from seeing a demonstration, customers will also have the chance to try Šakotis.
At this year’s festival, 13 kurtoskalacs booths and stands will await customers, covering an even larger area than last year. We’ll even occupy a portion of the are of the Biodome, where the outdoor paddocks are now inhabited by animals! Additionally, we are preparing multiple locations with activities near the booths, including acoustic concerts and special elements, to endorse our customers and make standing in line more tolerable.
In the inner courtyard of Holnemvolt Vár, activites for children will be in the spotlight again: storytellers, arts and crafts sessions, activities with animals, face painting and a giant set of Nine men’s morris will be on display and await visitors both big and small.
Naturally, apart from traditional kurtoskalacs, the dessert specialties of Édes Mackó Confectionery, including Taste bombs and variations of KürtősBON will also be available. We’ve also kept in mind our customers living with food intolerance, so we are preparing gluten-, milk-, egg-free and vegan kurtoskalacs.
As a novelty, we are opening the KÜRTŐS FONDÜLDE manufactory, which will round up different kinds of toppings – and let the chimney cake dipping begin! Of course, there’s no festival without the “Do it yourself” tent – Gáspár Bálint, the founder of Vitéz Kürtős, invites everyone with an adventurous spirit to make their own favourite chimney cake.
If you’d like to partake in a unique gastronomical and cultural event, mark the days of the Chimney Cake Festival in the Budapest Zoo in your calendar – from 11th to 13th October 2024!
We look forward to seeing you!
The team of Vitéz Kürtős and the Budapest Zoo
Tickets available: https://tickets.zoobudapest.com/hu/
The event can be accessed with a Zoo ticket.
