Is There Much to Miss? (Blog #11)

New Jersey is located in a prime location along the Atlantic Ocean and close to New York City. Where I live in Monmouth County, New Jersey, there is a mix of all types of foods. Growing up in an area where I would visit New York City often, I was an adventurous eater at a young age. I grew up trying all kinds of foods and one of my favorites by far was seafood. The Atlantic Ocean provides Bluefin and Yellowfin tuna, different types of bass, and crabs. I grew up crabbing in the rivers and then going home and cooking the crabs that we would eat for dinner. 

There are so many amazing restaurants that have high-quality fish. In addition to seafood,  New York City has a vast range of quality/high-end restaurants from every culture. One thing that I love when I go to the city is a huge burger. In addition, the glamorous steakhouses are beyond incredible and are a very nice treat. As there are many stereotypes around the portion size in America being very large, I can defiantly confirm that. However, being in Budapest, I have found that there are many places that also serve large portions. 

There is a lot of meat that you can find at restaurants such as sausage, pork, and chicken. The food is served with thick sides such as potatoes, bread, or even beans. A lot of the meals are very filling and in some ways saltier. I think the sauces and other things that are put on the meat are very flavorful and delicious. At home, I tend to find steak served not with a lot of sauce and it is more likely to find it served with smaller sides depending on where you go. 

Personally, I am someone who tends to eat a lot of seafood, vegetables, fruits, and red meat. I have been able to eat all these types of food here but in different ways. I have not branched out too much in having sushi or much seafood as the country of Hungary is landlocked. At home, I typically do not eat a lot of sausage and larger meats such as pork but I have tried a lot of different kinds of sausages that have a great amount of flavor. Typically, I eat pretty clean foods and enjoy large salads with meat on them. 

At every grocery store, there are large sections for vegetables and fruits. I have learned to cook a lot more since being here. I have my own kitchenette that I have started to experiment with different kinds of foods such as chicken and other types of pork. At home, when I make a steak, I put on little to no seasoning  While in Budapest, I have ventured into all different kinds of spices and rubs. One of my favorites is the paprika that I use on pork, lean meat, and chicken. 

On another note, not looking at the food aspect of Budapest, culturally I have learned that in Europe as a whole, people do not drink as much water. At home, you will catch everyone with large reusable water bottles that they carry around with them. When you go to a restaurant when they bring you out water, the glasses are much smaller and the pitcher that they bring the water in lasts about two minutes at the table. I have learned to drink more water on my own time, but this was definitely something that I miss. 

One of the main things that I always eat/drink at home is fruit. My favorite thing year-round is making all kinds of different smoothies. In my town, there are smoothie and açaí bowl places located everywhere. While in Budapest, the majority of quick little places to grab something are cafes. They have an extensive range of pastries and coffees but not smoothies. I am able to buy very fresh fruit but it is defiantly not seen as much as I do at home. 

Lastly, I find the portion sizes to almost be exactly the same at home for the most part. Many traditional Hungarian restaurants serve very large home cook-type meals. In the US, many people say that the portions are much bigger and while this is true, I have also seen very large portions in Hungary. The cost of food at restaurants has been much more reasonable than it is at home, for this reason, I have tried to branch out and eat foods that I may not eat a lot of at home. Sausage is one thing that I have never really eaten besides a small amount with breakfast, and I have learned to enjoy it as a full meal here now in Budapest. 

I think that overall, the grocery stores in Budapest are very similar to those at home. They may not have everything but where I am living there are three different grocery stores. Each of the stores provides different types of foods. I have been able to find everything I am looking for and more. It has been exciting going to the grocery stores and getting familiar with the different kinds of meat that they have.