While a big portion of the average Hungarian diet is based on bread and other baked goods, it is not that easy to find a good bakery with quality products. Parallel to the changing gastronomic landscape of the country, new-wave (or old-school, depending on your approach) bakeries are popping up all around Budapest and other Hungarian cities. Take a look at a lovely newcomer with strong French connection, the Három Tarka Macska at 13th district’s Pozsonyi street.
The variety they offer is modest, yet outstanding: classic French baguette, Scandinavian bread with seeds and red currant, sweet pastries, and the local favourite “Grandma’s bread”, which is still hot and steaming when cut 60 minutes after baking.
The Három Tarka Macska bakery aims for the highest quality on many levels. They source the best ingredients (flour and butter from France, cocoa powder from the Netherlands and chocolate from Belgium) and typically work with their produce for at least 48 hours.
The store has extremely convenient opening hours, from 6 am (8 am on Saturdays) till 7.30 pm, as they try to figure out what works best in the neighborhood. It’s not only a shop, but also a café with sandwiches (from the house bread and baguette ofcourse) and great coffee, but the best part is the large glasses and Pierre, the head baker behind it, who amuses kids and visitors alike with his fermenting and bread-shaping magic.
Looking at all these ingredients, it is no surprise that the prices in Három Tarka Macska are not low – certainly higher than in an average Hungarian grocery store’s bread section. But as we listened to the story behind the bread, flour and butter here, all I could think of is how I’m not allowed to throw away any possible leftovers from this stuff. Because honestly, baked goods make up for the biggest portion of my domestic food waste. I throw away dried rolls and chunks of bread weekly, as I almost always buy more than what I actually eat…
So, whenever you buy more expensive, good quality food, you have the chance to be reminded of someone’s effort put into that bread, or cheese, or tomato, to reach the best possible quality, and consequently support your health. So thank you Pierre and the Három Tarka Macska crew for your effort!
(And a note on ‘túrós bukta’ (= cottage cheese parcels). This is a pastry you must taste when you’re in Hungary, because it’s unique and incredibly delicious. Especially when it is made with real cottage cheese, and not a creamed version. Of course, you can’t tell what’s being used until you taste, so take my word for it and have a bite in Három Tarka Macska.)
(Just to make sure, this is no promotional content.)
