Palacsinta, Baross Gábor utca, Györ, Hungary. April 2019
[from FB post: May 16, 2019]
"Palatschinke" - this brought back great memories (I think it is popular all over Central Europe) It was less than $1.
Palacsinta. I read the sign again. Could it be?? I approached the food kiosk on a rainy afternoon in Györ, Hungary. Indeed it was!!! I was instantly 10 years old again in our neighbor's kitchen with my friend Joe devouring those rolled up crêpe-like pancakes sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar that his mom was churning out in their kitchen. I forgot where I was. I just sat down and savored the moment. A shower of childhood sprinkled down on me in a forgotten corner of Hungary on a rainy day where I was trying to make the best of inclement weather. Amazing how something so simple from our past can bring back such joyful memories. I sent photos to Anna Lukas Miller since it was her Mom, Barbara, who made them and Ann was thrilled to remember - even if vicariously through me.
Palatschinke, what an OLD food. It came to Eastern Europe via the Romans from Greece. It is mentioned as early as 350 BCE.
The origin of the name comes from the Latin word placenta, which in turn is derived from the Greek word plakous for thin or layered flat breads. The name of the dish has followed a track of borrowing across several languages of Central and Southeastern Europe; the dish originates from the Roman era of Central Europe and the Austrian-German term palatschinke is deemed to have been borrowed from Czech palačinka, that in turn from Hungarian palacsinta, and that in turn from Romanian plăcintă (a cake, a pie), where it ultimately derives from Latin placenta.
(Wikipedia)
A singular etymology for an uncomplicated food that gives very simple pleasure.
Music often takes us immediately back to a place and time in our lives, and food can equally cause such time travel. Not every food, just certain tastes (and smells), is "transportative" for each of us. One taste or whiff and we are somewhere else for a moment suspended in time. Those moments come when least expected and must be savored to break up the banality of our day to day lives. If only they came more frequently...
Thank you Györ, Hungary. It was worth the journey and walking in the rain just to relive a childhood memory from Pennsylvania.
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