We love Hungarian everything and wanted to add a special touch to a recent event. It has been a long time since I helped make a dobos torta and I haven’t ever made any other tortes (though I think I ought to at least try it once!) so that was out of the question this time around. We don’t live anywhere near a bakery that offers a Hungarian selection. Even though traditional U.S. bakery cakes don’t hold a candle to Hungarian pastries, we thought we would see if one of the decorators at a local bakery would be willing to take on the challenge and add a Hungarian touch to our celebration–even if it was only visual.
1) Find a piece of Hungarian embroidery. Maybe one of your relatives (grandmother, mother, aunt) embroidered or gave you a treasured piece. Possibly it is a photo of a blouse or vest you or a relative owns. Maybe your family came from an area of Hungary and you know the distinct style associated with that region. We think this is a unique way to celebrate an anniversary, wedding, birthday, baptism, etc!
2) If you are artistic, try your hand at this. Some artists are natural cake decorators!
3) If you are not the creative type, take some photos of several pieces of Hungarian embroidery that are the same style. This gives the decorator a sense of the art so they see the flexibility they have.
4) Walk into a local bakery and ask if they honestly think they can tackle this special request. Get an estimate–they might need to charge you extra. I had the photos on my cell phone so it was easy for them to show them to the decorator and get their input.
5) Hold your breath and hope for the best!
If you aren’t Hungarian, see what folk art themes are in your ethnic background! This might be a special way for your heritage to shine through! If you ever order a cake with a special Hungarian theme, please take a photo and send it to us! We would love to see it!
Embroidery by Regions
Guide to Hungarian Embroidery
As you can see here, not every embroidery style will necessarily lend itself to cake decorating. I would say the Kalocsa and Matyó styles are the easiest to find and probably the easiest to execute.
Magyar Marketing is a second-generation family business that began in 1988. Our mission is to provide you with resources and encouragement to discover, celebrate, and share your Hungarian heritage with friends and family! To receive our free product catalog or learn about our tours to Hungary and Transylvania, please email [email protected] or call us at 1-800-786-7851.
