At Christmas, we cooked a fish stew with the help of András Wolf; now, with Easter just round the corner, he’s sharing with us the secrets of preparing another traditional Hungarian dish: Easter ham.
Easter is the most important Christian festival, as, according to the New Testament, it was on this day that Jesus, who had been crucified, rose from the dead and triumphed over death, thereby redeeming humanity from its sins. Prior to this, Christians observe a forty-day fast, which involves abstaining from meat and practising moderation. In the past, this was reflected not only in dietary restrictions but also in a ban on merrymaking and festivities.

It is therefore hardly surprising that, following a period of strict self-restraint, Easter has always been a time of great abundance in terms of food and social gatherings in our folk traditions. Traditionally, the table was laden with Easter cake, eggs, horseradish and, of course, the indispensable Easter ham. The folk customs associated with Easter resonated with the season of spring renewal, and in this context, finding a partner was the primary aim. The girls would throw a straw doll into the river to predict who would get married that year; during the „villőzés” ritual, they would walk through the village carrying willow branches, whilst the housewives gave them eggs and sent them on their way with the good wishes, ‘May you all find a husband’. We need not introduce the custom of the young men sprinkling water; this is the folk custom that has survived best to the present day.

Whether or not we’re expecting visitors to come and sprinkle us with water this year, and indeed regardless of religious tradition, for many people a table laden with delicacies remains an indispensable part of the Easter celebrations. Making Easter ham may seem simple, yet its flavour can hinge on many small details, which is why Viktória Viczián is once again

He asked András Wolf, the corporate chef at Gundel restaurant, for help in perfecting the recipe.

However, we must take great care to ensure that – as with everything else – we buy our ham from a reliable source, as we could easily be disappointed.