The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-10-30
DIET AND HABITS OF THE HUNGA-
RAMS

An intelligent correspondent of The indie
pendent, giving an account OF his observations
in Hungary, speaks of the uniformly strong
and athletic appearance of the inhabitants He
goes on to speak of their habits of eating, as
follows
took considerable pains in Hungary to no.
tice the diet and habits of eating Of the people,
as connected with this remarkable vigor of the
race, hoping some useful hints might be derived
for America on the subject This seemed more
desirable, as there is no country of Europe so
resembling our own, or at least the Middle
States "a tNs Own in clfm6se'' The sans, III.
tremes of heat and cold the same sudden.
wicker GhaBgss Of temg.f, tire TIE same cieiI,
tnInularlng atmostjncre; which mark the Amer
lean climate, and distinguish it from the usual
European. There are districts in Hungary
which produce the most delicious grapes and
melons and peaches in the summer, which are
buried in snow in winter precisely like the in
land counties some years in New York. And
in travelling over the best part of the land,
might have thought as far as productions were
concerned, was journeying through the plains
of inner New York or Pennsylvania: the only
exception being the rine, for the want of which
in America | am disposed to think the cause is
not to be sought in the climate
In respect to the habits of the people, the
great popularity seemed to be their temperance
in eating and drinking, and at the same time
their making of their meals pleasant social
occasion, and not merely Il means of filling up
the stomach When say they are temperate
mean they indulge in no excess; as, in respect
to wine drinking there is scarcely man in
the land who does not drink the light wine at
his dinner and supper. But with the Hunga-
rian the meal-time is time for social inter-
course, when friends meet or when the chill
dren and relatives all gather with the parents
and have almost their only merry, familiar con-
versation during the day. They sit great
while at table, and taste of a great variety of
dishes, at least among the better classes Still
they are not by any means rs hearty eaters as
the Americans or English. Indeed, to a travel
Ter with keen appetite, or to one accustomed
to the vigorous exploits of the English at the
table, the Hungarians seem really abstemOus.
They make much more use of fruits, and salads
and curious buildings, and the light pure wines,
than we of the Anglo-Saxon race. Indeed q
Hungarian would consider himself in danger
of becoming a sot, if he should drink every
day the strong branded wines which every
Englishman has on his table. The English in
Hungary say it is impossible in that clear, oxy.
genated climate, to keep up their habit of beef
eating and drinking
The first meal among the Hungarians is
taken Mt seven or eight in the morning and
consists only of a glass of coffee with rich milk
and some meager cuttings of cold toast broken
up and eaten in the coffee
This is the universal breakfast for all classes
except the poorest bauer Between this and
the dinner at one or two, nothing is usually
eaten or drank The dinner as have said, is
long, with great variety of dishes not essen
tally differing from our own, except that it is
lighter, and greater use is made Of light
wines. This meal is always followed by cup
of coffee. The only other meal is the supper
ut eight o'clock in the EVENING" long meal
again, with soup, fish, pudding and wine. Tea
is very little drank in the land sugar, and
sweetened articles too are seldom used
What especial theory of diet to draw from
all this am at loss to determine. Still, the
facts may be useful to some who are invcstiga-
ting the matter The principal things worthy
of imitation seem to be the moderation and 30
ciability of the meals, and the distance of time
at which they are separated-the last being
no doubt very conducive to health The prin-
cipal cause of their vigorous health and we'll
formed bodies must be found, without doubt
in their opcn-air pursuits and manly exercises,
to which they are ardently attached They are
nation of herdsmen and farmers and are en-
jjoying the benefits of their pursuit..
No account of their habits would be COM
plete without stating that the whole popula-
ton, from the nobleman and clergyman down
to the lowest bauer on the Puszta, smoke in
cessantly, from morning till night