Hungary did not have a lot of things during the time of the communism. For instance, we did not have real American hot dog. We create a new one in our way.

It was blown in the wind: the Hungarian style hot dog.

Street food was unknown in Hungary until the 70’s. It is true, people ate sausage or lángos in market places or on the beach, but eating on the street was unthinkable. A normal citizen of the socialist country had a breakfast and a diner at home, a lunch in the canteen of the workplace. But young people enthused over it.

A vendor in Hungary in 1979 (photograph: Sándor Bauer/fortepan.hu)

The Hungarian style hot dog was made in a special way. Vendors offered it with boiled weenie, which were not served in a sweet hot dog bun, but in a huge bread cresent. The cresent was not cut in halves, the vendor holed it with a warmed, thick electric stick (you can see it on the picture), then the weenie was put into the hole with mustard or ketchup. The warmed stick baked it inside, it became crispy and delicious.

Bread cresents on warmed sticks (photograph: Sándor Bauer/fortepan.hu)

As I mentioned, it was blown in the wind, nowadays, unfortunately, nobody makes this kind of hot dog in Budapest, costumers wants American style street food.  I have just told you, how to imagine it.