Pollypaprika

*There was a thread on this but it has since been closed.

I just wondered what people's thoughts are re fish from Lake Balaton. We would like to source local fish and was wondering if there were any contamination issues. Also, in general does anyone know where the seafood is sourced from in Hungary?

All thoughts/comments appreciated.

:-)

wolfi

I'll ask our neighbour - I know that he gets some fish from the Kiss Balaton (nature preserve with limited access), just last Sunday he fished a large carp.

Pollypaprika

Thank you

wolfi

Well, the neighbour told me that he also sometimes buys fish from the Balaton in a special shop in Keszthely (near the market) and that the fish are generally good because the Balaton water is really clear (drinking water quality) since they built that "ring line" that takes all the sewage from the surrounding towns and villages - I remember that was just built when I had my house renovated 15 years ago.

mawood47

Seafood is mostly Youngs import and in Metro the Wholesale retailers I have often had Cod Pics and different Prawns but my favorite is Smoke Haddock in milk in Fact in Budapest two Fish and Chips restaurant served same fish pieces from Metro and Chips are Mackan Potato Wedges from same sauce They Charge approximately 2.200huf for large and including a soft drink recommend my monthly pension treat digger47

Peter_in_Hungary

As above - Balaton fish should be OK, the lake is jealously monitored for both quality of water and quantity of fish. Sea fish / food always has the origin on the label. A short while ago Tesco had some Adriatic fish it was quite good, but take care - when you read the label you find it was once frozen and sold in N gas thawed, so not really fresh. I have no problem with this and it was much better than the sold frozen fish that seems to melt into mush !! Personally I won't eat any fish imported from Africa or there abouts as I've seen too many articles about the contaminated fish farms.

Whilst I am not a lover of the Hungarian fish my favourite is keszeg (bream) which whilst suffers from lots of small bones it has a good flavour (to me) and is not as fatty as some of the others

At the right time of year (about now I think) near Keszthely you can get eels - fresh, if that's your thing

wolfi

Digger, you'll miss those fish back in Merry Old England - or not?

Re the Balaton fish:
After dinner we talked again to our neighbour and he said that actually the Balaton fish are really better than those from the Kiss Balaton - but beware of fish from one of those small lakes or fish farms because those taste of "duck dung" as he called it.

And the best are of course those from rivers or runing water are the best - especially the trout aka pisztrang.

mawood47

Short time now hear then Fish and Chips every Friday
I was courting a young lady some years ago her Dad had a Fish and Chip Shop when I return to her home hear Dad gave ne a Battering digger47

Don Lugosi

I hope the water is monitored! I'm very sure my father told me when I was a youngster that the Russians spilled chemicals in the lake that killed a lot of the fish. This might have been in the 50's or early 60's judging on the time my father was there. Can anyone collaborate? perhaps some of the old residents might know.
I looked on Google but didn't find anything.

Pollypaprika

Thank you everyone for your comments. Certainly given me food for thought...pun intended :-)

wolfi

@Don Lugosi:

Yes, in Communist times the protection of the environment was totally forgotten ...
The Aluminium works in Tapolca eg and others (remember that dam that broke with the red sludge?) were horrible, caused a lot of cancer and even threatened the thermal waters of Hévíz!

But since then a lot has happened, partially under pressure (and with financing ...) from the EU. My wife says the Balaton water is drinkable - much better than many rivers, since the new sewage ring canal was built.

Don Lugosi

Yes, I remember my father mentioned the red sludge now. My father fled Hungary in the 60's so it was a bit difficult to relate the stories he told me when I was young.