AFP Videos – France
Goulash or Bolognese: In Hungary, ice creams that divide gourmets
Three sausage balls or spaghetti bolognese flavor… in Hungary, an ice cream parlor is causing a sensation this summer and filling its cash register with its menu of confusing flavors. “We tested beer and hash brown flavors in mid-July to get some publicity, and customers were amazed,” Robert Reinhardt, the manager of this shop located in Tatabanya, 65 km west of Budapest, explained to AFP. After receiving more or less crazy requests from amused Internet users, he got into the game and created all sorts of recipes based on local dishes like goulash or chicken with paprika, or international ones like scrambled eggs with bacon or carbonara sauce. It’s not just a marketing initiative “in a joking manner. I realized that you can get really good flavors,” says the mischievous 44-year-old boss as people crowd into his pastry shop, called “Roberto.” So tripe stew, minced meat, pickled cucumbers? Those looking for a gourmet refreshment are in for a treat. Especially the youngest: Zeteny Kiss, 10, whose “tongue is used to sweets”, pouts as she tastes a cone with the tip of her lips. Her father Krisztian Kiss, a 43-year-old lawyer from the other side of the country, would not have made the detour on purpose, but “we had to test” this new phenomenon since they were visiting the area. He is pleasantly surprised to actually find the flavors displayed in these atypical ice creams. Ildiko, a masseuse by profession who declined to give her last name, was given a free sample to try the dozen flavors before making her choice. “For me, it will be tomato soup, sheep’s cheese with dill and breaded cheese”, she smiles, already planning to come back to taste these “surprising but delicious ice creams”. “We are a bit overwhelmed and we are constantly looking for staff because we did not expect such an explosion” of the crowds, says Ena, Mrs. Reinhardt in the city, at the helm with her husband. Building customer loyalty is what the happy shopkeepers are hoping for, with their ever-filled dining room. The media have all talked about these creations, for better or for worse. On social media, opinions are also divided, with some commentators calling them “disgusting” or recommending them “only to those with a strong stomach.” Regardless, the bet has paid off: the TikTok videos posted by the ice cream parlor attract tens of thousands of views, even reaching a million in a country of less than 10 million inhabitants. At 1.27 euros (500 forints) per scoop, turnover has more than tripled compared to last summer and a project for a second store in the capital is already on track.ros/bg/anb/mr
