From my photos at Flickr Produced by Kayakman Media

When a Hungarian once told me that the best sausage comes from Hungary, I thought it was just national pride talking. After all, I had tasted some fabulous sausages and they hadn't been Hungarian. Now I know better.

Kolbász is the Hungarian word for sausage and is generally made of ground pork, salt, garlic, pepper, and paprika. (Don't confuse it with kielbasa, the Polish sausage as it lacks that most excellent ingredient: paprika). Of course the ingredients may vary a bit depending upon each manufacturer's "trade secret blend." The friss (fresh, i.e. unsmoked) kolbász is delicious when cooked with sauerkraut and served with mashed potatoes. Personally I lean more towards the smoked kolbász because of its spiciness and how great it tastes during an outdoor adventure.

Opinion Polls & Market Research

The best known and most popular version of this type is Csabai. It is typically spicy, and tastes of paprika. Csabai kolbász is distinct not because of the place it is made (Békéscsaba), but rather the way it has been made, its ingredients, and the use of spices. In 100kg of the finished sausage, there's 1200-1800g of spices (including sweet and spicy paprika) that have matured in flavor during the smoking process. The dominant flavors of the medium-degree spicy Gyulai kolbász are aromatic Hungarian red paprika, pepper, garlic and caraway, complemented by the savory effects of traditional smoking. A combination that won it the gold dipoloma at the World Exhibition of Food in Brussels and has helped it maintain its popularity to the present day.

And of course, there's the famous, and exportable, Pick Szeged brand. It has been around since 1869 and notes that the cool air of the Tisza River ensures the best climate for producing their award-winning salami and kolbász.

I am still taste-testing my way through all the different options and levels of spice. But the majority of butchers I asked about their favorites said the Temesvari (made in Domaszek) because it is usually more spicy. So that's next on my list--and it's a long list thanks to the numerous varieties, brands, and smokiness vs. spiciness combinations. And there's the numerous ways to enjoy it ... in a snack size while out on the trail; sliced and served with bread or cheese at a party; on top of a magyaros pizza; or cooked in a family dinner of potatoes, green peppers, and cheese, ... Oh, so many wonderful options!

And while in Hungary you can pick up kolbasz at your local market, I'd hit the Central Market first just to see how many great options you have to choose from.