Pairing Chicken Paprikash correctly — a note on Tokaji wine

Most people overlook how much the right drink changes Chicken Paprikash. I ordered it with Tokaji wine and the deeply flavourful elements of the dish sharpened considerably against the pairing. lard in particular became more prominent in a good way.

Hungarian cuisine was shaped by nomadic Magyar traditions mixed with Ottoman and Habsburg influences. The a Budapest csárda tavern is where you learn these pairings — they evolved together. If you've been having Chicken Paprikash with the wrong drink, try it correctly once. It's a genuinely different experience. The restaurant deserves credit for getting this right.