It is not that easy keeping a gluten-free diet on the Azores as it is in Budapest: I do miss the familiar tastes and places. So I have decided to introduce my favourite gluten-free and „all-free” vendors, shops, and restaurants in Hungary. This is the first part of the series – and there will be many to follow, since I know a lot of great shops and restaurants.
Of course what I miss the most is my Mum’s cooking. I think my Mum is simply the best Mum ever. When after an illness I have been told to start a gluten-free diet, my Mum experimented a lot to find the best recipes, which have since become not just my, but also the entire family’s favorites. I am happy to share a few of these recipes, if you ask me on Facebook. They are delicious.
So, apart from my Mum’s kitchen, there is a fantastic little eatery I would like you to know: it is called Say Cheez Raw and is located in the 11th district of Budapest, Hungary. The owners – Mercedesz and Roland – are fully committed to lovingly prepare their food from 100% raw, vegan, organic and bio ingredients. My personal favorite is the vegan sandwich: I could have never imagined that an „all-free” sandwich can be so good. And the cheese… YUMM… everybody needs to try the cheese. In my opinion food made with love has a completely different effect on our bodies. I have made this conclusion based on my Mum’s cooking – and I felt something very similar at Say Cheez Raw. I would like you try it, and feel the difference!
What I adore about this venture, is that they pay particular attention to packaging materials. I have not seen this attention to detail anywhere else before. While some of you might think the packaging is not important, it is quite the contrary. Most common packaging materials contain harmful materials which are absorbed by the food contained within. Therefore it is essential to be mindful not just about the food you eat, but also about how this food is stored. You would be surprised to know all the health risks associated with the use of improper packaging materials.
Just like my Mum I keep most food in glass containers (mason jars) in both of my kitchens (Hungary & Azores). Whenever I am going to a restaurant, I take a glass container with me in case there will be some leftovers which I would like to take home. This might sound a bit silly or impractical, but I rather do this instead of having one of those foam (polystyrene) food containers. Lot of people drink their hot coffee from these containers every day. In case you are wondering, I am happy to post a paper that has been published in the USA about the dangers of foam food containers. My first degree is from food biology, I have always been curious about these topics.
I think at Say Cheez Raw all packaging materials are 100% biodegradable and made from natural fibers. I have not asked the owners yet, but I hope they get back to me on Facebook once they read this post.
Since my Mum’s divine kitchen would not accommodate all of us, I recommend you try this wonderful vegan bar.
Photo credits: Azori Éden and SayCheezRaw Facebook page
SayCheezRaw address: Szabolcska Mihály utca 7., 1114 Budapest, Hungary saycheezraw
If you would like to read more about places like this both in Hungary and in the Azores, if you liked this post, have a question or feedback, please contact me on my Facebook page Azori Éden