Fánki Fresh

Around the world, many traditions celebrate Carnival, the season between Christmas and Lent, which marks winter's passing and the arrival of spring. It is the festival before the fast.

Public Parades are thrown, with Rio de Janeiro's being the most famous. In Hungary, where Carnival is known as Farsang, children dress up in costumes. In Germany's Karnival, like in New Orleans' Mardi Gras, doughnuts are a staple of the season. In Diósd, it has become a tradition for the German Cultural Heritage Preservation Society to host members of our Lower School community for "Farsangi Fánk," that is, doughnuts.  

 

 

This year, the fun festivities fell on Winter Break. Lower School Staff members and their families were graciously hosted in the Mihalek family's own Mihalek Pince. Lower School Staff and their families watched as their hosts made the dough and rolled it out. Then, some of the children got to help cut out the donuts before the women, who were leading this culinary experience, fried the donuts. When it was time to eat, one staff member described the amount they brought as  "bottomless."!

 

 

In lieu of a Hungarian speaker among the guests or an English speaker among our hosts, participants found a creative way to communicate. One member of the Society spoke in Hungarian, another translated into German for Ms. Hanna Schumacher, who then translated into English for the group. They made it work! ICSB staff and their families learned about the fascinating history of the society in Diósd. Members of the society shared that the house where they were gathering was built in the 1700s, and its cellar had once been used for winemaking.

 

 

Thus, with a chain of translations and the universal language of Donut, they overcame the language barrier and enjoyed fellowship over delicious Farsang 'fánk'.