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Marzipan, a popular Christmas confection, is made of two main ingredients: almond meal and sugar syrup (or, alternatively, honey). Marzipan variations, such as the perzipan, are made of other types of oilseeds, like walnuts, hazelnuts or even peach kernel. Although the origin of marzipan is uncertain, legends connect its arrival to Europe with the Crusades. According to this origin story, marzipan was first made in Persia and was brought to Europe by the Crusaders. Some argue that the etymology of the word marzipan also confirms its Middle Eastern origins—marzipan is from the word mauthaban, that is, ‘sitting King’, testifying to the rulers’ exclusive access to the expensive delicacy. Much like in the Middle East, on the European continent too for centuries marzipan was the sweet of the elite—no Renaissance table was complete without the elaborate sculptures formed from the almond-based dessert. Limitedly, but marzipan was also available in pharmacies as a medical drug—the health benefits of marzipan are noted in numerous medieval cookbooks.
The popularity of the almond confection is demonstrated by the rich marzipan traditions of multiple European countries. Frutta Martorana, a Sicilian marzipan speciality, is a sweet in the form of fruits and vegetables. The delicacy, coloured with vegetable dyes, originates from the Benedictine nunnery of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio in Palermo. The nuns of the convent were exceptionally proud of some fruit trees in their garden—their pride intrigued Pope Clement V, a bishop at the time, who decided to visit the garden. It was autumn, however, when the trees did not bear any fruit. Not to upset the visitor the nuns decided to shape fruits from marzipan and decorate the tree. In a somewhat different form, but much like in Italy, unique marzipan traditions developed on the North of Europe too. In parts of Germany, Sweden and Norway it is costumery to eat marzipan pigs during Christmas. In German Schewein gehabt, or ‘having a pig’ means being lucky, referring to the value a pig used to represent in the Middle Ages. And so, in Northern Europe the tradition evolved of giving marzipan pigs to loved ones as means of wishing them good luck for the coming year.
While in Northern Europe marzipan traditions are connected to wishing and showcasing wealth, the history of the Lübeck marzipan is strikingly different. According to some legends, in 1407, when the city of Lübeck was at danger of famine, all the local warehouses were searched for food. In one of the old, forgotten storages, whose owner died a long time ago, large quantities of honey and almond were found. To save the city from hunger, local bakers vowed to make bread from the almonds. The Lübeck legend holds that this is the origin of the Marci-panis (that is, almond bread) or marzipan loaf.
Much like in many European countries, marzipan enjoys a great popularity in Hungary, too. Marzipan first attained admiration in the Hungarian Kingdom under the rule of the Renaissance king, Matthias Corvinus. According to historic records, a chessboard from brown and white marzipan was the eighth course on King Matthias’ wedding with Beatrice of Naples in 1477. The delicacy was the present of Beatrice’s Italian pastry chef to the couple on their big day. After the royal wedding, the fame of marzipan spread in elite circles—the first Hungarian-language marzipan recipes are from the 16th–17th centuries, one of which is a hand-written recipe by Princess Consort of Transylvania Anna Bornemisza.
The next leap in the history of Hungarian marzipan took place in the 1930s, when a Szentendre-based man of Serb origin, Mladen Szavits, learnt making marzipan roses from a Danish master while he was working in the confectionery of József E. Auguszt. Mladen Szavits changed his name, and from the 1960s on he became famous Hungary-wide as Mátyás Szamos. Mátyás Szamos founded a family business during the state socialist regime that specialized in the production of marzipan cake decorations. As the company attained great success, in 1987 Szamos opened its first confectionery in the Párizsi street that soled a wide range of marzipan-decorated cakes and dessert. In 1989 the regime change finally enabled the growth of the family business; multiple Szamos shops were opened in several Hungarian cities. By now the company has more than 500 employees and 22 confectioneries.
Probably one of the most famous Szamos confectionaries is located on the Kossuth square, in front of the Hungarian parliament. The hybrid shop, which is a café, a confectionery, a Chocolate Museum, and a gift shop, opened in 2016 right around the time that the Hungarian parliament underwent a major renovation. The café also gives home to a Chocolate Museum that showcases a candy shop and chocolate workshop from the 1920s, while visitors can also explore dozens of marzipan sculptures, including a miniature marzipan copy of the Hungarian parliament.
The recipes developed and mastered by Mátyás Szamos were passed down generation after generation, laying a solid foundation for the most famous family business in Hungary with a reputation inseparable from the history of Hungarian marzipan. Today the company is headed by members of the third generation of the Szamos family. Members of the family distinguished themselves not only as excellent businessman and pastry chefs but also as local patriots. László Szamos, who proudly relocated to his family’s place of provenance, Szentendre, is known for his charitable spirit. László not only contributed to the city’s development, but also supported local schoolchildren—in 2010 he became an honorary citizen of Szentendre.
While Hungarians enjoy Szamos products all year round, Szamos desserts, especially the Szamos szaloncukor is an inseparable part of Hungarian Christmas traditions too. Szaloncukor, a candy wrapped into a shiny and colourful foil which is hung on the Christmas tree, is made of variously flavoured fondant and covered by chocolate. The szaloncukor variation that is filled with marzipan is strongly associated with Szamos. Alongside the Stühmer szaloncukor, originally produced for the prestigious Gerbeaud Cake Shop, the Szamos szaloncukor is one of the most exclusive and tasty Hungarian Christmas treats.
Read more about Hungarian Christmas delicacies:
The post Marzipan — A Christmas Confection and Its History in Hungary appeared first on Hungarian Conservative.
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