Goulash La’Golesh: A Hungarian-Israeli Family Cookbook

By Ofer Vardi

Ofer Vardi, a journalist and an avid foodie, grew up eating his beloved grandmother’s Hungarian cooking. Only after she passed away did he realize that the aromas of her delicacies had disappeared with her forever. Armed with a battered notebook of recipes and his countless memories of Nana, Vardi embarked on a quest: to try to recreate the much-loved flavors of a time gone by. A year in Budapest between 1999 and 2000 helped bring him even closer to one of the world’s greatest cuisines.

Vardi began to share his stories, and Nana’s recipes, in a weekly column on the Israeli news site Ynet, where he attracted thousands of followers. In 2009, Goulash La’Golesh was published in Hebrew as a compilation of those columns. Now, the book—and Nana—are continuing their journey into the English-speaking world. Vardi, too, has continued to deepen his connection to Hungarian cuisine; he's lived in Budapest since 2017, where he offers culinary tours.  

This book is dedicated to anyone who longs for rakott krumpli, gombóc, and, of course, goulash—and to all of us who miss our grandmothers’ cooking, no matter where we were born.