The following is an adapted version of an article written by Emese Hulej, originally published in Magyar Krónika.
In its series about Hungarikums, Magyar Krónika presents the trade secrets of the treasures of the Collection of Hungarian Values—this time, the history of the famous Pick and Herz companies and the overwhelming success of their salami.
On a hike, on holiday, at a family dinner, or as a gift abroad, winter salami (téliszalámi) is always the perfect choice. It never gets old, has no rivals, is long-lasting, tasty, famous, and, most of all, very Hungarian. Pick and Herz winter salami has been a Hungarikum since 2014.
The roots go back to the 19th century and two hard-working grain merchants, Márk Pick and Ármin Herz. They both founded their businesses in the second half of the century, with salami production as a kind of side business.
Márk Pick was introduced to salami producing on one of his trips to Italy and felt it was something he could make and sell at home as well. He thought the delicacy was close to Hungarian cuisine, especially after creating a recipe adapted to Hungarian tastes. He started production in Szeged in 1869, and 15 years later, when he died, already 25 to 30 wagons of salami were coming out of his factory every year, from the hands of his excellent salami makers. Márk Pick married a rabbi’s daughter, and his commitment to his religion was shown by the fact that he contributed substantially to the building of the great synagogue in Szeged out of the profits of his business.
‘The Pick posters and billboards made the brand known beyond the borders, although the basis for this was the excellent salami itself’
After his death the company was taken over by his widow and then by their son Jenő, who bought modern machinery and also recognized the potential of advertising. The Pick posters and billboards made the brand known beyond the borders, although the basis for this was the excellent salami itself.
But why is a salami a ‘winter’ one? The answer is simple: back then, for a long time, it could only be produced in winter in the absence of proper refrigeration. Jenő Pick was the first to buy modern refrigeration equipment so that production could be made four-seasonal.
The other ‘salami king’, Ármin Herz, produced his delicacies on the Soroksári Road in the capital. He brought the idea, the first recipe, and the salami masters from Italy as well. One type of his salamis was matured by the Tisza and the other by the Danube, and both conquered first the country and then a large part of the world, too.
‘Today, the two world-famous brands are no longer rivals, as both are owned by Pick Szeged Ltd’
Salami must be made from heavy pigs, weighing more than 150 kilos, and the meat is not minced but chopped. The seasoning is the top secret of the companies; all that is known is that only a small amount of spice is used for the mixture, to which bacon is also added in addition to the meat. The mixing is followed by the filling and then smoking for two weeks, ideally on beech wood logs. It takes 90 days from filling to making the salami, the last important stage of which is maturing. Each salami is matured in multi-storey rooms, under the constant supervision of a salami master, during which time they are coated with the characteristic noble mould, which protects them from rapid drying and rancidity. Noble mould is a special association of mould spores that develops only under conditions of adequate temperature, humidity, and airflow.
Today, the two world-famous brands are no longer rivals, as both are owned by Pick Szeged Ltd. When Herz was in danger of being liquidated in the early 2000s, Pick Szeged bought it and continued to produce the legendary salami, retaining its original brand name.
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