Where does the word “kosača” originate from?

One of the most important questions regarding healthy lifestyle and conscious nutrition is what we eat and where our food comes from. It's not only at home where we have the opportunity to select wholesome raw materials and food carefully – more and more restaurants are placing emphasis on pampering their Guests with delicacies made from high-quality ingredients. Naturally, Restaurant Tornácos strives to achieve this by making full use of the natural gifts of its surroundings, even building this on a long family tradition that spares no time or effort in tending the Tornácos garden. This is how we succeed in offering fresh and delicious vegetables and fruit directly from the garden on our Guests' plates.

The garden has been dreamed and cultivated professionaly and with great care by the couple Klára and Károly Hospely. For them, the garden —or as their Croatian ancestors affectionately called it, the "Kosača" — means much more than just work. The family tradition encompasses loyalty to the land and fields, a love of giving and even, at times, quite a demanding passion.

Life of the villages in the vicinity of Lake Fertő has always been defined by vegetable cultivation. Back then, the transportation to and sale of local products at the markets was an important source of income for the villagers. Klára's grandmother carried her products on horse-carriage all the way to Wienerneustadt, as farming meant her livelihood.

The routine of farm work from early spring to late autumn has been passed down from one generation to the next in the most natural way. The younger generation was born into the region's vegetable-growing culture and thus became familiar with it. Of these generations, Klára and Károly's age group may be the last, and unfortunately, their descendants rarely practice these valuable traditions of their parents.

Family Hospely also took a short break from their tradiotion, as the opening of the Hotel Tornácos 30 years ago demanded the couple's full attention. Several years after that, they finally had time again to return to the land and were able to reconnect with the family's roots and skills. For Restaurant Tornácos this means a unique opportunity to serve numerous delicacies created from locally grown vegetables – complemented by a variety of herbs and delicious fruits.

The cultivation of soup vegetables has always been the most widespread work in the region. The land of Lake Fertő with its soil rich in minerals provides excellent ground for growing white root vegetables. Celery, carrot, kohlrabi, onions and parsnips grown here have earned a widely recognized reputation in both domestic and international markets. Vegetables from Hegykő have always received special attention from traders and have become a well-known "brand". The Tornácos Garden (Kosača) is also primarily based on these crops, as these ingredients provide an excellent basis for preparing delicious soups for example. Another important aspect is cultivating plants in the garden that are suitable for modern cuisine and are seasonal. The "Kosaca" also offers previously unusual plants for modern cuisine, such as zucchini, fennel, mangold, basil, pumpkin, onion and different kinds of lettuce, green peas, as well as countless varieties of tomatoe, pepper and herbs.

To name just a few examples: basil makes an excellent pesto for pasta and is also used as a garnish for fish and cheese. Fennel leaves are also often used for decoration, but the far more valuable part is the root that can be used to make a very special and delicious side dish. Mangold is used to prepare vegetable dishes and served as a side dish, adding a spring and summer touch to the dishes.

Furthermore, "kosaca" provide us with treasures of cherry tomatoes in a variety of colors and shapes with their delicious juice and sweetness, as well as tomatoes for drying or canning.  All these can be found and enjoyed in the offer of Restaurant Tornácos. Sweet and hot, red, yellow, dark-  and light green bell peppers are used to make delicious Hungarian letchos, which are also perfect as a base for several dishes and salads. Pumpkin is also a very popular ingredient, as is parsnip, which forms the basis of game- and Eszterházy sauces.

Lemongrass, mint and fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, cherries, sour cherries, gooseberries, currants, blackberries, pears, plums, apples, and grapes serve as ingredients in Klára's homemade jams and fruit syrups. They are also important ingredients in the in-house confectionary —in cakes, strudels, slices, biscuits, etc. They also enrich the selection at the breakfast table as well as in the tea corner of the wellness area.

Do not forget to taste these treasures given by nature in our restaurant! :)