Hungarian woman brings hometown delicacy to streets of Sarasota

SARASOTA, Fla. - Tucked away on Main Street in Sarasota is a Transylvanian bakery that puts a twist on baked goods.

The smell of the hometown fair compelled owner Anikó Gulyas to open Kürtős Chimney Cakes and Bread in her new hometown of Sarasota.

Conjuring up those memories, she applied the old hometown recipe to bring nostalgic joy to her new hometown clients.

Chimney cakes are typically a Hungarian street food served at fairs and festive events.

Gulyas would make them for her family, but she wanted to share the special treats with more of her community.

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"Chimney cake is a handcrafted traditional European Hungarian pastry," shared Gulyas. "It's a yeast-based dough that we wrap around a pin we proof it and we bake it in a special oven."

Chimney cake is a handcrafted traditional European Hungarian pastry

The specialty part of the chimney cake is that it's crunchy on the outside and soft and moist inside.

Gulyas explained, "While we bake (it) the sugar caramelizes on the top so it's incredibly crunchy outside."

So the bread is more of a sweet treat.

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With encouragement, she ventured from her home kitchen to a local farmer's market, and that exposed the community to her Hungarian hometown delicacy.

Anikó Gulyas to open Kürtős Chimney Cakes and Bread in her new hometown of Sarasota.

That was the beginning, and she hasn't forgotten where things got started.

"We are still at the farmer's market downtown," said Gulyas, and the business has grown into a successful second profession for her and her family.

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"We make Panini omelet in the morning or we make chimney dog for lunch," said Gulyas. "This is our chimney dog, it's a German frankfurter in a mini savory chimney bread. We roll and bake all day long, so your sandwich bread is just out of the oven, so fresh."

Chimney cake is a handcrafted traditional European Hungarian pastry that can be filled. 

You can top that meal off with a specialized ice cream cone in a custom sweet chimney cake.

Kürtős Chimney Cakes and Bread is located at 1312 Main Street in Sarasota.

LINK: Learn more and see a menu here.