Laura Skublics

At the table

Potato flour as a bread substitute

In the early 19th century, potato flour was used as a substitute for grain to bake bread, especially during times of famine or wheat shortages. People even learned to create potato-based yeast and starch for baking.

What people wore

Peasant Men's Linen Clothing and Skins

In the mid-19th century, Hungarian peasant men often wore wide, loose linen trousers and short shirts, sometimes so brief that their skin was visible, paired with sheepskin vests or cloaks in winter.

Getting around

High cost of coach travel

Traveling by coach was expensive, costing 2 aranyforint for a trip between Vienna and Buda in the 18th century, plus tips for the driver.

What it cost

Stagnant Living Standards in the Habsburg Empire

In the Habsburg Empire, including Hungary, living standards for ordinary people remained stagnant throughout the monarchy prior to the 1850s.

Music

Rural Dances and Church Traditions

In rural areas, villagers often gathered for Sunday dances in taverns or homes, where they hired local musicians to play instruments like the violin or tambura. During Christmas church services, local traditions included the Pastorella, a genre that frequently incorporated rustic instruments like the herdsman’s horn to depict nativity scenes.

Daily life

Kitchen hearth and essential staples

Cooking was centered around a large open brick stove with an overhanging chimney, where an enormous kettle was suspended over a fire fueled by wood, turf, or peat. Lard and melted butter were essential staples for cooking national dishes, and households often kept large supplies of these fats in their private storehouses.