On the makói vöröshagyma, the yellow onion of Makó (the only one for me)

There are many things I did not know about Hungarian onions, I realize. Google has helped me remedy this, after I puzzled over a sign I saw in the Nagycsarnok in Budapest advertising "makói."

Makóivöröshagyma"-> "makói" ("yellow onion from Makó, Hungary") is a special variety of onion that inspires great pride in Makó, evidenced by the onion statue they have there (see photo below, found here) as well as the nationalistic celebration of its production, particularly by members of the political party Jobbik in Makó.

 

The Makó branch of Jobbik expresses interest in helping small farmers in Hungary, so that the Makói onion remain “tényleg Hungarikum” (“truly Hungarian”) “not only on paper, but on as many people’s tables and diets as possible, in protection of the taste of Hungary.”  (From “A makói Jobbik felhívása a hagymatermesztés fennmaradásáért,” October 28, 2010, Jobbik website; translation is my own). Another note on language here is that “Hungarikum” is an unusual way of expressing the concept of Hungarian, which is “Magyar” in standard Hungarian language. I’m sure there’s a political history to this, but it’s not one with which I’m currently familiar.

The Hungarian city Makó also boasts a "Hagymaház" ("onion house") built by celebrated Hungarian architect Makovecz Imre in 1998.