During our recent holiday near Lake Balaton in Hungary, we decided to explore beyond the lake and visited the charming village of Salföld. There, I had the opportunity to try Sour Cherry soup at a delightful village restaurant called Pajta Galeria, which has a large garden and is located on the edge of Salföld. Intrigued by the unique offering on the menu, alongside the more common savory goulash soup, I decided to give it a try.

Cold, sweet fruit soups like this are a traditional Hungarian dish, especially popular during the summer months. While cherry is a common flavor, these soups can also be made with other seasonal fruits like blackcurrants or apricots. Typically, they are enjoyed as a starter before a savory main course rather than as a dessert.

I chose to eat my salad first and then the soup. The experience was akin to eating a very liquid fruit yogurt, with whole cherries at the bottom of the bowl. It was delicious, though the sensation of a cold, fruity soup might be unusual if you’re not accustomed to it.

Salföld itself is a picturesque village worth exploring. It is situated on the edge of the Káli Basin, a beautiful area that is part of the Balaton Uplands National Park. At the far end of the village, we discovered Salföld Manor, an old farmstead that has been converted into a small show farm and heritage center. It features traditional buildings, a herb garden, an exhibition of old photos, rare breeds of farm animals, and horse-carriage rides. It seemed like a fantastic place for families with young children, but we were eager for our late lunch and decided to head back to the restaurant instead of going in.

The village appears to have been somewhat renovated, with many traditional thatched buildings looking freshly plastered and whitewashed, though there are still a few tumble-down cottages that hint at what the village might have looked like in the past. Although we drove to Salföld, there are some lovely cycling routes through the vineyards leading to the village, with the reward of a meal and a drink in Pajta Galeria’s pretty garden at the end.

If you enjoy creamy, fruity flavors, I highly recommend trying a cold fruit soup if you see it on the menu in Hungary. The toughest decision might be whether to have it as a starter or a dessert.