Thanks to all who came out today to celebrate the 4th Anniversary of Treehugger Dan's Bookstore Cafe! We went through 3.5 carrot cakes. It is incredible that 4 years ago, the former premises of the Hungarian Rubber Lobby Association (MAGUSZ) was renovated, all the permits were finally done, the 50 boxes of books from the US (thanks Takoma Books!) were all on the shelves in A-B-C order (thanks Anna, Tara, Richie, John, Rob!). Treehugger Dan's has not only survived, but expanded to include an additional 3 partnership locations (with Discover Budapest, Yellow Zebra and Artosz Izvilag) making 4 in 4 years. Through Treehugger Dan's, the President of Hungary, the Ombudsman's Office, the Dutch, Gambian, and Canadian Embassies, and the first restaurant in Hungary (Arriba) all went Fair Trade. It has become not only an institution, but an activist institution; not only a central part of expat life and Hungarians seeking English literature, but the leading promoter of English language culture, music and literature in Hungary; not only a hippie-run establishment with crazy liberal ideas, but an access point for expats for information on environmental and social justice issues plus providing ways to get involved. Thank you all who have helped made this possible!

And now what you are all waiting for, the carrot cake recipe:

Makes 2 loafs

Mix together beginning with sugar and butter, adding one egg at a time. Beat until light brown:
1.5 cups melted butter
1 3/4 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
grated rind of 1 lemon


In another bowl sift together:
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups white flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon allspice
2 teaspoons cinnamon

In a third bowl mix 2.5 cups of grated carrots and the juice of one lemon

Add flour mixture and carrots alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix gently after each addition, do not over mix. Add .5-1 cup of walnuts last.

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees (180 C), grease baking pans with butter, divide mixture evenly between the 2 pans. Bake for 40-50 minutes. It is done when you stick a fork in and nothing sticks to it.

Cool on rack

Frosting: mix kemping sajt (Hungarian equivalent of cream cheese, found in white tubes) with powdered sugar. Spread on hot cakes.