From garden to jar
Have you ever tasted roasted hazelnuts? Tried pickled turnips? Love fermented vegetables? At Cserszegtomaj Delights, the family’s homegrown fruits and vegetables are transformed into delicious jams, healthy pickles, rich vegetable spreads — and even roasted hazelnuts, one of the key ingredients in Nutella. Éva Mózerné Merics and her family have been growing their own produce for decades. By expanding into small-scale processing, they now manage every step from seed to jar themselves.
A legacy rooted in grandmother’s kitchen
The farm is built on generations of family knowledge and experience. What started as growing food for personal use gradually turned into selling surplus at local markets. For years, Éva’s grandmother sold their homemade products at the Keszthely market. As demand for preservative-free, homemade goods grew, Éva left her previous job and dedicated herself full-time to farming and processing.
Today, the family cultivates several hectares of orchards, vegetable plots, and a hazelnut grove in Cserszegtomaj. Thanks to increased processing capacity, their products are now available year-round — though seasonal ingredients ensure constant variety.
Traditional methods, modern values
The product range includes classic pickles, fermented vegetables, vegetable spreads, jams, and roasted Turkish hazelnuts — plain, salted, or chocolate-coated. Depending on the season, Éva might also bring fresh produce to market: pumpkins in autumn, persimmons or quince paste in winter. Éva learned the art of preserving, fermenting, and natural processing from her mother-in-law.
Many of her products are made without preservatives or additives, using traditional methods — just like grandma did. Fermented and pickled products — like turnips, cabbage, beets, or broad beans — are unpasteurized, retaining their natural nutrients and rich flavors. All vegetables are grown on the family’s land. Every step — slicing, bottling, labeling — is done by hand in their workshop in Cserszegtomaj.
"Good things take time"
That philosophy could easily be Cserszegtomaj Delights’ slogan. Éva believes that patience is the key to creating truly healthy, high-quality foods — whether preserving, pickling, or fermenting.
More than a farm: an experience
Besides their Cserszegtomaj farm, the family also maintains plantations in Alsópáhok, where they operate two guesthouses. Soon, they will open a demonstration garden, offering thematic programs and hands-on workshops where visitors can learn the secrets of homemade preserves.
A mission, not just a job
“What the garden gives, I want to turn into more than just flavor. I want to create life.”
For Éva, farming is not just work, but a calling. She firmly believes that what we eat affects our quality of life, which is why knowing where food comes from — and how it’s made — truly matters.
Product highlights
Zakuska
This traditional vegetable spread is made from fire-roasted eggplants, homemade ground peppers, and their own tomato puree — all free of additives. The eggplants are roasted over fruitwood coals, giving them a signature smoky flavor. Every step is done by hand: peeling the eggplants, harvesting garden-grown peppers and onions, simmering the tomatoes.
Seasoned simply but boldly, the zakuszka showcases the true taste of vegetables. Thick and creamy, it’s vegan, gluten-free, and perfect on bread, toast, or as a flavorful side dish. Each jar captures the essence of a Cserszegtomaj season.
Roasted hazelnuts
On their plantation, Éva’s son Gergő and his family tend to over 700 hazelnut bushes, using eco-friendly, chemical-free methods. After harvesting, the nuts are dried, cracked, hand-sorted, and roasted in small batches to ensure maximum flavor and crunch. They are available plain, salted, or coated in chocolate for those with a sweet tooth. Gergő also produces cold-pressed hazelnut oil — a rare delicacy in Hungary.
Where to buy
- Hévíz Farmers’ Market
- Szezonkosár (Seasonal Basket Initiative)
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