‘Food & Drink’ Archives
A Summer Guide To Berlin
Film still from "Heisser Sommer" 1968 In 1968, an East German “feel good” musical entitled, Heisser Sommer (Hot Summer) was released. Touted as the “The East German Grease” for its 2001 video release, it was in reality a far cry from the John Travolta and Olivia Newton John classic, though the concept was essentially the same: people making the most of the summer months. Hanging out, drinking beer, having fun. While our current European summers might be patchy compared to the [...]
Seasonal Recipes: June 2013
Although at the time I am writing this, it is unrelentingly cold, grey and rainy, summer is – theoretically – upon us. And that means eating in the open air. Rain, of course, does not stop any self-respecting Brit from eating outdoors. Most of us will have childhood memories of being forced to don a wholly ineffective anorak before eventually running into the car for cover and eating squashed sandwiches in the back seat, while listening to our parents stubbornly insisting we were all [...]
STB’s 100 Favourite Places
Warning: This is not a conventional guidebook! Instead of highlighting the city’s hippest ‘hotspots’, we’ve taken a more patient and personal approach to bring you 100 special places, many of which would not be mentioned in conventional guides. While we have included recommendations on cafes and restaurants, museums and monuments, parks and architecture, we’ve resisted the temptation to compress the city’s commercial components into compelling soundbites in favour of giving our [...]
Berlin’s Craft Beer Scene
Marcel Krueger visits four of Berlin's craft brewers to explore an emerging scene... 'It is disgusting to notice the increase in the quantity of coffee used by my subjects, and the amount of money that goes out of the country as a consequence. Everybody is using coffee; this must be prevented. His Majesty was brought up on beer, and so were both his ancestors and officers. Many battles have been fought and won by soldiers nourished on beer, and the King does not believe that coffee-drinking [...]
Café Aroma
Aarti Mehta-Kroll profiles one of Berlin's first (and best) Slow Food restaurants... Photo by Lara Merrington Tucked away in an area of Schöneberg known as Red Island, Café Aroma has been a neighborhood institution since 1987. Joining Germany's Slow Food organisation in the early 90s (one of the first to do so in the city), it has been quietly providing quality Italian food and service ever since - though its slightly hidden location, reasonable prices and lack of pretention has kept [...]
Seasonal Recipes: May 2013
If you are new to Germany, you have probably already been somewhat taken aback by the passion with which the Germans celebrate asparagus. Every year in spring, the whole country goes mad for Spargelsaison. Spargelstände pop up on every street corner, blackboards proclaiming “frischer Spargel” litter the streets and many restaurants have a special “Spargelmenü”, dedicating to dishes showcasing the vegetable. Even the supermarkets get in on the act, with pyramids of Hollandaise [...]
Berlin’s Best Supper Clubs
Thyme Supperclub round up the city's best private dining experiences... Fisk & Gröönsaken Small supperclub in Prenzlauer Berg serving pescetarian cuisine (no meat) to up to 8 guests. The hosts are an exceptionally friendly German couple who go out of their way to make guests feel at home in their home. The food was beautifully presented and extremely tasty. With recommended donations usually not much more than 20,00€ per person, they also represent the best value supperclub in [...]
Azzam to Zula: Hummus in Berlin
Anne Thomas explores the nuances of Berlin’s best hummus spots, and how they function as informal peacekeepers... Image by Lara Merrington Hummus is nothing more than chickpeas, sesame paste, lemon, soda and salt. Some argue garlic is also a vital ingredient; others swear on cumin; heretics might even add coriander. The disagreements on the flavours and ingredients of "real hummus" are no different to those provoked by any popular dish, whether it’s borsch in Eastern Europe or [...]
Seasonal Recipes: April 2013
Thyme supperclub ease us into springtime with new potatoes, lamb and...chocolate orange dessert... This period in the calendar is perhaps the hardest for a cook. Winter crop vegetables are mostly past their best, but most of the spring harvest has yet to come in. In fact, historically, in northern Europe, early spring gave rise to the expression “the hunger gap” to designate the paucity of produce. Of the winter crop, leeks and cauliflower are still looking good and I’m hoping the [...]
Berlin’s Historic Market Halls
Ian Farrell explores the history - and current status - of Berlin's 19th century Markthallen... The central market hall at Alexanderplatz around 1890 The year is 1883. The newly founded nation of Germany is developing at a rapid rate, with the capital city of Berlin as its political and economic centre. On the international stage, the country is making a lot of noise establishing itself as a major player in world politics as well as science and other realms. At home, much is also [...]
