Tales of pickles and 'Ostalgie'

On the day to commemorate 25 years of German reunification, it seems only right to recognise the beloved Spreewälder Gurken (Spreewald pickles) and the concept of Ostalgie. For this little gherkin, represents a wealth of German history and political, even emotional conflict. He is more than just a pickle and encapsulates the essence of Ostalgie, the longing or nostalgia for the East German regime, the GDR.

Ask today's Berliner how they feel about the German reunification and of course, the majority are relieved and positive about the end of the GDR (and their country becoming whole again). However, there are some who lament the loss of the communist era and with it, the social system and the feeling of being part of a community.

This longing, affectionately termed 'ostalgie', a play on the words 'ost' meaning east and 'nostalgie' meaning nostalgia, encompasses the sentiment felt by some East germans that it was better in the days of the GDR. 'Die Mauer im Kopf' (wall in the mind) represents the divide, east from west, that continues to be felt by some. The remains of the Berlin wall may have been swept away, but it could take another generation for its effects to be fully forgotten. 

Walking around Neukölln, where I live, the difficult past of this city can be so easily forgotten, but enter Mitte or walk by Ostbahnhof and the remnants can be seen. Walk along Bernauerstraße on your way to Mauer Park, pass the Eastside gallery on your way to Berghain, Berlin's struggle is tangible, though it may now be brightly coloured. 

The Spreewald pickle, hailing from the damp, swampy forests of the Spreewald region just outside of Berlin, are one of the last remaining 'Ostprodukte' (Eastern products) to survive the fall of the wall. Flavoured either with dill, mustard seed or spices, they help satiate this nostalgia and represent a little win over the dominant West.

A popular delicacy in Berlin for centuries, stemming back to the 1740s when Frederick the Great, king of Prussia, brought both potatoes and cucumbers to Germany. He was a good man- I have no idea what Berliners would do without potatoes and pickles!

Other OstProdukte that can still be found in today's German supermarkets are Rotkäppchen, Vita cola and Berliner Pilsner. Rotkäppchen sekt (sparkling wine) is still very much the favoured Berliner bubbles of choice. A few days ago, in my local Späti, (corner shop), a lady was forced to buy a bottle of Mumm as the Rotkäppchen was sold out and this clearly pained her no end. Rotkäppchen actually now owns Mumm, but she wasn't to know.

If your interest has been piqued, go to Ostpaket in Mitte here in Berlin, which is an Ostalgie paradise. 

The authentic way to enjoy this juicy, fruity little Spreewälder pickle is with a hunk of good German bread and a lick of schmalz (dripping). If, like me, dripping gives you the fear, then you can find veggie options as shown in the photo. 

Enjoy with a nice Berliner Pilsner or a glass of Rotkäppchen and raise your glass to the German Reunification.

Prost!

A trip to the Basque Country by way of Berlin- Txokoa

A couple of weeks ago now, four of my oldest friends came to visit me here in Berlin. It was a whistle stop tour that involved food, food and more food. Attendance on my food tour was of course compulsory, and they were delighted with the introduction to the variety of things to eat in this city (though they had to say that). Naturally, our food tour did not end there.

We delved further to explore what Berlin has to offer and as always, the place that stood out, was Txokoa. Nestled on a corner of the popular Weserstraße in Neukölln, it is described as a Basque Gastro bar. The menu here is special and offers far more than the typical Spanish tapas available in Berlin.

Slow roasted pork belly over 24 hours, watermelon gazpacho with almond mousse and truffled potato croquettes are just some of the choices to entice you. There is something for both carnivores and plant eaters alike, though perhaps not for those vegans among us.

We chose a selection of dishes, which is my recommended way to order here, as portions are small and believe me, you want to enjoy the variety of this menu. The squid ink orzo with prawns was phenomenal and had a rich, salty silkiness that stained your lips obsidian. Tip- check your face in the bathroom mirror before leaving.

The pork belly with apples is exquisite and you'll also need the pork belly croquettes, trust me. As someone that eats mainly plants, this was by no means a pork overload. Divine.

The Mallorca tartlet is a must, with aubergine, Sobrasada and gratinated goat's cheese and always takes me to another plane whenever I have it.

As we were on holiday, (my friends at least), we decided to have dessert.

The right decision.

The hot chocolate fondant with mandarine sorbet and wasabi was genius and though I know we've all had a fondant somewhere before, this was special.

Prices are perhaps not as cheap as Berlin can be, but any penny spent here is a penny well spent. I promise. Enjoy.

Txokoa is something of an old faithful for me now, somewhere I always take anyone that visits. The quality never diminishes but seems to continue to improve and become more interesting every time I go.

Afterwards, as we did, you can roll out onto the busy Weserstaße and duck into one of the ever-growing bars that adorn this street. If all that pork will let you.

Berlin restaurant inspiration- Dr.To's

I love to cook. Cooking is always a very creative process for me, it feels akin to painting or singing. Often in my kitchen cooking and singing go hand in hand, its quite a spectacle, 'Don't cry for me Argentina' anyone?

Anyway, I take a great deal of inspiration from many of the dishes I have tried while eating out in restaurants in Berlin. Ranging from Palestinian food to Pan-Asian to traditional German and with the truly delicious ones, I attempt to recreate at home.

So I'm happy to introduce these restaurant inspired recipes and my take on some of my favourite dishes I've discovered from Berlin's eclectic food scene. Berlin, like other capitals, is a melting pot of vibrant cultures and this is reflected in the diverse choices when it comes to food and therefore eating out has truly enhanced my own kitchen.

Let me begin with this dish of udon noodles with tomatoes, aubergine and tofu. This was born out of sheer admiration for the exquisite tomato, aubergine and coriander salad at the insurmountable Dr. To's.

The Original. Dr.To's tomato, aubergine and coriander salad

Dr. To's is an all time favourite of mine and somewhere I always take anyone that comes to visit. They offer Pan-Asian tapas and this little salad is a show stopper. So simple but so good.

Now let me just say, I do not profess to be cooking in accordance to how Dr.To's prepare their salad. I have taken the delicate flavours that I tasted and created this udon noodle treat. Adding these ingredients makes it a meal in itself and it is a warm dish rather than a cold salad. Udon noodles and tofu are usual contenders for my Dr. To's menu picking, so it seemed an appropriate ensemble. This recipe is my interpretation and attempt to honour the dish I enjoy so much there.

And if I do say so myself, it's great. One of my go to weeknight suppers. Deliciously fragrant, healthy and satisfying. Enjoy!

Shopping list:

Serves 4

5 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 aubergine, cut into large chunks
600g of Udon noodles
200g firm tofu
bunch of coriander, roughly chopped, stalks and all
2 red onions, peeled and sliced
soy sauce
2 inches of ginger, peeled and grated
2 tbsp of good quality vinegar

Add olive oil to a large pan and cook the aubergine for 5 minutes on all sides. Liberally add soy sauce and cook for a further few minutes and then add the vinegar. Cook until evaporated off.

Now add the tomatoes, coriander stalks and ginger and cook until softened.

Add the sliced onions and stir until they are warmed through, you still want a nice crunchy freshness to them.

Now add the udon noodles, and with your hands, crumble up the tofu and stir into the vegetables and heat through.

Finish off with some more soy sauce and a large handful of roughly chopped coriander and serve.

And don't forget to try the original at Dr.To's!

Dr.To's, Weichselstraße 54, 12045 Berlin

Berlin's best falafel

Falafel in Berlin is as ubiquitous as the currywurst, the ampelmann and dog poop on your shoe. Popping out for one is akin to going for a curry or to the chippie back in the UK. And they are awesome.

Due to the prominent Arabic community here in Berlin, the majority of whom were refugees from the Middle East, in particular those escaping from the Lebanon Civil war during the 70s, Berlin is blessed with vibrant and delicious Arabic food.

Lebanese, Palestinian and even Egyptian restaurants offer a wealth of dishes such as everyones favourite - hummus, creamy musabaha, earthy foul and of course the one and only falafel. The choice of places to find such delicacies in Berlin is endless, and so too the quality.

Here I have collected my personal favourites for you and awarded them the medals they deserve, along with an honourable mention as it was really pretty hard to narrow these choices down.

You would be more than satisfied with each one of these falafels, but it is Mo's that steals my falafel loving heart.

A tip for your falafel quest- though you can find offerings across the city, Neukölln or 'Little Beirut',  is mecca for them, hence why the majority of my choices are in this neighbourhood.

So enjoy, and happy falafel hunting!

Honourable mention:

1001 falafel

1001 falafel will always hold a special place in my heart as it is one of the very first falafels I ever tried in Berlin and the first one my Mother tried when she came to visit.  She still talks about it today. Super scrummy falafel im brot with a lusciously tangy tahini sauce, this wrap is a perfect falafel fix. The makali here is also awesome. Not much space to sit down, more of a place to grab it and go or perch on one of the benches. You can find these guys on Stargarder strasse in Prenzlauer Berg and also in Kreuzberg at Oranienplatz.

Stargarder Str. 73, 10437 Berlin, and Oranienstr. 196, 10999 Berlin

Bronze:

Al Andalos

This colourful Lebanese restaurant on Sonnenallee in Neukölln may not offer the best falafel but the hummus and sides of warm tomatoes and green beans, sauteed potatoes, pickles, rice with lentils and spinach elevates their falafel plate to one of my all time favourite things to eat in Berlin. Seriously delicious. Ask for the Vegetarisch Teller (vegetarian plate).

Sonnenallee 40, 12045 Berlin

Silver:

Azzam

Just a few doors down from Al Andalos (this area really is the place for falafel) is Azzam. It was with difficulty that I placed these guys second, as their food is truly awesome and it was Azzam that introduced me to the world of beautiful Palestinian cuisine. The service is dreamy (last time they gave me some baklava on the house!) and the food authentic. Watching the hummus made by hand is mesmerizing and shows how everything here is made fresh and to order. The taste reflects this, with spiced falafel that I think has a delicate flavour close to gingerbread. That sounds a bit strange actually, but either way they are great. Go with a friend and share the falafel plate and a musabaha. You'll be happy, I promise.

Sonnenallee 54, Berlin

Gold:

Mo's Kleiner Imbiss

Their slogan reads 'The King of Falafel' and they do not lie. The falafel wrap here is bursting with freshness. Roasted vegetables, spicy harissa, hummus and their gorgeous falafel. Here, there seems to be extra greens in the falafel mix and they taste somehow juicy, succulent. Another place to grab it and go, this will satisfy all your falafel dreams and desires. Go, go now.

Urbanstraße 68
10967 Berlin

A slice of Vegan perfection at Monella

Wandering along Weichselstraße in Neukölln, beneath the perfumed Linden trees, you'll find a crazy amount of bars and restaurants. In the last couple of years, the number of hip places to be fed and watered in this popular district has sky rocketed and it seems as though a new one pops up every week.

A couple of weeks ago my boyfriend and I were strolling around the neighbourhood, looking idly for somewhere new to eat and happened upon Monella. It looked welcoming and boasted a simple chalk menu of various pizzas and with it being a stones throw away from home, we decided to give it a whirl. The world of vegan cooking fascinates me so it was the vegan pizza option that swung it.

We sat outside to enjoy the delicious, balmy nights Berlin has been blessed with of late, but had a peek inside to find a rather impressive silver pizza oven burning away. It looked to me as, if Frank Gehry designed pizza ovens, this would be his creation. Other than that, the restaurant had all of the typical Berlin restaurant/bar favourites- the stripped back, rustic and 'shabby chic' charm.

The pizzas came and without expectation, were absolutely delightful.

Vegan options can so often be simply an after thought and while it is great when places choose to include vegan dishes, when the offering is a slice of rock hard avocado with slices of vacuum- packed beetroot stuffed into a dry tortilla wrap, (no names mentioned), I'd rather they just didn't bother.

The vegan pizza at Monella was no afterthought.

Much care and consideration had gone into its creation with the rich tomato base, beautifully roasted aubergine and courgette teamed with a drizzle of fragrant green pesto. The dusting of ground cashews pleased me no end and created a perfectly unctuous and comforting affair and also reflected the obvious attention to detail that had gone into the planning of this pizza. My partners Calzone was bursting with flavour and a liberal amount of gooey cheese. 

To accompany my blissful enjoyment of this vegan pizza, the service was a dream, something that still seems a treat when eating out in Berlin. Good service is never a guarantee in this city. Here, the chap behind Monella with Italian/Austrian roots, (hence the taste for great quality pizzas), takes his menu very seriously. On telling him of my complete relish for the vegan pizza, he explained he had taken a lot of time experimenting with different flavours to achieve the best combinations. And you can taste that, my pizza was simple but perfectly flavoured.

As well as pizzas, you can find anti pasti, desserts and some rather fancy cocktails.

By Berlin standards, the prices are not cheap, but reasonable between 8-12 euros per pizza. And I have to remember that Berlin and in particular, Neukölln, is no longer the place I moved to five years ago. More and more people like myself have made it their home and prices have soared in all aspects of life. Of course it is still cheap compared to London and many other hauptstadts, but times are a changing!

Anyway, Monella is great, and if this is one of the positives that has arisen from such gentrification- divine vegan pizzas served with happy, smiling faces, then to that aspect of gentrification I say, amen.

Monella, Weichselstraße. 17, Neukölln, Berlin

U-bahn- Rathaus Neukölln

http://monella.berlin/

Tales of Potatoes and Potsdam

The potato, or rather the Kartoffel, is king in Germany. 

It is the staple accompaniment for so many dishes, the childhood favourite of simply boiled and served with herby quark, or fried alongside an intimidatingly large schnitzel or used to create pillows of deliciousness in the form of German dumplings, Knödel. Debates are made as to the best way to make your kartoffel salat (potato salad) and any traditional German dish is not without the humble tuber in some form.

The potato invokes passion and great enthusiasm here in Germany, which is perhaps most evident in the sweet tale of the potato Linda. This particular variety of potato almost became extinct in Germany back in 2004, when the company that distributed it decided they were no longer going to. This meant that any farmer that continued to grow this potato would be acting illegally. Petitions were signed and rallies were made and with support from the media, Linda was saved. This was a farmer's success story and supports the fact, one should never try and come between a German and their potato! 

Now, in the area I live in Berlin- Neukölln, there is a farmers market named Die Dicke Linda (the fat Linda) in honour of this special spud.

Cookbooks and restaurants can be found dedicated solely to this humble veggie. The potato is revered and celebrated and to be honest, I can whole heartedly understand. WHAT WOULD WE DO WITHOUT POTATOES?

It is thanks to Prussia's favourite king, Frederick the Great, that we have such potato based specialities in Germany today.

He introduced this strange and exotic vegetable to the Kingdom of Prussia in 1743 which, initially, was met with suspicion and avoidance.

However, Old Fritz, recognising the potato's affordable and nourishing qualities, was on a mission to encourage his people to accept it. He decided to grow potatoes in abundance within the gardens leading up to his palace, Sanssouci, in Potsdam and ordered his soldiers to guard the potato fields heavily, thus piquing the interest of the villagers. At night, the king instructed his soldiers to relax their guard so as to allow villagers to creep into the fields and steal these 'treasured' potatoes.

And the rest, as they say, is history. To this day, the Germans love their spuds. If you visit the palace at Potsdam and go to Frederick's grave, you will find an array of potato offerings, scattered across his resting space. Flowers are redundant, it is the potato that should be left as a mark of respect and gratitude for bringing this great vegetable and source of such culinary wealth to their land.

Interestingly, the potato was shunned across Europe, originally brought over from South America by the Spanish during the 15th century. During the 18th century, it was met with doubt from the British, as potatoes were not mentioned in the Bible, and in France, Marie Antoinette needed a lot of persuasion to accept the strange looking tuber as food. This was achieved by a scientist named Antoine Parmentier (Parmentier potatoes!) who introduced her to the beauty of potato plant blossoms in the form of a trendy head dress.

Back in Germany, I recently made the journey from Berlin to Potsdam with my brother, visiting from London, and decided to respect the potato-offering tradition by leaving a few from my kitchen on the old king's grave. Unfortunately, my offerings were not too pretty and had become a little old and shriveled, (it was a Sunday when the whole of Germany is closed!).I decided to take them regardless. I mean after all- they were from the very expensive Bio Company, so I figured they would be good enough for Old Fritz and not too offensive!

Now, I am a fairly sentimental person and to be fair, it doesn't take much to stir my emotional side,  but it felt quite special to take part in this old tradition of placing a potato on top of Frederick the Great's grave and remembering his part to play.

Should I get out more? I don't know, but lets raise a schnapps (preferably a potato based one) to Old Fritz and his faith in the potato.

http://www.potsdam-park-sanssouci.de/palace-Sanssouci.html

Mo's Imbiss - the King of Falafel

Along Urbanstraße lies a little hole in the wall adorned with a funky sign claiming to be 'the king of falafel'. Hmm I wonder, in Berlin? In the world? Well, I was going to find out.

People are always crowded around this little spot and having exhausted the other falafel hotspots in Neukölln where I live, it seemed time to put this claim to the test.

Arriving at Mo's Imbiss, we are met with 2 hungry groups waiting despite, what was, a chilly evening. Once it was our turn we are greeted by the kind faced co-owner ready to take our order.  Taking time to consider the menu, I notice that someone here is either naturally health conscious, or seriously clued up as to what is popular on the food scene right now. There is a variety of clearly stated vegan options with vegan 'halloumi', cutely named- 'vegalloumi', freshly- pressed beetroot and ginger juice and salads. This is a falafel- come- cleaneating health nut's dream. I LOVE IT.

I order the vegan falafel with vegan halloumi, (this is essentially tofu but it really works) and hummus. My boyfriend orders the regular halloumi falafel.

The lady prepares the falafel with care and precision and it arrives stuffed with roasted vegetables; aubergine, potato and broccoli and a generous dollop of creamy hummus. There are some great falafel in Berlin but I found this seriously delicious and bursting with a freshness others lack. Leafy greens and a spicy harissa sauce take this to another level for me, even the falafel seems to have veggies in it. Nothing greasy about Mo's falafel apart from the spicy harissa sauce dripping all over your fingers. And that kind of grease is ok by me.

The lady behind the window serves us copious amounts of hot, sweet tea and apple slices to refresh our palates, you get the impression she wants to look after her customers,  that she cares. Something not always so common in Berlin and so always a treat. We have a little chat with her and learn she comes from Russia and owns Mo's with her Damascan husband- Mo of course! They used to have a slightly larger restaurant in nearby Graefestraße, until the lease ran out and they moved to their tiny spot in Neukölln.

Mo's is a little gem, fresh, clean and mouth-watering falafal with a little bit of Russian love. I'd definitely recommend this place for Berlin locals and visitors alike. Before long they will have to start looking for somewhere a little bigger than than their quaint little hole in the wall- I'm sure of it!

Mo’s kleiner Imbiss Urbanstraße 68
10967 Berlin

U-bahn- Hermannplatz