Light Meals and Weekend Treats from an English Woman in Berlin
Berlin is steadily improving in the Mexican food department! When I first moved here and until recently Mexican style restaurants were clearly catering towards the German taste of all things bland and fear of anything that has spice. The complete opposite to the hot, spicy, fresh and zingy tastes of Mexican food that it is no wonder a lot of places simply serve stodgy style enchiladas baked in cheese and smothered in sour cream or nachos that are made up of cheap supermarket tortilla chips…
I have mentioned a few times that one of my favourite meals is a Charcuterie and cheese board, or a meat and cheese night as my husband and I fondly call it. I love putting together a selection of cheese and cured ham or salami, it is such an easy meal to throw together that still feels elegant and special. I like to spend time carefully curating specific hams and cheese that work well together and I leave my husband to do the wine pairing! Whether it is sitting out on the balcony with a crisp…
The humble aubergine may have received a little negative press recently in relation to arthritus. And I say little because it really is little. Self-taught nutrionists make up a very small % of the actual nutritional advice out there and are the ones without any real case-controlled studies to back their points. Research is also very limited and overall most of us seem to get on ok with the aubergine! Including aubergines in your diet is incredibly healthy and a great way for those working on weight loss or controlling type 2 diabetes….
It seems like this sunny weather is sticking around although I have felt slightly British the last few days by complaining about the heat already..! Every year it always takes me by surprise the lack of air coniditioning in Berlin. I get that Berlin is hardly the Mediterranean climate but the summers are hot! So instead, it means plenty of afterwork beer garden visits to the Prater or sitting on the balcony with a cold glass of wine….
I am a big fan of a salad and it is something that I eat quite often. The humble salad often gets a bit of negative press, mainly due to the stereotype of it being a bit of limp lettuce with some soggy tomatoes, a bit of cucumber and a rather acidic dressing. But for me a salad is a great way to use up any leftovers in the fridge and bring together an array of different ingredients. They are quick and easy to make and are the perfect light dinner, while also packing up nicely for lunch the next day…
It just isn’t a decent curry unless you have a side of little fried balls of onions that are crispy and generously spiced! I have made no secret of how disappointed I am in with Indian food in Berlin. The curries are mild with no spice or heat at all and are often just a watery or creamy bowl of blandness with some stodgy, wet rice on the side. A few years ago we did actually find a fairly good Indian restaurant and while their curries were in no competition to the ones we enjoy in the UK…
Ah, asparagus – I just can’t get enough of it! Spring is my favourite season, especially for food and fresh produce. The root vegetables have fallen out of season and instead we have new potatoes, crispy sweet lettuce and of course pungent, delicate asparagus! I do find comfort during the winter when parsnips, turnips and brussel sprouts start to make an appearance, but spring vegetables bring much more excitement! It is like a glimmer of hope that summer is just around the corner…
Greek Briam is a favourite spring/ summer time dish of mine. Sat out on the balcony, with a glass of wine and a plate of this medley of olive oil roasted vegetables is another example of how Greek cuisine is all about taking ordinary ingredients to create full and beautiful flavours. It is good, honest and healthy food that is cooked simply. It is very similar to a ratatouille or a tourlou (a Greek oven baked stew) and typically topped with feta and basil….