Light Meals and Weekend Treats from an English Woman in Berlin
It’s happened – I am officially more of a fan of the white asparagus than the green kind. There was me thinking that my love for bread and salami in the morning for breakfast, constant grilling of sausages in the summer months and my love for anything pickled had made me continental enough. But now I have joined the rest of Europe and fully welcoming the delicious spears of white asparagus. Not that I don’t enjoy green asparagus….
I have made no secret of my love for asparagus, especially the delicate white kind that is popular here in Germany. It symbolises the true start of spring and finally the end of those deep, dark winters. Since moving to Berlin (many, many years ago) I have grown to love living in a country that has proper seasons. While I am not exactly in a mediterranean environment where of course Berlin can suffer from some rainy weeks in the summer or spring seems to suffer…
I am loving Spring! May is my favourite time of the year in Berlin. The sun is out (well, for some of the time at least!), there are plenty of public holidays and the parks are busy with people hanging out and enjoying the sunshine.
We had friends over last weekend and spent sunday afternoon in the Tiergarten. Of course most of that time was spent at Cafe am Neuen See, a beer garden right by the lake. I am already looking forward to the warm weather this weekend and spending the weekend relaxing in the park with a picnic. One of the things I always make for a picnic is my Asparagus and Goats Cheese Tart which is like a quiche but I use puff pastry instead of shortcrust. …
After a few beers at the Prater Beer Garden last week a few friends and I then decided on dinner at the restaurant. The menu was full of pfifferlinge. The little mushrooms were served with schnitzel, in a salad or as a sauce. I love chanterelle and always forget just how short the season is which is why this week I quickly snapped up a box at my local Rewe….
I have fallen a bit behind on the blogging the past few weeks. Wedding planning, work and lots of traveling have taken up a lot of my time but that doesn’t mean I have given up on cooking! Weekday favourites such as Pad Thai and Veggie Curry have helped me still plan to have a home cooked meal even during a busy week. Now that the weather has picked up and spring is officially here I am looking forward to a bit more al fresco dining! I can’t wait to tuck into a fresh Banh Mi on a warm evening or enjoy a bowl of Panzanella. …
In Germany we love to rave about white asparagus but I’m a much bigger fan of the green. I find it less bitter and more delicate. White asparagus wrapped in ham with a hollandaise sauce is a real German classic but for me this recipe can be greened up a bit!…
So I have been hit with a stomach bug the last week that has made food blogging and testing out
new recipes incredibly difficult! But I am back now and Spring is also in full swing!
I love Spring. Not only for the sunshine but also for the wonderful fruit and vegetables that you can find in the supermarket or at a local farmers market. This week I made a colourful Spring pasta that makes use of all the latest seasonal foods. Plus it is a light and easy meal for after work!
We often mistake a creamy pasta for being packed full of butter and loads of cream….
I am still recovering from a busy few weeks and so dinner last night was something quick and easy. This is one of my favourite meals to make 
during the week. Not only is it easy to make but it is also light and refreshing. You can add more or less what you want to this dish and is a great way to use up any leftovers in your fridge. You do not have to use all my ingredients listed below. …