Light Meals and Weekend Treats from an English Woman in Berlin
I think 2018 is shaping up to be a pretty good summer! Of course while Berlin is hardly a Mediterranean climate I am fortunate to live in a city that experiences proper seasons such as cold winters, blooming springs, crisp and cosy autumns and a scorching summer. Yet this year summer has felt like it did when I very first moved to Berlin. I cannot remember the last time…
In the past I have found lunch the most trickiest of meals to plan for. While I have mentioned in my previous blog post the all too often temptation to eat out in the evening after a long day in the office, I actually find the eating out at lunchtime far more tempting. The first issue has always been that I have mostly worked in central Berlin. I am often surrounded by plenty of restaurants and cafes to go out for lunch and my colleagues have always felt the same, resulting in me wanting to go out not just for the delicious food on offer but also to socialise and not be left in the office alone…
I first made these vegetarian burgers for a BBQ with a group of friends last summer. I had already planned some sausage rolls, a bacon tart and some beef skewers but then realized that I had not catered for my vegetarian friends! Even the biggest of meat lovers will love these burgers. We sat there on a warm sunny day, with a group of friends and everyone tucked into the burgers – vegetarian or not. It is a recipe for everyone….
Ah, Spargelzeit – my favourite time of the year! I have always been fond of Germany’s passion for all things seasonal and the fact that you can only find some produce when in season. Every year I am happy to see asparagus in the supermarkets and at local markets not just because it offically puts an end to the long, cold winter but it is the start of spring and the weather is warming up.
It is the white asparagus that they go crazy for over here in Germany….
We have Hemsley and Hemsley to thank for spiralized recipes being so popular and bringing pasta back to those who are gluten intolerent! I don’t have a gluten intolerence but I absolutely love courgetti. I have always tried to cut back on the carbs by using lots of fresh vegetables and courgetti is perfect for this. It may seem like a bit of a ‘health fad’ at the moment but it really is a great alternative to some heavy glutenous pasta and a great way to pack in more of your five a day. …
It always surprises me how difficult it is to find quiche in a German supermarket – everyone loves quiche! I always think back to my student days and shopping in Asda or Tesco. There would be a huge selection of quiche! But when I moved to Germany it was near impossible to find a ready made quiche in the supermarket. Now, I am kind of grateful … making your own is not only easy but also delicious!…
I love the summer and feasting on a bit of al fresco dining! Banh Mi, Greek Style Mezze, Simple Greek Salad and Panzanella are all summer favourites of mine. There is certainly no room for hearty stews and standing over a load of pots and pans during the summer months! …
The sun sure is shining lately! I spent my weekend by the lakes and then cooling down with a cold beer in the Prater Garden in the evenings. And while the weather is starting to cool down it doesn’t mean that the BBQ weather is over for good this summer! …