Food metamorphosis: the difficulties of cooking in a foreign country

 

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When you move to a foreign country, it’s comforting to cook some dishes from home now and then, to enjoy the familiar flavours. It wasn’t long after arriving in Berlin that I realized that this is easier said than done. I would cook something that I’d made at home a hundred times and it would taste completely different to how it would taste when cooked at home. Continue reading

A train ride through Sächsische Schweiz

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We are on our way back to the lovely Czechlands (as I think of it – really called the Czech Republic or Czechia), currently in a train going through the wooded and hilly Sächsische Schweiz area, where I’ve been on two great weekend hiking trips before and also tried the Via Ferrata. When I come to this region I always think of Skaapie, a South African friend who introduced me to this area. Continue reading

Christmas markets in Berlin

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Market at Potsdamer Platz, 2012

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Christmas bling at the Arkaden, Potsdamer Platz

The days are getting colder and darker as midwinter approaches, but visiting a Christmas market is a great way to cheer up. Have a gluhwein (or two or three), take a look at the handcrafted goods (which can make nice Christmas presents) and eat something delicious like quarkbӓllchen, knödel with Mohn, smoked fish, wildbouletten, raclette, cheese fondue, mushrooms, grilled sausages, potato puffs, caramelized almonds and much more. Continue reading