Ursula Heinzelmann, Wein- & Essenschreiberin
As soon as the temperature creeps up a bit, Germans are obsessed with eating outdoors. These last years beer gardens have been joined by beach bars (Strandbar) on urban river stretches, urban parks with designated areas for BYO barbecues (Grillzone), as well as the revival of the good old Balkonien, the home balcony. Modern culinary influences are present everywhere » Weiterlesen…
What? Excuse me? You think of Eierlikör aka Advocaat as strange gloopy stuff? Oh please, rethink. After all, mixologists presently revive all kinds of colorful sweet concoctions from Granny‘s and Auntie‘s drink cabinet. Eierlikör is actually a Dutch creation, but counts among the culinary peculiarities most Brits classify as ultra-German and utterly bewildering. » Weiterlesen…
In my Heinzelcheese life, Friday means Markthalle Neun: from 6 till 7pm I’m sitting with non-German foodies around the big Eatdrinktalk table to drink wine, taste cheese and practice German in a totally delicious, easy way. As an equally delicious side effect, Friday is Heinzel-cheese-shopping day, because the Markthalle’s cheese offers are excellent. Therefore this month’s cheese comes from Kreuzberg… » Weiterlesen…
I recently shed a layer on my morning run as the sun is very slowly gaining in strength, and I can see the buds swelling on the trees in front of the kitchen window – spring is coming! Which means: Bärlauch time is around the corner. » Weiterlesen…
Once upon a time, a real long time ago, Rheinhessen wasn’t cool at all. The word as such was almost an insult back then, before the new dawn broke with all the wonderful, adventurous young wine producers we take for granted nowadays… However, there was some excellent wine, above all Riesling, and it grew where the Rhine flows along steep terraces with deep red soil, between Nierstein and Nackenheim, on the so-called Roter Hang. » Weiterlesen…
On the second leg of our Eating Germany tour, we go south, and we go cheese. When in Bavaria, forget the fairy-tale castle that is Neuschwanstein (all right, go, but after that) don your walking boots and discover new landscapes that are much more real! The local Käser and Hirten (or cheese-makers and herdsmen) are happy to talk cheese and cows. They have changed a bit since Heidi’s times » Weiterlesen…
On this tour around Eating Germany, let’s start with the basics. In Germany this inevitably means bready substances, Brot und Brötchen, bread and rolls. I do apologize for the totally exaggerated length of this entry, but that comes with the subject I’m afraid – the multitudinous variety of bread and rolls in Germany is legendary. » Weiterlesen…
I’m so excited. Praenatal anxiety has made way to pure joy and pride. My new one has entered this world! I’m very happy how all the stuff that was for so long safely folded up inside my writer’s head and soul has actually transformed into a book… Please meet Beyond Bratwurst, my history of food in Germany. Chronologically, from the gruel-eating Stone Age to Berlin’s Markthalle Neun today.
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The Norwegians are one of the few reasons for me to visit the Grüne Woche, as their presentation is clearly based on quality. These friendly Nordic men and women all sport the loveliest redbluewhite starred knitted pullovers and they have aquavit (of course), a lot of fish as well as rendeer and elk meat on offer. However what excited me most this time was the goat cheese (of course) Svein Håpnes showed me. » Weiterlesen…
I know, I’m writing a lot about Portugal these days. But life rarely flows in a quiet stream, balanced, temperate and calm. Rather, it’s leaping and jumping ahead. And that means that at the moment the wild country on the Atlantic coast looms large in my world. After my beautiful excursion to the Alentejo in the fall (about which more here) I was slightly mad with myself for returning without one of the onctuous sheeps‘ milk cheeses from the center of Portugal. » Weiterlesen…