Eating Germany II: Bergkäse – mountain cheese calling!

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…

Eating Germany I: German Bread – know your Brot from your Brötchen

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…

A new kid on the block: Beyond Bratwurst, my history of food in Germany

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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A new favourite cheese producer: Svein Håpnes from Skånaliseter Gårdsysteri in Limingen/Norway

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…

Cheese of the month February 2014: Queijo de Ovelha Amanteigado Curado from Quinta da Serra da Gardunha/Portugal

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…