Ottoman Express

Beet dip with Za'atar

Lately I've found my culinary tastes dwelling on a particular regional cuisine instead of drifting all over the world as it normally does. It might be easy to describe as Turkish food, but its more accurate to say Ottoman food, or, food created in areas previously encompassed by the Ottoman empire, from Southern Europe to the Middle East. (I should note that for many of this region, its not a particularly cherished historical memory. But it did make for some great culinary-cross pollination.) It means that incredibly vegan-friendly range of food that gets its taste from creatively concentrated vegetables, fresh herbs, and pungent spices. I'm talking the sweet-sharp hit of pureed eggplant, paprika and onion in Balkan Ajvar, the omnipresent fresh mint, parsley and lemon topping Turkish salads, and the smoky paprika-infused oil glistening in a Hungarian paprikash.

Living in Berlin means that all the needed ingredients for this Balkan-Middle Eastern binge is right at my fingertips, and quite inexpensive. (I defy you to find a cheaper source of Za'atar and sumac than my local grocery store.) It also means you can see the persuasive power of this magic region, as Germans here prefer doner kebab to currywurst as their beer companion, and are far too comfortable drinking salted yogurt beverages (Ayran), slurping lentil soup for breakfast, or binging on cups full of mint and bulgar on a fast food break. Which only means that when I serve something with tahini for the fourth time this week, my own German hardly raises an eyebrow.

I've got a couple recipes I want to share when I perfect them (my own versions of Persian crispy rice, Ajvar, Kibbeh, ect.) but for now, here's a few dishes that explain where my tastebuds are -somewhere on the Orient Express, it seems.

Pureed Beet Dip with Za'atar (veganized from Jerusalem)
3-4 red beets
1 garlic clove (or more to taste) 
1 small dried chili/ pinch cayenne pepper / dried chili
1 cup PLAIN soy yogurt
1 2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses OR grape syrup (pekmez)
Salt and za'atar

1. Preheat oven to 400F (200C). Rinse off beets and cut off ends. Wrap in tin foil and toss in the oven, cooking for 45 minutes or until easily fork-pierceable.
2. When beets are done and cool to the touch, remove peels with a peeler + your fingers. Roughly chop and throw in the food processor along with roughly chopped garlic, chili and yogurt. Whizz away until smooth, then transfer to a mixing bowl. Fold in syrup, olive oil, and pinches each of za'atar and salt. Taste, and add in more yogurt or spices to taste.

Serve topped with slices green onions and toasted hazelnuts (if desired) with some good toasted bread or pita.

Turkish Red Lentil Soup

Turkish Red Lentil Soup with Mint and Lemon
I make a veganized combo of this recipe and this recipe, serving it with plenty of extra fresh mint, lemon, and pomegranate seeds. Its hard to mess up something so simple and delicious, and it can be served any time of day but it makes a great breakfast! (Especially with Coca cola for some reason, I know, its weird.)

Megadarra
There are many spellings and versions of this homey rice and lentil dish, but its worth mastering your own because its difficult to find anything else so delicious that can be made so cheaply and with such few ingredients. Be sure to check out alternative preparations, but here's my version.

1 C. Brown or Green Lentils, rinsed 
3-4 medium onions, chopped into half-circles (cut off ends of each peeled onion, slice from end to end, then, laying flat on cutting board, slice through thinly from end to end, producing thing concentric half-circles.)
Olive Oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 C. Basmati Rice, rinsed 
1 tsp cinnamon
Pinch each: turmeric, allspice, sugar
2 C. water
Salt and pepper

Plain soy yogurt
Roughly chopped cucumber and mint

1. You will need three cooking vessels: one large sautee pan for caramelizing onions, one small pot for cooking the lentils, and one larger pot for the rice and lentil mixture. To start, fill the smaller pot with cold, salted water and set on to boil. Set the sautee pan on medium heat and drizzle with a good couple tablespoons of olive oil.
2. Once pot of water has reached a boil, add the lentils and reduce to simmer. Cook for 15- 20 minutes, or until lentils are soft and chewy. Drain, and set aside.
3. -in the meantime (while lentils are cooking) we need to caramelize some onions. When your sautee pan is heated to medium heat with plenty of oil, add in the chopped onions and immediately lower heat to lowest setting. Stir frequently, watching for burning, and let cook for some 20-30 minutes, adding in a bit of extra oil or water if necessary because of burning. When done, onions should be brownish tendrils starting to get crispy in places. Using slotted spoon, remove onions to a serving bowl and set aside.
4. Place larger pot from step 1 on medium heat. Add in cumin seeds and toast for circa 1 minute, or until starting to turn brown. Add in a good drizzle of olive oil, then the rice, turmeric, cinnamon, allspice and sugar. Toast rice for a minute with the spices, then add in 2 C. water, and the cooked lentils. Stir, season with salt and pepper, and bring water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for circa 20 minutes, or until water is absorbed and rice is cooked.

To serve, scoop a generous serving of lentil rice mixture onto plates and top with plenty of caramelized onions. Serve with a mix of cucumber, yogurt and mint. HEAVEN.

Megadarra, Mujedrah, Mejadra, ect. with cucumber yogurt

For more Ottoman Express inspiration, check out my posts from Budapest, Belgrade, and Istanbul.


Song of the Day: The Preatures- Is this how you feel?

Pan-Fried Gnocchi with Green Goddess Sauce and Quick-Pickled Carrots

Last week my little brother was in town from the USA and we had an incredibly fun and ridiculously debaucherous time with him and a pair of his hilarious friends. Not being used to the many party-friendly novelties of Berlin (you can drink on the street! bars never close! everything great is walking distance!) they made it their mission to stay up all night every night and take it all in. I managed to avoid the craziness for a few nights but by the weekend I was in too, and I think I'll be recovering for some time. (Also from the heartbreak of suddenly having to go cold-turkey off of American-boy humor, which I apparently have really been missing.)

So for dinner after they left I decided to make something with a lot of raw garlic and green stuff to stave off oncoming infections surely flooding my weakened immune system. The perfect thing? Green Goddess dressing from Appetite for Reduction, a garlicky, tahini-laced herb dressing with tons of punch. Instead of serving it on a salad like normal however, I opted for some comfort food (to soothe my empty-nest syndrome). What better than some toothsome gnocchi? I boiled a couple of potatoes, set on the window sill to cool off, then put them through a potato ricer and kneaded the resulting mash with flour until it was easy to form little dumplings. Then I pan fried it in some olive oil and margarine. For a final kick, I peeled a carrot and quick pickled it in a bit of vinegar and sugar in the fridge.

Two parts raw, one part cooked, and extremely vibrant and delicious. I can think of many variations on this theme...

Another bright and delicious weeknight meal that incorporates a raw dressing? Another rendition of the sweet potato, tahini and onion dish from Jerusalem, served alongside some kale with garlic, diced red peppers, and a dollop of pomegranate molasses.  

Man I should eat like this every night! But then, what would I tell the veggie dogs in my fridge...?


Song of the Day: Paolo Conto- Sparring Partner

Markthalle Neun

Inside the Markthalle, via http://www.markthalleneun.de/

Anytime you live in a neighborhood long enough, you are sure to witness some surface and demographic changes. Here in Berlin, those changes seem to take place at lightening speed.

Take my corner of Kreutzberg. When I moved in, it was a sleepy street with one cafe and a grubby burger stand, along with an abandoned betting office and barbershop. A few years later, the two closed storefronts became two insanely popular restaurants (pizza and tapas) that clog the sidewalks in summer time with mamph-ing tourists, street performers angling for change, and clumsy children playing dangerously close to traffic while their parents chug red wine. Not everyone is happy with the practically overnight shift- as exemplified by plentiful "Fuck tourists!" graffiti and the occasional screeching neighbor yelling out her window at drunken passerby, "Go back to America, Touristen-Schwein!"

There are also, obviously, more thoughtful critics of gentrification and rising rents, who point to the fact that long-time residents get pushed out by newcomers willing to pay higher rents, and shops hawking precious olive oils, soaps, and innovative forms of yoga.

I'm on board with debating about the issue, but I sometimes think that the tendency to blame foreigners for what are, essentially, real-estate and urban planning issues is a bit short sighted, and in the worst cases a cover for plain old xenophobia. I mean, really, isn't it a bit of a chicken and egg issue, blaming foreigners for raising rent? Like anyone comes to a country and wishes to pay more than locals do for housing? Shouldn't we rather be enlisting newcomers into neighborhood politics, instead of a knee-jerk reaction to alienate and blame them for long-standing political problems?

That brings me to Markthalle Neun, either one of the worst examples of yuppie gentrification OR an awesome urban renewal project, depending on who you talk to. (You can guess which side I stand on.)

A few years ago, a building on Eisenbahnstrasse was home to a discount grocery store and a tacky drugstore, both of which were crowded in the corner of a voluminous space that once housed a rowdy neighborhood market before the wall fell. After years of failure, the government decided to auction off the mostly empty space in 2009, until a gang of foodies decided to occupy it for their own purposes: to start a weekly market showcasing local produce and food artisans. Surprisingly, they won! (Score one for direct action!)

Although the first few years were shaky, with poor attendance and bad sales, Markthalle Neun has suddenly exploded. Now you have to wait in a line to get house-smoked local Barbeque, sample Spanish chickpea stew, or grab a giant slice of gluten fee cake. To me, the rambunctious atmosphere is refreshing after years of stifled potential inside of this picturesque building. If you are so inclined, you might view this hall, with all its young hip Italian and Spanish people hawking organic and gluten-free wares to hip young neighborhood parents with 5 bio-babies, an annoying example of gentrification. From my side though, I'm seeing a vibrant community meeting place, supporting small ethical businesses inside a once-abandoned building that could have just as easily been sold off to a corporation or made into lofts.

I went there this weekend with S. and was surprised to see new stalls, more people, and plenty of interesting vegan food on offer. But my favorite thing has been there since the beginning: Vegan Burger, a small stand featuring several types of smoothies and juices, and one kind of burger. The 'Sunday Burger' is a few slabs of marinated and grilled tofu, cucumbers, beets, sprouts, lettuce, and three homemade sauces (chipotle, peanut, and mango) all on a sturdy whole wheat bun. While chewing my delicious burger, sipping on a carrot-orange juice, and watching cute grubby kids play and grab at organic produce, I can't help but think that this is a giant improvement over cold empty space.

  

 Song of the Day: Blumfeld- Status Quo: Vadis

Back in Form: Cupcakes and Hoppin' Jimmy

 

Chocolate-Raspberry-Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

Whew! After what now seems like several years of wedding-related madness (but was actually only a few months) S. and I are finally, really and truly, married and legally resident and official and all that jazz. I am allowed, by God, my parents and the Ausländerbehörde, to stay in Germany for the time being and start living a normal, somewhat less precarious existence. This doesn't mean that everything is stabilized (still looking for a steady job, after all) but things are calm enough that I can actually do that ultimate house-wifey activity: cook!

My first and foremost obsession of late has been cupcakes. I received a handheld mixer as a wedding gift so I can finally make American-style icing, not this glorified whip cream that Germans dig so much. The other day my friend K. finished her final law school exams and held a big party to celebrate, so I whipped up some marvelous cupcakes inspired, natch, by the PPK cupcake tome we all know and love. I made one batch of chocolate and one of vanilla, filled with homemade raspberry compote and topped with lemon cream cheese icing. Big hits (especially with me- I ate like 10 in two days.)

I've also been really into Southern food lately, following our sojourn in the US South. I got a couple of neat Community cookbooks (more on that in later posts) and also brought back some crucial ingredients- liquid smoke, molasses, and creole/ cajun seasoning.

Hoppin' Jimmy with garlicky-spinach

So far, the most popular of my "experiments" (don't ask about Peanut-beurre-blanc) is my version of Hoppin' John. I really like this for a weeknight meal because, unlike with other beans, black-eyed peas only require a quick soak and not the night-before treatment. Also, you can jazz it up with loads of spices or keep it simple as a side dish for more elaborate meals. The authentic Hoppin John would be bare bones, with the inclusion of an actual bone, a ham hock, or some other meaty thing. Mine, obvs, isn't authentic because I added a sofrito and additional spices, so we will call it Hoppin' Jimmy after my vegetarian little brother who lives for beans.

 

 *****

Hoppin' Jimmy

1 cup black-eyed peas, rinsed and soaked for at least one hour

3/4 cup white rice

1 large onion, diced

2 bell peppers (any color) diced

2 cloves garlic, diced

2 tbs. tomato paste

1 tsp. liquid smoke

1 tbs. Cajun or Creole seasoning 

oil, water, salt, pepper

1.) In pot, bring black-eyed peas and enough water to cover them to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Let simmer for ca. 1 hour, skimming off foam occasionally and adding more water if necessary, until beans are cooked through and soft.

2.) When beans are cooked to your liking, add rice and 1.5 cups of water to pot (less if there is still a lot of bean-cooking water.) Add some salt, bring back up to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer and cover.

3.) While the rice and beans are simmering away, add your onion to a medium sized, heavy bottomed pan with plenty of oil heated up to medium-low heat. When onions have slightly softened, add in chopped bell peppers and garlic and season with salt and pepper, plus the Cajun seasoning. Cook over medium heat until all vegetables have softened.

4.) Now, we combine. Give rice a check for done-ness, then a stir before adding in liquid smoke, tomato paste, and onion-pepper mixture, stirring gently to combine. Simmer for 5-10 more minutes until most of the liquid is cooked off and taste-test for any seasoning adjustments. 

Serve with greens and hot sauce.

*****

Song the Day: Soko- I'll Kill Her

Goodbye to Berlin

After returning from Belgrade I had a short and sweet interlude in Berlin before heading to the US to get (omgomgomg) married. Among the exciting meals during my Berlin interlude was a rooftop brunch with chocolate chip pancakes and hashbrowns...

 A delicious mango-coconut curry with roasted vegetables from a new Thai/ Vietnamese restaurant that popped up in Kreutzberg...

... And the greatest- 1 euro vegan tacos at Santa Maria Mexican Diner on "taco Tuesday". (They also have 1 euro tequila shots and cheap beer.) This would be the time and place to meet a cute ex-pat hipster, and share some roasted eggplant tacos with tomatillo salsa.

Of course, I already have my cutie, although right now he is back in Berlin enjoying the agony and the ecstasy of the EuroCup while I'm in the US in psycho wedding planning mode. My Dad, who has been in many war zones, keeps using the term "mission creep" to describe the experience...

Well, as long as I get my vegan wedding cake and plenty of flowers I'll be happy! Wish me luck...


Song of the Day: Wings- Silly Love Song

Happy Meals

I have absolutely no scientific evidence to back this up, but I am convinced that eating orange food in the winter counteracts some of the effects of sun deprivation. Maybe its just the bright, cheerful color of sweet potatoes and carrots that lift my mood, or maybe beta carotene packs some kind of happy punch. All I know is, when the weather is grey I can't get enough orange. (And Germans seem to agree: almost every restaurant offers pumpkin or carrot soup this time of year.) (But my sweet potato lentil soup is better. :) )

So for the last few weeks, faced with the prospect of moving to a new country, planning two weddings, and staving off poverty until impending permanent residency (and accompanying work permit) I have been trying to lower my stress levels by loading up on delicious orangey bliss. Its been kind of working.

Above we have a simple dinner from S.- sweet potatoes mashed with a little bit of maple syrup, white miso, and cinnamon, fried tofu  that has been dredged in soy milk then coated in cornstarch, a little flour and sesame seeds, and green beans sauteed with salty soy sauce. Perfection.

And then here we have a variation on an old standby: carrot-cashew pasta. This time I aimed for more of a savory flavor profile rather than the sweet flavor my other recipe gets from ginger and agave nectar. This time I boiled sliced carrots, a handful of plain cashews, and a clove of garlic until tender, then blended them with a few tablespoons of the boiling water, plus a sprinkling of curry powder and black pepper. This was tossed with pasta and topped with sauteed brown mushrooms.

And finally you have my purest version of a happy meal:

A homemade black-bean burger on a sesame seed roll topped with onions, spinach, and sriracha-laced ketchup, served with sweet potato fries and, sure, more ketchup. Eat your heart out Micky D's.

How does one make sweet potato fries, you ask? Simply preheat your oven to 400 degrees and slice up a peeled sweet potato into thin, fry-like slices. Toss resultant slices with olive oil plus any of the following: salt and pepper; cumin, cinnamon and paprika; lemon pepper and salt; ect. Bake until crispy and  try to wait until they cool down.

So, that concludes my primer on stuffing your S.A.D. face full of orange. Here are several more dishes on the same theme:
Butternut Squash Risotto with sage
Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

And now, friends, I'll continue my panicked Serbia preparations! Next time you hear from me, I'll be writing from Belgrade!
Следећи пут када чујете од мене, ја ћу бити у Београду!


Song of the Day: Tears for Fears- Everybody Wants to Rule the World

Thanksgiving

The gorgeous centerpiece, a mix of bought and found flowers from S.

The tables, decked with Brussels Sprouts, Stuffing "muffins" and mixed plates

Making a wok full of mushroom gravy at the last minute

S getting ready to enjoy his "favorite" American tradition

SO! In the midst of my INSANE 19 person Thanksgiving party, I forgot one thing: to take pictures. It's not really so much that I forgot, but more that I was so exhausted that my brain turned to mushroom gravy. But let me just say, as you can see from these guest-foraged photos, things went well! Here's a run-down:

Number of Prep Days: 3
Number of People: 19
Number of Tables: 2 (but they were equal, no kids table)
Number of Bottles of Wine: 17
Number of Sweet Potato Casseroles: 3
Amount of Mashed Potatoes: 4 Kilos
Loaves of Cornbread in Stuffing: 3
Dinner Time: 8:00 (timing was PERFECT)
Biggest Hits: Miso-Mushroom Gravy, Green Bean Casserole
Least Favorite: Chestnut-Sage-Apple Cornbread Stuffing. Delicious, but should have been served hot rather than room temp. (But there wasn't enough room in the oven...)
Biggest Question: "What do you put the gravy on?"
Biggest Exclamation: "Mampf. This is a great holiday."

SY and me, savoring victory

All in all, I can say it was a big success. And that I won't feel like cooking again until next year. :) Hope you all had as fantastic a holiday as me!!

Fighting the Winter Blues

After a freakishly warm autumn, Berlin is once again the cold, grey, stony-faced city that I dread all year. Its the time of year where I am constantly freezing, constantly sick, and totally bummed out from the uniformly short and "blah" days.

However, having spent last winter here, now I know what I am facing and have decided not to take things lying down. (Literally. I am vowing not to hide under the covers all winter.) Yes, I am taking a 3 pronged approach to combating winter blues!

Tactic 1: Stay Well
The best way to be in a good mood is to not be sick! I am doing my part by eating tons of "Russian antibiotic" ie, GARLIC!! Above is one of my favorite ways to eat a ton of anti-oxidant packed garlic: roasted in the oven. Bake the whole bulb with a bit of olive oil for 45 minutes, then squeeze out the mushy insides and use as a paste for bread, pizza, or blend it into a soup for added flavor. I used mine for this awesome and simple potato soup, topped with sriracha and chopped leftover herbs that I've been storing in the freezer.

Another part of this tactic is to take advantage of the plentiful winter citrus offerings (for me its clementines and grapefruit, yum!) and get tons of vitamin C. Finally, I'm upping my vitamin intake and making sure I get the Vitamin B that vegans need to stay healthy.

Tactic 2: Coziness
The Scandinavian countries have a secret for staying cheerful in the long grey winter: candles. Yes, lighting tons of candles and twinkly lights combats the depressing darkness everywhere, and makes you feel like an evening at home is a special occasion. I am taking this advice to heart this year: fuzzy socks, cute candles, soft music and nice teas will be found in my household. We are going to pretend to be totally Danish (stopping short of consuming massive quantities of Herring) and I'll let you know if it works.

Tactic 3: Get outside
Finally, even though it is completely gross outside it is important to leave the house and get the tiny little bit of Vitamin D available. I have decided that, so long as I can afford it, I will be going to the local coffee house to do my legal research rather than burrowing in at home. This way, I have to get dressed and get outside, and get a minimal amount of social contact (which is also important.) The walk to and fro, along with detours in the park of nearby, mean I get to enjoy at least a little weather and fresh air- which always ends up putting me in a good mood somehow.


What are your tips for beating the Winter Blahs?



Song of the Day: Future Islands- Balance

Vegan Mofo: I love my Kiez

A hipster baby eating at Cafe Marx? OMG that is so Kreutzberg, Alter...

Not to brag, or anything, but I live in pretty much the coolest neighborhood (or "Kiez" in Berliner slang) in the world. That's right, Kreutzberg 36, sort of a German Sesame Street for hippies and hipsters, maybe you've heard of it from your annoying globe-trotting friend who claims Berlin is the new Brooklyn. It's gained sort of a reputation lately and has experienced an influx of ridiculously hip British, French, and Spanish ex-pats looking to live in an artisitic, up and coming neighborhood. (This, of course, infuriates all the people who lived here before it was the center of world-hipsterdom, but what can you do.) People can complain about foreigners and gentrification all they want, but to me this neighborhood is pretty much paradise. Here are a few reasons why:

A vega-burger from Germany's first vegetarian fast-food restaurant, on Wienerstrasse

Now might be a good time to mention that punks burnt down a local McDonalds... twice

Guerilla gardening is really taking off. Check out above ground U-bahn-tracks in the background.

A soja latte w/ extra foam at Cafe Marx

One of several Sudanese restaurants around, serving up excellent tofu wraps.

Thrift store at Spreewaldplatz- meeting all of your bowling shoe, accordian, and cowboy hat needs.

Morrocan vegetable tagine, falafel, fresh carrot juice, and Veggie doner's at Rissani

And of course, every open surface is covered with murals and graffiti.

So that's my neighborhood, at least for the time being. And although I move around a lot, I'm proud to call multi-kulti, vegan friendly, hipster populated Kreutzberg my home. Come visit sometime!

Song of the Day: Kiezkiller

Vegan MoFo: Chipotle BBQ'd Tofu, Polenta w/ Spinach

On the way back from Serbia to Budapest I sat on the Slowest Train in Europe™​ next to a soccer player from the US who was traveling between games. Aside from being incredibly jealous that this 21 year old made more in 1 year than I have... ever, I enjoyed reminsicing with him over the awesome food available in our respective home towns, DC and LA. The pupusas! The pad thai! The kale! (Well, that part was just me.) And although the convo made my stomach hurt a little for the US, I had a smirk on my face, knowing that soon I would be back in Berlin, where I can re-create many of these dishes, even if there aren't restaurants offering them on every corner.

So of course today I rushed out to buy plantains and black beans, *good* tofu, tahini, miso, and all of these things I missed in Budapest which are easily available in my neighborhood in Kreutzberg. To kick things off with a bang, I made this plain old comfort food meal for me and my reunited (#anditfeelssogood) boyfriend, S. (And if you had pre-made BBQ sauce, then you've got a reallyquick weeknight meal here.)

Its the Chipotle BBQ sauce I've shown here before, except this time I added in an extra chipotle because I was just so happy to have them back. As a result it was wicked spicy, but that was a nice contrast to the creamy polenta. No secret to this, I just added in a few handfuls of raw spinach halfway through the cooking of the polenta. I topped it all with a bit of soy yogurt because it was so spicy. Me and S. gobbled all of the tofu almost instantly, but its ok.... I bought a few extra just cubes out of pure, unadulterated joy and optimism to be back in Berlin.

Song of the Day: Same as yesterday, I love St. Vincent!

Berlin to Budapest

Hey party people!

I'm writing to you now after a long absence due to my hectic last month, which included a visit to the USA, a return to Berlin, and all of the preparations to get here to crazy, sexy Budapest! It was a stressful transition, but it everytime I move to a new country it seems to get easier. Probably its about accepting that you are going to be desperately confused for about a month, and trying just to relax and enjoy the panic.

I took an overnight train (for only 29€!) from Berlin, offering me the unique experience of sleeping with 6 other people in the space of a janitors closet while we passed by Dresden, Prague, Bratislava, and a bunch of other random European cities. We arrived the next morning at Budapest's Keleti station, a train station that is both beautiful and sketchy as all get out. (There's all these weird back hallways with people playing cards and drinking shots at 9am...) Luckily, my new roommate was waiting for me, and took me back to our neighborhood which is still sketchier. On our block we have a heroin needle exchange, a brothel, a park which looks like a meeting point for human traffickers, and on the bright side, a gay bar called "Desire."

But despite the sketchiness, my apartment is lovely and centrally enough located to make the slightly disconcerting surrounding bearable. Just look, a mere 20 minute walk and I'm here, at the Central Market Hall in Fõvám square!

As a vegetarian traveling to Budapest this is a MUST. They have everything, from all varieties of local fruits and vegetables (like gorgeous Hungarian peppers) to every spice imaginable, including Hungary's favorite ingredient, paprika. (Both smoked and sweet varieties, natch.) Since I am too busy to prepare food at the moment (*sob*) I picked up some of Hungary's most available summertime fruits: flattened peaches and lascivious red cherries. I've been eating both with soy yogurt, muesli and agave nectar for a daily breakfast before heading over to Buda for my traineeship.


Meanwhile, back in Berlin, Summer is in full swing, with tons of festivals, live music playing by wanderlust-y tourists, and of course, a huge produce scare. You might wonder how cucumbers could become tainted with E.Coli.... or maybe, since you are vegetarian you don't wonder. (Hint: its from animal shit.) Sad. But look at these beautiful rainbows over Görlitzer Park!
Before I left I had a small dinner party to say goodbye to all my pals. Staying away from cucumbers and tomatoes, we indulged in a humungous pot of risotto, packed with sugar snap peas, asparagus, and lemon juice and zest. To reproduce in your own home, follow my normal risotto recipe (using 2 cups rice), lightly saute peas and asparagus on the side, then at the last minute, fold in veggies along with the juice and rind of one lemon. Completely lekker.

Meanwhile, its time to adjust to my new kitchen and get cooking here in Budapest. Wish me luck!!

Song of the Day: Ben Folds Five- Whatever and Ever, Amen

Pre-Passover Freakout!

Here's a photo of our window herb-garden blooming to represent the fact that: it's Spring! That's nice and all, but I am in a total tizzy! In two weeks I'll be heading back to the USA for an extended visit, and then coming back to Berlin only to head directly to Budapest for a summer internship. In the meantime, there's Passover, Easter, a ton of friend's birthdays, and all the normal stresses associated with being a cleaning lady.

But, I am trying to put off the freakouts just a little bit longer and approach the coming madness with the sort of non-chalance that I am known for. (Not.)

In the meantime I've been having some casual meals like the one pictured above: my take on blini w/ caviar. My friends and I made these little pancakes w/ a bit of onion mixed in, then topped them with a sauteed mince of mushroom and peppers laced with balsamic and soy sauce to make it a bit salty. On top, a dollop of soy yogurt (sour cream would also be nice) and spring onions. Perfect fancy little dinner.

And now onto Pesach! Every year I plan a huge Passover Seder and every year I end up freaking out! This year is no different. I'm having 12-15 Berliners over, only one of whom is Jewish, and trying to not only teach them about Passover but also do the whole thing vegan for a bunch of avowed meat-eaters. Yikes. I am trying to avoid major problems this year in 3 ways:
-testing out a few new recipes beforehand
-making about 1/2 the meal the day before
-doing some experimental combos that take some of the labor out of the traditional meal, and make it exotic enough that people don't even think about meat or dairy.

I hope it works! As you can see, I have a sort of Middle Eastern/ Sephardic theme going on, what with the orange and almond salad, tagine-esque quinoa, and various dips. This is also partially because of the unavailability (or expensiveness) of a lot ingredients I would normally use. However, there's still matzoh balls, so I guess its all ok.

At the end of the day, its one night of these people's lives, so if something goes wrong I am not going to freak out. But since I want people to walk away with a better understanding of both Judaism and Veganism, I am definitely feeling the pressure.

With that said, I present this year's potential Passover Seder Menu:

-Traditional Apple-Walnut Charoset
-V'Con Cucumber Dip
-Baba Ghanoush
-Kosher for passover Matzoh ball soup (recipe here or here) (ie, no tofu!)
-Giant Salad w/ Spinach, Arugula, Almonds and Orange slices and some sort of dressing
-Quinoa Tzimmes Tagine (?)
-This is an idea for a recipe that came to me which combines roasted root veggies and quinoa as a heartier, make-ahead side. It will be roasted chunks of sweet potatoes and carrots, added into a quinoa prepared with onions, garlic, ginger, and some morrocan-ish spices, ie, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon. On top will be some diced apricots.
-Eggplant Potato Moussaka w/ Pinenut Cream (from V'Con)
-Herbacious Leek and Mushroom Kugel (from years past)

And for dessert, coconut macaroons, expresso, and chocolate covered strawberries.

Ok, let me know what you think. Am I missing something? Is quinoa AND moussaka weird? Am I freaking out too much?

Anyways, if you are planning your own seder please feel free to peruse my archives:
-2010 "Dip" Seder
-2009 Seder with recipes that work for Easter and Passover

I'll post pictures afterwards to show you how it went!

Happy Spring!

Song of the Day: Get Down Moses- Joe Strummer

Not quite Spring, but almost...

Hello friends! I know the question on everyone's mind: is it Spring yet in Berlin? The answer is: kind of. Its like, sunny and stuff, and everyone's out in the park, there are one or two flowers popping out, but.... its still winter coat weather, and any lying around in the park is primarily based on wishful thinking rather than inviting weather.

Oh well. A few more days I think. At any rate, this sort of nervous, not-really-spring-not-really-winter holding pattern seems to be pushing people a bit to the brink... everyone seems to be in a bad mood, some arsonist is setting prams on fire in apartment buildings all over the city, and on top of it all, there was the recent death of poor Knut, the Berlin zoo's famously abandoned polar bear and somewhat of a Berlin mascot. And I'm sure you guys are aware of what's been going on in Japan and Libya. Not to mention the death of the fabulous Liz Taylor. Alright, there's a lot of reasons to feel un-springlike. But despite the last vestiges of winter gloom, I have to admit, its getting better, its getting better all the time...

And I've been making (if not photographing) a ton of food! Have you guys all seen the PPK's food blog, run by Isa Chandra Moskowitz? Its amazing, because its authored by our favorite trusted cookbook author, but features some simpler or quicker things to try out for dinner (and other meals). I've recently made the chipotle sweet potato chili and the red curry soup with rice, and both were simple and sublime. Great resource for those of you who don't own a PPK cookbook yet... hahaha, like there's anyone out there like that.

In addition, I recently made my own chipotle plantain enchiladas, because my friends needed some cheering up after the whole depressing "Knut incident", as well as some weekend pancakes, since I needed some cheering up after the whole depressing "winter incident". These are B's oatmeal pancakes, covered in bananas, soy yogurt, and agave nectar. Needless to say, they were cheering.

And in a few weeks, when my paycheck is here, the weather makes up its mind to stay nice, and I have a fellow American visitor in town(albeit, no vegetarian) I'm expecting that I will be even more cheered! After all, its almost Passover, almost summer, and almost time to pick up again and head to another B-named European city... Budapest!

******
And almost forgot to mention: if you are indeed unhappy about some of the events going on recently there's no reason to just sit around feeling helpless and stuffing your face with enchiladas. There are a ton of vegan bake sales going on all over the world to benefit Japan (this list has some for Japan as well as other causes.) And over at Chocolate Covered Vegan, Katie is holding a virtual bakesale to benefit Japan, which you can read all about here.

And if you are sad about Elizabeth Taylor, do yourself a favor and rent A Place in the Sun or one of her other classics. Curl up, and soak in the divine.

Shivering in the Kitchen

Ah, my first real winter in Berlin. So far I've been torn between thinking, "Bah, I hate this weather, these gray skies, the fact that I can't understand Celsius enough to figure out what to wear, I hate this continent! winter!" and thinking, "SNOW! Pretty." But I suppose so long as I can reconcile myself to a lot of time spent indoors wearing German military grade long-underwear, I will eventually make it through to the other side. (I guess you can only imagine how I look sitting around all day in men's long underwear, swearing at the cold and applying to an ever broadening selection of jobs. Its pretty damn attractive, let me tell you.)

In the meantime, I'm trying to bring in sunshine via baking! What you see above is yet another batch of bagels (although that one has no hole, interesting) topped with peanut butter, bananas, and a drizzle of maple syrup, the very best thing about winter. I also attempted to make pumpkin cinnamon rolls the other day, as promised, but oddly the dough never rose! I tested the yeast so it should have, and I'll have to chalk this one up to the mysterious different flours in this country and their vastly different rising properties. Oh well.

Another delicious recent meal was the potato-mushroom enchiladas (rather than kale) from Veganomicon complimented, just for fun, with Venezuelan black beans and Orange rice from Viva Vegan. This wasn't exactly the kind of meal that you whip together in a few minutes, but I had some hungry friends coming over and suspected that Enchiladas alone would not do. (I usually make two batches and its still not enough for a small group.) I may have used every pot and pan in the kitchen, but everything turned out delicious- spicy, savory and sweet. And let's face it, as an unemployed and freezing cold American I have lots of time to spend in a nice toasty kitchen.
Song of the Day: The National- Conversation 16

From the Archives:
More Bagels!
More Enchiladas!
More Viva Vegan!