Fotoeins Fotografie

location bifurcation, place & home

Posts tagged ‘deutsche Kueche’

Wochenmarkt, Saturday farmers market, Neuenheimer Markt, Markplatz, Neuenheim, Heidelberg, Germany, fotoeins.com

My Heidelberg: Saturday farmers’ market in Neuenheim

In Heidelberg, the farmers’ markets are held regularly throughout the week at a number of locations throughout the city and region. One of six Saturday markets takes place across the Neckar river in Neuenheim. Most visitors in town will visit the Saturday market in Heidelberg’s Marktplatz, which leaves the other five Saturday markets pretty much “clear and free” to residents. And as I arrive at the market square in Neuenheim, it’s clear I’m in the minority, literally and figuratively. This is not criticism and it’s not a negative, as I used to come here occasionally when I lived here. I say as much to the various vendors, when I buy a cup of coffee, some cherry tomatoes, a piece of cake, and three empanadas.

Fresh fruit and vegetables, grown locally and imported from around Europe. Fresh bread and baked goods from a regional bakery. Fresh herbs, grown locally; fresh flowers, grown locally. Honey harvested from bees at a regional apiary. “Empanadas Argentinas”, by a woman from Córdoba who’s lived in Germany for over ten years. And there are fresh cuts of meat, tubs of olives, and glorious varieties of cheese from around Europe.

It’s time to stop eating and leave, when the vendors begin to pack. Another market, another day.

When I leave Heidelberg, no small measure of wistful longing remains; these are my streets, and this is one of my markets.

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Ratskeller, Speyer, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, fotoeins.com

Speyer: typically German in the Ratskeller

Normally, my passable handling of conversant German gets me far enough in a snack-joint (Imbiss) for a Döner or the gut-busting Dönerteller. On the infrequent occasion I’m inside a restaurant, it’ll be local German fare, much of which I’ve become accustomed while travelling within Germany since 2002.

The town or city hall in every city, town, or village is often accompanied by its own “Ratskeller” (Cellar) serving wine, beer, and food in an underground tavern. At the Speyer Ratskeller, a cold and wet Friday night is in full swing, the place packed with city residents filling all available tables and seats. My host apologizes for the wait, and I reply that it’s no problem. She suggests wine while I wait: definitely not a problem.

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Wurstkuchl, Regensburg, Bayern, Germany, fotoeins.com

Regensburg: Wurstkuchl, historic sausage kitchen

It must be midday, and time for lunch. There’s a queue more than twenty deep for the takeaway- or takeout-counter, as people walk away with a long thin grilled sausage sitting snug in an undersized oval bun. Next to the Döner, I’m also fond of the “Bratwurst”, or grilled pork sausage.

Along the Danube promenade in Regenburg’s Old Town is the historical sausage kitchen, formally “Die Historische Wurstkuchl zu Regensburg”, better known as “Wurstkuchl”. The Wurstkuchl is known as the oldest running grilled-sausage stand in the world, with the presence of a stand serving food to labourers from town and visitors from the river since the 12th-century (A,B).

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Dönerteller, City Kebap, Theaterplatz, Weimar, Germany, fotoeins.com

Fotoeins (Food) Friday: Dönerteller (Döner plate)

It doesn’t matter where I am: the craving for Döner never ceases, even if I’m on the other side of the big eastern pond. I’ve got thinly shaved slices of Döner meat drizzled with garlic- and chili-sauce, served with fries, mixed salad, and Sauerkraut, accompanied by a cool yogurt Ayran, and finished with a “türkisches Tee” (Turkish tea, not shown). I devoured this beautiful meal at City Kebap at the southwestern corner of Theaterplatz (on Dingelstedt Strasse) in Weimar.

Thanks to Weimar Tourism, Thüringen Tourismus, Germany National Tourism Board for access to places and activities in the city; and to Dorint Hotel am Goethepark for a comfortable and welcoming stay. I made the photo above on 30 April 2015 with the Canon EOS6D, EF 24-105 f/4L zoom-lens, and the following settings: 1/125s, f/4.5, ISO4000, 28mm focal-length. This post appears on Fotoeins Fotopress at fotoeins.com as http://wp.me/p1BIdT-7nU.

Auerbachs Keller, Leipzig, Germany, fotoeins.com

Leipzig’s Auerbachs Keller: devilishly comfortable

Goethe’s Faust meets Saxon comfort

If I didn’t know any better, I’d think I was giving away my soul for a good warm Saxon meal.

In the city of Leipzig, Germany, the name and influence of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe doesn’t stray far from conversation. Three more words are at the tip of the tongue: Faust. Pact. Devil.

Near the city’s central square at Markt, the Mädler-Passage beckons with bright lights and the promises of goods and riches within the shopping arcade. At the arcade’s north entrance, all are greeted by statues representing figures from “Faust”, the most famous published work by Goethe.

Signs to Auerbach’s Cellar lead downstairs on either side of the main passage. One thought remains as I walk into the basement. Am I sealing my own deal with the devil, setting foot in the Cellar’s chambers to sign away my freedom for some food, drink, and hospitality?

I’m sure the evening won’t be that dramatic. But the moment I walk in the door, I’m in the midst of culinary and literary tradition spanning many centuries.

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Cafe Burkardt, Heidelberger Altstadt, Germany, fotoeins.com

My Heidelberg: Cafe Burkardt in the Old Town

I’m often “home” in Heidelberg to visit friends who are in the city to work for the university or one of the many institutes in town. An important component for any visit to Heidelberg is Untere Strasse in the Altstadt (Lower Street in the Old Town). The narrow cobblestone street includes cafes, pubs, and shops with a neighbourhood feel attracting not only university students for “pub crawls” but also city residents for their favourite hangout spots.

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Weihnachten, Backwaren, Cafe Gundel, Karlsplatz, Hauptstrasse 212, Heidelberg, Germany, fotoeins.com

My Heidelberg: Café Gundel’s Christmas cakes & cookies (Weihnachtsgebäck)

Short sensory list

•   Sights of the Weihnachtsmarkt: bright lights; Christmas pyramid; red and yellow stars; unveiling of the Backwaren (backed goods) made especially for the holiday season.

•   Sounds of the Christmas market: the klang of full mugs distributed and empty ones collected, shouts of laughter from conversations scattered throughout the area.

•   Smells and tastes of the Christmas market: candied almonds, cashews, and peanuts; roasted chestnuts; balls of fried dough with powdered sugar; mugs of hot mulled wine, available in several fruit flavours; grilled bratwurst; fried potato pancakes with apple sauce.

When the Christmas season brings out special baked goods, it’s time to pay attention. In Heidelberg, my favourite café in the university town doesn’t hold back as photos of the “Backwaren” (baked goods) show. There’s something for everybody at Café Gundel.

And on it goes: small lifetimes can be spent, seeing, smelling, and sampling the entire collection.

A short exchange

“Noch einen Wunsch?”

“Something more?“, asks the lady behind the counter when I’ve ordered a few of this and a few more of that.

“Das war’s. Komm ich wieder morgen …”

“That’s all. I’ll come back tomorrow …” I reply, with the sound of hope and promise in my voice. I’m sure she’s heard it all before. And yet, she humours me with a smile and a chuckle.

“Wir sind noch für Sie da …”

“We’ll still be here …”

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Meral's Imbiss, Mainufer, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, fotoeins.com

My Frankfurt: taste of Istanbul on the Main

“This is like being in Istanbul,” my friend says, in between bites of his sandwich.

Ömer, his fiancée, and I are sitting on the south bank of the river Main in Frankfurt, Germany. We’re soaking the late-summer sun. The grassy meadows are full of people: some in animated conversation; some surrounded by a big spread of food, beer, and wine; others kicking the soccer ball back and forth with their children.

There’s a whole lot of happiness here, but there’s a long line of people, waiting to purchase food and drink at the boat parked by the riverbank.

We just left that very same line after waiting for an hour. What we’re eating now made the wait worthwhile.

Over the ten-plus years I’ve known Ömer, he’s never been wrong about food in Germany.

Meral's Imbiss, Mainufer, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, fotoeins.com

Speisekarte | Food menu

Meral's Imbiss, Mainufer, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, fotoeins.com

Hamsi (Sardellen) fried-fish sandwich, “Ominade”

We each have a fried-fish sandwich: lightly fried fish in thin crispy batter, crunchy lettuce, slices of juicy tomato, stuffed in fresh soft Turkish bread. There’s a choice of Sardellen (anchovies), Makrelen (mackerel), or Doradenfilet (gilthead seabream). Ominade, freshly-squeezed lemonade according to Oma’s (Grandmother’s) recipe, is the right amount of sweet-tart, providing cool refreshment for our afternoon snack.

“The guy, the family who runs that boat, they’ve got this right, and I’ve gotta admit this feels like we’re on the Bosporus.”

High praise from Ömer: born in Istanbul, raised in Köln, and who’s gone back to know Istanbul very well in adulthood.

We’re silent over the next few minutes, chewing slowly and contemplating Istanbul. I’m realizing the obvious. If the food is any indication, I’m missing out; I’ve not yet visited Istanbul.

But right now, I’m eyeing that long line: I want another fried-fish sandwich and lemonade. But I don’t want to move; this is summer-like weather on an early-autumn afternoon on the bank of the river Main.

If you’re visiting Frankfurt am Main, make your way to the Main river to the boat called Meral’s Imbissboot (Meral’s Snack Boat). Naturally, they serve Döner, but their fried fish is too good not to try. Subject to weather conditions, the boat is open for service every day from noon to 11pm, between March and October.

Public transport: nearest U-Bahn station Willy-Brandt-Platz or Schweizer Platz.

I made the photos above on 3 October (German Reunification Day) 2011. This post appears on Fotoeins Fotopress at fotoeins.com as http://wp.me/p1BIdT-4n5.

Cafe Gundel, Hauptstrasse (Karlsplatz), Heidelberg, Germany

My Heidelberg: 1st sweet taste at Café Gundel

In 2001, I moved across the big Atlantic pond from Canada to Germany. Knowing only “bitte” (please) and “danke” (thank you), I flew sight unseen to Frankfurt am Main, followed by a shuttle-bus to the German university town of Heidelberg. I would live and work in Heidelberg for two years, and I couldn’t have known the experience would change my life.

Heidelberg is a favourite “hometown” which includes many memories of firsts.

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RheinZeit, Cologne, Koeln, Germany, fotoeins.com

Germany: great eats, sweet and savory

Above/featured: Foreground: Vienna-style pork schnitzel with fries, lemon slices, capers, sardines. Background: Flammkuche with feta, green chiles, olives, onion. RheinZeit, Köln (2011).

I started this series of food pictures in 2011, and the collection of photos has grown to something more. I think food throughout Germany can be colourful and delicious, and can offer interesting variety outside of the traditional “meat and starch”.

The photos you are about to see may cause drooling.

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