Bier and Berliners in Berlin!

Few world capitals have undergone so much change over the past 300 years as Germany’s capital city of Berlin. This city was the seat of 5 different forms of governments and states. These governments were the Margraviate of Brandenburg up to 1700, Kingdom of Prussia up to 1871, German Empire up to 1918, German Reich until 1945, German Democratic Republic until 1990 and now, the Federal Republic of Germany.

Today, Berlin boasts 3.4 million inhabitants and is Europe’s third most visited capital. Due to its nightlife, festivals, contemporary architecture and avant-garde arts, Berlin has become a center for liberal lifestyle, modern zeitgeist and low-cost, high quality living. And the cuisine of this region is as colorful as the city itself!

Three typical Berliner dishes are Currywurst, Eisbein and Berliner. Currywurst is a grilled pork sausage cut into slices and seasoned with ketchup or tomato paste blended with curry and generous amounts of curry powder. Eisbeinmit Sauerkraut (pork knuckle on sauerkraut) is heavily marbled meat covered with a thick layer of crispy fat, or “crackling”. The Berliner is a doughnut made from sweet yeast dough fried in fat or oil, with a marmalade or jam filling and usually topped with icing, powdered sugar or conventional sugar. A common practical joke is to secretly fill Berliners with mustard instead of jam and serve them together with regular ones!

Unlike the rest of Germany, Berlin pubs have never had official closing times. So, all day and all night long, pub goers drink their Molle (a glass of beer) together with Rollmops (rolled fillet of marinated herring), Buletten (cold hamburgers without a bun, dipped in hot mustard) and gherkins. The Molle is a pilsner beer. The Berliner Weisse is a real Berlin specialty, very refreshing in the hot summer months, it is top-fermented, slightly clouded and has a slightly lemony flavor.

For more information and recipe ideas, visit:

https://germanfoods.org/german-food-facts/berlin-history-lifestyle-and-home-style-cuisine/