TooGoodtoGo App review: some cheap fruit & veg in Kaiserslautern

Recently, I read about an app called TooGoodtoGo, which allows restaurants and stores to sell leftover food at a low price. It benefits consumers with a deal; benefits the store by selling something that otherwise might make it into the trash; and of course it benefits the environment, too, by diverting food from the trash.

It was a pleasant surprise to find out that a few stores in Kaiserslautern participate. One was a fast food fish restaurant (Nordsee), which isn't for me because I don't like fish. However, the other offering, Real, a grocery store, was just what I had in mind: for 3,50 euros, I would receive at least 10 euros' worth of fruits and vegetables. Participating stores sell a limited number of shares but several were left at Real, so why not give it a try, I thought.

I downloaded the app, found the offer from Real, tapped buy, selected one portion, clicked buy, added my payment method, and received a receipt. Pickup times were between 1600-2000, so I tooled over to the store and went to the front desk and told the staff member I was there for the TooGoodtoGo pickup. After looking over my in-app receipt, she swiped it and told me to pick it my package in the produce department and then come back through customer service so she could buzz me through the gate. Easy enough.

I received about 8 different items, including: rucola salad, another container of some weird lettuce, some pale yellowish-orange carrots, cherry tomatoes, oranges, an apple, a head of broccoli, and a container of broccoli and cauliflower. Everything is still fresh enough to eat raw but I won't have high hopes for a long shelf-life since part of the purpose of the setup is to help the store move some of its older produce.

My treasure trove of fruits and veg

So, do I feel that it's worth it? Yes, I was happy with my purchase and I feel that I received even more than ten euros' worth. It is somewhat difficult as one person to use all this up so it might make sense to split the purchase with a friend, especially when it comes to the salad and fruit. I could make some vegetable dishes and freeze them though. For those who juice fruits and vegetables, it's a good haul. I think I'll even blend some up for a fruit smoothie of my own.

One downside is that the app is still gaining traction. In Kaiserslautern, there are only three participating locations, and even in bigger cities in the area, like Mannheim, there aren't a lot of options yet, but I hope that the app's popularity will grow and more stores and restaurants will participate.

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All opinions are completely my own. I received absolutely no compensation or consideration from the app or the store. I'm independent, yo!

What 11 euros buys at Aldi

First of all, this isn't a sponsored post for Aldi. I can't imagine that the company would agree to sponsor some of the (true) things I'm going to say about it. So there's that.

Anyway, above is a photo of what about 11 euors (technically it was 10.79) buys at Aldi. It includes: 2 packages of Muesli; two one liter packages of milk (not actually for the Muesli, for the record); a package of onions; 3 Pink Lady apples; and a 3-pack of garlic.

I thought it might be interesting to share how much it costs to shop on the German economy. Even though I can shop at the Commissary, I try to avoid the produce section there at all costs. I've bought items there that went bad the next day. Even worse was when I bought a packet of produce and the majority of it was already bad. I could've taken it back, I guess, but I didn't want all that work. Instead, I know better now and buy fruits and vegetables "on the economy," as people here say. They're fresher and often cheaper than buying them from the Commissary.

Anyway, the fruits and vegetables I bought on this shopping trip were a good deal. The more expensive part of the trip was the Muesli. However, as Edith Piaf said, I regret nothing.

I wanted to illustrate how Aldi in Germany is very different from the Aldi (of the past) that was in the U.S. When I grew up in Michigan, I visited Aldi several times, but it wasn't a store we'd really use for shopping. At the time, Aldi was, well, gross. I don't mean that the store was dirty or anything; I mean that the food offerings weren't palatable-looking.

The majority of the goods were composed of frozen, low-quality convenience food. For example, there were tons of sketchy-looking frozen pizzas, frozen fried potato concoctions, etc. The non-frozen food was mostly packaged junk food of low quality. Plus, there was the weirdness of bagging your groceries yourself and not being given grocery bags. Aldi just wasn't for us in Michigan.

When I moved to Germany, I was pleasantly surprised by Aldi. Yes, one still must bag one's own groceries and pay if one doesn't bring her own bag, but that's better for the environment, allows one to pack the groceries as one wishes, and the food is so much better here. It's one of the cheapest places to buy decent produce. The store's offerings are basic, but I can usually find what I need there. Weekly specials sometimes offer gourmet food from other countries.

When I was back in Michigan last summer, I wanted to buy some inexpensive wine and we were near Aldi so we decided to stop by. I had heard that Trader Joe's and Aldi are now part of the same company in the US, and was pleasantly surprised to see what that means for Aldi now. The store is still basic but the food offerings are things that I actually would -- and did -- eat. There were organic, gluten-free, and Basic White Girl offerings (read: hummus). Plus there was plenty of fresh produce. Good for you, Aldi, for not being so gross any more!

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I showed great restraint as a Michigander and did not call it "Aldi's."

NPR article about seasonal eating in Germany

NPR featured a piece about seasonal eating and festivals in Germany. Check it out; it's well-written and on-point.

What I found to be especially true is the part about shoppers being accustomed to a smaller selection of produce featuring what's in season at the discount supermarkets. Indeed, this is the case at Aldi, Lidl, and Penny. When I'm cooking things that are out of season, I have to visit the big guys like Real or Globus.

My week: May 17 ed.

This was a fun week! It might be summed up as: learning German, traveling for work, celebrating men's day, hanging out with a sneaky Moo Doppelgänger, eating foraged salads and smoothies (and not dying, which is a mega bonus), the gaining of a new Moo fan without that person even meeting him, and seeing Nuremberg through the eyes of some locals. Oh yeah, and I also came to acquire Horst der Stinker.

-I traveled for work early in the week. The air conditioning was not functioning in the work vehicle so we drove for two hours with the windows down. I ended up with a mega headache, probably a migraine. I have heard from many Germans that having the air conditioning on in a car gives them a headache, but I'm rather certain that having air pounding one's ears while flying down the highway at 80 mph isn't so healthful either.

-After I rushed back to town, I stumbled through one German class. My headache was raging to the point that I could barely focus my eyes so I skipped class #2.

-I traveled again for work later in the week and decided to make a mini vacation of the trip while I wasn't working. I took my own car so there was no problem with air conditioning.

I stayed with three different hosts and had three very different, but fun experiences. The first family who hosted me live so far out in the country that their "village" is only about ten houses surrounded by farm fields. I arrived on the evening of a German holiday, which is both Ascension Day and Father's Day/Men's Day. The wife in the family told me that the men would be drunk when I arrived, but I was still welcome to stay. I was fine with that; it's not as if it's the first time I've been around drunk people and I've gone to other parties where I've only known a few people (and not even well) and had a good time.

Men's Day involves men getting together, going on "hikes," pulling a wagon of beer, and drinking the beer. They might get together for a grillparty afterward. When I arrived, the men indeed were in the middle of a grill party. They cheerfully boasted about their five mile walk. I asked how long it took and laughed when they said it took five hours. It must have been a very slow walk, I said. They replied that they had to stop at a bar along the way and played some soccer games with kids. That would explain why their pants were covered in grass stains, which they proudly (and tipsily) displayed. They even won one of the matches; they were especially proud of that.

It was an enjoyable evening; everyone welcomed me warmly and spoke English. They were incredulous when I said I could speak German too and kept switching back to English. That's fine; they were speaking the Franconian dialect and it is hard for me to understand it. One of the guys had studied in the US so we had a good chat about that. Soon, the Fraus returned from their own party and collected their men. I was trying not to crack up because it reminded me a bit of parents picking up their children from an eighth grade party.

After we cleared up from the party, my hosts and I spent some time hanging out, chatting amicably. I also met their kitty, who looks quite a bit like Moo looks and is friendly too. He's a sneaky little bugger, for sure! The next morning, I stepped out of the room and when I came back, sat on the bed but heard a weird noise and bolted upright. Then something fuzzy touched me. It was the kitty's foot! He sneaked in and laid on the bed.

It's like Moo #2! Gray, white, and friendly. That's how I like kitties to be :)

 -The next evening, I stayed with a different host, out in the country side again, but not so far out this time. I have been interested in foraging wild plants to eat but have always been afraid to try on my own. L, the host, is incredibly well-versed in plants and alternative health so she shared her knowledge with me for a lovely evening. We "shopped" her garden for our dinner. At first glance it looks a bit overrun with weeds. After all, many of the plants are indeed what some would consider weeds: nettles, dandelions, and others. However, her collection yielded a very edible selection that made a delicious dinner salad, complete with dressing made from other weeds. L told me that if people knew how healthful dandelions are, they'd all be picked and eaten.

The next morning, she made me a delicious green smoothie made again from plants from her garden and sent me on my way so I wouldn't be late for meeting the next host in Nuremberg.

-I then met R and her friend E in Nuremberg as they were just finishing up breakfast, inviting me to join in. I was still full from the smoothie so I declined. E had brought an extra bike by for me to use. R and I took the bikes out to explore Nuremberg while E left for home to finish studying.

I was a bit wobbly on the bike; it was too tall for me, but that just made things a bit more thrilling all around ;) R showed me around, taking me to a retro/second hand clothing store that she likes. I liked it too; I picked out a necklace and shirt, which is Moo-colored (gray) and will join my ever growing collection of Moo colored shirts and sweatshirts (a bit of an obsession, perhaps?).

We then visited a section of town that was offering a Flohmarkt (flea market/yard sale) in the courtyards of building blocks. Apparently different sections of Nuremberg have them throughout the summer. One can find the sales by looking for a balloons hung outside the residences in the sections scheduled for the sales.

E met us up with us again and we hung out for a while at Eisdiele, which is a cafe, ice cream parlor, and art forum. I really liked the vibe there.  The ice cream was great, too!

R and I rode our bikes to downtown Nuremberg. I picked up some postcards then we stopped at the youth hostel in the former castle stables to see if an employee I knew was working that night so we could say hi. My brother and I had met him in September when we stayed there and he was super nice. Unfortunately he wasn't working but I did leave a note from him.

We biked back to R's apartment and she took me along the river. Whoa, it's amazing! There's a huge park that runs along it. People were grilling, playing games, and hanging out. R told me that there's a free festival under the bridge that's really good too.

After relaxing at home for a bit, we ventured out again to the supermART art exhibition at the former Quelle building. Artists set up their works throughout the building as music played and people sipped beer and wine. It reminded me of some of the art events I attended in Detroit; it had a homespun, alternative feeling. I really enjoyed it.

The next morning I was inspired by my earlier stay with L so I made a fruit/vegetable smoothie for R and it turned out well. We finished those up, I said goodbye, and drove home. I invited R to visit me and I talked up Moo so much that she's excited to meet him. He has a new fan club member already. We had gotten along famously and I hope to have her out to visit as soon as both of us have some free time.

It was an awesome weekend. People were so generous, offering access to their lives and showing me a really good time. Life is good.

What do Germans have against green peppers?

I drove more than I normally would today because I went to another location to train staff. I listened to the local-ish radio station and caught today's topic, which started in the morning and was still being blathered about during my commute home:

bell peppers, and colors that people like to eat. There was a lively discussion about how no one likes green peppers, which prompted calls from people who did like them. However, they seemed to be in the minority.

I haven't researched this further, but people in the know about Germany: is this really a thing? Do Germans not like green peppers that much?

In the US (or at least in Michigan), red and yellow bell peppers cost more. I'm not sure why but I will admit: I do like their taste a bit more while not displaying any distrust of green peppers.

Lazy, easy, interchangeable cheap vegan crock pot soup recipe

You could call this "Everything but the Kitchen Sink" soup recipe. Or you might call it: "let's raid my non-gourmet, cheap, mostly vegan pantry because I need soup to pack for lunch" recipe. You would also be justified if you wondered if this even will count as a recipe because I'm not going to give out very specific measurements. Those kinds of recipes from other people make me crazy because I don't have mad domestic skillz and need less ambiguity. However, I've found that this recipe is easy to modify to one's tastes and available ingredients. I'd say go easy on the ingredients with strong tastes; you can add more seasonings or vinegar later. By the way, let's talk about the vinegar: holy heck, is it ever awesome in this soup! Along with a small helping of the red chili flakes, it helps give this soup a taste slightly reminiscent of hot and sour soup from Chinese restaurants, without all the greasiness or overly sour taste.

Lazy, easy, interchangeable cheap vegan crock pot soup recipe

-Cut and peel some vegetables; I used carrots (3) and onions (1/2 of one)
-Add some uncooked lentils (I used about a cup)
-1 packet of Knorr® Vegetable recipe mix* or vegetable bullion or stock (to taste)
-Red pepper flakes or sambol oelek, to taste, starting small (optional, but it helps amp up the flavor)
-Red wine vinegar, to taste (I used 2 Tbs)
-Some form of non-meat based oil; I used 1 Tbs olive oil and 1 Tbs sesame oil

Throw all of this in a large crock pot, and add enough water to cover everything with an inch above the ingredients. Cook until the vegetables and lentils are tender.

I cooked mine on low heat for 8 hours, but that was because I was lazy and let it cook while I was sleeping. You could try cooking it for a shorter period with higher heat. Experiment (and don't get ticked at me if it doesn't work to your liking; I'm not a food blogger by any means ;)



*I absolutely promise that this post is NOT sponsored by the company. I just happened to pick up a ton of these packets on the clearance shelf and had to do something with them.

Why does corn have to be creepy in Germany?

I'm a bit obsessed with corn's role or lack thereof in German (and to be fair, European) cuisine. It seems to end up in unusual places (at least to a non-European) yet is difficult to find fresh and on the cob.

Beyond that, corn representations take on strange forms, such as the maniacal giant corn from the Wurstmarkt. When some friends and I went to the Miramar spa complex, we came across this representation of corn:

First of all, my mind was blown by the concept of a vending machine that provides freshly popped popcorn. I actually wish that I had tried some as this concept is intriguing

Secondly, my friend made a good point: she wondered why it is the corn is portrayed in such a creepy way. She knows of the Wurstmarkt corn booth too. Why do the corn cobs on this machine look so crazy? Why do they have teeth?!

Some resources for being vegan in Germany

Being vegan takes a bit of added work, but that doesn't mean that one must be stuck eating uninspired salads. Doing a bit of research first makes all the difference. Earlier I wrote some tips for being vegan in Germany. Now I'll share some helpful sources.

• Happy Cow is a restaurant guide with reviews and listings of vegan restaurants around the world and there is coverage of many areas in Germany. It's a great way to identify some restaurants of interest. There is also information about vegan stores, organizations, and even B&Bs! 
• A Vegetarian in Germany is an eclectic blog filled with useful reviews of restaurants in and around Saarbrücken (as well as information about living in the area). The author provides helpful information about the menus and the ability of the restaurants to cook vegetarian and vegan dishes or modify existing dishes.
• Finding Vegan Strength blogger Shannon G. wrote a comprehensive guide to being vegan that was featured on the Germany Ja! blog.
• Visit the Reformhaus. What, go to jail, you ask? No, silly, go to the health food store; Reformhaus is the German name for that. (I love the name, because I imagine that if the store could talk, it would say that it intends to reform people into veggie and organic eating machines). Alnatura is a chain of health food stores in Germany.
• Use the interwebs as additional inspiration and a DIY approach; find a new favorite blog or recipe website for ideas. I recently stumbled across The Vegan Stoner and was totally charmed by the site's adorable illustrations and easy, delicious recipes. I have to admit that I a bit confused about the "Stoner" part of the title (after all, there didn't seem to be hemp seed recipes or anything like that). I read on the site that the recipes are so simple that even a stoner could make them. Um, okay. It's a cute site though.

Being vegan in Germany: at home, at a friend's, and at the restaurant

Well, here I am, 30 days into the Vegan Pact I made with some friends. Being vegan in Germany isn't the easiest thing ever, but then again, it's not the hardest thing, either. I would say that it takes some planning and thought, and I would rate it as a bit more difficult than it is to do in the US. I'll discuss some considerations.

At Home
Being vegan at home is the easiest place to do so. Once you have some staples of vegan cooking, it's reasonably easy to whip up something.  I am a huge fan of stockpiling vegan cooking staples to throw together quickly. I will also admit that I'm naughty when I'm a vegan: I don't always buy fresh fruits and vegetables so I turn to dried, canned and frozen goods to take me through the busy times (which is mostly all the time for me).

At a Friend's House
Oh boy, this can get awkward. It's always such a kindness when a friend invites you over for dinner and who wants to hurt someone else's feelings by saying that you can't eat something she cooked for you?

There are several different approaches to take with this. First of all, let your friend know that you appreciate the invitation. Explain that you're vegan and you do have some dietary restrictions; would it be possible to accommodate them? Elaborate on what you can/can't eat as not everyone understands what goes along with being vegan. Offer to bring something (at least you'll have a "safe" thing to eat then). Perhaps you can eat the side dishes? Be diplomatic and be careful with your friend's feelings. After all, she probably just wants to spend a nice evening together and here you're giving her a list of what you can't/can't eat!

At the Restaurant
I have found that being vegan in a traditional German restaurant can be somewhat difficult. Much of German food focuses on meat and potatoes. The potatoes might include some sort of meat (such as Speck)  and/or might be covered in some sort of cheese or cream sauce. Even the salads tend to have dairy in the form of yogurt or cream dressings.

It's not impossible to eat vegan at most German restaurants, but you'll have to think carefully and there's a strong likelihood that you'll end up with a green salad topped with some sort of vinegar and oil dressing. Perhaps a dish can be made in a vegan fashion? It never hurts to ask. If that fails, check out the side dishes and see if a combination of those works.

That's not my favorite dinner, so I like to take a different route for dining out in Germany: I try to visit ethnic restaurants or vegetarian/vegan restaurants. For ethnic foods, I love Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Mexican restaurants. It's easy enough to find vegetarian and vegan foods there.  Even better yet is to visit a vegetarian and vegan restaurant. They're not super common but they are out there.

Finished week 1 of the vegan challenge

My friend had the great idea to be vegan for 40 days. Since I alternate among being vegetarian, vegan, and then eating BACON, I thought that I may as well join too. I just finished up the first week of being vegan.

It was a roller coaster. I don't want to dissuade anyone from being vegan because it can introduce one to some awesome food that one normally wouldn't try. However, for me at least, there is a bit of detoxing time. I obsess(ed) over cheese; I had to pick up some things at the store and forced myself to walk quickly past the cheese aisle and all its lovely offerings.

The other problem was that I had been eating a rather rich diet (at least for me) before I went into this. I had been having cheese, desserts, and meals out several times a week so of course I was craving these things.

The cravings came to a head earlier this week: I went on a candy bender! I bought some candy after first making sure that it was vegan and went to town on it. Of course I felt like crud later and told my coworker (who was with me at the time) that I am to have no more candy.

I'm doing okay so far with that part. I haven't bought any commercially prepared sweets or candy. I did make a loaf of homemade vegan banana bread with half of the sugar that the recipe called for. I plan to share it with my friend when we take a trip together.

If I can't eat cheese, candy, or desserts, then I start craving carbs like bread. My next goal will be to cut way back on anything that contains gluten since I don't feel great after eating it. I won't go so far as to say that I think I'm gluten-sensitive, but I can say that all the carbs from flour aren't the best for me.

After meeting that goal, then I'm going to work on mostly eating vegetables with some fruits, beans, seeds (i.e. quinoa), etc. I once lost 10 pounds in two weeks by following that diet, which was really quite healthful. I had to eat a couple cups of raw vegetables a day in addition to some yogurt for breakfast. By the time I had done that, I was not very hungry for much else! I certainly have plenty of time left since there are still about 31 days left to the challenge.

Oh, glorious land of cheese.

I see this and I'm all like:

Bauer Lipp has gone too far this time!

My family visited a farmers' market near the Hauptwache when we were in Frankfurt. A bottle of "Spargel Geist" caught my mind. Bauer (Farmer) Lipp produces the bottle of spirits (schnapps) with a stalk of Spargel inside.

I believe that the farmer has gone too far with the love of Spargel.

Restaurant review: Sahha, Hamburg

Sahha Syrische Küche
Hauptbahnhof 16
20095 Hamburg

 
After our visit to Miniatur Wunderland, we were a bit hungry, but it was late. We decided to take our chances at the Hamburg Hauptbahnhof for dinner. It ended up being a great decision! The Hbf has a great selection of restaurants, with everything from a Syrian restaurant to gut-rotting fast food.

We chose the Syrian restaurant and it was a fantastic choice. Since it was late, the first two things I tried to order weren't available. I ended up getting a plate with grilled vegetables and rice topped with grilled eggplant. It also included a yogurt sauce.

Oh my goodness, was it ever delicious! The chef cooked up it fresh before my eyes, and tossed some spices into it. I have no idea what they were but they really made the dish. Everything was just perfect, from the fresh veggies to the smoky taste of the grilled eggplant mixed with the sliced almonds. At only 7 euros, it was a delicious, inexpensive, and filling dinner.

C. ordered some grilled chicken and thoroughly enjoyed that too. We highly recommend the restaurant. Mmm...my mouth is watering right now, just thinking about it.

Spargelzeit! in GermanyJa!

An article that I wrote has been published in GermanyJa!, a website with articles about the experience of living in Germany as an expat. It's especially informative for military-affiliated Americans who move to Germany as it has articles about PCSing and other pertinent issues.

You can read my article here and learn all about Spargel, or white asparagus. It's that special time of the year where it's for sale everywhere and restaurants are featuring it too.

Restaurant Review: China Restaurant Jasmin, Sembach

China Restaurant Jasmin
Address: Kaiserstrasse 20, Sembach
Phone: 06303-2794
PDF of menu available here
Small parking lot next to the restaurant
Dine-in, take-out, and party rooms available

Last year, a friend and I biked to Sembach for the town's kerwe celebration. We noticed a Chinese restaurant that was closed up but was still set up inside as if waiting for the next meal. I believe it had been closed for quite some time at that point.

I recently heard that the restaurant re-opened so a group of us tried it for lunch. The menu is rather extensive with Chinese and Vietnamese dishes. Soups, including the familiar egg drop soup, are in the 3 euro range, as are salads and appetizers. The extensive menu continues with duck, beef, chicken, seafood, pork, and even vegetarian offerings on the portion of the menu with Chinese dishes. The Vietnamese portion of the menu is smaller but also offers vegetarian, meat, and seafood options. Main dishes run from 6-13 euros. There is a daily lunch special that includes a main dish and either peking soup or mini egg rolls in the 7 euro range. There were some desserts, as well, and some day I'd like to try the fried ice cream.

The menu was so big that we had a difficult time deciding what to eat. I was immediately drawn to the Vietnamese portion of the menu and chose "Bun Cha Gio," which is rice noodles with lettuce, carrots, soy bean sprouts, mint, peanuts, and lime dressing. When it arrived, I did a double take at the huge bowl of noodles. It came with a side of sweet and sour sauce that was surprisingly salty, which would later become the theme of the meal for some of our diners. The bowl was presented in layers: the bottom layer was lettuce and carrots; the middle layer was the rice noodles; and the top layer included peanuts, cilantro, and these delicious fried spring rolls cut into bites. On the menu it was noted that there would be mint, but I didn't notice any. I don't know if they were out of mint and used cilantro instead or if they meant to write cilantro instead on the menu. To be honest, I liked the cilantro in this dish and probably would prefer it over mint. I thought that the spring rolls on top were especially delicious. They were quite crispy. I enjoyed my dish and would order it again.

Bun Cha Gio

My friend C. ordered "Mi Xao Don," a Vietnamese dish which is crispy baked noodles with chicken, beef, shrimp, and vegetables. It was a huge plate of food, for sure! She enjoyed it as well and would order it again. I tried one of the noodles and enjoyed its very crisp texture. It's not as crisp as a chow mein noodle, but it is a stiff noodle that does soften a bit as it absorbs the sauce.

The guys ordered from the Chinese side of the menu. Those dishes were exceptionally salty! They let me try the sauce on their dish and I felt as if my mouth had been coated in salt.

E ordered what I believe was the "Eight Treasures" dish, with cashews, chicken, beef, shrimp, and vegetables served in a spicy sauce with rice on the side. It wasn't super spicy by our reckoning, but did have a bit of spice to it. I was shocked at how salty the sauce was. E asked me to share his take on the proportions of meat: mostly vegetables, 80% beef, 1 chicken piece, and 3 shrimp. I'm a bit amused by him sharing that as he starts with percentages then moves onto pieces.

Eight Treasures

The other two guys ordered dishes with meat and vegetables in a soy sauce. They also remarked how salty the dishes were. As J said, his tofu and vegetable dish was "crazy salty."

A. had ordered an egg drop soup. When he received it, he was surprised. It looked as if the cook had fried up a clump of eggs and dumped it into the soup instead of trails of eggs cooked swirled into the soup. It also had fresh mushrooms. He didn't care for the soup, but I think it was more of a texture issue for him.

J. ordered some jasmine tea and we were impressed to see that was made from fresh herbs. We did have a giggle because he kept complaining about having to try not to swallow the herbs, only to find out that he needed to remove the filter with the herbs before drinking!

Remove the filter/infuser (on left) before drinking!

The waitstaff were very pleasant and attentive, too. During our visit, we spoke German and English with them. The restaurant itself looks fresh and well-maintained with Chinese decor. It definitely doesn't look like a place that's been shuttered for quite some time!

So, in reviewing our experience, I'd say that it no one was unhappy with his food. Those with the Chinese meals felt that the food was quite salty but beyond that enjoyed their dishes well enough. The ones who had ordered the Vietnamese dishes liked them quite a bit and would order them again. As one of the few restaurants even near Sembach that is open for lunch, it's worth a try.

Plus, who can resist this smiling face?

Greenland: another store for flour alternatives in Kaiserslautern

G R E E N L A N D

Afro-Asian Food & Cosmetics Shop

MO - SA 10.00 - 20.00
Tel. 0631 / 534 81 11
Richard Wagner Str. 58a, Kaiserslautern

Earlier, I wrote about the offerings at Vitamingarten, a grocery store in Kaiserslautern with imported foods and many alternative to traditional wheat flour. There is another Kaiserslautern grocery store with imported goods that might be of interest to those searching for other grains: Greenland.

Greenland is a small African and Asian grocery market not too far from the Hauptbahnhof downtown. Even though the store is small, there are quite a few different grains and flours there that I haven't seen around in many other places. Most of the goods are in cans or boxes but there is a small selection of fresh produce too (again, specialty items). I even saw some curries.

In addition to groceries, it also carries hair products, including those formulated for African hair types. There were some cosmetics as well, as is suggested in the name of the store.

For those looking for alternatives to wheat flour or some less common ingredients for cooking, especially vegetarian cooking, it would be worth a visit here.

Stop in the name of kale!

I found a place to buy kale that is cheaper than the farmers' market downtown. There, kale is 5,99 euros a kilogram, which is rather expensive. I didn't buy any at the farmers' market during my shopping trip.

However, I later passed a Turkish produce store and the kale was only 1,99 euros a kilogram so I couldn't pass it up. I also couldn't pass up some couscous, either. I bought a huge bunch of kale and laughed with the store clerk as I tried to shove it in my bag and it stuck out.

On my way home, a German lady stopped me and asked me (in German, of course) where I bought the kale. I answered in horrible German but as she asked me more questions I got stuck. She then asked me more in English. Phew! I told her it was only 1,99 a kilogram and that it's much more in the farmers' market. She said that's why she stopped me, because she was looking for a better price. We both had a smile over our love of kale. It's the first time I've been stopped in the street over it!

Here's a picture of it, spilling out of the bag. I must have looked quite silly, schlepping the bag around with it poking out and being a walking billboard of sorts for the produce store.

Further obsession at the Kaiserslautern Wochenmarkt

Om nom nom nom.

This will be my upcoming week of delicious eats, for sure, thanks to my visit today to the Wochenmarkt (we'd call it a farmers' market) in downtown Kaiserslautern.

I picked up some goodies: 3 (!) cauliflowers to make the most delicious, cheesy, vegan baked cauliflower dish ever, two bottles of new wine (called Federweisser here), kale (oh goodness, I can't wait! I almost want to delay my trip to Heidelberg for Herbstfest so I can have a kale feast), and feta cheese with herbs. I had to practically waddle home because I stuffed two cauliflowers in my backpack and the rest I clumsily carried in my arms. All was well, though.

I bought some different varieties of my favorites. Last time, I had curly kale (or Grünkohl in German). This week, I bought Schwartzkohl, which has a broader, flatter leaf. Even though it's "black kale," it's not really black; it's just a darker green. I prefer curly kale, but believe me, I'm not giving up any kale opportunities and black kale is still delicious.

I also tried a new type of cauliflower and it's super funky looking! The middle part is green and it's spiky. I tried some and it tastes just like regular cauliflower. It's called cauliflower romanesco, or Roman cauliflower. I have read that when it's raw, it tastes like cauliflower, but when it's cooked, it tastes like broccoli. It will be interesting to try this frankenflower!

I rounded out my trip by buying some red (rot) new wine, too. I have tried the white and I think it's only fair that I also try the red. Of course, I didn't want the white new wine to feel left out, so I bought a bottle of that, too. It is a good excuse to have friends over for some delicious harvests from the season.

In which I eat cauliflower for a week straight...and love it

I found a vegan recipe for cauliflower baked with a "cheesy" coating of nutritional yeast at the Delighted Momma blog; click here for the recipe. It was so delicious that I have been eating it all week (in addition to the kale that has become my obsession). I know it's kind of weird to eat the same thing all week, but I never try to pretend that I'm normal (I find it boring). I'm also lazy about grocery shopping, especially for fresh produce, so I will buy a lot of one thing and be stuck eating it all week. This recipe was a pleasure to eat though.

The main yum-ifying (is that a word?) ingredient is the nutritional yeast. I know, that name does not sound appetizing at all. However, it truly is tasty and is a great way to get a cheesy taste while keeping recipes vegan. Plus, it's packed with vitamins and minerals and is more healthful than is regular cheese. Delighted Momma has written up more benefits and ways to use it here.

It's possible to buy nutritional yeast at  most health food stores in the US. I'm not sure if it's possible to buy it in Germany; I find the health food stores here a bit daunting because of my lack of German language skills. One common brand is Bragg's. I buy my nutritional yeast from Amazon; I find the prices to be a bit lower and I bought the one pound Hoosier Hill Farm container, which was about $16.* It seems rather expensive, but a little goes a long way and to me, it's worth it to replace high fat cheese.

I also learned an awesome tip about cauliflower (and possibly broccoli too): it's possible to eat the whole head of it! I used to throw away the outer leaves and stem, but now I use all of it except for the really tough veins on the leaves. Those seem to take forever to cook to the point where they'd be tender enough to eat. I especially adore the leaves after baking them; they remind me of kale and they're so delicious and crispy.


*I hope this doesn't come as an advertisement; I don't get anything out of mentioning this, other than helping readers find it if they want it.

Herbst (fall) in Kaiserslautern

Herbst, or fall, is now upon us. I pulled my head out of my textbook for a while to enjoy it in downtown Kaiserslautern this weekend. My exploits allowed me to taste some delicious regional specialties.

Kaiserslautern is in the Rhineland-Pfalz state, which produces much wine. Fall is a great time for Neuer Wein, or new wine; this is fermented freshly pressed grape juice (must). I have also seen it called Federweißer (feather white). I first bought a cup of it at one of the stands downtown. Oh my goodness, was it good! This is a drink that could get people into trouble, methinks. It basically tastes like effervescent grape juice; I really didn't taste any alcohol in it (it's about 4% ABV). I continued on to the farmers' market and picked up a bottle of it for 3.50 euros. I learned that the wine should be consumed within a few days; it looks as if I need to have some friends over, stat! The bottle needs to be stored upright. The cap is not airtight since it needs to release gas from fermentation.

In addition to the Neuer Wein, I enjoyed some Kürbis suppe, or pumpkin soup. This was delicious and hearty. I can't imagine that it was remotely healthful as I believe it was loaded with cream, but did it ever hit the spot. I bought a bowl for 2 euros and it was served with a piece of bread.

After visiting downtown yesterday, I continued the fall fun today. The Gartenschau (Garden Show) hosted a giant pumpkin competition in which local farmers brought their pumpkins to be weighed. They even had a competition for the longest gourd and an unofficial, friendly competition between two farmers with another type of gourd (typical guys! ;). It was rather funny to see such a serious group of men examining the pumpkins and bringing them in via tractor with great care. I was shocked by the weight of the pumpkins; some weighed as much as a horse I owned (1,200 pounds)!

I then went on to have a special meal of Zwiebelkuchen (onion torte) and more Neuer Wein at Cafe Fegert. The Zwiebelkuchen is another fall regional specialty; the one I ate today was like a quiche. It was very rich, salty, and good. It's another dish that's fun to enjoy as a treat, but I won't be eating it often.

So far, I have enjoyed fall in Kaiserslautern, both in how it "tastes" and the activities.

Kale: where to find it and when in Ramstein-Miesenbach

Yes, this is a picture of obsession: kale obsession, but it tastes so good!

Vegetable store visited:
Paradies Garten Donauer
Spesbacherstrasse 61b, Ramstein-Miesenbach
http://www.paradiesgarten-donauer.de/

Helpful hint: in German, kale might also be called Grünkohl, Braunkohl, Krauskohl, Lippische Palme, or Oldenburger Palme.

I was (re)introduced to the wonders of kale last year. Usually, Americans only see a bit of kale used as a garnish on a platter of food; a piece of food is placed on it and no one ever eats the kale. I've tried eating a raw kale leaf and didn't like the taste of it. However, cook or bake the kale and it's like magic! The very first time I met kale was in a pasta dish at my favorite Italian restaurant, Salvatore Scallopini; here's a link to a recipe that's pretty close to their dish. Last year, I read about kale chips and gave them a try. I'm now hooked!

The problem was moving to Germany; I looked for kale at the grocery store, at vegetable stands, and even asked at the farmers' market but didn't find any. I was really disappointed but I let the issue drop. Imagine my delight and surprise when I was reading an article on Germany Ja! about self-service flower fields (which I also wrote about earlier this summer) and noticed that the author included a picture of her bike and in the bike basket was kale! I was so obsessed that I enlarged the picture to see the name of the vegetable and flower market in the picture and looked it up. I was in luck because the market is in Ramstein and I planned to go there this weekend anyway.

I stopped by today and asked if they had kale. The clerk answered yes and took me with her across the street to pick out some kale, which she cut fresh from the field. I was so thrilled that I bought two huge bunches of it - $13 worth!

An elderly gentleman in line said something and smiled. I had no idea what he said, but I smiled and said back in German "it is good" and pointed to the kale. I told the store clerks how to make kale chips and how good they are. They relayed it in German back to the guy.

I mentioned that I had such a hard time finding kale. The clerk said it's because Germans eat it in winter. I said, "but it grows now" and she said that it's better after a frost (which I did read online and confirmed it; it helps produce more sugars in the kale). She told the elderly guy, in German, that Americans like to eat kale in the summer and they exchanged a bemused look. I thought that was funny because she had said other Americans had come by to look for kale also; some are using it in juicing. That also made me smile because my crunchy hippie homies must've stopped by and all the weird Americans have been giving the Germans quite a show! We eat kale in weird ways and we eat it at the "wrong" time. Either way, it tastes darn good! :)

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Here is my Kale Chip recipe:

Kale
Sea salt or other good salt/spice rubs
Olive Oil

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees F. Wash the kale very thoroughly, especially paying attention to the area around the ribs of the kale. You might even find aphid eggs on it. Wash them off. I like to soak my kale in a mix of warm water and vinegar in a sanitized sink to help clean it.
2. Thoroughly shake the water off the kale and dry it. If you are patient and want a better chip experience, I recommend letting it dry for quite some time. If you're impatient like I am, then dry it as well as you can but realize that your chips might not be as crisp.
3. Toss the kale with some olive oil and salt, taking care to lightly coat it.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes; turn the kale over and cook another 10 minutes or so until the kale is the desired crispness.