The Food of Prague

On January 25, 2017January 25, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Czech Republic, Recipes4 Comments

Prague is a popular tourist destination and, as such, it has wonderful selection of restaurants to choose from when dining out. It many ways, the food is similar to the rest of central Europe, but as always, there are slight variations. One of the common themes that we were served was a dumpling that was very similar to bread pudding. They are thick and dense and wonderful for soaking up the different gravies, but will definitely leave you feeling like you could use to do a few extra exercises.

The other commonality is the various selections of wild game that were available, which was obviously due to the time of year. The United States talks a lot about fresh ingredients and serving what is most available for the season, but rarely do you actually find as many restaurants all carrying seasonal menus with traditional favorites. There was rabbit, deer, duck, goose, perch, as well as the typical pork and beef dishes. When prepared properly, these dishes taste wonderful and don’t have harsh flavors, which can sometimes happen when serving wild game.

We were in Prague over the holidays, so we did find some set menus on Christmas Day, but there were still wonderful choices to select from. In fact, the only disappointing meal that we ate while we were in Prague was at a medieval restaurant that was part of our tour the one day. The restaurant was very touristy and the food, which was served to large tour groups, was obviously mass prepared. That is to be expected when having a meal as part of a large group such as this, but it is possible to create meals that are flavorful and tender, even under these circumstances, so it was a shame.

Overall, the food of Prague was truly wonderful and enhanced what was already an amazing experience. We would certainly recommend going to one of the many restaurants that are in the Mala strana, which is just a section of the old town area. It is highly recommended that you make reservations during the weekends or busy tourist times, which seems to be just about all of the time. There are few places open between 15:00 and 18:00, typical of much of Europe, so plan your day accordingly.

Pork Roast with Dumplings and Sauerkraut

The Gift of a Christmas Cookie

On December 21, 2016 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany, Recipes2 Comments

Being here in Germany, away from family and friends, we are missing the normal exchanging of gifts that would normally occur. We decided to do something personal for the friends that we have made since arriving and chose to bake some chocolate chip cookies in order to share a little of our memories with our new friends. It is a simple recipe and that is fortunate since we couldn’t find some of the same things that we would have normally used, but even so, the cookies turned out just fine. In fact, we would say that they were quite delicious, although we have learned that cookies or biscuits or not quite as common here as they are in the United States. They certainly love their sweets, but it is more about candy, cakes, and pastries than it is about a plate of cookies to be left by the fireplace for Santa to enjoy. What we enjoyed the most was the faces of our friends as they tasted these tempting treats. Sure, the cookies were good, but sharing something personal was even sweeter. We hope that you enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 (12-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips, or chunks
2 1/4 cups all-purpose-flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine salt

Directions

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt the butter in a microwave or on the stove. Whisk the eggs, sugars, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and then fold into the wet ingredients with a wooden spoon. We didn’t have baking soda, so we left that out and brown sugar here is more like a granulated sugar, but it worked equally as well. We also couldn’t find chocolate chips, but we did find chocolate chunks and even chopping up a block of chocolate would have worked. Place heaping spoonful’s of cookie dough onto the baking sheet, leaving about an inch to two inches between each cookie. Bake for 12 to 16 minutes until the edges are golden brown and the center is still soft. This batch makes about 30 to 36 cookies.

Tasting the Local Beers (Biers)

On December 7, 2016 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany, Recipes7 Comments

One of the things that we have enjoyed is trying the various local beers at each of the cities and towns that we have visited. We had heard before moving to Germany that you can only find the local beer in each of the towns and that you couldn’t find anything else. That might be true in certain pubs and restaurants, but for the most part we have found that you can find some of the national favorites in addition to the local brew. With that said, we try to taste the local beer, especially a seasonal one, wherever we visit.

One of the First Beers from here in Frankfurt

Blurry, but from a Wonderful Restaurant in Koblenz where Albert Einstein used to Visit

We prefer bolder beers, usually more of an amber or brown beer, but we have had several pilsners as well, which are often the favorite of the locals. Here in Frankfurt, Bitburger seems to be the most popular and it is always served with a coaster around the stem of the glass. One other thing to note is that every beer, even seasonal ones, are served in glasses specific to that particular beer. You won’t find a generic glass or mug, each beer has it’s own special glass with the logo of the brewery and the specific type of beer clearly displayed.

From Cologne, but can be found in the US

Whether you like beer or not, while in Germany, you should at least try a few of the local offerings. If you do, don’t just go from ones on tap as some of the best can only be found in a bottle. Just like with all of the food that we have been eating, we try to taste them in moderation and try to get some extra steps in during the day to offset the calories. Germany also has some wonderful wines with plenty of local vinyards, so don’t limit yourself to beer during your visit. Sitting in a pub with a pint in your hand may not change your life, but you may gain a few friends as it is a popular pastime here.