Fancy some Italian? How about Sushi? Burger? Shall we go for pasta? What about a curry? French food perhaps? Six questions you could ask and quickly reply to without issue in most major cities in the world, but ‘why don’t we go for German tonight?’ - unless you’re standing in the main square of Munich or on a bustling street in Berlin - is a question that would raise a quizzical look from even the most hardened food adventurer.

German food just doesn’t seem to travel well, there’s actually more chance of dining in a funky Peruvian Ceviche bar in most big cities of Europe than there is of chowing down on an exiting bite of bavarian. And while French cuisine, Italian, Spanish and more recently Japanese has spread to every corner of the globe, the Germans have, in the most part, seemed happy to cook within their own diverse region. A strange thing when you think of the massive amount of Michelin stars and the wonderful restaurants that inhabit what is a vast country.

This is why it was such a shock to touch down in Bangkok, Thailand, and within three hours have three different locals tell me that one of the most exciting new restaurants to open recently was actually serving German food - German food cooked by two identical twins who had spent the past 20 years honing their skills with some of Europe’s best chefs, I was sold. 

The first thing to note about Mathias and Thomas Sühring is that they are indistinguishable from each other, their own front of house staff can’t even tell them apart, which is the reason they wear different coloured jackets - one white, one black. And the similarities don’t stop with their looks, they're both on a shared mission to help change the perception of German cuisine in the eyes of international diners and their recently opened Sühring restaurant is the base of this mission. 

“People expect German food to be sauerkraut, sausages and very heavy cuisine but we want to go back to our roots and showcase what we've learned in our 20 years in the kitchen," explain the duo. 

Their passion for food dates back to summer holidays spent on their grandma’s farm, around 200km from Berlin, close to the Polish border. They say that growing up in East Berlin, “when there was still a wall”, gave them food influences from “Russia, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary” and after learning in local hotels and culinary schools as teens, the duo decided to set off and try to enter the world of fine dining, something that was harder than they first expected. “We decided to make a trip together in our small car, a smart car actually, very small, just a two seater. We travelled all around Germany to knock on the doors of the big chefs - we went to Munich, Bavaria, Cologne - we just had this passion but we couldn’t add any value for these three-star chefs and we couldn’t find any work. Then, on the way back to Berlin Sven Elverfeld called us and said: ‘I hear you’re looking for some work’. He was looking for new people to join his team, he was one Michelin star at the time. We immedietly said yes and in three or four years we were there while his restaurant gained the second and third star.”

After this they separated and took positions in Italy and Holland, Mathias with Jonnie Boer ^[1]in Holland and Thomas with Heinz Beck in Italy, it wasn’t until Thomas was poached for a position inside a hotel restaurant in Bangkok that the pair were reunited in the kitchen. “I didn’t feel totally ready”, he explains, “so I called my Brother and we both came to Bangkok to work together”. 

We want to go back to our heritage and represent where we come from…what we remember from when we were small.

“Two germans, in Bangkok, cooking italian - people would look at us strangely”, but speaking with them you realise that it's not quite as weird for the locals as two Germans, in Bangkok, cooking German food. “People are scared to go to a German restaurant, especially the Thais”, the twins explain reluctantly, they know the mission they're undertaking isn’t easy and they know they will have to change perceptions for both local and international guests.

“It feels amazing to bring German cuisine to Thailand but it’s a challenge to cook German food internationally, we feel very connected to our childhood memories and where we come from and it’s easy for us to bring that to the plate but people don’t know what to expect of Germany… We want to offer people an update on German cuisine because the perception of people is wrong at the moment. We do lots of pickling, preserving, baking our own breads with a sourdough that we started one year ago and many, many rye breads…Bread is a very big thing in Germany - we have a tradition called ‘evening bread’ and we’re trying to bring that here to Thailand.

“We have this selection of refined German snacks to start with. Tomato bread is one of these, because when we were smaller our parents would always give us tomato salad with pepper and herbs, we have a caesar salad that we serve on crispy chicken skin - we grew up with this. We’re doing a bread dish with cold cuts and pickled veg and we’re doing this great pasta dish from the south of Germany called Spazle - a soft egg noodle that we make by hand and cut straight into the water. Very traditional flavours and very traditional food - dishes that both of us haven’t eaten for a long time and when we taste we’re like, wow.”

It’s modern in technique, big in flavour and bold in colour and it’s anchored in the heritage and traditions they fell in love with while confusing grandma like only identical twins can as children. Perhaps the best example of this modern take on German cuisine comes in the form of a dish called Heaven and Earth. “That dish represents two of Germany’s main ingredients which are apple and potato, heaven reflects the apple and earth reflects the potato. We decided to do this as a snack so we serve this crispy potato, spiced apple puree and blood sausage. It reflects this very traditional 18th Century style recipe of the sausage but presented in a modern way. We want to do this a lot - to bring these classical recipes and styles and show them to people - these are the things that Germans have done, it’s not just heavy currywurst and sauerkraut. We're looking to change the perception of people and show them that German food is not what they think, to show them this modern take on our traditions."

They agree that German food hasn’t hit international dominance and having both spent time cooking Italian, they see the glaring difference in how their cuisine is perceived in comparison to the wonderfully received dishes of Italy. They also have their own idea on why this might be.“The German high-end chefs are doing lots of great work to update German cuisine but it’s not really coming out internationally or being recognised. A little bit of the problem is that we haven’t had the support of our Government, the Spanish, the Italians and the French have this support.”

I ask if Grandma has tried their food yet? They look at each other as only twins can, each knowing the answer they should give and each allowing the other to fill in any gaps in response, it's at this point they answer simultaneously, “she’s afraid of flying". "We tried to bring her here, she’s very proud of us but she’s never flown before in her life", continues Mathias, “She was a cook, she had the farm and her passion is food. She is really happy we have followed this passion… Our ideas and techniques link straight back to her kitchen but the food has evolved a lot now, she would recognise the flavours but I’m not sure she would recognise it from the way the dishes are presented. Thomas stops his brother with a smile, “she actually sent us all her hand written cooking books and we present them to guests with their bill inside.” Does Grandma know this? They both look worried, “no” they say in a hushed tone, as if she might somehow hear them from her small farm back in Germany, “she would kill us", they smile, "they're not for sharing.”

References

1. ^{^} Jonnie Boer (www.finedininglovers.com)

There’s renewed enthusiasm about the cultured dairy products of our forefathers. Food historian Anne Mendelson - author of the book Milk: The Surprising Story of Milk Through the Ages^[1] - thinks the interest in ancient milkways may stem from the “growing “know your food” movement.”

A keen advocate for whole, unhomogenized milk, she says there’s immense interest in fermentation on the whole in the United States. Cheryl Sternman Rule, author of Yogurt Culture^[2], adds: “We're in the midst of a widespread DIY love affair across many food categories, but in the fermented foods sphere especially.”

Inspired by my recent trip to a dairy farm in Iceland, here’s a round up of 10 (out of infinite) cultured dairy products to try.

1. Icelandic Skyr

I visit Efstidalur^[3], an Icelandic working farm owned by the same family since the 17th Century, to learn about skyr. Skyr is the famed 1000-year-old Icelandic cultured diary product somewhat similar to thick yoghurt, but closer to a cheese in reality. Its origins can be traced to the Viking settlers, around 874 AD. Versions, long ceased, were made in nearby Scandinavian countries too. Guðrún Snæbjörnsdóttir, daughter of the current farm owners, tells me about Sundays when the family ate skyr whipped with fresh cream and brown sugar.

The skyr at the farm is thicker than any I’ve tried - it needs to be flicked, or licked off the spoon to get it to budge. Combined with bacteria in the saddlebag and the galloping of the horse, the milk separated into curds and whey. Et voilà: skyr. That’s one popular version about skyr, and how yogurt as we know it, came about.

2. African Amasi

Eaten in Southern Africa, particularly in South Africa and Zimbabwe, amasi is traditionally made from gourd-fermented cow’s milk. Inside of the gourd, sometimes smoked with wood ash (skipped in standard commercial preparation), a soured milk, the texture of wet, lumpy cottage cheese forms. It can be blended into a drinkable yogurt too.

3. Turkish Ayran

Food writer and Turkish food expert, Robyn Eckhardt calls ayran the thin, smooth, salty yoghurt drink loved around Turkey “refreshing and reviving”. The sourness, she says, wakes up the palate; the salt quenches thirst, and the creaminess soothes after a spicy meal. Widely available in supermarkets and restaurants, ayran is still made from scratch in small quantities from goat, sheep and cow’s milk in villages around Lake Van and the northeast. It’s the main ingredient in some soups and stews too, she says.

4. Scottish Blaand

If you ask Scots about their treasured national drink, many may say whisky. But long before whisky production, when the fearsome Vikings arrived in the 9th Century, they brought blaand with them. Alcoholic in nature, but neither a wine, beer nor spirit, blaand is made by fermenting whey, left over from cheese or butter making, in wooden casks.

5. Indian Dahi

Dahi or curd, is a yogurt consumed daily in many parts of India, and usually prepared at home. Made with boiled, cooled buffalo or cow’s milk (mostly the latter nowadays), curds form an integral part of the diet in Tamil Nadu, for instance. Eaten mixed with rice for its digestive, cooling properties, curd is usually the last bite of an Indian meal.

6. Anatolian Kurut

Derived from kuru, which means dry in Turkish, kurut from Anatolia - known as qurut in Van and in other parts of Central Asia - is a dried, salted, drained yoghurt or sour milk, often in the form of balls and patties. The food, like many from the same period, preserved the sour milk in a way that could be consumed long after, as is, dissolved in water or in stews. It’s remained a beloved and treasured food source, Eckhardt explains.

7.Kefir

Sandor Katz, author and fermentation expert (Wild Fermentation; The Art of Fermentation: An In-Depth Exploration of Essential Concepts and Processes from Around the World^[4]) explains that milk fermented to make sour, effervescent kefir relies on a symbiotic community of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY), commonly called kefir grains. “Kefir grains embody incredible biodiversity, with more than 30 distinct organisms that have been identified,” he says.

8. Armenian Matzoon

Matzoon, or matsoni, originating in Armenia and enjoyed in Georgia and the Caucasus, is made by fermenting milk at room temperature (between 20 – 26 degrees Celsius) for up to 48 hours. It produces a mildly tart, spoonable yogurt.

9. Scandinavian Viili

Finish viili, which originated in the Scandinavian countries, is a “ropy” yogurt that trails long, viscous strings when a spoon is dipped into it. This is a result of mesophilic bacterial mutations, and can be a challenging texture for some. It’s mild and creamy and is eaten with a spoon by Finns.

10. Yogurt

Yogurt, found in countless countries across the world, deserves an honorary mention. Rule’s book Yogurt Culture was inspired by the growing popularity of yogurt in American supermarkets and the move away from the single-serve cups. “I wanted to create a book inspired by plain yogurt's culinary versatility and uses in cuisines throughout the globe,” she says.

Katz, whose popular classes have him teaching students how to prepare a wide range of fermented edibles, says that he “loves yogurt and all its incredible derivative products, like doogh, Persian yogurt soda.”

References

1. ^{^} Milk: The Surprising Story of Milk Through the Ages (www.amazon.com)
2. ^{^} Yogurt Culture (www.amazon.com)
3. ^{^} Efstidalur (efstidalur.is)
4. ^{^} Wild Fermentation; The Art of Fermentation: An In-Depth Exploration of Essential Concepts and Processes from Around the World (www.amazon.com)

What if taste had a sound? The crunch of a potato chip when crunched, the crack of a carrot bitten, the fizz of a drink that has just been opened: the "sounds" of foods greatly influence our perception of their flavor. A number of recently published scientific researches^[1] have revealed such, which once again highlight how the perception of taste is a multi-sensory experience.

We already knew the different aspects and senses that influence taste: smell, of course, and then sight, touch - think, for example, of the material from which a glass is made, and sound: a study conducted last year revealed how shrill sounds are mainly associated with sour and acidic tastes, while those that are more "rounded" enhance sweetness and lower, more serious tones relate to that which is bitter and umami (having a pleasant, savory taste). Now we know that it is not only external sounds that alter the flavor of food. Actually, it is the sounds intrinsic to the food itself, peculiar to each bite, to change the nature of the perception that we have of it while we experience it in our mouth. Revealing this information is yet again Professor Charles Spence, the guru of multi-sensory food science^[2], who serves as inspiration to master chefs and companies.

That sound is "the forgotten flavor sense", says Spence. And the latest techniques developed in the field of cognitive neuroscience can demonstrate this. Crispy, crunchy and crackly are some of the terms that describe some of the most exciting sound-based experiences taking place under our palate, during the acts of biting and chewing. For example, what kind of taste would a French fry have without the noise it makes underneath our teeth? It is very probable that this simple and almost universally appreciated food would not have had quite the same worldwide success. One characteristic - crispiness - is used by the food advertising industry whenever possible. It is no coincidence: crispiness and pleasantness are highly correlated when it comes to classifying foods. Why? First and foremost, in fruits and vegetables crispiness equals freshness. And that sound, that inviting sound... And then there's bacon: it has been proven that its sizzling, crunching sound and texture are just as important - if not more - than taste and smell in making it the favorite food of millions of Americans.

And it's the kind of sound that makes the difference in our perception. Crispy and crunchy are not the same thing: the first describes a sound at a higher frequency made by the act of snapping (higher-pitched biting sounds), such as lettuce, for example, while the second describes lower frequency sounds like almonds and croutons. But there isn't just crunchy and crispy. There is also the sound of the carbonation, what we hear when we hold up a fizzy drink. And the sound of creaminess: that is, when the cream in the coffee envelops the oral cavity, the mouth truly starts to produce a subtly different sound, because of the associated change in friction). It's a sound that our brain associates with a languid creaminess.

In short, sound is a valuable source of information as regards the properties of the food we are eating, at least in terms of its texture, which is information that we process without even realizing it. Altering the sounds emitted during the act of eating thus changes the perception of the food we have in our mouth, and the experience of wonderful vital act as a whole.

References

1. ^{^} A number of recently published scientific researches (www.flavourjournal.com)
2. ^{^} Professor Charles Spence, the guru of multi-sensory food science (www.finedininglovers.com)

It is such a shame to waste food, no matter whether you have to throw away one courgette or a whole turkey breast. It happens when we store food haphazardly, but it also happens when we buy more than we can eat. How can we prevent the fridge from being invaded by mould or pervaded by the disgusting smell of meat or fish that has gone bad or by the acids released by gassy vegetables?

Is there any way to stop kiwi rotting within 24 hours of buying them? By using a bit of common sense and getting to know some of Granny’s old tips you can put these negative experiences behind you forever: here are 25 tips and suggestions to help your long term food storage.

1. HOW TO SILENCE OILY FISH

Of all the dead things that can lie in your refrigerator, fish is the smelliest. If you do not wish to eat it immediately when you bring it home, you have two options: you can either freeze it or you can gut it, before popping it into a plastic bag and placing it on top of a bowl filled with ice.

2. ALL THE GOODNESS OF FRESHLY SLICED COLD CUTS

Is it a common occurrence for your cold cuts to go dry and leave devastating smells? Try placing speck, bacon or ham in a cloth dampened with white wine vinegar. This also works for salami and other types of salt-cured meat.

3. SUN-DRENCHED TOMATOES

If you want them to ripen quickly for making a deliciously sweet tomato sauce, store them next to apples whose capacity for producing ethylene gas causes other fruit to ripen quickly or even rot. If, on the other hand, you want your tomatoes to stay fresh for longer, leave them attached to the vine and, better still, hang them up.

4. VEGETABLES: AS CRISP AS WHEN YOU BOUGHT THEM

As if you were preparing an aperitif or a raw vegetable starter, cut up your carrots, celery and courgettes and plunge them into icy water. They will be so crisp that you will have to bite into them carefully.

5. RICOTTA CHEESE AND SOUR CREAM

You can never be too careful with dairy produce but if you want to make your ricotta cheese or sour cream last a few hours longer, try placing the container upside down. The air space created in this way should postpone the formation and proliferation of bacteria, because you can do things with ricotta that are just out of this world.

6. BANISH THE SMELL OF OLD BOOTS FROM YOUR FRIDGE

Of course, you should never exaggerate with cheese. It is advisable therefore to consume and buy it in small quantities, but if you really are impenitent cheese eaters, it is preferable to store it individually wrapped in greaseproof paper. It is better to put mature cheese on the top shelves of the fridge to protect it from extreme temperatures, fresh cheese varieties keep better on the lower shelves where the temperature should be around 2-4°C.

7. OUR BROCCOLI FRIENDS

If ever in your life you have let broccoli rot in the fridge you were probably so traumatized as to have eliminated it from your diet, unless cooked by Mum. And yet broccoli is so good for us, you just have to know how to handle it. Broccoli should be used up quickly but if you are short for time, wrap it in tin foil or cling film to prevent the vegetable from breathing. Otherwise it can be frozen: just wash in water and vinegar and boil it before freezing.

8. FREAKY LEEKS

The leek is another sworn enemy of cold refrigerated air. To prevent leeks from rotting rapidly, either make them into a delicious soup immediately or clean them, cut them into slices and freeze them in a plastic bag. They may also be frozen whole in a plastic bottle: just pull them out as required.

9. EVERGREEN DRY THYME

The best way to preserve an oily herb like thyme is to dry it. Hang it upside down until dry and then keep in a glass jar. (photo: comefareorto) 10. PARSLEY GALORE No kitchen should ever be without parsley: it is essential for fish, useful in cheese recipes and a perfect addition to a great number of vegetables. In order to have it on hand at all times, you can freeze it or keep it in the kitchen in a glass of fresh water just like a bunch of flowers.

11. PERFECTLY CRISP ASPARAGUS

In the same way as parsley, stand your asparagus in a glass of water and see for yourself how long it will stay crisp and fresh.

12. POISONED APPLES

Hey guys, apples are not as healthy as they might seem to be: they are in fact healthy carriers of fermentation. Their super-powers come in useful when we want to make certain types of fruit ripen more quickly, such as kiwi or avocado, but bear in mind that when they stand close to peaches, apricots, pineapple or other varieties of fruit and vegetables, they will speed up the process until rotting sets in. Likewise, if there is one rotten apple in the fruit dish, it will affect everything else. Keep apples in the fridge or as a table decoration but store them separately from everything else.

13. FOREVER YOUNG WITH GINGER

Ginger is a root packed with health-giving properties: it disinfects, facilitates digestion and is an excellent remedy for colds and flu of all types. When you purchase it from the supermarket, cut it into pieces and freeze. In this way it will be less fibrous and easier to grate.

14. I’M BANANAS ABOUT YOU

Appreciated by sports enthusiasts for its high potassium content, bananas make a filling snack but also lend themselves to many delicious recipes. To store them longer, hang them up by the stems which must be covered with cling film but, once the fruit has turned black, it must be stored in the freezer and used up in muffins, desserts or a delicious quick-to-prepare ice-cream. Apart from the fruit, banana peel also has a number of uses so think twice before throwing it away.

15. ICED HERBS

A good way to keep kitchen herbs at length, to ensure that you always have them on hand for adding to your dishes, is to freeze them in ice-cube trays.

16. MILK FOR ALL AGES

Have you always kept milk in the door compartment of the fridge: WRONG! This is the worst possible place in which to keep a sensitive beverage like milk because it is more exposed to the thermal shock caused by the opening and closing of the door. Milk should be stored on the refrigerator shelves, to ensure a longer life.

17. POTATOES WITHOUT SPROUTS

Potatoes continue to be a debatable question: should they be stored with apples to prevent them from sprouting or should the forbidden fruit be forever banished from the earthly paradise? Even today, there are differing scientific opinions on the issue. Storing potatoes in the dark in a paper bag certainly helps them keep longer. (photo: lifehackers.com)

18. ONIONS DRESSED TO KILL

Take your onions and dress them up in your laddered stockings or tights, previously washed of course. Fill the stocking up like a sausage and tie a knot at both ends. Hung up vertically in the kitchen it will add a decoratively rustic note. In this way, the onions will be protected from the air and will last longer. (photo: northernhomestead)

19. TANTALIZING STRAWBERRIES

The next time you want to feast on strawberries don’t let nature fool you! Avoid storing them in the fridge in a paper bag. It is preferable to wash them in water and vinegar (10:1) to eliminate any trace of bacteria and mould so that they will last for about two weeks. (photo: pinterest)

20. AFTER A WALK IN THE WOODS

Fresh mushrooms are a particularly short-lived delicacy, even when kept in the fridge. To make them last a little longer, it is better to wrap them in a sheet of absorbent kitchen paper to dry the moisture and keep the formation of mould at bay (photo: cambiamenu)

21. THE GREATEST INVENTION SINCE SLICED BREAD

It is becoming increasingly difficult to keep bread fresh. The best way to store it is in its own paper bag, placed in its turn inside a plastic bag. Alternatively, slice it, freeze it and use it up gradually, possibly toasted on both sides to make it more digestible. (photo: nutrifree)

22. CRISP CRUNCHY SALAD

Whole lettuces, or the like, last longer than the pre-washed and cut varieties, because the latter comes in plastic bags. Whether curly, bitter, sweet or Belgian, it is preferable to keep salad wrapped in a sheet of absorbent kitchen paper or in a clean cloth to absorb any moisture and keep it dry. (photo: wikihow)

23. COLUMBUS’ EGG

Have you been wondering for years whether the fridge is the right place to keep eggs in, puzzled by the fact that supermarkets store them at room temperature? The answer is that it is preferable to store them in the fridge, better still if kept in their package, protected from thermal shock. (photo: ilfattoalimentare)

24. LONG LIVE GARLIC

Similarly to potatoes, garlic should be kept in the dark as much as possible, where it is not likely to start sprouting. Alternatively, chopped garlic may be frozen or whole garlic cloves may be preserved in oil. (photo: littleecofootprints)

25. FOR DIE-HARD MOULD GROWERS

If you really can’t prevent your fridge from being invaded by alien-looking moulds, a glass or bowl full of bicarbonate of soda placed inside will at least help keep unpleasant smells at bay. (photo:casabenessere)

The Sound of Taste 

This week we had an interesting look at how the world of sound can affect the way different people perceive certain foods. 

Food Storage 

Storing food correctly seems like a very basic task but it is in fact one of those things that if you learn a few basic tricks lots of your ingredients will stay fresher and last longer. 

This week we decided to tackle the issue of food waste with a simple guide that offers up 25 different tips on how to keep everything from oily fish to garlic fresh for much longer than you’re used to. 

Chinese Tea in Cuisine

References

1. ^{^} tea in Chinese cuisine (www.finedininglovers.com)