It’s sanni-licious

Welcome to my TT Edition #19 - the Special Edition “Currywurst”!

Most of you know I´m a participant of the fantastic Cyber Cruise . We´ve been to many great destinations so far, each port was hosted by another fellow blogger. One of my ports has been Berlin, Germany. I´ve posted about one of Berlin´s local delicacies: Currywurst. Since many of you asked in comments or via email and google sent a huge amount of people searching for “Currywurst” I´m willingly coming up with this Currywurst special (including facts and the original recipe of a “Berliner Currywurst) to satisfy your wishes:

13 facts about Currywurst

1.) The legend says that the currywurst was invented by a Berlin sausage vendor,Herta Heuwer, in September 1949
2.) Feeling rather bored, she supposedly created a sauce of curry, several spices and ketchup
3.) She served the sauce on bite-sized bratwurst slices
4.) Other sources claim that the first Currywurst was served in Hamburg in the 50s (NO WAY *LOL*)
5.) Hamburg´s Currywurst was served with a cooked sausage
6.) Opinions are divided on the invention and correct serving
7.) Grilled or cooked, sliced or served whole – this is not just a matter of taste, the question divides the nation
8.) Currywurst lovers in North and Central Germany like their sausage in pieces
9.) A southern currywurst is usually accompanied by knife and fork
10.) Everybody agrees on the side dish: fries
11.) Currywurst is definitely not a dietry nourishment: 100g (0.22 lb) contain 256 calories!!!
12.) Be that as it may, currywurst is (the) king (of German fast food)!
13.) How to prepare a traditional

“Berliner Currywurst” - The Currywurst recipe:

You may ask your local butcher for Bratwurst (frying sausage) and cook just the sauce…
… or you can produce the sausages on your own!

Ingredients - sausages:
300g minced meat (pork) (0.66 lb / 12 oz)
1 /2 bowel (lamb)
7 tablespoon of whipped cream, liquid, unsweetened
1 teaspoon of curry-paste, mild
1 teaspoon of turmeric
1 /2 teaspoon of garam masala
1 teaspoon of coriander
1 teaspoon of “five spices”
1 pinch of salt & pepper

Please fill the minced meat into a bowl, add the liquid whipped cream and the spices. Thereafter use a handmixer to puree the trimmings to a creamy mass. Fill the mass into a icing-bag ( 0.3 inch nozzle) and fill the lamb-bowl with the mass. Strag the filled bowl into 3.5 oz / 0.3 feet sausages by tieing them up with yarn. Poach the sausages in hot water (about 3 minutes) and let them cool.

Ingredients for the typical curry-sauce (4 sausages):
1 bottle of tomato ketchup
2 onions
3 tablespoon of chili powder
3 tablespoon of sweet pepper spice
3 tablespoon of curry powder
2 tablespoon of Worcestershiresauce
5 tablespoon of vinegar
Tabasco at will

Heat the ketchup in a large saucepan(Caution! It might slosh!) and add 1 tablespoon of curry powder, 1 tablespoon of sweet pepper spice and 2 tablespoon of Worcestershire-sauce. Let simmer over medium heat for about 20-30 minutes after bringing to a boil. Meanwhile peel the onions and hash them. Put the hashed onions into a pan and season them with 1 tablespoon of chili powder, 1 tablespoon of sweet pepper spice and Tabasco at will.

Sauté the onions. Then add the vinegar and stir the ingredients. Add 3-4 tablespoons of the curry-sauce.
Caution: I highly recommend NOT to try the spicy onions before you´ve added the sauce. It might cause some very ugly experiences in the restroom… at the latest the morning after.

Cut in the sausages and fry them for 3 to 4 minutes each side, or until cooked through. Slice into pieces 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick. Thereafter arrange the slices of one sausage per person on a plate and season the sausages with curry, sweet pepper spice and chili powder (if you like it hot).Add the curry-sauce on the sausages and serve the onion-sauce in a bowl to dose by oneself.
Ideal side dish: french fries.

Welcome to Berlin! Enjoy your meal! =)

Happy Easter ya all!
Happy TT and thanks for stopping by,

And now…
… our moment of Homer J.:

Homer: My ears are burning.
Lisa: I wasn’t talking about you, Dad.
Homer: No, my ears are really burning. I wanted to see inside, so I lit a Q-tip.

[My (Not-so) Wordless Wednesday #17 is one post below]

Well, we´ve had a lot of exhausting sightseeing. We all joined Racquel climbing up the Fernsehturm and had a few Berliner Weisse and some Berliner Pfannkuchen (Mar had two!).
Thereafter we´ve spend some time shopping. Maybe you´ve bought some Berlin Street Fashion? A shirt made by Makaya? Or spmething of My favorite Berlin Designer Yack Fou? Anni got a brandnew wellfitting Dirndl for herself and a kind of “I´m to sexy for my”-Lederhose for her hubby =)

The ladies, especially Captain Lifecruiser herself, ICL, Maribeth and me, Sanni, want to discover the beer - part of Be(e)rlin.

Let´s visit “Das Klo” - Berlin´s funniest Kneipe (Pub)! Don´t worry, he name doesn´t imply anything about beverages and service: the loo, the toilet, le toilette, Toalett, los servicios, das Scheisshaus…

Prost! Skål! Santé! Proost! Salute! Cheers! Salud! Sláinte!

Thereafter it´s dinner and party time at the “Hackesche Hoefe” - we will find any kind of food and entertainment.

Before we´ll go back a board:

In exchange for your burning feet I´ve prepared a little keepsake for you. The souvenir shows the “Berliner Baer” (Berlin Bear) - the little bear is Berlin´s emblem!

Thanks for visiting Berlin,

And now…
… our moment of Homer J.:

Bart: Dad, what’s a Muppet?
Homer: Well, it’s not quite a mop, not quite a puppet, but man… (laughs, then pauses) So, to answer you question, I don’t know.

Currywurst

The picture shows a “Currywurst mit Pommes” (fried sausage in curry ketchup with french fries) - one of Berlin´s local delicacies. Why am I showing a sausage and babbling insted of shutting up and posting a lovely picture of Luis? That´s easy: I am your host in Berlin, Germany at the Lifecruiser Cyber Cruise today.
If you are interested in Berlin accent and sightseeing feel free to join us and find out more one post below =)

Thanks for stopping by - and please accept my apologizes for not being as wordless as usual today =)

Happy WW,

And now…
… our moment of Homer J.:

Homer’s Brain: Use reverse psychology.
Homer: Oh, that sounds too complicated.
Homer’s Brain: Okay, don’t use reverse psychology.
Homer: Okay, I will!

Welcome - Willkommen - Vaelkomna - ¡Bienvenidos! - Velkommen - Bienvenue - Benvenuti

The capital of Germany is a city of opportunities just waiting to be seized in all areas, like entertainment, recreation, economy, science and academic life.

Let´s get started our Berlin Tour with some sightseeing… But first of all we´ll have a delicious breakfast at Café Sydney. The “Eiweiss-Schock” (A creamy Yoghurt with honey, Cornflakes and fresh fruits) is highly recommended.

Most of you did listen to some German people talking already… they will wonder why the Berlin folk sounds so… different. They have their own accent. I´ll show you by “borrowing” John F. Kennedy´s famous words: “Ich bin ein Berliner / Ick bin een Berliner”

This is how “I am from Berlin” it sounds in “proper” German…

… and in Berlin:

You can still hear some Berlin accent, but this only happens when I´m drunk *Oooops*

Ready to go? Don´t worry, we will concentrate on the city´s main impressions.

The best place to begin is in the historical centre of the city, in Mitte, whose fully restored architecture gives you some idea of the Prussian splendour of bygone days. They stand in stark contrast to the building style of the period when the country was divided and this part of town was under East German rule.

Alexanderplatz was made famous through Alfred Doeblin’s novel of the same name and is dominated by the Fernsehturm (TV Tower), Berlin´s tallest edifice. The spectacular panoramic windows offers a breathtaking view out over the whole city. The tiny Marienkirche (Church) looks a bit lost among the many modern buildings at Alexanderplatz, but its “dance of death” fresco is well worth a closer look.

From Alexanderplatz we´ll walk down to Unter den Linden, the magnificent boulevard featuring numerous well-known buildings of architectural interest. On the right we will soon come to the impressive (Berlin Cathedral), the court church of the Hohenzollern Dynasty. The Lustgarten (Pleasure Garden), now restored according to the original plans, offers an opportunity for a pleasant stroll and not only for museum visitors heading towards the Museumsinsel (Museum´s Island) with its imposing museums whose collections are easily on a par with those in other cities of the world.
Returning to Unter den Linden we cross the Schlossbruecke (Palace Bridge) which was designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel and is once again resplendent with its once lost statues.

To our right is the Zeughaus (Old Armoury) which is currently undergoing extensive repair work. The Deutsches Historisches Museum (German Historical Museum), that will present an exhibition about German history, will open in June 2006.
Next to the Zeughaus stands the Neue Wache (New Guardhouse), the official memorial of the Federal Republic of Germany. To the rear of the small chestnut wood lies the Maxim-Gorki-Theater, which was built in 1827 for the Singakademie (Academy of Singing). The next building is home to Berlin’s oldest university, the Humboldt-Universitaet, built between 1748-66. Standing in the middle of Unter den Linden at a level with is the monumental equestrian statue by Christian Daniel Rauch depicting Friedrich II on his favourite horse Condé.
The Staatsoper (State Opera House) is located on the other side of Unter den Linden. This was the first building constructed as part of the ‘Forum Fridericianum’. In the centre of the Bebelplatz square is a memorial set into the ground commemorating the “book-burning” of 1933.

At the southern end of the same square we will find Hedwigs-Kathedrale (St. Hedwig’s Cathedral) with its unconventionally shaped dome. To its right stands the Alte Bibliothek (Old Royal Library), known locally as the “chest of drawers” because of its crescent-shaped frontage. It is well worth making a short detour to the Gendarmenmarkt, which with its ensemble of Konzerthaus (Concert Hall), Deutscher Dom and Franzoesischer Dom (German Cathedral and French Cathedral), is one of the most beautiful squares in Europe. The new architectural face of Berlin is well in evidence in the nearby Friedrichstrasse – WOO-HOO! Elegant stores and shopping malls like “Galeries Lafayette”, “Quartier 205″ and “Quartier 206″. Here we will also find the most famous of all memorials to the division of Germany – the Checkpoint Charlie border-crossing point – recalling one of the more tragic periods of Berlin history.

Pariser Platz lies at the western end of Unter den Linden, a grand 1.5 km long and 60 m wide boulevard. A series of imposing corporate, commercial and embassy buildings are strung along this most famous of the city’s thoroughfares. Just off to the right of Pariser Platz we can see the legendary Hotel Adlon and the Russian Embassy, an icing-cake style building constructed during the Stalin Era of the 50s. A few yards further one, stands the Komische Oper, one of the three Berlin opera houses, this one presenting German language versions of opera and operetta. Pariser Platz is of course the location of Berlin´s most prestigious landmark, the Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate), a symbol of the division and reunification of the city of Berlin.
Situated on the former border between East and West Berlin, it provides the most moving reminder of the city’s recent history. Not far away is the Reichstag, another notable landmark of historic dimensions. Looking out over the roof garden or through the glass dome you can enjoy a unique view of the inner city and at the same time feel right at the centre of German politics.

Potsdamer Platz has also undergone complete reconstruction. The glass facaded Sony Center, the debis headquarters and the Kollhoff-Hochhaus combine to form part of the new hub of the city, a synthesis of contemporary architecture and urban lifestyle. In the newly-designed Kulturforum (Cultural Forum) just round the corner from Potsdamer Platz the Gemaeldegalerie (Picture Gallery) houses a collection of old masters to wonder at. Back at Potsdamer Platz we can take a walk through the Tiergarten park, Berlin’s “green heart” and arrive in the western centre of the city. On the way there we pass by the Siegessaeule (Victory Column) on whose summit “Golden Victoria”, an angel- like figure, seems to float over the city.

My feet are burning, I´m hungry. I guess it´s time for lunch. When in Berlin you mustn´t forget to try the local delicacy, Currywurst (fried sausage in curry ketchup), the classic fast-food speciality or a Berliner Bulette (meatball). Berlin also boasts a traditional drink, Berliner Weisse, particularly refreshing in summer when relaxing in one of the many beer gardens or street cafés.

The Kurfuerstendamm, Berlin´s western centre, is full of shops and department stores – an ideal place to find a souvenir or two to take back.
KaDeWe, Europe´s largest store, is a real shoppers´ paradise.
The Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedaechtnis-Kirche (Memorial Church) was kept as a memorial to the horrors of war. There are two contrasting churches here, one the old ruined church and the other a modern-looking construction. Beyond them we can already make out the all-glass Kranzlereck complex pointing up into the sky. This is one of the city’s most recent building
As the day closes it´s time to visit one of the many restaurants on or not far from the Kurfuerstendamm – for example, at nearby Savigny Platz – to relax and soak up the Berlin atmosphere.

And the restaurants in and around the Hackeschen Hoefe in the district of Mitte, within easy reach of Alexanderplatz, offer similar hospitality and are an ideal starting place for setting out in the evening to get a taste of Berlin´s night-life in some of the thousand and one all-night clubs and bars spread throughout the city.
Kollwitzplatz in Prenzlauer Berg and Goltzstrasse in Schoeneberg are two more venues for enjoying Berlin´s vibrant nightlife.

Ship Ahoy,

Oh, you´ve been a Non-Cruiser till now? You can still come on board
We´ve started our Fun Cyber Cruise at Stockholm with a great party, hopped over to Oslo having incredible fun with Tor and Renny, visited Napoleon´s Waterloo, got sun tanned in Barcelona and we´re attacked by pirates and taken to Tortuga!!! Tomorrow we will stop by at Alaska!

And now…
… our moment of Homer J.:

Homer: [drunk] Look, the thing about my family is there’s five of us. Marge, Bart, Girl Bart, the one who doesn’t talk, and the fat guy. How I loathe him.

Happy WW,

And now…
… our moment of Homer J.:

Homer’s Brain: Use reverse psychology.
Homer: Oh, that sounds too complicated.
Homer’s Brain: Okay, don’t use reverse psychology.
Homer: Okay, I will!

Wordless Wednesday
Cyber Cruise
Berlin
The Simpsons