Ana Rowley, International Internship Program: Berlin Summer 2023
I have always been a strong believer that food is one of the largest parts of understanding a culture and its history. Whenever I travel somewhere new, I always have to try the local cuisine, and I love searching for hidden gems within a city. Before coming to Berlin, I did not know too much about the food. I had mostly heard that German food was a lot of potatoes and meat. I was slightly disappointed to learn this but decided that there has to be something worthwhile. As I spoke to Berlin locals, I learned that the food really does reflect Berlin’s unique history. I had some of the best Thai food at a weekly outside market and amazing Vietnamese coffee at a stand on the side of the road. My favorite dish at the Thai market was the pad see ew I got from a random stand. The sauce was amazing and I wish I could go back to Berlin just to get it again. I was surprised to find out that many Thai and Vietnamese people immigrated to Berlin during Communist rule in West Berlin, and this historic event continues to perpetuate itself through Berlin cuisine. Then, anywhere in Berlin you can stop by and grab a doner kebab. I ate so many during my time there (and did get a little sick of them by week 8), but I was also surprised to find so many Middle Eastern restaurants in Berlin. Similar to Thai and Vietnamese food, many Turkish expats moved to Berlin and established neighborhoods where this cuisine thrived. This mixing of cultures and food made me fall in love with Berlin. It is something truly unique.
At home, I typically cook everything and eat out once every 1 to 2 weeks. I love cooking and trying to recreate recipes at home. I especially love making Taiwanese and Chinese food because it reminds me of my childhood. Keeping this diet in Berlin was rather hard for me. The closest Asian grocery store was a 25-minute walk away and expensive. Shopping there and bringing all the heavy food back was just not worth it in the end for me. But, because of this, I had to switch gears and cook mostly Western food. I tried new recipes and figured out what was best for me. I ate this amazing sandwich when I was out in a neighborhood called Prenzlauer Berg that I just had to recreate at home. It wasn’t quite the same, but it is now a new recipe I make all the time when I am feeling a little lazy. Cooking in Berlin made me step out of my comfort zone and try making new foods.
Leave a Reply