Tadshikischen Teestube (Tajiki Tea Room), Berlin

When our friends were visiting us recently they took us to this fantastic, rather hidden tea room located very close to the Museumsinsel. It's a small place so reservations are highly recommended, but since we got there early we were able to be served without one. According to the menu, the first tea room in the world was in Tajikistan. I don't know if I believe it, but I do accept that this represents a longstanding traditional form of social interaction. Women were not allowed (in Tajikistan, that is -- they are allowed in Berlin).

They have a wide selection of teas from every cultural tradition, from English to Chinese; and a fairly big menu, but we were only there for "kaffee und kuchen."
















They do not seem to have their own website, but here are some links that can help you find this place:

Restaurant review from berlin.de .

From qype.com.

From Berliner Morgenpost.

Bacon Cups from "not martha"

I just had the pleasure of discovering a fantastic blog thanks to a friend on Facebook. The instructions for making Bacon Cups, complete with photos of each step, is pretty interesting. You must check out this blog at www.notmartha.org, and this recipe in particular. She stuffed them with lettuce and sliced cherry tomatoes (a BLT theme) but one of the comments suggested poached eggs in the bacon cups, which also sounds great.

German Food of the Week: Ground Cherries

Okay, so they're not exactly German -- ground cherries (Physalis peruviana, or Kapstachelbeere in German) are a tropical fruit, but they are quite popular here. They are a small sweet, slightly tart fruit, and a member of the nightshade family, like tomatoes. They grow inside a papery hull, like tomatillos (Physalis philadelphica). They often appear as garnishes on restaurant plates or buffets. I finally bought some at the grocery store yesterday, and we are enjoying them at home.