The bakeries in Berlin go above and beyond what I've known in the U.S. The different breads I've tried taste so fresh and warm, it's become my favorite food here. Plus, you can find a bakery anywhere! Even at subway stations!
The Southeast Asian food cultures are really special to me. I grew up under a Vietnamese household. So whenever I get to try these fusion foods, I get a taste of home.
Sauerkraut also surprised me. Growing up, I ate kimchi, which is also a fermented cabbage. But while kimchi is sweet and spicy, sauerkraut is sour and salty.
Freshly baked bread is a breakfast staple in Germany. Bakers arrive roughly four hours before the shop opens to start making bread. By they open around 8:00 am, they've been awake for five hours! It's important to arrive at a bakery within the first two hours. If you don't, their stock may be gone!
Sauerkraut is made by shredding fresh cabbage and mixing it with salt. Then it's stored in a jar and left to ferment for about two to four weeks. The sooner you eat it, the less sour it is.
Berlin is a completely landlocked city. It relies on harbors of nearby cities like Hamburg to bring in foods and produce. It also relies on the railroad for imports as well. While Berlin doesn't have strong agriculture, it makes up for it with international imports. This directly plays into the multicultural foods readily available in the city like Southeast Asian foods.
