The cocoa plant needs the tropical, humid climate of the rain forest. This became clear to us once again when we looked a little more extensively at a small museum near Amsterdam on the subject of cocoa, the plant cocoa tree and the seeds, and the products made from them.

Who does not know the small hunger in between, especially when you are on the go, have little time and actually just want to eat a little something.

The EU funded Project OAC Connects Us - OACCUs is delighted to announce the launch of its very own healthy cookbook "A Culinary Journey through Europe".

What the German has his roll, croissant or pretzel, the Turk has his simit.

The first night frost and a little snow is here, so the first kale of the year can finally be harvested. At least that's what the family always said when asked when the kale left on the field could finally be harvested. Is this condition for kale harvest actually significant?

In one of the fairytale legends of Greek mythology, Zeus is reported to be sleeping on a bed filled with saffron. Wealthy Romans scattered saffron threads on their wedding beds, which probably led to the Latin saying "dormivit in sacco croci" meaning "he slept in a bed of saffron".

If, like us, you repeatedly find yourself in unfamiliar territory, it makes sense to always ask about regional peculiarities or abnormalities. This was also the case during our visit to the Thuringian city of Mühlhausen, which is not only surrounded by a spectacular old town with a well-preserved city wall with numerous defence towers, but can also come up with some culinary specialties.

During our tour of Lesbos we had come to Skala Sikamineas, a dreamy fishing village on the island that we had already mentioned in our Lesvos article. In addition to the baked feta cheese, we were tempted by the fresh calamari that had been hung on a line to dry along the way.

We came across this typical Frisian-East Frisian pastry in the old port of Carolinensiel, where we had gone for the Christmas market.

A typical Turkish pastry, which is often used as a snack, can undoubtedly be described as the simit or sesame ring, which is usually offered in street sales by small traders.

On Sunday evening, Brita asked us what we would like for lunch the following day, to which we couldn't immediately come up with a concrete answer.

Of course, during our visit with Brita and Gerda to the North Sea island of Spiekeroog, we also talked about North Sea shrimps, the specialty from the Wadden Sea that is well known throughout Germany, which is freshly fished and peeled every day and is so delicious on a fresh piece of bread.

When we were introduced to the local customs of drinking tea on Saturday morning at Maria and Jochen's place during our breakfast with Brita and Gerda, the question of other eating or drinking habits that could perhaps be named typical arose for us.

The usage of coffee can look back to a long tradition, in recent years it has been reinvented again. The mixture of tradition and modernity makes this product to something really special.

We were very much surprised whether the size and variety, the suppliers and their products at this year's first Coffee Festival in Izmir, what we would not have expected in such colorful activities of the exhibitors and such a high number of really interested visitors.

Again and again spontaneously, there was another cooking experience, because despite the immense size of the Ferropolis leisure complex, some encounters can hardly be avoided - what luck for us if, as in this case, we can take care of the physical well-being again.

After completing our outdoor presentation, a quick tour of the Ferropolis area, which really extends over the peninsula, so our thoughts, then and to our surprise, another highlight was awaiting us: In a pot around the world - Shakshuka.

The river Unstrut meanders for a total of 192 kilometers through the Thuringian Basin, past Mühlhausen and Bad Langensalza, through the vineyards near Freyburg and finally flows into the Saale near Naumburg.

In almost all cultures on earth, tea is prepared in special, one could say typical containers, whether in jugs, in pots, in larger ceramic or wooden vessels, which often have culture-typical shapes and are in many places part of the arts and crafts.

If you come from the far north of our Republic, drinking tea is part of the daily basic diet, far more than morning coffee, but without celebrating the Frisian-East Frisian preparation ceremony.