What are the culinary delights for in May?

In May, the month of joy and happiness, one can enjoy the nature and beautiful sunny days. First seasonal fruits will have already grown: succulent asparagus, juicy strawberries are a real treat for everybody. 

The Radicchio restaurant has, as always, prepared the special menu for May. Until 10^th of May you can find a wide selection of asparagus dishes, for example black pasta with asparagus and cherry tomatoes, asparagus and cherry tomato risotto with grana padano cheese, asparagus cream soup with prosciutto ham, asparagus with eggs and smoked ham with sour cream and red pepper, turkey fillet with asparagus, potatoes and hollandaise sauce.  Sounds great, right?

What about strawberries! Their sweet taste will get you into spring mood. Our own patisserie prepares them with tasty Belgian chocolate what enriches their special taste. It’s a real treat available at the Joe’s bar with the cup of coffee or tea. Besides that, you can order the wide selection of home-made strawberry cakes.

For barbecue lovers, the new grill season in Radicchio restaurant is open. Marinated stakes and other meat with various side dishes and sauces are available daily. Enjoy the May and visit the hotel ARCOTEL Allegra – your passionate hosts!

A Culinary Puzzle …

Every year when wild garlic comes into season again you know that it won’t be long until another culinary favourite is back on the table again.
It can be green or white, thick or thin, long or short. You can boil it, grill it, steam it, mash it or fry it.
Have you guessed which seasonal vegetable we are talking about?
We’ll give you one more clue: For those of you who are counting calories, it is THE vegetable par excellence.
You’ve probably guessed by now. The vegetable behind all these facts is asparagus!
There are countless ways of serving asparagus apart from in the well-known fashion with potatoes and sauce hollandaise. If you fancy trying something different, you can use asparagus to make risotto, serve it as soup, make a sauce out of it or use it as an ingredient in a refreshing salad.
If you would prefer someone else to do the cooking for you, then dining out at our WIMBERGERs wia z'Haus restaurant is doubly rewarding at the moment. Our current menu not only includes the universally popular asparagus, we’re also offering fresh strawberries creatively prepared by our kitchen brigade to bring out their full flavour.

Follow this link to get to our seasonal menu

BBQ Tips and Techniques from an Expert

Award-winning chef Johann Schwarz shares his secrets
 
It’s finally that time of the year again: Spring has come and is enticing us to come outside with balmy temperatures and fresh spring air. The first rays of sun also herald the beginning of the barbecue season, for whether you fancy fish or meat, food never tastes better than when it’s fresh off the grill.  

Award-winning chef Johann Schwarz offers some valuable tips and techniques to guarantee that your BBQ is a resounding success:

·        Fresh herbs are indispensable for a barbecue! Rosemary and oregano go well with beef and lamb, while marjoram and thyme go really well with pork. Poultry is best spiced up with sage. But don’t forget: the best way to get that perfect flavour is to leave the meat to marinate for a couple of hours.

·        Personally, I swear by a good old fashioned charcoal grill. The charcoal grill gives the meat its characteristic smoky flavour and creates that convivial barbecue atmosphere.

·         But be careful! It is essential that you get the charcoal to the right temperature! At the correct temperature of approx. 200°C the meat will become tender and lose less juice.

·        Everyone who has ever barbecued is familiar with the problem: Stomachs rumble but the charcoal simply won’t get hot. The solution is a chimney starter. This practical device will shorten the time you have to wait before you can start grilling and at the same time ensures that the charcoal is lit evenly.

·        And finally, guys, you’re much better off enjoying your beer straight away instead of pouring it over the meat. For a start, this dramatically reduces the temperature of the barbecue and secondly it churns up the embers and releases harmful particles that then stick to the food.

An unusual kitchen idea

During the course of a 2-month internship, the winner of the Sharp #GetItDownOnPaper Competition Siobhán Andrews took advantage of the resources available at such a successful and technically adept company to bring her idea to life in the form of a prototype. Her concept for potentially making life in the kitchen easier for any amateur chef is the so-called Chopping Board 2.0, also known as the Chop Sync. The Chop Sync is essentially a large board which combines several practical functions.
An Internet connection provides users with a convenient way of seeking out the required recipe in advance ready to be brought to life in the actual pots and pans. The ingredients needed can be measured out on the spot with the aid of integrated scales, and quantities are automatically calculated depending on the number of diners entered into the system. The surface of the device is even robust enough to allow all the component parts of the meal to be cut to the right shape and size on the chopping board itself. Although Siobhán’s invention may not find its way into the shops, we still think it’s still a pretty cool idea!

3 Good Reasons to Visit Berlin at Easter 

In his “Easter Walk” Goethe made it eminently clear why the Easter holidays are the perfect occasion for spending time outdoors and enjoying the awakening of spring. And even though you might not think so, our city has some fantastic nature highlights to offer! See for yourself and enjoy fun and adventure for all the family on a trip to Berlin.

Eggology at the museum
Under the title “Everything you need to know about eggs” the Natural History Museum is organising an egg rally for children between the ages of 8 and 12. Against an original backdrop youngsters can learn all sorts of interesting things about eggs – from the egg on the breakfast table to the much larger dinosaur egg. And of course, things get really colourful in the afternoon when they have the chance to paint some eggs! 

When: Sunday, 20 April, 3.00 p.m. | Where: Museum of Natural History | Invalidenstr. 43
Please register at: E besucherservice@mfn-berlin.de | T 030 2093-8550
Contribution to costs: Children € 5 plus admission charge | Adults admission charge only.
 
A zoo trip with a difference
As well as the chance to see the animals, Berlin Zoo is offering a special challenge for guests of all ages: an Easter Rally that takes you to every corner of the zoo in search of the answers to a host of tricky questions! Simply pick up your questionnaire at the “Löwentor” entrance and then the rest is up to you!

When: Sunday, 20.04.2014, 11.30 a.m. - 2.00 p.m. | Where: Berlin Zoo | Hardenbergplatz 8
Admission: http://bit.ly/Eintritt_Zoo

Easter Walk with highlights
What would Easter Monday in Berlin be without a walk! The city on the Spree even has cultural entertainment to add to the pleasure! A creative quartet in the zoo provides musical accompaniment and spring poems. Schloss Friedrichsfelde offers little ones the chance to try their hand at arts and crafts, a story hour and a host of other highlights.

When: 21.04.2014, 11:30 a.m. | Where: Berlin Zoo | Am Tierpark 125
Admission: the normal admission charge: http://bit.ly/Eintritt_Tierpark

The team at the ARCOTEL Velvet Berlin wishes you a very happy Easter!

Easter in Zagreb

Many tourists and visitors consider Zagreb the most beautiful in spring. This is not surprising, since the Croatian capital has numerous parks and green patches in the very city center. There are various kinds of flowers, bushes and trees. We recommend a visit to the botanical garden, just a few minute walk from the hotel ARCOTEL Allegra. Around 10,000 plant species grow in the garden, of which 1,800 exotic species from around the world. The beauty of the garden in the springtime is breathtaking.

If you are wondering where to spend nice moments during Easter, Zagreb is an ideal option. It is not far way from the European capitals and it offers a wide range of attractions and events. If you are coming with family, friends or a loved one, we are sure you will enjoy Zagreb especially at Easter. Experience the Croatian Easter tradition firsthand and learn the traditional way of painting and decorating Easter eggs. Take a stroll through the old town with Easter stands and discover the diversity of Croatian customs. You will take home many beautiful memories of Zagreb.

We have therefore prepared two special packages: With Family Special offer* you can accommodate two children (under 16 years) free of charge in their parents’ apartment. Also try out our Easter offer* with Easter breakfast and culinary greeting from the kitchen. Enjoy the traditional Croatian Easter cuisine in our restaurant Radicchio!

Happy Easter! We are looking forward to your inquiry and visit!

T +385 4696-000
F +385 4696-096
E allegra@arcotelhotels.com