September 2004
Fresh from the gourmet scene
Prepare for a battle of the pans! Munich chef Alfons Schuhbeck has announced he is to hold a cooking show next month, starting just days before that of his rival, Eckart Witzigmann. Both are called “Palazzo,” both take place in a tent—Witzigmann’s in Arnulfstrasse from October 13, Schubeck’s in the parking lot of the Neue Messe from October 8—and both have a maximum ticket price of € 129. In fact, according to Schuhbeck, for whom the event is his first such stage appearance since the 1980s, the only difference is the fact that “I have one star, Witzigmann has three.”
Purists read no further! Munich cocktail guru and founder of the city’s American Bartender School, Ralph Diel, has just published a book listing 1,000 recipes for beer-based cocktails. It is hoped the new approach to drinking Munich’s most famous product will appeal to an entirely new audience and bring long-term benefits to the beer industry. Who knows, it could only be a matter of time before we’re all supping Churchills (0.4 l beer with 4 cl Campari) at the Wies’n…
1000 Cocktails mit Bier, Alois Knurr Verlag, 2004
In another break with tradition, Hofmann’s Restaurant at Alpenhof Murnau is putting a Bavarian twist on Spanish tapas. On September 26, the Culinarium Bavaricum workshop offers guests the chance to taste regional delicacies, prepared live by chef Patrick Auer. A selection of German wines will also be available for tasting at the event, which takes place from 12–5 pm and costs € 30 per person. For more information visit
www.alpenhof-murnau.com
There’s more wine-tasting on offer—but this time it’s just for girls. To cater to a growing interest in the subject among the female population, Munich delicatessen Käfer is launching women-only wine seminars. The one-day courses cover all aspects of wine production and enjoyment and include a menu with commentary on the accompanying wines. The next event takes place on September 11, from 10:30 am to 6 pm, in the Käfer
Stammhaus in Prinzregentenstrasse, with tickets costing € 167. For further information and reservations, call (089) 416 82 76.
Bohemia is back. After a year-long break, Erhard Spacek has reopened his restaurant “St. Wenzel” in the Hotel Antares at Amalienstrasse 20. Although not as big as its predecessor in Ungererstrasse, the restaurant still promises genuine Bohemian cuisine, such as Prague Duck and dumplings, with a regularly changing menu.
Speaking of dumplings… Munich’s Knödelei—a Wies’n institution specializing in dumplings of every shape and form—has been forced off its spot at the Oktoberfest by the Landwirtschaftsfest, which takes place every four years. Having already received more than 1,000 reservation requests, the Knödelei is recommending customers head for its parent restaurant, “Wirtshaus in der Au,” and promises it’ll be business as usual next year.
While there may not be mush-room at the Oktoberfest, there’s plenty in the country. Early summer rain has prompted experts to predict a particularly successful mushroom harvest this year—so head into the wilds and get scavenging! For anyone unsure of whether their finds are edible or not, experts are on hand at the city information department in Munich’s City Hall on Mondays during the mushroom season from 10 am to 1 pm and 4:30 pm to 6 pm.
