The East has a different flavour:

Delicious cultural tours through Berlin

Exploring the different sides of Germany's capital with the to-date unique "eat-the-world" culinary tasting tour

A pinch of culture, a sprinkling of pleasure and a generous twist of Berlin life - Elke Freimuth and her team from "eat-the-world" take a different approach to showcasing Berlin’s various districts. The latest tour on foot through trendy Friedrichshain - with information on history, architecture and Berlin life - is accompanied by delicacies ranging from Ceylonese curry soup, Iraqi-Lebanese falafel, to traditional Danish hot dogs - and for dessert a French sweet-bitter praline.

What defines a city? It is the people who inhabit, shape and influence it. All the more so in Berlin, with its wealth of diverse neighbourhoods. "While in Kreuzberg there are countless different nationalities, in Friedrichshain there are above all different types of people," explains Elke Freimuth. From alternative punks in the squatter scene to the yuppie in a luxury converted loft in hip Friedrichshain who likes to party in offbeat bars and pubs. Even actors know to cherish the new trendy area. "In recent years, this neglected former workers' district has established itself as the scene’s new meeting place," says the businesswoman.

The confirmed connoisseur escorts her customers on a filling tour of discovery through this district of contrasts. Far from the beaten tourist track, curiosity seekers slake their thirst for knowledge, gain insight on history and architecture, and sample culinary specialties. In a relaxed atmosphere, Elke Freimuth converses about life in the largest architectural monument in Europe, the former Stalin Allee. This vast socialist boulevard is the source of many contrasting histories, and its domed towers at Frankfurter Tor loom high over Berlin. Also granted on the excursion are insights into the absorbing local neighbourhood life and the colourful diversity of the area around Boxhagener Platz, as well as walks through the Simon-Dach-Strasse - the "party mile" - and the Wüh-lischstraße, home of the new young Berlin fashion designers. In the spirit of "You are what you eat", the restau-rants and hangouts of Friedrichshain are as diverse and contradictory as the people who live there. Over the course of the three-hour guided tour, culinary secrets are revealed and new treats concocted. The locations for the tastings on the Friedrichshain tour, which are occasionally peppered with some small-talk from the restau-rant owners, include a café with an European wine shop, a Ceylonese restaurant, a Lebanese-Iraqi diner, a Mediterranean cafe, a traditional delicatessen bistro, a specialty store for chocolates and tarts, and a small res-taurant specializing in hot dogs and soups. "Afterwards, my customers will feel like insiders, and not lost in the mainstream of gastronomic excess," is how Elke Freimuth describes her aims.

Information on the Friedrichshain tour and other culinary tasting tours through Berlin at www.eat-the-world.com or phone: +49 (0)30-530 661 65

Background: eat-the-world
Throughout her many trips abroad, founder Elke Freimuth has always asked herself the same questions: Who are the peo-ple in this region, what do they eat, and what distinguishes the lifestyle of the locals? lived for some time in New York, where she first discovered this kind of guided tour in which food takes centre place – although without information on the ways of life of the local residents. "Since I am a huge fan of culinary Europe, I wanted to draw attention to the dishes that are charac-teristic for their countries, and combine this with the everyday lives of the locals." This is the goal of the young entrepreneur. The "eat-the-world” concept remains unique to date - culinary tours or tapas tours can be found in a number of European cities, but these are mostly complete menus in three to five different restaurants. The idea of a small number of representa-tive samples is fresh. Freimuth’s motto is: Get to know the region through the food and the people.