Welcome to my little world

The kitchen at Neumayer Station III (Photo: Laura Fabian)

The smell of coffee wafts through the canteen, the kitchen is filled with the delicious aroma of croissants and rolls, there are eggs frying in the pan, and I quickly turn in a circle to flip a pancake. After all, a good swing of the hips is a great way to start the day 😉

Most days it’s me, Laura, who’s the first out of bed, so I can enjoy the quiet morning hours a bit before the station comes back to life, and I start preparing our breakfast. And since we all enjoy a nice surprise, every morning there’s a Surprise Smoothie. Sometimes my colleagues want to know what’s in it; other times, they don’t 😉 How does that saying go? “A good cook never reveals their secrets.” hehe

Image Gallery

Now breakfast is over, all the bellies are full,

Time for each to go their own way,

Yet my work is never dull,

Making new hot meals every day.

Since Antarctic cuisine is fairly limited, I like to take us on a culinary journey around the globe. Surrounded by ice and snow, we begin with a jaunt through Asia, with bibimbap, dim sum and curry dishes. The next stop is northern Africa, where spicy shakshuka, made with the last of our fresh eggs, makes us feel like it’s 30 °C in the shade. After Monday’s Italian-style pasta or pizza dishes, we end up in Spain, where we dine on tapas, tortillas and churros.

Croissants from home-made dough, fresh baguette, and quiches fill our heads with visions of French cuisine – a buttery taste of heaven for any palate.

When we feel homesick, it’s time for schnitzel, Königsberger Klöpse or a hearty potato soup – classic German fare that warms every heart from within when it’s -30 °C outside. Crossing the Atlantic, we can tuck into enchiladas, empanadas and tacos – “the hotter, the better” is our motto. Every now and then we also indulge in American food, from burgers to hot dogs, or just plain French fries. And when we feel like visiting the Gulf of Alaska, I go to my -25 °C freezer room and bring us back a tasty Alaska pollock fillet.

We keep the tradition and cook by the day of the week:

Mondays it’s past and pizza time,

Tuesdays something from the oven is fine,

Wednesdays it’s rice or a nice surprise,

Thursdays are veggies of every shape and size,

Fridays mean it’s time for fish,

Saturdays are soup days, how delish,

Sundays it’s time for a special treat,

A different meal every day; if you ask us, it can’t be beat!