Dina Weber’s fondest memories of the German summer are of spending long days in the sun cycling, swimming in lakes, and socialising. “Summer days start with fresh fruits and berries and yoghurt,” reminisces the founder-head baker of Mysore’s famous Sapa Bakery, who is all set to host a pop-up in Bengaluru that brings these memories on to the plate.
“When we go on cycling tours, we usually combined that with visiting a restaurant that serves seasonal dishes like asparagus and ham or rhubarb cake. The idea for this brunch originated from conversations with friends about my annual summer trips to Germany. My followers on social media showed a keen interest in the stories I shared about my home, village, the traditional food we make, and the region I come from. As a result, we began discussing how I could bring that sense of heritage and connection closer to everyone here in India,” says Dina who moved to India in 2015 and set up Sapa Bakery in 2019.
The brunch promises an assortment of savoury and sweet dishes that reflect German culinary traditions and ingredients such as the Hugo sparkling wine infused with elderflower syrup, tangy rhubarb compote paired with sabayone, among others. Elaborating on how she has translated her summer memories into dishes, Dina recalls evenings spent at town squares where “people bring their own radler, beer and blankets to sit on, and someone plays the guitar. The sun sets only at 10 pm so we make sure we have long, leisurely evenings with many friends that join groups randomly throughout the day.”
To incorporate these experiences into dishes, she has ensured dishes retain elements or ingredients typical especially to south Germany, where her family is from. “Ingredients like rhubarb, elderflower, asparagus, Nürnberger sausage are all a must for summer. The overall feeling for the menu is that it is light, refreshing and exciting with different flavours from summer fresh produce,” says Dina.
Guests can expect dishes such as tart flambé with creme fraiche and bacon, reminiscent of picnics; baby potatoes accompanied by asparagus, hollandaise sauce, and ham, celebrating the seasonal delight of asparagus; a radler basil strawberry sorbet served in a steel ice cream cup; dampfnudel, a German steam bun with Nürnberger sausage filling, and Gouda Mornay, reminiscent of fun events. The most time-consuming dish, and Dina’s favourite, is the rhubarb with chardonnay sabayone. “The rhubarb gel has multiple stages to get the perfect texture, and the sabayone needs to be heated slowly while continuously being whisked for its airy texture. The result is the perfect balance of tangy fruit, and airy sweet Chardonnay flavour that melts on your tongue after which you have the crisp almond biscuit,” she explains.
To add a personal touch to the meal, Dina will also be offering guests homemade gummy bears, a popular snack when she spends long days at the lake in Germany. “Haribo gummies are a cultural and national heritage for many of us. It’s something that’s there for picnics, school outings, and dessert if nothing else is in the house,” says the baker, who will be making apricot and sour cherry flavoured gummies. “Making them by hand requires us to cook the fruit for a long time, set it overnight, cut it into shape, and roll it in citric acid and sugar for a good punch.”
On April 6 and 7, from 10 30 am to 1 pm. At Courtyard, Shantinagar. Tickets at ₹3,200 per head on urbanaut.app/
