Planet Berlin: Venezuelan street food
Former DJ Sharon Schael brought the taste of her homeland to Berlin in her food truck selling traditional arepas, or filled cornbread pockets.
Small car
Chance brought Sharon Schael from her homeland across Mexico and Spain to the German capital. As a DJ, she came to the right place. But she grew tired of Berlin's relentless nightlife and dreamt of opening a cafe. Settling instead on a food truck, Schael initially nicknamed it "El Carrito," or small car, a name that's stuck until today.
Blank slate
When Sharon Schael explains what arepas are, she describes them as bread pockets that can be filled with anything that tastes good, meaning diverse fillings that brim with her own signature flavors. The pockets are baked exclusively from cornmeal and are thus practically gluten-free.
Savory fillings
Sharon Schael actually focuses on six homemade fillings for her arepas. It's never easy to decide between, for example, the "Con Todo" with black beans, beef, avocado and cheese; or the "La Reina" with chicken avocado salad. One way or the other, Schael's homemade salsa, a souvenir from her time in Mexico, will be the crowning glory.