Lower Saxon cuisine (German:Niedersächsische Küche) covers a range of regional, North German culinary traditions from the region correspondingly broadly to the state ofLower Saxony, which in many cases are very similar to one another, for example cuisine from the areas ofOldenburg,Brunswick, orEast Frisia.
It is mainly indigenous and in some cases very hearty, with many cultural dishes including poultry, venison, turkey, and vegetables. Many other recipes also include potatoes, asparagus and North Sea fish, all of which are harvested in the region.[1]
The most common accompaniment is potato, which is prepared in a variety of ways, especially asSalzkartoffel or boiled potatoes.
A popular vegetable, very typical of the area, is kale orGrünkohl, known regionally, especially inBremen andBrunswick Land asBraunkohl.
Asparagus (Spargel) is eaten as a great delicacy in the state ofLower Saxony. It is grown mainly around the towns and cities ofBurgdorf,Nienburg, Brunswick and in theOldenburg Münsterland as well as the southern part of theLüneburg Heath and on theStade Geest.
Plaice,flounder,herring andmackerel are typicalfish dishes served in thecoastal region and the areas around the estuaries of major rivers like theElbe,Weser,Jade andEms. In the interior of Lower Saxony,trout oreel, e.g. at theSteinhuder Meer, are popular dishes. As in much of Northern Germany,Fischbrötchen (fish sandwiches) are a popular dish.Atlantic cod and coalfish are also very common fish that are used in Lower Saxon's cuisine.
Pre-cooked sausage (Kochwurst) is very popular in the Lüneburg Heath and the region around Bremen as well as theSchaumburg Land; local varieties includeBregenwurst,Kohlwurst,Pinkelwurst. Other meat dishes from that area includeKnipp,venison andgame. Two specialities from the Hanover region are theSchlachteplatte, a dish with a variety of different meats, and theCalenberger Pfannenschlag (also known asRinderwurst). An internationally known sausage speciality is theBraunschweiger.In addition in the region of Gifhorn and WolfsburgPottwurst withSauerkraut is a popular autumn fare.
Soup is often eaten as a starter. Particularly popular isHochzeitssuppe, a meat broth. On the North Sea coast there is a plant calledarrowgrass (Triglochin maritimum) known asStranddreizack orRöhrkohl . This grows in the salt meadows immediately next to the coast and is prepared, likeGrünkohl, as a thick stew. Other country dishes along the coastal region areSteckrübeneintopf andBirnen, Bohnen und Speck, both types of stew.
Forcoffee breaks butter cakes (Butterkuchen),tortes or other desserts are eaten, such asWelf pudding.Buckwheat gateau is popular around theLüneburg Heath region.
Lower Saxony is home to manybreweries, for example inJever,Einbeck,Celle,Lüneburg,Brunswick,Allersheim (part ofHolzminden),Hanover,Wittingen,Peine andGöttingen.
Two of the oldest beers, which have been brewed since theMiddle Ages, areBrunswick Mum (Braunschweiger Mumme) andGoslarer Gose.
While most Lower Saxons prefer coffee[citation needed], there is a strong tea culture inEast Frisia andFriesland, with some of the highest tea consumption rates in the world.[2][3]Ostfriesland, as the region is known in German, consumes about 25% of all the tea consumed in Germany.[3] Beyond consumption, tea is essential to the identity of the region. For example, there is a tea museum inNorden[4] and there are annual tea festivals.[5] Tea in the region is typically drunk withKluntjes (rock candy) and heavy cream which is not stirred.[6]
Many regionalherbal liqueurs are produced in Lower Saxony, such asHeidegeist andRatzeputz on theLüneburg Heath andSchierker Feuerstein andHarzer Grubenlicht in theHarz, as well as world-renownedJägermeister.
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