Our Tradition

Germans are famous for many things.....Automobiles, Beer, and of course, Sausage!  There are many different kinds of sausage in Germany, and different processes to make them.  Sausage is a very big part of the German lifestyle and they take their notoriety very seriously.  And our commitment to the craft and the time honored methods my father was taught, still stands true today.

We are very proud of our products, our family crest and name are on each and every label.  The pride in our sausage first starts with the ingredients we use.  We've never taken shortcuts.  You will not see any fillers, binders, artificial colors or enhancers in any of our products.  They are still made today, the way they were intended to be made.  Our list of ingredients are very small, but that says a great deal.  We use only natural spices and seasoning to create the flavor for my father's recipes and a sausage we stand behind.  

As a kid, I worked in our butcher shop.  We purchased our rye bread and rolls from Gelbstein's Bakery in Lakewood, owned by Manny and Ben Gelbstein.  Manny would drop off our order himself everyday and have breakfast with my dad and uncle.  Gelbstein's had the best rye bread I ever tasted, soft in the center, crisp chewy crust, the ends of the bread were the best part.  There was  5 ingredients in that rye bread: rye flour, flour, yeast, water and salt.  That's it, simple. Only the necessary ingredients to make a true rye. The list of ingredients you see on many foods today are a far cry from the way things were originally done. 

Different sausages require different preparation methods and ingredients. The true art of making a cured smoked sausage, is a unique process in its own right.  The internal temperature of the smokehouse and the sausage have to slowly rise to "ripen" and bring out the color for the sausage to accept the smoke produced by the burning hardwoods. 

Our process for making these products adheres to a strict standard, backed by generations of "Wurstmachers" and a dedication to quality.  It's not uncommon today to see smoked products labeled "no nitrates/nitrites" or "no nitrates/nitrites added", this is very misleading.  In very small print somewhere on the package will say, "except those occurring from celery juice powder and sea salt", or something similar.  The fact of the matter is celery and sea salt have a very high nitrate level and adding them cause a reaction that act's basically in same manner.  But, since the true reactionary levels are not actually known, but "occurring", it's a little tricky.  That is not a true cured and smoked product.     

Our Cooked Bratwurst does not have nitrites or nitrates added. The "cooked" sausage process does not require it, just as when we reintroduce our Weisswurst, Bockwurst and Gelbwurst to name a few, their recipes and process do not require a nitrate/nitrite.

Food is one of life's simple pleasures.  It teaches us of our ancestors, reminds us of family and growing up.  It also gives us the opportunity to explore different cultures, sometimes without even traveling.  Much of what we enjoy today originated from artisans and craftsmen with a rich heritage and commitment to quality.  In their native countries to this day, their skills are a staple in daily lives and routinely enjoyed.  We honor that commitment. 

We hope you enjoy all of our products, and know we take great pride in bringing them to you.  Our ingredients and methods are backed by a history of Old World tradition, and we value your patronage.

Prost!