Lower Saxon cuisine covers a range of regional, North German culinary traditions, which in many cases are very similar to one another, for example cuisine from the areas of Oldenburg, Brunswick

Braunschweig

Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....

, or East Frisia

East Frisia

East Frisia or Eastern Friesland is a coastal region in the northwest of the German federal state of Lower Saxony....

. It is mainly indigenous and in some cases very hearty, but also very tasty.

Vegetables and accompaniments

The most common accompaniment is potato

Potato

The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...

, which is prepared in a variety of ways, especially as Salzkartoffel or boiled potatoes.

A popular vegetable, very typical of the area, is kale or Grünkohl, known regionally, especially in Bremen

Bremen

The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...

 and Brunswick Land

Brunswick Land

Brunswick Land is a region in southeast Lower Saxony in the Harz Foreland in central Germany. It formed the heart of the old Duchy of Brunswick and the Free State of Brunswick...

 as Braunkohl.

Asparagus

Asparagus

Asparagus officinalis is a spring vegetable, a flowering perennialplant species in the genus Asparagus. It was once classified in the lily family, like its Allium cousins, onions and garlic, but the Liliaceae have been split and the onion-like plants are now in the family Amaryllidaceae and...

 (Spargel) is eaten as a great delicacy in the state of Lower Saxony

Lower Saxony

Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...

. It is grown mainly around the towns and cities of Burgdorf, Nienburg, Brunswick and in the Oldenburg Münsterland as well as the southern part of the Lüneburg Heath

Lüneburg Heath

The Lüneburg Heath is a large area of heath, geest and woodland in northeastern part of the state of Lower Saxony in northern Germany. It forms part of the hinterland for the cities of Hamburg, Hanover, and Bremen and is named after the town of Lüneburg. Most of the area is a nature reserve...

 and on the Stade Geest

Stade Geest

The Stade Geest is a natural region of low, sandy heath in the North German Plain.It includes a large part of the Elbe-Weser Triangle between the cities of Hamburg, Bremen and Cuxhaven and is bordered by the natural regions of the Elbe Marsch, Weser Marsch, Weser-Aller Plain and Lüneburg Heath...

.

Fish dishes

Typical fish dish

Fish (food)

Fish is a food consumed by many species, including humans. The word "fish" refers to both the animal and to the food prepared from it. Fish has been an important source of protein for humans throughout recorded history.-Terminology:...

es in the coastal region and the areas around the estuaries of major rivers like the Elbe

Elbe

The Elbe is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Krkonoše Mountains of the northwestern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia , then Germany and flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, 110 km northwest of Hamburg...

, Weser, Jade and Ems are plaice

European plaice

The European plaice, Pleuronectes platessa, is a commercially important flatfish.- Distribution and habitat :The geographical range of the European plaice is off all coasts from the Barents Sea to the Mediterranean, also in the Northeast Atlantic and along Greenland...

, flounder

Bothidae

Lefteye flounders are a family, Bothidae, of flounders. They are called "lefteye flounders" because most species lie on the sea bottom on their right side, with both eyes on the left side...

, herring

Herring

Herring is an oily fish of the genus Clupea, found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic oceans, including the Baltic Sea. Three species of Clupea are recognized. The main taxa, the Atlantic herring and the Pacific herring may each be divided into subspecies...

 and mackerel

Mackerel

Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of fish, mostly, but not exclusively, from the family Scombridae. They may be found in all tropical and temperate seas. Most live offshore in the oceanic environment but a few, like the Spanish mackerel , enter bays and can be...

. In the interior of Lower Saxony, trout

Trout

Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...

 or eel

European eel

The European eel, Anguilla anguilla, is a species of eel, a snake-like, catadromous fish. They can reach in exceptional cases a length of 1½ m, but are normally much smaller, about 60–80 cm, and rarely more than 1 m....

, e.g. at the Steinhuder Meer) are popular dishes.

Meat dishes

Pre-cooked sausage (Kochwurst

Kochwurst

Kochwurst is the name given to the German pre-cooked sausage, a class of sausage whose ingredients are largely cooked before the preparation of the sausage meat...

) is very popular in the Lüneburg Heath and the region around Bremen as well as the Schaumburg Land

Schaumburg Land

The Schaumburg Land is a strip of land in the German federal state of Lower Saxony lying between Lake Steinhude, Schaumburg Forest, Minden Land, the Weser Hills and the Deister. Historically it consisted of the former states of Schaumburg-Lippe in the area of Bückeburg - Obernkirchen and...

; local varieties include Bregenwurst

Bregenwurst

Bregenwurst is a specialty sausage of Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt traditionally made of pork, pork belly, and pig or cattle brain...

, Kohlwurst

Kohlwurst

Kohlwurst, Lungenwurst or Lungwurst is a simple, fresh, strongly smoked sausage made of lights, pork and fat, which is mostly eaten cooked with kale dishes such as Knieperkohl...

, Pinkelwurst. Other meat dishes from that area include Knipp

Knipp

Knipp is a type of sausage made by mixing meat with grains related to Pinkel which comes from the Bremen and Lower Saxony regions of Germany....

, venison

Venison

Venison is the meat of a game animal, especially a deer but also other animals such as antelope, wild boar, etc.-Etymology:The word derives from the Latin vēnor...

 and game

Game (food)

Game is any animal hunted for food or not normally domesticated. Game animals are also hunted for sport.The type and range of animals hunted for food varies in different parts of the world. This will be influenced by climate, animal diversity, local taste and locally accepted view about what can or...

. Two specialities from the Hanover region are the Schlachteplatte

Schlachteplatte

A Schlachtplatte, Schlachteplatte, Schlachtschüssel or Metzgete is a hearty German dish that primarily consists of boiled belly pork and freshly cooked Blutwurst and Leberwurst sausages. The cooking process produces sausage juices, which are used as a soup known as Metzelsuppe...

, a dish with a variety of different meats, and the Calenberger Pfannenschlag (also known as Rinderwurst). An internationally known sausage speciality is the Braunschweiger

Braunschweiger

Braunschweiger is a type of liverwurst which, if stuffed in natural casings, is nearly always smoked...

.
In addition in the region of Gifhorn and Wolfsburg Pottwurst with Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut , directly translated from German: "sour cabbage", is finely shredded cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria, including Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus. It has a long shelf-life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid...

is a popular autumn fare.

Soups and stews

Soup is often eaten as a starter. Particularly popular is Hochzeitssuppe

Hochzeitssuppe

Hochzeitssuppe is a clear, German soup based on chicken broth, fortified with chicken meat, small meatballs , asparagus heads, noodles and cooked egg garnish...

- a meat broth. On the North Sea coast there is a plant called arrowgrass (Triglochin maritimum) known as Stranddreizack or Röhrkohl . This grows in the salt meadows immediately next to the coast and is prepared, like Grünkohl, as a thick stew. Other country dishes along the coastal region are Steckrübeneintopf

Steckrübeneintopf

Steckrübeneintopf is a German dish that, today, is especially common in North Germany. It generally consists of a stew made from swede, carrots and potatoes in varying proportions and diverse, usually smoked or pickled, types of meat or sausage. Occasionally special cooking pears used as well...

and Birnen, Bohnen und Speck

Birnen, Bohnen und Speck

Birnen, Bohnen und Speck is a North German dish which is especially popular in the states of Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Hamburg. It also goes under the names of Bohnen, Birnen und Speck and, locally, the Low German names of Beer'n, Bohn un Speck, Grööner Hein and...

, both types of stew.

Puddings and cakes

For coffee break

Coffee Break

Coffee Break is an online book on the NCBI Bookshelf created and maintained by staff at NCBI, a branch of the National Institutes of Health. The book consists of small chapters which are each written about a different topic in the world of Biomedicine. There are currently 32 chapters, and it was...

s butter cakes (Butterkuchen

Butterkuchen

Butterkuchen or Zuckerkuchen is a simple German cake baked on a tray. Flakes of butter are distributed on the dough which, after baking, form the characteristic holes. The whole cake is sprinkled with sugar. After further kneading the Butterkuchen is baked...

), torte

Torte

A torte is a rich, usually multilayered, cake that is filled with buttercreams, mousses, jams or fruits. Ordinarily, the cooled torte is glazed and garnished . A torte is made with little to no flour, but instead with ground nuts or breadcrumbs, as well as sugar, eggs, and flavorings.- Origin...

s or other desserts are eaten, such as Welf pudding

Welf pudding

Welf pudding or Guelph pudding is a two-layered pudding from Germany. The white bottom layer is made from a cooked milk and vanilla sauce on a base of very stiffly whipped egg-white...

.

Drinks

Lower Saxony

Lower Saxony

Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...

 is home to many breweries, for example in Jever

Jever

Jever is the capital of the district of Friesland in Lower Saxony, Germany. The name Jever is usually associated with a major brand of beer which is produced here, the city is also a popular holiday resort. Jever was granted city status in 1536. Unofficially Jever is sometimes referred to as...

, Einbeck

Einbeck

Einbeck is a town in the district Northeim, in southern Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located on the German Timber-Frame Road.-Economy:Einbeck is famous for its 600 year old beer brewery, home of Einbecker Bier, the origin for the term Bock beer...

, Celle

Celle

Celle is a town and capital of the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany. The town is situated on the banks of the River Aller, a tributary of the Weser and has a population of about 71,000...

, Lüneburg

Lüneburg

Lüneburg is a town in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is located about southeast of fellow Hanseatic city Hamburg. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, and one of Hamburg's inner suburbs...

, Brunswick

Braunschweig

Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....

, Allersheim (part of Holzminden

Holzminden

Holzminden is a town in southern Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Holzminden. It is located directly on the river Weser, which here is the border to North Rhine-Westphalia.-History:...

), Hanover

Hanover

Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...

, Wittingen

Wittingen

Wittingen is a town in the district of Gifhorn, Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 30 km northeast of Gifhorn, and 30 km southeast of Uelzen.- Division of the town :Wittingen consists of 27 districts:- Demographic data :...

, Peine

Peine

Peine is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany, capital of the district Peine. It is situated on the river Fuhse and the Mittellandkanal, approx. 25 km west of Braunschweig, and 40 km east of Hanover.- History :...

 and Göttingen

Göttingen

Göttingen is a university town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Göttingen. The Leine river runs through the town. In 2006 the population was 129,686.-General information:...

.

Two of the oldest beers, which have been brewed since the Middle Ages

Middle Ages

The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...

, are Brunswick Mum

Brunswick Mum

Brunswick Mum , was originally an alcoholic beer from Brunswick in Germany, which ranged from weak to strong depending on the brewing method.-History:Mum originated in the Late Middle Ages...

 (Braunschweiger Mumme) and Goslarer Gose

Gose

Gose is a top-fermented beer style of Leipzig, Germany.Gose beers are brewed with at least 50% of the grain bill being malted wheat. Because of the use of coriander and salt, Gose does not comply to the Reinheitsgebot. It is allowed an exemption from the rules on the grounds of being a regional...

.

In general the Lower Saxons prefer coffee

Coffee

Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...

 to tea

Tea

Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...

. Only in the regions of East Frisia and Friesland is tea popular, drunk with Kluntjes (rock candy

Rock candy

Rock candy is a type of confectionery mineral composed of relatively large sugar crystals. This candy is formed by allowing a supersaturated solution of sugar and water to crystallize onto a surface suitable for crystal nucleation, such as a string or stick...

) and cream.