Spreewald gherkins
Encyclopedia
Spreewald gherkins are a specialty gherkin
from Brandenburg
, which are protected by the EU
as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI).
found that the Spreewaldgurke stood at the top of the agricultural products in Brandenburg's Spreewald
:
The secret of the Spreewald gherkins' special taste remained hidden, even to the satirist Fontane. Certainly, the moist soil, rich in humus, and the climate in the Spreewald also contribute to the good growth in the cucumber fields. The actual reason for the taste, which is considered by connoisseurs to be delicate, is found in their processing. While the process of fermentation
in large barrels formerly took several weeks, gherkins today are ready for sale after only one day of processing—whether for mustard gherkins (Senfgurke), gherkins or dill pickles (Gewürzgurke) or pickled cucumber
s (Salzgurke). This enormous time saving is achieved by heating to 70 °C (158 °F) with the addition of caustic soda. The composition of the additional ingredients, however, still remains a well-guarded secret of the approximately twenty picklers. These taste-enhancing ingredients, such as basil
, lemon balm
, grape leaves, cherry leaves or walnut leaves, give Spreewald gherkins their special sour, spicy taste.
After the reunification of Germany in 1990, Spreewald gherkins were one of the few products of the GDR which were still available without interruption. The gherkins also achieved fame in 2003 with the award-winning film Good Bye Lenin!
by Wolfgang Becker
. In this tragicomedy
, Daniel Brühl
already had great difficulty obtaining the Spreewald gherkins that his sick mother (Katrin Saß
) dearly loved and which he absolutely needed to convince her of the continued existence of the (in her view) "ideal East German world".
Meanwhile, the gherkins can again be obtained under their trademark
ed name Spreewälder Gurken, which is a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) in the EU as of March 1999. In 2004, 50 businesses in the region announced their voluntary commitment to declare the Spreewald to be a genetic-engineering-free region.
The Gurken-Radweg (Gherkin Bicycle Path) is named in honor of the gherkin, because of its services. The logo of the tour shows a smiling gherkin on a bicycle.
At the annual Spreewald-Marathon, which is held in the disciplines of running, bicycling, hiking, canoeing, and celebrating, the competition is started with, "Auf die Gurke, fertig, los" (On the gherkin, set, go!).
Gherkin
The gherkin is a fruit similar in form and nutritional value to a cucumber. Gherkins and cucumbers belong to the same species , but are from different cultivar groups....
from Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
, which are protected by the EU
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI).
Overview
In the 1870s, Theodor FontaneTheodor Fontane
Theodor Fontane was a German novelist and poet, regarded by many as the most important 19th-century German-language realist writer.-Youth:Fontane was born in Neuruppin into a Huguenot family. At the age of sixteen he was apprenticed to an apothecary, his father's profession. He became an...
found that the Spreewaldgurke stood at the top of the agricultural products in Brandenburg's Spreewald
Spreewald
The Spreewald is situated about 100 km south-east of Berlin. It was designated a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 1991. It is known for its traditional irrigation system which consists of more than 200 small channels within the area. The landscape was shaped during the ice-age...
:
- "The products of the Spreewald have their most superb trading center in LübbenauLübbenauLübbenau is a town of 17,897 in the Oberspreewald-Lausitz district of Brandenburg, Germany. It is located in the Spreewald about 82 km southeast of Berlin.-History:...
and go from here out into the world. Among these products, the gherkins are at the top. In a previous year, a single merchant sold 800 Schock (48,000) per week. That would mean nothing in Hamburg or Liverpool, where one is used to reckoning by loads and tons, but every 'place has its measure', which amounts to a good reputation, considering these 800 Schock. Incidentally, Lübbenau does not lag behind by selling an article which could perhaps invite ridicule, cucumbers and horse radish are of equal birth ..."
The secret of the Spreewald gherkins' special taste remained hidden, even to the satirist Fontane. Certainly, the moist soil, rich in humus, and the climate in the Spreewald also contribute to the good growth in the cucumber fields. The actual reason for the taste, which is considered by connoisseurs to be delicate, is found in their processing. While the process of fermentation
Fermentation (food)
Fermentation in food processing typically is the conversion of carbohydrates to alcohols and carbon dioxide or organic acids using yeasts, bacteria, or a combination thereof, under anaerobic conditions. Fermentation in simple terms is the chemical conversion of sugars into ethanol...
in large barrels formerly took several weeks, gherkins today are ready for sale after only one day of processing—whether for mustard gherkins (Senfgurke), gherkins or dill pickles (Gewürzgurke) or pickled cucumber
Pickled cucumber
A pickled cucumber is a cucumber that has been pickled in a brine, vinegar, or other solution and left to ferment for a period of time, by either immersing the cucumbers in an acidic solution or through souring by lacto-fermentation.-Gherkin:A gherkin is not only...
s (Salzgurke). This enormous time saving is achieved by heating to 70 °C (158 °F) with the addition of caustic soda. The composition of the additional ingredients, however, still remains a well-guarded secret of the approximately twenty picklers. These taste-enhancing ingredients, such as basil
Basil
Basil, or Sweet Basil, is a common name for the culinary herb Ocimum basilicum , of the family Lamiaceae , sometimes known as Saint Joseph's Wort in some English-speaking countries....
, lemon balm
Lemon balm
Lemon balm , not to be confused with bee balm, Monarda species, is a perennial herb in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean region....
, grape leaves, cherry leaves or walnut leaves, give Spreewald gherkins their special sour, spicy taste.
After the reunification of Germany in 1990, Spreewald gherkins were one of the few products of the GDR which were still available without interruption. The gherkins also achieved fame in 2003 with the award-winning film Good Bye Lenin!
Good Bye Lenin!
Good Bye, Lenin! is a 2003 German tragicomedy film, released internationally in 2003. Directed by Wolfgang Becker, the cast includes Daniel Brühl, Katrin Saß, Chulpan Khamatova, and Maria Simon...
by Wolfgang Becker
Wolfgang Becker
Wolfgang Becker is a German film director and writer. He is best known to the international audience for his work Good Bye Lenin! .-Biography:...
. In this tragicomedy
Tragicomedy
Tragicomedy is fictional work that blends aspects of the genres of tragedy and comedy. In English literature, from Shakespeare's time to the nineteenth century, tragicomedy referred to a serious play with either a happy ending or enough jokes throughout the play to lighten the mood.-Classical...
, Daniel Brühl
Daniel Brühl
Daniel César Martín Brühl González Domingo is a Spanish/German actor. He is best known as Daniel Brühl.-Personal life:Brühl was born in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. His father was the late German stage director Hanno Brühl and his mother was a Spanish professor. He also has a brother and a sister...
already had great difficulty obtaining the Spreewald gherkins that his sick mother (Katrin Saß
Katrin Saß
Katrin Saß is a German actress, best known internationally for playing Christiane Kerner in the 2003 tragicomedy film Good Bye, Lenin! Before German reunification, she was well known film and stage actress in the German Democratic Republic She won the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the 32nd Berlin...
) dearly loved and which he absolutely needed to convince her of the continued existence of the (in her view) "ideal East German world".
Meanwhile, the gherkins can again be obtained under their trademark
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
ed name Spreewälder Gurken, which is a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) in the EU as of March 1999. In 2004, 50 businesses in the region announced their voluntary commitment to declare the Spreewald to be a genetic-engineering-free region.
Gherkin locations and the Gurkenradweg
There are cucumber fields in all of the Spreewald, the largest part of which is specially protected as the Biosphärenreservat Spreewald (Bio-sphere Reserve Spreewald) since 1990. The following locations have special offerings on and around the gherkin:- GolßenGolßenGolßen is a town in the Dahme-Spreewald district, in Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated on the Dahme River, 15 km northwest of Luckau....
. Spreewaldkonserve Golßen - Tour of a gherkin production site - Leipe. Traditional vegetable growing
- Lehde. Farmhouse and gherkin museum
- SchlepzigSchlepzigSchlepzig is a municipality in the district of Dahme-Spreewald in Brandenburg in Germany....
. Agricultural history museum - Lübbenau/Spreewald. Spreewaldmuseum
The Gurken-Radweg (Gherkin Bicycle Path) is named in honor of the gherkin, because of its services. The logo of the tour shows a smiling gherkin on a bicycle.
At the annual Spreewald-Marathon, which is held in the disciplines of running, bicycling, hiking, canoeing, and celebrating, the competition is started with, "Auf die Gurke, fertig, los" (On the gherkin, set, go!).
Literature
- Theodor FontaneTheodor FontaneTheodor Fontane was a German novelist and poet, regarded by many as the most important 19th-century German-language realist writer.-Youth:Fontane was born in Neuruppin into a Huguenot family. At the age of sixteen he was apprenticed to an apothecary, his father's profession. He became an...
, Wanderungen durch die Mark Brandenburg. Part 4. Spreeland. Cited from the 1998 edition, Frankfurt am Main, Berlin.