Local Foods: Island Ruegen, Baltic Sea (Part One)

You might have guessed it: I visited an island. And found wonderful local food.

I just got back from a trip to the Baltic Sea, where I stayed on a beautiful island called Rügen.

It’s a pretty big island, and part of a region called Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Characteristic of this area are large lakes and vast colorful scapes of land, sky and sea. They also have amazing forests that are beautiful to look at in the fall with their orange, red, and golden coats.

And – you know me by now – they have good food. I sampled it with great care in various forms: salads, cakes, soups, juices, and many others.

In my luggage I brought home a bunch of ideas and inspiration for future dishes, as well as some new foods and ingredients to try: Starting with a common, but very tasty Canola Blossom Honey (from Rügener Landhandel*, Rambin/Rügen, they produce a special virgin canola oil as well, which I brought, too). Then a jam from wild sea buckthorn berries and wild elderberry blossoms. An amazing mixture to eat on bread but also use to season salad dressing or else (from Rügener Wildsammlungen*, Rambin/Rügen). And – last, but not least: Bear’s Garlic Salt – handmade according to a historical recipe by the then Swedish personal cook of Prince Malte I of Putbus (by Fürstliches Genusskontor*, Putbus/Rügen). I can’t wait to try it!

In addition to these wonderful things, I also came across some previously unknown foods, not directly from the island of Rügen, but from the surrounding area. Among the most memorable was an avocado ice cream – spectacular in taste, vegan and without artificial additives, made by a small company on the mainland in Neubrandenburg (Jackle & Heidi*). And I found a traditional mustard made with sea buckthorn berries from the neighboring island of Usedom – very mild but spicy (from Inselmühle Usedom*). I also got one from the same place with apricots (yummy, my favorite).

Of course, there is much more to explore, so I have already planned another trip to Rügen for next year. There are still some markets, farm shops and special local products that I have to see and taste for myself.

Life can be so hard!

And … they have good food. I sampled it with great care in various forms: salads, cakes, soups, juices, and many others.

Side Notes:

• You can come across all the treasures mentioned above in various shops on the island of Rügen. The “Fürstliches Genusskonto” in Putbus may also have one or two of them in stock. You will find it two houses to the left of the Putbus Theatre (which, by the way, offers a program with an amazing mix of selected first-class international performers and charming regional productions).

*Please note that these are company names which may be subject to trademark registrations, right to the name or other intellectual property rights.