WORLD CHAMPIONS IN PLEASURE, QUALITY AND VARIETY

PEMA unites the advantages and variety of the genussregion, literally meaning region of indulgence, of Upper Franconia under one roof. Being aware of traditions and pragmatic in the choice of ingredients we use are both incredibly important to us.  Our guidelines are quality, harmony and the region. Our main ingredients are acquired through local contract farmers and come from within a radius of 30km of Weissenstadt. Rye, water and a little salt: the essence of our wholegrain rye bread.  On top of this we offer a wide variety of different flavours ranging from our eight-grain bread to our vitamin bread. PEMA products are baked nature from the Genussregion: the indulgence region.

 

Per head of the population, Upper Franconia has the most bakers and confectioners, the most butchers and the most breweries in the world. Many of these are still successfully run as traditional family businesses. The wise farmers of the region, as suppliers of our raw materials, have a hugely important role to play. 

 

The historical diversity of the Franconian cultural landscape bestows an unparalleled abundance of diverse specialities which are all connected to carefully handed down traditions and customs.

BAKERY DELICACIES

It is the same for the region’s artisan bakers. Have you ever eaten these breads?  

  • Seelnspitzen: from Bamberg, a bread with a knotted design traditionally baked to give thanks for a soul or for intercessory prayers.
  • Krätzaweckla: a hand-sized white roll with two distinct knife cuts across the top.
  • Ausgezogna: a flat doughnut with a hollowed-out centre.
  • Blöcher: a pastry roll formed on an iron tool with a hollow middle.
  • Anisbretzen:  a brezel made like a knotted roll and covered with aniseed, traditionally made for Ash Wednesday.

Can you tell the difference between these?

  • Laabla: a double crusty roll.
  • Weckla: a crusty roll designed to take three sausages: it’s what the semmel is to Bavaria
  • Kipfla: a sourdough crusty roll with caraway seeds.

At a church fete or similar celebration, you should always try these Franconian specialities,

  • Krapfen: jam filled doughnuts.
  • Kiechla: square doughnuts dusted with icing sugar, originally made in monasteries.
  • Harische: knotted crusty doughnuts covered in sugar crystals.
  • Urrädla: thin flakey pancake-like doughuts.
  • Geschnittenen Hasen:  knotted shortcrust pastries.

On top of all these delicacies our chocolatiers, cake and gingerbread manufacturers will readily tempt you further into the world of fine indulgence.

 

DELECTABLE SPECIALITIES FROM THE BUTCHER

Let’s begin with the famous Bratwurst sausage, that can be made in so many ways: thick, thin, coarse, medium or fine, with egg or egg whites, marjoram, mace or lemon, tasting completely different in Coburg, Bamberg, Hof or Kulmbach. You should definitely try our lightly smoked country ham that’s marinated for a week, or some of our innumerable home-produced charcuterie such as our yellow-skinned-sausage, cut into fine rings and soused in vinegar, oil, sugar, salt and pepper with freshly cut onions. Perhaps even a Stadstwurst ‘mit musik’: a boiled sausage served with onions, vinegar, oil salt and pepper or a Schlachtschüssel consisting of black pudding and liver sausage. The Franconian people celebrate their sausages with pleasure and indulgence!

 

LIQUID ENJOYMENT FROM THE BEER BREWERIES

Last but not least, we must mention our world-famous beer. There are almost 1000 different beers brewed in Upper Franconia, from Pilsners and Märzen (March Beer) through to dark beers, seasonal beers and festival beers. Festival beers were inspired by the opening of the years’ first bock beer: a strong beer produced by monks who had special permission to drink during lent from the Pope himself. There are unfiltered and unpasteurised beers, ranging from the naturally cloudy kellar (cellar) beers, the Beck n’ Bier dark lager or the hoppy yet balanced Kräusen beer, going all the way through to the different and varied wheat beers or speciality beers such as Roggala, a beer brewed from Rye malt, or even the smoked beers. If you were to try a different beer every day, it would take you three years just to work your way through all the beers available in Upper Franconia.

 

Why not embark upon a journey of discovery to experience and savour the indulgence region of Upper Franconia?
More information and insider-tips are available under: www.genussregion-oberfranken.de