How green sauce became gin

Anyone thinking, "Buttermilk - brrrr," might want to stop by the Upländer Bauernmolkerei stand. "Have a taste!" recommends Stefanie Lorenz. "Our buttermilk is different from the one you know from the supermarket in the past." And it's true: Upland buttermilk tastes creamier and has a milder acidity. It can be bought pure, with strawberry-lemon flavor or with orange-passion fruit - all organic, because the dairy is run by a good 110 organic farms in Hesse.

Buttermilk under fair conditions

"We joined forces a good 25 years ago because the dairy market is a difficult business and our farms were not getting enough money for the milk they delivered," says Stefanie Lorenz, who runs the Schwalbenhof farm on Lake Edersee with her husband Sven. Now the farmers receive a fair price. The milk is processed in the dairy into yogurt, butter, cream, buttermilk and - a must in Hesse - hand cheese and marketed regionally.

Only eight Hessian producers are allowed to show their products in the "Hessenhalle" 22a - all companies are strictly selected according to the seal "Bio aus Hessen" and "Geprüfte Qualität Hessen". Important is the regional origin of their ingredients, striking is the diversity of their offer.

Wild Walther with Marula

The private brewery Pfungstädter, for example, brews Edelpils from Hessian malting barley, but also makes grapefruit radler and elderberry-currant limo. Franzehof Mauswinkel has eggs from pasture-raised chickens, as well as country pasta, apple balsamic vinegar from the meadow orchard and chicken soup in a jar. And the Walther family press house is serving eleven varieties of cider (including Wild Walther with Marula and the Rum Edition), as well as homemade "Gadde-Limo" (translated: garden limo) raspberry lemon or currant.

Gin Sieben and Mandarina Liqueur

An eye-catcher is the "Gin Sieben - Frankfurt Dry Gin" from the Henrich distillery in the Main-Taunus district. In addition to the classic juniper, brother and sister team Holger and Ralf Henrich have used the seven herbs of the Frankfurt Green Sauce in it - and won several awards for it. Who would even think that chives, cress and chervil could go into a gin? The distillery's latest hits are "Mandarina Dry Gin," Mandarina Liqueur and a butterscotch whiskey.

Quinoa noodles from the Wetterau region

A brand new Hessian product is quinoa. For six years, agronomist Johannes Grenzebach has been growing the grain, which originally comes from South America, on his parents' farm in the Wetterau region. He now has a whole range of products on offer under the Mudda Natur label. Whole grain quinoa and quinoa pops as a topping for yogurt or salad. Also, quinoa pasta that only takes a minute to cook, a butternut quinoa spread and quinoa chocolate chips with hazelnut. "Quinoa is vegan and gluten-free, has a high fiber content and important amino acids," Grenzebach explains. And now it is also available with short transport distances.

Anyone who wants to try their way through Hessian classics and culinary newcomers like ice cream Grie Soß' (green sauce) is in the right place in Hall 22a.