The good taste of the Lower Rhine

Just like the roasteries, there are numerous cottage industries along the Lower Rhine focusing on regional products and culinary delights. They have all put their heart and soul into implementing their ingenious ideas – and all of them are worth a visit. Like the cottage industry that roasts its own granola and offers very special handmade muesli.

Other cottage industries manufacture ‘handmade foodstuffs’. Homegrown fruit is processed into preserves, sophisticated combinations are put together and chutney is mixed from exciting ingredients. Or, depending on the time of year, delicious liqueurs are bottled in small containers. Regional and seasonal are the keywords.

Such as at one of the farmhouse dairies, which specialise entirely in all (goat’s) cheese products. These family-run businesses have dedicated a lot of passion to cheesemaking and have thus established a cheese production facility in which all the milk is processed and marketed directly. Even goat’s milk ice cream is produced – particularly popular with children.

It’s not quite doing your own thing, but fans of barley juice can brew their own beer at Lower Rhenish breweries. Master brewers present the styles and varieties of beers in seminars and, of course, Lower Rhenish specialities like Altbier are produced there. The products manufactured in the region’s small distilleries have a significantly higher proof. Exquisite batches are produced from fruit from natural gardens and meadow orchards in the Lower Rhine region – from apple quinces to damsons.

But there are so many other cottage industries along the Lower Rhine that specialise in products like artisanal pasta or put together special spice mixes. And then there are the many bakeries that represent real craftsmanship and manufacture high-quality products made of raw materials from the region waiting to be discovered. Find out for yourself what makes the Lower Rhine taste so good and unique. Simply good for the palate.