It's all about the Worscht: The butcher shops Harth and Hamm in Stadecken-Elsheim

We introduce you to the butcher shops, both of which value genuine craftsmanship in the sense of "quality not quantity".

The country butchery Harth

First we visit the Country butchery Harth. The delicious smell of the "hot counter" is in the air, several customers carry freshly prepared lunch home. While we admire the counter's display of liverwurst, black pudding and pressed head, butcher and meat sommelier Andreas Harth greets us with a hearty laugh.

Numerous photos from many decades adorn the walls of his office. The country butchery proudly looks back on its long tradition, which began in 1859 and is now and is now being continued by the sixth generation. And the seventh generation is already in the starting blocks, Andreas Harth reveals.

As if on cue, the daughter of the house joins us at precisely this moment. For her, it is above all the mixture of tradition and innovation that is the key to success. As one of the few regional businesses, the country butchery still slaughters its own meat. 99 percent of its products come from its own production, many of them with original recipes handed down from 160 years ago. Customers appreciate this wealth of experience, emphasizes Jennifer Harth, as well as creative ideas and sustainable commitment, such as the option of shopping without packaging.

Meat sausage is always in stock

Back in front of the counter, we want to try the butcher's best seller. Andreas Harth immediately reaches for the meat sausage, which "is always in stock. More than a ton of it is sold every week at the flagship store here in Stadecken-Elsheim and at the two other branches in Mainz and Saulheim, as well as at the weekly market in Mainz, where the family has been represented since 1934. It tastes really good!

This has not escaped the attention of the people of Mainz, who go every Saturday to the Market breakfast form a long queue in front of the sales mobile of Landmetzgerei Harth to enjoy a warm meat sausage with their pint of Rheinhessen wine!

Weck und Worscht for the Hiwwelt Tour

The hike Hiwweltour Stadecker Warte starts in Stadecken-Elsheim. Perfect to acquaint you in advance with typical rheinhessian provisions because in addition to sausage, the country butcher shop also has rolls and bread in the assortment. You are welcome to announce your hike to the Harth family in advance, then they will arrange hiking catering according to your wishes.

The butcher shop Hamm

To visit the second butcher's shop of Stadecken-Elsheim Portstrasse, we have to go just two houses further. The Butcher shop Hamm is not only spatially closely connected with the Harth country butchery, it is part of the family.

Norbert Hamm looks back on the same butchery tradition as Andreas Harth, which began in 1859. In the 60s of the last century, the business split up peacefully, the family simply got bigger and bigger. Each has his own regular clientele, but they are closely connected, the butcher emphasizes. For example, they never both took company vacations at the same time.

During our conversation, we quickly realize that Norbert Hamm is a butcher with heart and soul. He regrets the sharp decline in the number of butchers' guilds in the Mainz region from 130 in the past to just 20 today. genuine butchery and high-quality products are more important than ever. are more important than ever. He would rather the population bought less meat, "but decent meat. but buy decent meat".

He gets his pork from the "Bäuerliche Erzeugergemeinschaft Schwäbisch Hall", which stands for quality, regionality and public welfare. The black and white Swabian-Haellian pigs are also reflected in the decoration of the modern and friendly salesroom, where we are now curiously looking around.

A world tour in the Selz Valley

Norbert Hamm shows us his maturing cabinet and really goes into raptures while explaining the dry maturing process and the differences in taste between rib-eye, roast beef, T-bone and porterhouse.

Among its specialties are also the sausage varieties from all over the world, which are offered in the permanent assortment. From the Italian Salsiccia, to the Spanish Chorizo, to the Stadecker Bratwurst, you can go on a little trip around the world in the middle of the Selz Valley. On recommendation, we try the spicy pepper bites, which are air-dried in the cellar and thus taste "almost like the farmers used to". Delicious!

Market neighbors - the butcher shops on tour

You can taste the products of Metzgerei Hamm not only in the head office in Stadecken-Elsheim, but also three times a week at various markets in Rheinhessen. Be sure to stop by the Budenheim weekly market on Thursdays and the weekly market in Mainz on Fridays and Saturdays. There, the sales mobile of the Hamm butchery is - you probably guessed it - in close proximity to the sales mobile of the Harth butchery.