A Family History Spanning 3 Generations
What would a juicy roast pork be without the right seasoning. Or imagine a colorful salad plate without spicy and delicate ingredients. That would be tasteless in the truest sense of the word. A former teacher from Harsefeld, Rudolf Büchel, got the right taste 61 years ago.
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Beginnings After The War
When Rudolf Büchel returned from Russian captivity in 1949, he was no longer allowed to work as a teacher because he had been shot in the lung. He kept his head above water by selling nutmeg, Kaneel and vanilla sticks.
His son Andreas Büchel later made a virtue out of this necessity. Since 1982, the trained wholesale and retail salesman and his wife lnke have been well known on a wide variety of markets throughout northern Germany. They offer over 1,000 kinds of spices, herbs and tea.
In the meantime, their son Björn Büchel and Sabine, sister and son-in-law of Andreas Büchel, are on the road with five sales vehicles every day.
Overseas Spices
Once a week, 59-year-old Andreas Büchel patrols the most common importers in Hamburg.
He carefully examines and tastes the cargo, which mainly comes from overseas. In Ahlerstedt, Am Zuckerberg 1, the spices, herbs and tea filled in large sacks are delivered, stored, weighed and packed in small bags.
“Our strength is television with lots of cooking shows,” reveals the expert. The demand for cinnamon blossoms, tonka beans and fenugreek from India has increased since then.
But also various salt sods, such as black salt or Himalayan salt, are increasingly finding their way into German kitchens. “These natural salts have more minerals,” says Inke Büchel.
Spices For Special Customers
Herbs and spices are mixed for special customers. Cheese dairies demand a mix of garlic, paprika, tomato flakes and chives, while pasta manufacturers prefer wild garlic with spinach and porcini mushroom powder. Of course, the kitchen herbs marjoram, rosemary and basil are very popular.
A special test with a certificate allows the Büchel family business to sell medicinal herbs such as chamomile, yarrow, gentian roots and liquorice.