A couple of months ago I discovered that baked-in-Germany Mestemacher Westphalian pumpernickel can be purchased on Amazon. I love this bread! It's quite different from any US-made pumpernickel that I've ever had. Rye flour only, whereas US versions usually have some wheat flour. Also, it gets its dark color solely from a long baking process (up to 24 hours), which promotes the Maillard reaction. US made pumpernickel is usually colored by additives, such as powdered cocoa, coffee, and dark molasses.

It costs about $25 for a box of 11 individually wrapped packets. Each packet is 8.8oz, containing 6 thin, dense, rectangular slices. Unopened packets keep good at room temperature for several months. And free two-day shipping with Amazon Prime. Here's a link:

https://www.amazon.com/Mestema...ckages/dp/B00176GK1O

Super tasty with peanut butter! The slices are somewhat fragile, but toasting toughens them up. If you like pumpernickel, you owe it to yourself to try this one.

Buy this bread and you'll get laid.

At least that's what the package tells me.

(Package, erherherherherher.)

Let's have some currywurst soon!

If you have an ALDI close, they have these from time-to-time. Made in Germany, and the rye is 100% rye flour.

quote:

Originally posted by 2tonicP220:


If you have an ALDI close, they have these from time-to-time. Made in Germany, and the rye is 100% rye flour.

Will have to check out the aldi stores around here. 3 of them, one should have some good pumpernickel.

Makes me hungry just thinking about it.

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
Unopened packets keep good at room temperature for several months.

Does it freeze well?


Ah just read the reviews... apparently it does freeze well.

The German stuff is FAR superior to any American variety. The reason it's also so good is that the dough is allowed to ferment for a long period before baking. I recall it being super dense and almost sourdough-like when I was stationed in Germany?

I would be most interested to hear if Pipe Smoker has tried this Aldi variety and how he thinks it compares.

quote:

Originally posted by 2tonicP220:


If you have an ALDI close, they have these from time-to-time. Made in Germany, and the rye is 100% rye flour.

Grew up eating it back in the 60's. My mother used to buy it at a German bakery/meat store. Slather on some real butter and a bowl of homemade soup. Fantastic.

Thanks for the link. I got to try some.

I'm lucky to have a German bread bakery near me and they make a pumpernickel that appears to be similar; even darker than the above pictures, full of seeds, dense and not sweet. It's great! I call it their "industrial pumpernickel"; a small slice will hold one for hours. I like to eat it with either a ploughman's type lunch, sausage and sauerkraut, or hearty soups.

Thanks pipesmoker.... just ordered the 8.8oz x 11 unit package on amazon! Can't get real good authentic pumpernickel around here sadly.

Again sigforum taps my wallet but in a good way! This is no doubt healthier than all that maple syrup / cream I bought. LOL

I ate at a steak house in my travels that actually baked their own German pumpernickel. They also had homemade butter that you would slather on it. Wow!

For the life of me I can't remember where it was.

Steaks were good, the bread would kill you if you let it.

quote:

Originally posted by 83v45magna:
I would be most interested to hear if Pipe Smoker has tried this Aldi variety and how he thinks it compares.

quote:

Originally posted by 2tonicP220:


If you have an ALDI close, they have these from time-to-time. Made in Germany, and the rye is 100% rye flour.

No, I haven't tried the ALDI variety. I was unaware of ALDI until I saw it mentioned in this thread. I've now discovered that there are some ALDI stores in San Diego, but none very close to me. Since Amazon delivers the Westphalian pumpernickel to my door with free two-day shipping, I'll probably stick with that. OTOH, it appears that ALDI has interesting stuff, so I'll visit one of their stores when some errand takes me to that part of town.

Aldi has good stuff, and very low prices, but do NOT ever count on finding what you want.

German-owned chain, so you can usually find several different types of bratwurst, jars of red cabbage, sauerkraut, etc.

Every time I go there, several items on my list are out of stock: "The warehouse did not send any of those."

Also, heads-up if you've never shopped there, bring your own bags. Or you can buy some there, but Euro-style, they do not give grocery bags away.

Tom Hanks will collect your cart in the parking lot.

No grocery store in CA provides free bags as of 1/1/2017. OTOH, they only cost 10¢.

Mine arrived today. Had two slices with European butter with my ham and egg brunch. Very dense and solid as well as quite small. Slices measure 4" x 3.5" x 5/16". Unlike the pumpernickel that can be found around here on rare occasions, there are no gas bubble holes or any sweetness. Despite the small size the bread is rather filling. Traditional ingredients and taste. Would prefer a somewhat more "American" sandwich size but what's most important is the taste which this pumpernickel delivers.

That would make a great liverwurst sandwich.

quote:

That would make a great liverwurst sandwich.

OOhh , with a very thin slice of red onion, brown mustard, and some romaine for crunch

Not something I'd want by any stretch but I know those who would crave Limburger and onion on this pumpernickel.