Sugar Savvy

If you’ve ever been near the German town of Lübeck, you definitely know about Niederegger stores and cafés. If you haven’t been there, or have not heard or tasted their products, grab some the next time you run into them.

Niederegger is the most important marzipan producer in Lübeck, and according to some locals, it’s the best. The brand has been around since 1806 and has grown to be quite a business. Among the more than 300 varieties of products in their stores, one can find flavored marzipan, molded marzipan, hand-shaped marzipan, chocolate covered marzipan, marzipan liqueur, cakes, coffee, rooibos tea and diet products.

Their downtown location is also home to the always-crowded Niederegger café, which, according to their website, was crucial to their success and serves specialty cakes that feature, of course, marzipan. The top floor of the building houses a free of charge marzipan museum that showcases the history and production of marzipan, as well as some very impressive marzipan sculptures, including a series designed by Wolfgang Joop (Joop himself is in Marzipan form too).

But speaking of what’s really important, Niederegger marzipan is just damn good. Their classic marzipan covered in dark chocolate is a treat I like to stock up on every time I get the chance. Their flavored and filled ones are also very good. The flavor range is quite interesting and you could say there’s something for almost anyone in their catalog. Just this past December, I got to taste their Christmas special: Cinammon marzipan covered in milk chocolate; it was so good we ended up buying boxes of it.

Niederegger products can also be found in some larger cities in the US. I recall seeing them in Epcot Center. If you ever run into them, don’t let them slip by.