There are many special elements that make Frankfurt am Main stand out from other German cities: the fact that it is one of Europe’s financial capitals, to name one example. Another is its famous green sauce, so renowned that it is worthy of a yearly festival.
A festival dedicated to the green sauce
The Green Sauce Festival typically takes place every May over eight days: 5.000 visitors, 49 restaurant owners and many performing artists come together to celebrate the famous sauce. Chefs and restaurateurs demonstrate their skills with secret and not-so-secret recipes.
About green sauce
German food is sometimes overlooked in favour of German beer. However, there are many regional speciality dishes in Germany that should not be forgotten and green sauce is a perfect example. This Frankfurt speciality consists of sour cream, oil, vinegar, mustard, hard-boiled eggs and seven herbs (parsley, chives, chervil, cress, borage, sorrel and salad burnet).
Green sauce (Grüne Soße), known as “Grie Soß” in Frankfurt dialect, is usually served cold, with boiled potatoes and hard-boiled eggs. It’s often served as an accompaniment to fish, asparagus and roast beef, and even Schnitzel dishes - Frankfurter Schnitzel is yet another local speciality.
People in Frankfurt love green sauce so much that it has been awarded protected status within the EU and there is even a monument dedicated to it in Frankfurt-Oberrad. It was said to have been Goethe's favourite dish!
Photo: © Sabine Imhof, courtesy of Green Sauce Festival
The event is more than just a culinary delicacy week: although the Green Sauce Festival is primarily about food, the fun it brings with it should not be underestimated. Eight evening shows by many musical artists and cabaret and comedy stars make it an all-round occasion for fun.
Some of the artists performing in the evening shows include MEDLZ, Bodo Bach, Magic Monday, Andy Ost, Woody Feldmann and Sebastian Reich & Amanda.
Together with his band Andy und die Gartenzwerge, Anton will announce the winner of the sauce competition at the festival finale. Along with them on stage, the cabaret artist and songwriter, Friedemann Weise, and the swing artists, Zucchini Sistaz, will ensure the last evening show is chock full of entertainment!
Photo: © Sabine Imhof, courtesy of Green Sauce Festival
Attending the Green Sauce Festival
During each evening of the festival, 650 guests taste seven green sauce variations from different restaurateurs and vote for the best. At the end of each evening, a winner is picked for the finals where the ultimate winner will be announced at the end of the festival.
Tickets for the Green Sauce Festival include attendance at an evening show, all drinks served and the seven sauces from the seven restaurants served with potatoes and eggs.
Taste German tradition at the Green Sauce Festival
You can try green sauce any time you're in Frankfurt, but why not attend the Green Sauce Festival and be part of one of the most fun events associated with traditional German food? Stay up to date with the event on the Green Sauce Festival website.