Our Story
This is a story about Wilhelm, Hermann and Helmut Cramm, three generations of German butchers and cooks, and how we rediscovered and introduced Wilhelm’s spice blends and sausage recipes to America.
In 1875, in a small German village called Gadenstedt, Wilhelm von Cramm, (Astrid’s great-grandfather) opened his first butcher’s shop. As He loved his trade and he loved to cook, he created his own unique spice blends and sausage recipes. He was called into service during the First World War and deployed to Provence, France, where he discovered herbs like thyme, rosemary, lavender and sage. At the end of his military service he returned home to his village with a suitcase packed full of fresh dried herbs. He began to experiment and to integrate the newfound spices into new blends that his customers enjoyed. Wilhelm diligently recorded all of his recipes and creations into a small red notebook.
Wilhelm von Cramm
Hermann Cramm, Wilhelm’s only son, worked along side his father and learned the butcher trade. He was drafted into the war in 1940 and ultimately captured. As a POW, his talents as a cook were discovered and he quickly rose to the level of head chef cooking for the camp’s commander and senior officers. He used his father’s unique spice blends to enhance the limited rations and to create dishes that were acclaimed by the commander.
Hermann Cramm
Helmut Cramm
Following the war, Helmut returned to Gadenstadt and married Edith who fled Poland during the war. With both Polish and Russian ancestry Edith helped to introduce new spices such as sorrel, caraway, nutmeg and dill into Helmut’s spice mix, adding intense yet smooth flavors. The butcher and spice business flourished with Wilhelm and Hermann working side-by-side. Following Wilhelm’s death in 1952, Hermann took over the business and continued to share the wonderful spice blends and sausage recipes with his customers and subsequent generations.
Hermann died in 1978 and the red notebook, the spice blends and sausage recipes, and the business passed to Helmut, who was already on his way to becoming a master butcher like his father and grandfather. In 2006, Helmut retired and closed the doors to the 131-year old butcher shop. In 2012, he discovered the little red notebook his grandfather Wilhelm used to chronicle the family seasonings. He handed the notebook to his daughter Astrid who created Opa Helmut’s to bring these unique seasonings and recipes directly to you in your homes.
We hope you enjoy the unique tastes of Germany, Poland and Russia.
Wilhelm von Cramm would be proud of his legacy.
