Vegetable Schmaltz

Gemüseschmackes. Umami for everything that ends up in the oven, pot, or wok.

Gemüseschmackes is a complex spice blend from Altes Gewürzamt based on fermented vadouvan and tomato flakes, created for vegetable cuisine. Not a bouillon powder, not a salt carrier, not a mild herb mixture for a quick fix.

Gemüseschmackes is a spice blend by Ingo Holland that gives vegetable dishes the hearty depth usually provided only by meat, bacon, or bouillon cubes. Every kitchen knows the problem: steak gets roasted aromas, crust, and seasoning, while the vegetables next to it remain a side dish. Zucchini and chard naturally bring little savoriness, and the usual instant broth solution always tastes the same in the end. This blend solves the problem at its root. Fermented onions, dried tomatoes, and an orchestra of about twenty spices give every vegetable a warm, deep base seasoning that is satisfying without dominating.

Where the Schmackes comes from

The blend tastes deep, warm, and well-rounded, with strong umami notes, subtle tomato sweetness, and a Mediterranean herb background. Its foundation is vadouvan, the fermented onion-garlic preparation that has long achieved cult status in professional kitchens as a spice in its own right. Fermentation provides those savory aromas reminiscent of dark stock. Tomato flakes and celery contribute natural glutamates, which are the carriers of the savory fifth basic taste. Above that lie paprika, two types of pepper, fennel, and coriander, along with a Mediterranean wreath of basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Even myrtle and star anise are present, as subtle exotics in the depths.

In the tin, the preparation appears dark and coarsely structured, with visible tomato flakes, herb leaves, and seeds. The first scent upon opening is roasted and tomatoey at the same time, with a hint of fennel sweetness underneath. Rubbed between the fingers, the full spectrum unfolds, from the depth of onion to the resinous rosemary.

This is not a neutral background spice. The blend distinctly and noticeably shapes a dish. If you want to taste delicate spring vegetables pure—young peas, first asparagus, fresh broad beans—this is not for you. Its stage is robust vegetables with their own character: pumpkin and cabbage, beans and root vegetables, eggplants and peppers. The more roasted the preparation, the better the seasoning carries.

A Teaspoon Against Side Dish Boredom

Gemüseschmackes seasons roasted, braised, and steamed vegetables, as well as stews, sauces, and potato dishes. For a tray of roasted vegetables, mix a heaped teaspoon with four tablespoons of olive oil and toss pumpkin, carrots, and beetroot in it before roasting. In a vegetable stir-fry, add the seasoning in the last two minutes, along with a knob of butter to bind the flavors. Even scrambled eggs, a baked potato with quark, or an avocado toast can benefit from a small pinch as a savory accent. A stew with beans, tomatoes, and peppers gets a teaspoon at the beginning and a pinch for seasoning at the end. For wok vegetables, the seasoning goes into the pan only after deglazing, so that the delicate herbs don't burn. Tomato sauce for pasta and a dark gravy also gain noticeable depth.

A recipe idea for a quick weeknight dinner: Heat four tablespoons of olive oil over low heat and stir in a teaspoon of the mixture. Let it infuse for two minutes, then drizzle over steamed broccoli or cauliflower and sprinkle with toasted almonds. A simple side dish becomes a meal in five minutes that doesn't miss any meat. The flavored oil keeps well sealed in the refrigerator for about a week.

Those who want to delve deeper into the fermented base can find it pure in the fermented spice blend from the manufacturer. For the potato side of the plate, there's the matching mash seasoning from the same house.

Our tip: Never sprinkle the mixture into hot frying fat; the fermented ingredients and herbs burn quickly and become bitter. Add only towards the end of the cooking time. Use sparingly; the preparation contains no fillers or anti-caking agents and is significantly more economical than the tin size might suggest.

Conceived for a TV Chef, Made in Klingenberg

The blend was developed by Ingo Holland for Tim Mälzer, whose kitchen thrives on honest, uncomplicated dishes. Holland, who ran his Michelin-starred restaurant with 18 Gault-Millau points before becoming a full-time spice miller in 2007, composed one of his most complex preparations for him. Around twenty ingredients, harmonized like the voices of a choir, where no single voice should stand out. This is also where an honest limitation lies. Those who like to clearly taste and precisely control individual spice notes will find the interwoven composition to be a black box. It is a finished soundscape, not a construction kit.

The word umami best describes the character of the blend. It was coined by the Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda, who described the savory fifth basic taste alongside sweet, sour, salty, and bitter in 1908. Western cuisine traditionally creates it through meat stock, Parmesan, or long braising times. Ripe tomatoes, dried mushrooms, and fermented ingredients are among the few plant-based sources that achieve the same effect. A spice blend that combines two of these sources is an exception in the market. This is precisely what makes this tin so valuable for vegetable cuisine. Since Holland's death in 2022, his son Kilian has continued the manufactory on the Main. We have been accompanying the Klingenberg assortment as a specialist retailer since 2009. In our own kitchen, this tin has a permanent place right next to the stove, readily available for almost every vegetable dish.

The Answer to the Bouillon Cube

What distinguishes Gemüseschmackes from other vegetable seasonings is its claim to take over the umami part entirely plant-based. Common vegetable broths and seasoning mixes work with yeast extract, palm fat, and a lot of salt. Here, fermentation and dried tomatoes take on this role, noticeably more elegantly and without the uniform broth taste. The difference is most evident in a direct comparison. Cook the same vegetable soup once with a bouillon cube and once with a teaspoon of this mixture. The first version tastes like broth, the second like vegetables with depth. Precisely this shift, away from uniformity and towards enhanced inherent flavor, is the principle of the Klingenberg preparation. In households that cook vegetarian more often, the tin replaces several helpers in the pantry. Those who meal prep on Sundays for the week will use it in stews and curries as well as in quick weeknight meals. As a gift, it suits anyone who wants to expand their vegetable cooking. This applies to the ambitious beginner as well as the experienced cook who wants to give their roasted vegetables a new direction.

Once roasted with Schmackes, and the tray of roasted vegetables leaves its side-dish role forever.