There is a large German influence in Wisconsin. The year we became a state, waves of Germans were fleeing revolutions in Europe to find a better life. In the 1850s, it was said 1,000 Germans arrived in Milwaukee every week. These days, they say nearly half of us can trace our ancestry back to Germany. At the time, Germany wasn’t a unified country, so the folks who came from different areas in that region all brought their specific customs, foods and culture.
One area that has had a big influence on the state of Wisconsin is Bavaria. With a distinct beer-making tradition, you’ll see the vestiges of Bavarian influence all over Wisconsin’s beer culture. Because it is a colder area, fresh fruit and vegetables were not a staple of the Bavarian diet. Instead, they raised animals and had a meat-heavy diet. One way to use up all the available meat without it going bad was to make sausages, both fresh and hard. Cured, smoked and otherwise preserved meats were the key to eating well all winter and we here in Wisconsin understood and embraced this idea. We love a cased meat here in Wisconsin, especially a bratwurst. Our tailgate culture is based on the ability to quickly grill and easily carry and consume sausages. Sheboygan is the Bratwurst Capital of the World. Madison has the World’s Largest Bratwurst Festival. And in Fitchburg, you’ll find Bavaria Sausage, a fabulous, old-school meat market that is making the very best of German products the same way folks did when they came here more than 150 years ago.
Part of what makes Bavaria Sausage so amazing and unique is that its founder, a certified Master Sausage Maker from Germany named Fed Voll, still shows up on occasion to help create some of the products. He and his family came to America in 1956. He started working at grocery stores but eventually he and his wife Kathe built a state-of-the-art sausage making facility.
Fred was an apprentice meat cutter at age 13 in Germany and eventually went on to become a Master Sausage Maker. The Volls opened this shop in 1962 and not much but the prices have changed since then.
That's not because this place is stuck in the past, but rather that it is so stellar that almost no tweaks have been needed to keep it running and successful. The meat prices have certainly changed since this ad ran in 1969, but Bavaria Sausage is still serving up some of the tastiest, most unique and amazing flavors that you cannot find anywhere else.
The meat case here is a carnivore's dream. You'll find the standard bratwurst, but you'll also find blood sausage, rollbraten, rouladen, schnitzel, rabbit, landjäger, cold cuts and so much more.
If your Oma or Opa used to love it, you can bet you'll find it here. Don't be afraid to try something new and discover all kinds of unique and different preparations here. I'm not a liver and onions fan, but the liver sausage here makes the best sandwiches. You have to be a bit adventurous, but you'll also find your favorite new foods.
In addition to the fresh food and meats, you'll find all kinds of imported amazingness here, from spaetzle mix to a wall of mustards that will complement your brat or other kind of sausage fabulously.
Maybe don't come hungry, but do come with lots of time to wander and explore, and a cooler in which to take home additional goodies. You could stock up for weeks of meals here and never eat the same thing twice. The variety feels endless.
If you're a little peckish while you're shopping, grab a pair of landjäger to nibble on while you stroll. Fresh-made and just waiting for you, these sausages are a bit like salami and are a great snack option. Plus, you'll want some for your Oktoberfest celebrations.
There's just no other meat market quite like this one. It's a labor of love for the Voll family, who've created a special little outpost of German and Bavarian goodness in the outskirts of Madison. Let all your meat dreams come true and find all new kinds of amazing sausages and entrees to try in their massive meat case.
Browse through their virtual store and find out more about this amazing place on their website or check out their Facebook page for more mouthwatering pictures.