The very best egg pasta we could find.

Out in Steinbach, Manitoba, you’ll find our new partner and pasta-making masters Nature’s Farm, owned and operated by Hermann Grauer. Along with the help of his wife Sheryl and his team, he’s now bringing over 30 years of pasta knowledge to Lufavores with his killer lineup of organic, dried, and traditional German egg noodles. 

When Hermann moved to Canada from Southern Germany in the late 80s, you can imagine that egg nudels were few and far between. Growing up overseas, not only was egg pasta one of Hermann’s favourite dishes but a proud and true part of his cultural identity. Coming over to The Great White North, he had a strong desire to spread the word and share what he knew through the unique, rich noodle of his ancestors. And boy has he succeeded. 

But the question is…what came first, the noodle or the egg?

In short: the egg. Hermann started raising his chickens in an aviary, which at the time was almost unheard of in North America. He mirrored the design from farmers in Switzerland, and he felt that this no-cage, open concept system was the best, most humane way to raise his animals. It took a few years of trial and error, and only after he laid (ha, ha) the groundwork did he begin making pasta.

After much deliberation, Hermann decided they would stick to making dried egg pasta (instead of fresh) as a way to increase shelf life and reduce food waste. But the team still takes a fresh pasta approach to their craft - producing everything in small batches and drying their noodles slowly. 

They also use true Italian bronze dies and cook the dough at a lower temperature - preserving the integrity of the ingredients right through to the final product. It might sound crazy but this method also creates a rougher and more porous surface - allowing the pasta to better absorb every last bit of sauce, bring more flavour to your dish (zoom into the photo below if you don’t believe us).

You might also be thinking, Manitoba is a heck of a ways away, which brings up the infamous Locavore’s dilemma: juggling variety and sustainability with location, location, location. We chose to venture to Manitoba because there's simply no egg pasta makers in Quebec that do it quite like Nature’s Farm. Plus the Prairies is the only place in Canada where you can find local organic durum. 

Whether he’s attending every local farmers’ market (despite his insane farming schedule), connecting with his customers, working with local merchants, or even speaking about poultry at local universities, Hermann has set a high bar.

And if it were up to him, he would (proudly) add one last thing: contrary to popular belief,  the etymology of the word “noodle” actually comes from the German “nudel.” 

Eh, you learn something nudel every day.