Black

Best of Black, the color of quiet elegance

Black stands for elegance, depth, and drama – the color of a tuxedo, espresso, smoked specialties. In our Black color world, you will find Icelandic lava salt, salty licorice from Sweden, black walnuts from Germany, cuvée red wines, black Le Creuset Dutch ovens, and chocolate in sophisticated black packaging.

Black is the deepest of all colors – not a color in the physical sense, but the absence of light. That is exactly what makes it a sophisticated frame: it highlights, brings calm, and adds gravity. When you open our Black category, you enter an elegant space featuring lava salt, licorice, black walnuts, truffles, and a matte black Le Creuset.

Black, the color of calm and gravity

Black is the color of concentration. Books are printed in black, concert tails are black, the best espressos taste deep black in the cup.

In color psychology, it represents dignity, depth, and mystery. In the West, one mourns in black; in China, one marries in red. But everywhere, it holds true: black appears noble, reserved, mature. A small black tin fits on any table.

For us, black is the color of quiet elegance. For the evening, when the candles are burning. For the kitchen, where a cast-iron pan sits on the stove.

Over twenty black favorites from seven countries

In our black world, we have gathered specialties from Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Portugal, Sweden, and Iceland – all dressed in black.

From Iceland, the Saltverk Lava Salt – a lava salt from the Westfjords, colored black by activated charcoal. From Sweden, the Lakritsfabriken salty licorice mix; from South Tyrol, Alpe Praga’s black currants and the Kohl apple juice with black currant.

From France, the Le Creuset Signature Dutch Oven 26cm Black and the Le Creuset wine cooler WA 126 Black. From Portugal, José Gourmet's small mackerel in olive oil and sardines with lemon – both in the typical black-patterned vintage tins. From Germany, the Markus Schneider Black Print from the Palatinate and the Königskind black walnuts from the Königskind farm on the Lower Rhine.

Which black for which moment?

Not all blacks are the same. There is velvety matte black, deep glossy black, volcanic lava black, and chocolaty dark bittersweet black.

For an apéritif, the glossy black: a glass of Markus Schneider Black Print paired with a bowl of Stekovics tapenade on toast. For lunch, the robust black: Cape Herb Texan Steakhouse Rub on a steak, with Königskind balsamic onions as a side dish.

For the evening, the velvety black: a bar of Berger dark chocolate with whisky-orange and an espresso, accompanied by a piece of Purissima Maxima with no added sugar – that's what an evening is all about.

Manufacturers in black with a personal touch

Behind every black label is a person who understands their craft – ten manufacturers define our black world.

At Saltverk in the Icelandic Westfjords, the five-member team uses geothermal energy to boil sea salt from the North Atlantic – the lava salt is colored black with activated charcoal, which looks dramatic on salmon and tastes mildly salty. In Helsingborg, Martin Jörgensen has been making licorice for Lakritsfabriken since 2011 – deep black rolls with salmiak and anise oil, soft rather than hard, with a tartness that reminds one of dark chocolate.

Markus Schneider in Ellerstadt in the Palatinate is one of Germany’s most brilliant winemakers – his Black Print is a dense cuvée of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah, aged in new wood, deep dark in the glass, with notes of blackberry and cocoa. Erich Stekovics in the Burgenland Seewinkel grows over three thousand varieties of tomatoes – his tapenade made from black olives is a showcase of Mediterranean spice.

And in Andernach, the Königskind family ferments black walnuts – green walnuts are soaked in sugar syrup for months until they become deep black and soft as truffles. Simply delicious with aged cheese. A recipe that has hardly changed since the 18th century.

Black with steak, cheese, and espresso

Black delicacies play well with bold counterparts. A beef steak from the grill with a pinch of lava salt, paired with Männerglück Bacon Jam with whisky – robust, smoky, with depth.

For a cheese platter: an aged Manchego, served with black walnuts and a dollop of balsamic onions. On bread, a spoonful of Brandgut Mandelikat, the roasted almond cream from Hamburg under the black lid. With espresso, a bar of dark chocolate with whisky-orange – slightly bitter, tart, and warm.

Our tip for Sunday: beef pot roast in a Le Creuset Signature Dutch Oven, a bottle of Black Print open nearby, and a piece of Tiroler Edle for dessert. That is how Sunday becomes a feast.

Black gifts with substance

A black box is a gift with substance and character. For the host who loves to cook. For the friend who enjoys red wine. For the sister who keeps a black storage jar filled with salt on her kitchen counter.

We are happy to put together a selection for you: a bottle of Black Print, a tin of lava salt, black walnuts, a bowl of salty licorice mix, and a Portus Cale Black Edition soap for the washbasin. Add a Le Creuset wine cooler in matte black – a gift that lasts.

Browse through our other color worlds – black is the deepest door, but nine other colors dance more brightly beside it.