Morse's Sauerkraut in Waldoboro

All around Maine, you can find reminders of the early years of each town’s history. In Waldoboro, evidence of its 18th century German immigration is still visible in many places. One of those is at Morse’s Sauerkraut where they have been making and offering their namesake German dish, along with a vast array of other European foods, for over a century.

Let’s start with the sauerkraut and a full disclosure. Despite having a branch of my family tree stretch back to the German Broad Bay community in the mid-1700s, I never had tried sauerkraut. Cooked cabbage in boiled dinners? Yes. Raw cabbage in coleslaw? Like clockwork on Saturday nights with baked beans and brown bread. But never sauerkraut. 

I decided it was only fair to make Cody LaMontagne and James Gammon— the current husband-wife owners of Morse’s—aware of this gap in my dining experience soon after I arrived at their store. In response to this revelation, Cody disappeared into a back room. Next thing I knew, she was wheeling out a giant barrel of sauerkraut. For a moment, this was concerning as it was big enough to jump into. But thankfully I wasn’t handed a fork and told to dig in. Rather, Cody dipped a small sample paper scoop into the barrel, filled it, and handed it over to me. Now I can say I had my first sauerkraut at Morse’s. And while I think it will take a few more servings before I crave the kraut, it was flavorful.

Of course, now I’m spoiled for life because my first taste was the real thing. Morse’s makes their own sauerkraut with the exact same process that founder Virgil Morse used way back around World War 1. The cabbage is grown locally and hand-cut. It’s tamped with large wooden mallets and pressed with the river rocks that were first selected over a hundred years ago. If you want authentic sauerkraut, make your way to Waldoboro.

When you walk into the bright and colorful store, you’re going to find a whole lot more than sauerkraut. In fact, you’re likely to locate every item on your grocery list that is common in North Europe, or Spain, or Italy. There are the sauerkraut cousins (my untechnical designation), including pickles, relishes, mustard, horseradish. 

Charcuterie is all the rage right now; you can order a platter here. Or you can find all the ingredients at Morse’s and build your own. They sell a wide variety of cured meats, sausages, and cheeses. 

Need something to drink? They have an extensive craft beer and wine selection, along with an assortment of other hot and cold beverages.

Want something sweet? You can find macarons, baklava, rugulach, marzipan, and a plethora of other options. 

Looking to find a unique item and expand your dictionary at the same time? Check out the Soreen malt loaf; it has the line “deliciously squidgy energy…the secret’s in the squidge.” (Think “squish,” not “squid.”)

The above few lines only scratch the surface. Even if you’re not in the market for any of these supplies, a walk through the store will provide you with an amazing education related to the European palate. Co-owner Cody shared with me, “At Morse’s we believe in celebrating and preserving traditional foodways.” This is accomplished not only by making favorite European foods available to those who find their way to Waldoboro, but also by supporting traditional farms and farmers back in Europe. Morse’s participates in the Adopt-An-Alp program and offers rare cheeses from makers in Switzerland. That alone makes a trip worthwhile.

One might be tempted to call Morse’s Sauerkraut a “well-kept secret” when its location is considered. Waldoboro isn’t New York City, and Route 220 where Morse’s sits isn’t exactly a freeway, yet customers make their way from all around the world to this tucked-away Maine gem. A map holds pins showing where folks started on their journey to Morse’s. I found the European section of great interest.

One can’t help but wonder: what would Waldoboro’s first German settlers think if they saw this store nearly 300 years later? I don’t want to speak for them, but my guess is that they would be as surprised and delighted as Morse’s current loyal customer base. If you’re not yet part of it, I highly recommend a visit.

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