Handkäse (pronounced [ˈhantkɛːzə]; literally: "hand cheese") is a German regional sour milk cheese (similar to Harzer) and is a culinary specialty of Frankfurt am Main, Offenbach am Main, Darmstadt, Langen, and other parts of southern Hesse.

Some Hessians say that it is a sign of the quality of the establishment when caraway is in a separate dispenser.

This is a euphemism for the flatulence that raw onions can provide during digestion.

Another theory is that it was coined because, during the marinating process, the resulting gases rising up through the vinegar-oil mixture often produce a bubbling noise.

White wine, usually dry, is also preferred in some areas, such as Rheinhessen.