There are three meats in a traditional Easter basket. Bacon, Ham, and Garlic Sausage (Kubasa) symbolizing Mercy, Joy, and Generosity. While yes you can cure your own meat and make your own Sausage, I personally am lacking some time a equipment to do this. I take this as a chance to support my community butchers and go out and get the very, very best product for my basket. I have a separate butcher for each type of meat.
The bacon in an Easter basket is symbolic of God's mercy and I'm off to Old Country Sausage to pick some up. Old Country is a business that's been around over 100 years in the city. I'm greeted by two colorful ladies when I walk in the door, and by the time I'm out we've discussed everything from the weather to bag boys at grocery stores. I am not sure what it is about Winnipeg but the best butchers are in the absolute most run down parts of the city, regardless you won't get the delightful service, and top quality product at extremely reasonable prices without making your way around the city. In my mind it is always worth the trip.
If you want to learn more about Old Country Sausage and the wonderful family that run's it check out this video from their 100 year anniversary.
If you want to make your own bacon I'm going to suggest this recipe posted by Punk Domestics:
http://www.flamesandfood.com/making-bacon-home/
For the ham in my Easter basket there is only one place to go for my ham and that is Wawel (pronounced - Va-vel) Meats. Ham in an Easter basket is symbolic of joy and abundance. My Easter basket is only for two people so I am going with some sliced Polish ham. If you are trying to make a basket to feed 4 or more people I can see the point of sticking a whole ham in the basket, but in my case that would be a little overkill.
If you have not, had Polish ham before. Please RUN don`t walk to your nearest Polish butcher and try some. I have been eating Polish ham since I was a kid and we would drive an hour just to get it. I was horrified when I got ham from the grocery store in my school lunches as a kid. Polish ham may as well be a completely different meat. It keeps the nice pork texture, has actual flavor rather than just salt, and isn't so pink it looks unnatural. When I was traveling in Europe I had to question my local butcher and see for myself if this ham did indeed resemble actual ham made at authentic Polish butcher shops, and I have to say the taste is EXACT I felt like I was right back in Winnipeg on Selkirk Ave. even though I was half a world away. Wawel Meat Market is authentic to the core and you will not find better quality and taste of Polish meats anywhere in the city.
If you guessed a heart shaped Garlic Sausage then you must be from
Manitoba... if you actually are thinking that's a pretty darn good gift, you
beyond a doubt were born and raised here.
If you happen to have your own meat grinder just sitting around.... and come on who doesn't? You may want to give making the Food Network's version of Garlic Sausage a try. You can find the recipe here.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/garlic-pork-sausage-recipe.html
Well I have managed to get some great stuff for my Easter basket today, and if you are from the local area, then I have made some suggestions on where you can get your Easter basket meats from. If you have been following along with this blog you may have noticed you can leave me comments. If you want to suggest your own butcher or have questions, feel free to drop me a comment. Now that I have all the piggy I need home again, home again, jigitty jig.
Old Country Sausage Winnipeg - Image credit Nilo Manalo
The bacon in an Easter basket is symbolic of God's mercy and I'm off to Old Country Sausage to pick some up. Old Country is a business that's been around over 100 years in the city. I'm greeted by two colorful ladies when I walk in the door, and by the time I'm out we've discussed everything from the weather to bag boys at grocery stores. I am not sure what it is about Winnipeg but the best butchers are in the absolute most run down parts of the city, regardless you won't get the delightful service, and top quality product at extremely reasonable prices without making your way around the city. In my mind it is always worth the trip.
If you want to learn more about Old Country Sausage and the wonderful family that run's it check out this video from their 100 year anniversary.
If you want to make your own bacon I'm going to suggest this recipe posted by Punk Domestics:
http://www.flamesandfood.com/making-bacon-home/
Image Credit - Flames and Food
For the ham in my Easter basket there is only one place to go for my ham and that is Wawel (pronounced - Va-vel) Meats. Ham in an Easter basket is symbolic of joy and abundance. My Easter basket is only for two people so I am going with some sliced Polish ham. If you are trying to make a basket to feed 4 or more people I can see the point of sticking a whole ham in the basket, but in my case that would be a little overkill.
If you have not, had Polish ham before. Please RUN don`t walk to your nearest Polish butcher and try some. I have been eating Polish ham since I was a kid and we would drive an hour just to get it. I was horrified when I got ham from the grocery store in my school lunches as a kid. Polish ham may as well be a completely different meat. It keeps the nice pork texture, has actual flavor rather than just salt, and isn't so pink it looks unnatural. When I was traveling in Europe I had to question my local butcher and see for myself if this ham did indeed resemble actual ham made at authentic Polish butcher shops, and I have to say the taste is EXACT I felt like I was right back in Winnipeg on Selkirk Ave. even though I was half a world away. Wawel Meat Market is authentic to the core and you will not find better quality and taste of Polish meats anywhere in the city.
Image Credit - Google Maps
Want to see inside the shop and meet
the butcher check this youtube Video out. This family has been a
staple in the Winnipeg Polish community for years.
Want to learn about curing your own
ham check out this blog:
Last stop is for the Kubasa in the Easter basket it is symbolic of God's favor and generosity. While I have to say Wawel has equally as good Garlic Sausage, I like to support
different businesses and have to say, that Tenderloin Meat and Sausage
may not be specifically a Polish Butcher shop but their Kubasa seriously
upholds the quality and taste. I can't find any fault with their product, so
heck yah I will add another stop on my list and give these guys some well-deserved
business for their superior quality product.
Image Credit - Globe and Mail
Winnipegers love Garlic Sausage all year round. Yes it has a
special place around holidays, but we pretty much go nuts for it at any time of
year. Want to know what one of my friends got for Valentine’s Day this year?
If you happen to have your own meat grinder just sitting around.... and come on who doesn't? You may want to give making the Food Network's version of Garlic Sausage a try. You can find the recipe here.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/garlic-pork-sausage-recipe.html
Well I have managed to get some great stuff for my Easter basket today, and if you are from the local area, then I have made some suggestions on where you can get your Easter basket meats from. If you have been following along with this blog you may have noticed you can leave me comments. If you want to suggest your own butcher or have questions, feel free to drop me a comment. Now that I have all the piggy I need home again, home again, jigitty jig.
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