“Those who respect law and love sausage should watch neither being made,” goes a familiar quote.*
Here at WFAEats, we don’t wade into matters of law. But we just learned October is National Sausage Month. What’s more, we got word of upcoming classes in the Art of Sausage-Making at Central Piedmont Community College. So it’s prime time for those of you who may have a hankering to make your own hand-stuffed, -shaped or smoked meat products.
After all, sausage isn’t quite as chic as its more popular porcine cousin, bacon. The humble mixture of ground meat and flavorings has been around for hundreds of years, but unlike bacon it hasn’t turned up in cocktails and candy. (Yet.)
That doesn’t mean sausage can’t be every bit as artistic or addictive. Whether it’s chorizo, andouille, bratwurst or bangers, the varieties number in the hundreds. Especially now that you can find seafood, poultry and even vegetarian versions on store shelves and in restaurants.
If the thought of grinding and shaping your own sausages doesn’t make you salivate, you can still take part in the celebration this month. The National Hot Dog & Sausage Council has prepared a serving guide and video, plus they’re sponsoring a charcuterie photo contest. Just arrange your favorite cured meats creatively on a platter, snap some pictures, and send them in. The winner will receive a generous gift certificate to redeem for – you guessed it: sausage.
Maybe this entire topic leaves a bad taste in your mouth. If so, you’re missing out on a trend that continues to grow. Sales of dinner sausage alone in 2011 exceeded $2 billion. Of course, the dining public can be fickle; Today’s fashion could become tomorrow’s flop. But right now that seems unlikely. And who knows? The next martini you order might just arrive garnished or flavored with a “sausage-y” something.
*Versions of this quote have been attributed to Mark Twain, Otto von Bismarck, and John Godfrey Saxe.