production day

Haven't been too consistent since the new year, but presently turning that around.  I hope you haven't lost interest in the sausage jargon, but if you've gone elsewhere, let me know so i can read along with you as I'm always into new information :)  Somebody was recently kind enough to pass along a tidbit about a corned beef sausage with kraut blended right into the meat.  NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!  Can we have a serious sausage dialogue?
  This week, production entailed three new varieties and it's only monday.  Look for Sauteed Mushroom Chicken Sausage which included the aforementioned mushrooms sauteed with bell peppers and garlic, deglazed with pinot grigio.  Also find a tasty Smoked-Cheddar Pork Sausage which is just what it sounds like with pounds of grated cheese intertwined.  And lastly, a fresh and Spring-inspired Green Chorizo which was my favorite of the day.  It's loaded with chopped cilantro, green onion, tomatillo, jalapeno, and lime zest with a touch of cumin, garlic and a pinch of cayenne for excitement. 
   Are you missing sunny, warm weather badly?  I do.  Sometimes sausage is the answer.  Sometimes all it takes is a crispy, meaty link, stuffed with the most delectable ingredients to whisk our minds off to a sunny beach.  Perhaps in your day dream as well as mine there is a hammock strung between two coconut trees and a table within arms reach plentifully stocked with, of course, sausage and all the fixin's.  I'd like that.  Try the chorizo... you've earned it.

Oxford Sausage in Maine

  While doing research for sausage concepts I stumbled upon writings regarding the Oxford Sausage.  This is apparently a traditional English sausage named for the county in which it originated.  Sources stated that they could be made from pork, lamb and veal though sometimes lacking one of these meats and other times including even turkey.  I liked the sound of the lamb and so today produced a version with about 50% lamb, 25% pork and the rest in veal.  Added also were traditional ingredients of bread crumb, lemon zest, fresh herbs and nutmeg.  This sausage has a flavorful meat with a light texture.  The richness of the lamb I found to be a pleasant counterpoint to the bright lemon zest.  Quite flavorful and yet mild and harmonious.  I believe there is something to learn in this exercise.  I had originally conceived of writing mellow and understated recipes with easy adaptability to many different applications and seem to have lost track of that goal in my quest for different and interesting sausages which often scream for attention.  This sausage has brought me a much needed pause.