On The Eve of Sausagefest X

August 21, 2007

Tin, aluminum, and diamond – those are the British, American, and Modern symbols for the tenth anniversary. I can see the Brits doing a tin of candy, a tin of tea, but what really nice gift of tin have you received lately? Something from the Wizard of Oz catalog from the Tin Man section?

But the Brits have been civilized longer than we have and maybe tin back in the day was more meaningful. Aluminum foil is handy but don’t bring a case of aluminum foil to Sausagefest. So let’s just agree that diamonds are okay and any size larger than a fingernail is acceptable

It's hard to believe that ten years of great sausages and great wine drinking has grown into a very large party with a cult like following.

Hey wait a second; everyone I know is two cocktails from a Betty Ford alumni party. And, the smell of grill fired sausages has a wider appeal than American Idol. It’s not so surprising after all. The fest worked from the beginning and we’re still motoring.

This year the theme is 2007: A Sausagefest Odyssey. It’s been a long strange trip and it’s been our family of friends who kept the journey going. I hope we can all be doing this for many years to come – despite the indictments, work release agreements, DUI’s, restraining orders, and general disarray our lives throw at us.

Somehow we can get straightened up for one night and still do what’s important – drink and eat with friends. In the really old days it was a Roman orgy – togas, wine, endless food, and the god knows what else. I was thinking this might be a good toga year. It’s been a little warm, and something cottony and baggy would be okay. But rather than incur a toga expense I‘d rather you go find a great new sausage maker and buy his or her sausages. Or even better, go buy our T-shirts!

We have our tradition of great sausage with great wine. I urge each of the attendees to bring the best and the most delicious – as usual. We will speak glowingly of your great contributions of wonderful Zinfandel, Cabernets, Chilean Reds, Australian Shiraz; as well as your Polish sausage, Italian, and Irish bangers.

We are always interested in sampling home creations or tasting the creations of new sausage makers you have stumbled across.

Thanks to the Knights of the Sausage for the 10 Years of Help:

I salute all of you have been there through the years and helped keep the karma going: Chip & Nora Colson, Judy Bird & Mark Schriner, Tom & Sue Graan, Steve Zider & Nancy Lovendosk, Ed & Cathy Grabowski, Rick Haering, John & Sue Heaton, Chris & Barb Kleiva, Rich Klott, Alan Rohrbach, Rich & Dawn Tuttle, Casey & Mary Wasilewski, Bob & Sarah Wippman.

Latest News Update
In the book section we have added two books for your Fall reading:

The Raw and The Cooked - Adventures of a Roving Gourmand
by Jim Harrison

I Sailed with Magellan
by Stuart Dybek

These are two of the best American writers of our generation. Dybek captures Chicago better than just about any recent writer. Food and drink are always close at hand.

Jim Harrison is a great story teller (Legends of the Fall, Dalva) but this book is devoted to dining, cooking and the good life. It's hard to find a better writer with this much gusto for eating well and often.

Read them both soon.

Important Dining Note for Chicago Area Diners:

There is a small but important restaurant you should take note of located in the northwest suburb of Mount Prospect. Since this is a sausage website I’ll make the sausage connection for you in a bit.

You should make a point to dine at Flamingo Seafood (1590 Busse Road, Mt. Prospect, Il 847-364-9988). This is a very good seafood restaurant done in the style of South American and Mexican cuisine. I don’t think it’s accurate to say it Mexican seafood. Its highly skilled cooking of fresh seafood using Latin accents to bring the fish dishes to very high levels.

Yes there are chips but the salsas are unique and not cliché. I think it’s a mark of a very good restaurant that keeps surprising you with each plate. Flamingo does this.

Now the sausage connection. The seafood and chorizo brochette was stunning. Their homemade chorizo gets my vote for the best restaurant chorizo in Chicago.

The tequila collection is extensive; the wine list is short but solid, and the margaritas full-force. Go for the seafood but get some chorizo in whatever dish they offer.

Jorge Almaraz is the inspired chef of this fine restaurant. He is a very skilled artist. Tell him Sauasgefest sent you.