Not really. There were three organic pigs and a cow (carcasses, mind you) at the sausage making weekend I got to participate in a couple of weekends ago. I missed the first day where they broke down the cow (not used for sausage) and only got a few hours in on Saturday when we were cutting away all the meat from the pigs. However, I did learn, on the last day, how to twist sausages. Next year I just plan on living with the hosts so I can be there for every single minute of it.
I have to say, it was a great experience. Even though I wasn't there for the whole thing, I learned a lot. (Of course whether I retain this info is up for debate.) But I also got to take part in a great moment of community. I entered the weekend just wanting to learn what goes into the process as well as to "meet my meat," so to say. I was there to help the primaries (the three guys, including the farmer whose animals we were using, who do this every year) put up their sausages and salamis (okay, that sounds like a sexual innuendo, which is totally unintentional but amusing considering the source). Not only did I get to meet new people (I'm learning that Hamilton and its environs has some very cool characters), but they shared some of the results of the weekend with me. Seriously, I was not expecting my own little portion.
One of the hosts said that the weekend felt like what the holidays should be about, and I have to say, I couldn't agree more.
Very cool!
ReplyDeleteTogether with a group of friends, my family used to make Mennonite Farmers' Sausage and Summer Sausage over a long weekend. My job was to hydrate the natural casings and to twist the sausage as dad was filling the casing. It was a lot of work, but much fun. Some years, they would rent a portable hot tub as part of the weekend.