Butcher Shop Philosophy

There is a simple sign that hangs in the butcher shop. It reads, "Without sausage, without bacon, purpose of life is forsaken." I came across this old German saying in a sausage book that I read, and this saying spoke to me. When I read it, I am reminded of the olden days where the importance of preserving and utilizing every bit of food was meant for eating during the harsh Winters or face hunger. Sausage from fresh to cured was made from all the scraps that were taken from every part of the animal. Not a piece was left on the bone or a drop of blood wasted. These are the fresh sausages of Europe like Boudin Noir, Bratwurst, Mettwurst and Thuringer or the cured sausages to eat later like Sopressata, Finocchiona and Genoa salumi. This is true nose-to-tail eating. Bacon represents these great cured products to extend the animal and bring flavor to cooking. Cooking a little bacon and adding it to hearty Winter greens or a few slices of prosciutto with cheese made from the early milking and bread would satisfy any hunger.

In modern life, we have lost the need for such frugalness. If hungry, all someone needs to do is go by the store and purchase what is wanted. There is no longer a need to worry about the utilization of every part of the animal. For the small farmer, this is an obstacle that is hard to overcome. When a farmer sells the meat that was lovingly produced and everyone buys the prime cuts, he is left with all the odd bits. Selling all the prime cuts is normally the breakeven point for most farms, and the profit is in the odd parts. This would include the trotters, head, offals, skin and fat. I have heard one farmer say his money was invested in the chamber of hope, which he was referring to his freezer that he stored all his odd bits that he was hoping he could sell. We have an obligation to be sustainable. The green movement goes beyond recycling and conserving energy, but sustaining all of nature. Life is a circle and comes back around every season.

At Blackberry Farm, this is happening all around. From the Larder preserving the bounty of the Farm, the restaurants composting vegetable scraps, the farmers organically farming the land and reserving seeds for the next harvest, and the butcher shop embracing this old quote to preserve the old ways of life and make products to be enjoyed over time. Some of the greatest products that are made and eaten come from products that are overlooked in the meat case. When making or eating these sausages and cures, it transports me back in time and I'm able to relive history through food. So the next time you are eating sausage or bacon, think of what it means to have these products and where they come from. Take everything in our life and use it to the fullest. This is the philosophy of the butcher shop.

— Michael Sullivan, Butcher