What does that really mean – local?  For me local is more than geographical proximity. Rather, it is all about local folks, who for the most part were born and raised in their communities, offering quality items in their communities.  We shop local as much as possible at farmers markets, grocery stores, meat markets, bakery’s – you name it.  If we do not do this, some of the most wonderful things we love and enjoy will cease to exist in our community.  We patronize local establishments when we travel too.  We love to sample the local flavor that the community has to offer.  You usually find passionate locals doing what they love.  These establishments tend to have much character – you know the type that sticks in your memories.  We especially love antique stores, meat lockers, cheese factories and bakeries.  Who doesn’t?

My absolute favorite meat locker is Nerstrand Meats & Catering.  This little gem has been operating at this very place in Nerstrand, MN since 1890.  I’ve come here for about ten years now.  The flavor they achieve with their smoked meat is second to none – a very tangy and pungent smoke flavor – pure bliss to the smoked meat connoisseur.  This is quality meat.  Local.  Food.  Good.

I was in their neck of the wood (very close to Nerstrand Big Woods State Park) recently and acquired a bag full of delectable goodies, of which was torn into post-car-door-close.  I made short work of the small snack pack of meat stix I had purchased for the ride home.  Other items in the bag included cajun beef jerky, more beef stixs, ring bologna and breakfast sausage links.

Speaking of breakfast sausage links…

I couldn’t help but think this a.m. when I was frying up the breakfast sausage links that I acquired from Nerstrand:  now this is real and good food.  It is funny to hear that some think that food comes from a grocery/retail store.  It technically does, but where it come from before that is what is really important.  The concept and tradition of the family farm is almost gone.  City kids seemingly have no clue where their food comes from.  Hello big corporate food giants churning out the food product.  If you haven’t seen the documentary Food, Inc. please take some time and do so.  It is on Netflix or you can watch it on-line through vimeo for free.  Food is a big deal; a big deal many have lost site of I am afraid.  Big food does a great job with advertising; through imagery of an agrarian America set in a pastoral fantasy land.  This is hardly the case anymore.

I love and crave real food; not food product.  Overly processed and chemically produced food product – just the sound of that should bring one to their senses.  There are certainly worse things than Little Sizzlers, but when presented the opportunity for fresh breakfast sausage from a meat locker, I’ll take that any day over something from the freezer aisle at the grocery store.

The breakfast sausage was a loving paring with the scrambled eggs, mushrooms, sweet bell peppers, green onions and Neufchatel cheese.  Happy tummy…feeling sleepy-nappy now.

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