• February 25, 2024
• Soul Brothers Meats
• 0 comments

One of the things I love most about creating unique combinations of sausage and charcuterie is how diverse the entire process can be. From the art of handmade meats being passed down for generations, to techniques and recipes shared from one culture to another, there is so much history in this art. Nearly any country you can think of has its own variety of amazing sausage. There aren’t too many foods with that type of deep history, culture, and heritage attached to them.

I’m a veteran of the First Gulf War and excited to introduce my sausage-making business this summer, right here in the heart of the North Penn community. I love America and its diversity; we are a country created to purposefully be a melting pot of cultures.  

Take Emma Lazarus. A fifth-generation American Jew whose fame didn’t happen until well after her death. If the name sounds familiar, it should. Not only did she assist refugee Jews as they flocked to America seeking a freedom to practice their religion, but her words are also emblazoned at the feet of the Statue of Liberty. Her poem, “The New Colossus,” inspired by the famous statue, is engraved at her base. You can read the full works, now part of the country’s public domain, below, too.

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” That’s what Lazarus imagined the unmoving lips of this “mighty woman” were saying. It’s often referenced when welcoming those of all backgrounds to our great country.

Our country was created for this purpose. Outside of Native Americans, we are all immigrants to this great land. And, no matter when you came to it, you likely came along with a rich history, an entire culture of music, food, clothing, song, and art. 

And somehow, no matter where you hail from, it is quite likely you grew up eating some type of sausage. In northern parts of Africa, it is “merguez.” In Japan, a fish-paste-based “kamaboko.” Spain has its “chorizo.” Germany loves its “bratwurst.” South Africa has “boerewors” often made with game meats. And, Italy? Well, we can’t even name them all here. 

Every part of the globe has its versions of sausage, with a wide variety of kinds of meats, methods of casing, unique spices, and flavors. Something I didn’t consider when planning my business originally, but has become clear in conversation with many different interested folks, is that sausage is as diverse as the community that surrounds me. It’s a chance for us to taste the culture in our community, or at least be tempted to give it a try in my small shop. What a great opportunity!

So, I call out to you, my friends and neighbors: Do you have a sausage from childhood you long to have again? Do you wish you could give your children a taste of your past with a traditional dish? Chances are, we know how to make it. And, if we don’t, we’re still willing to find out how and make it happen.

The bottom line: We are here to be a part of this community, to intertwine the awesome mixture of people in and around the North Penn area. If you have an idea for a new sausage combo, we’re willing to try it. If you miss a flavor from your own grandmother’s kitchen, tell us about it. We want to give it a taste, too!

Reach out to our crew anytime. Our storefront will soon be ready in North Wales, coming Summer 2024! But, that doesn’t mean we aren’t cooking up new ideas for you now. Contact us through our website at https://soulbrothersmeats.com/contact-us/, Call 215-429-9301, or email us at sausage@soulbrothersmeats.com.

Until then, find inspiration in a young, Jewish poet:

The New Colossus

Emma Lazarus

1849 – 1887

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she

With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”