9 replies to this topic

[DameD]

I am on a quest for finding the best Italian Sausages in town, ones that are spicy (piccante) and ones that are not. Currently I get them at Bianca Marias on HAstings St. and also at the butcher on Granville Isl. (can't remeber the name but by the toffee/fudge place). Also for a great butcher, I seem to be all over the place currently and have just found out that Columbus meats debone chickens and turkeys for you.. do all butchers do that? Need some 'meaty' advise.

[Daddy-A]

I've been buying sausage from Cioffi lately ... actually been buying LOTS from there lately. Just picked up a new sausage "flavour" today ... white wine & sage. Going to have them tonight with a pumpkin risotto. I'll let you know how they turned out.

DA

[DameD]

excuse my ignorance but where is Cioffi?
For sauages other than Italian i love Oyatama ( mind the spelling :) ) on Granville Is, I had their lamb and feta the other day and it was sooo tasty.. But definitely let me know how it turns out

[Daddy-A]

excuse my ignorance but where is Cioffi?
For sauages other than Italian i love Oyatama ( mind the spelling :) ) on Granville Is, I had their lamb and feta the other day and it was sooo tasty.. But definitely let me know how it turns out

Cioffi's is on East Hastings near Gilmore (think NBI ) in North Burnaby. Cool little place.

Look for the results tonight ... ooo the anticipation.

DA

[canadiancook]

The last time I bought sausage at Cioffi's they were underseasoned. Otherwise it is fairly consistent. Good butchers as well. I find their butchers to be more knowledgable and helpful than many of the other places I usually go. Unfortunately its a long drive for me from Richmond, but I go out there when its time to re-stock the pantry with imported pasta, tomatos, olive oil, etc. They also have a good selection of frozen pastas.

[Coop]

I love Cioffi's but I'm not totally sold on thier sausage. A better bet is The Santa Barbra Market. Great Italian, fresh Chorizo and great Merguez. They don't make any of them there but they sell a ton, so the volume keeps everything fresh. BTW the Freiden Mergeuz is the best in the city, even better in my opinion then the ones at Oyama.

[Daddy-A]

I love Cioffi's but I'm not totally sold on thier sausage. A better bet is The Santa Barbra Market.

Report from the kitchen ...

I would have to agree with the previous posts here re: Cioffi's sausage ... good, but not great. We had the "Sage & White Wine" Italian grilled (with a nice risotto.) "Underseasoned" was how Canadiancook described their sausages, and I would have to agree.

Having said all that they were certainly a hell of a lot better than anything I have picked up at Costco Faint praise perhaps. But since Cioffi's is on my way home from work, that old convenience factor pops up once again. Perhaps I'll have to drive home via The Drive now ...

DA

[capers]

I like the Italian sausages from La Grotta Del Formaggio at 1791 Commercial Drive.

[HKDave]

I may be a little out of date - been living out of Vancouver for a long time now - but I still remember the fresh Italian sausages from Columbus Meats on Renfrew as setting the standard for their kind. They were as good as I've had in Italy, or anywhere else for that matter. Columbus made (and hopefully still makes? can someone confirm?) both regular and spicy. Many of the Italian specialty food non-butchers that carried fresh sausage - such as Scardillo's on Hastings - got their sausage from Columbus. Columbus also is/was the best place to buy osso bucco.

For German style fresh sausages, I used to make a weekly trip to Black Forest Deli in Park Royal. They also sold a great dark bread (from an outside bakery) called 'Steinofenbrot' or something like that - I never did find out where they got that from.

[DameD]

i have to agree columbus is a great butcher, haven't tried their sausages though. On the weekend I got them to debone a chicken,which they did a marvelous job, so l could stuff it with a truffle mousse.. yum