Klink's Sausage Diary, Day 1

[annieb]

The BEST kielbasa I ever ate was sent, on a paper plate on Christmas Day, by a friend of one of my cousins in Detroit "for her family". It had LOTS of garlic. It was about two pounds, homemade, and not nearly enough even for people who were already very full.

My uncle, who claimed not to like garlic and liked to say that my mother would put garlic in ice cream, loved it because it had "the right spice."

It had a great crumbly texture, which I like, I often think people put too much water into their sausage to make it "smooth." There's a famous kielbasa maker in Milwaukee (sorry, can't remember the name, but on the south side of course) who uses ice instead of water. I think it's because you can use less, as the friction of grinding and ambient room temperature will make it melt. It allows you to distribute it throughout the grind, I think maybe with water you sometimes end up adding too much.

[Forest Gleaner]

Jason,

Thanks for responding, and for adding the link to the rest of this very fascinating piece. jm