Country Butcher

After noticing the olive oil refill station at The Country Butcher, I realized I had found a faucet from heaven. Not only is the oil superb, the willingness of the owner/managers to engage in reusing containers demonstrates an awareness of food packaging and its wasteful costs. After gleefully dipping a couple pieces of bread into the bounty, I licked any extra off my fingertips and stepped back to take a photo.

Owner Dorothy and an employee glanced over nervously; this old-world European style store has gained much recognition in recent months as locals and out-of-towners are recognizing with increasing rapidity the quality of their service and products.

Michael gleefully spent the entire visit at the meat counter. We came away with some salt pork, ribs, ground lamb and some prosciutto. One of the three butchers (white-aproned and big-cleaver toting) behind the counter gave Michael a lesson in curing, which we will put into practice pronto, as we already have a good quantity of salt for such a project.

Opened in 1982, the store actually offers items from the 1800s. By this I mean that they make their sausage from a family recipe dating back that many years. I particularly enjoyed the cheeses (although I hope my triglyceride levels do not quadruple as one employee informed me hers had, after indulging in aged Piave with abandon – maybe I could work here sometime . . .).

Just several decades ago folks informed the owners they would be crazy to start a business built upon meat products coming from local producers, and from pasture feeding. But why start a business unless you believe in your product, I ask? Certainly many others have come around the bend (or returned to their heritage of yore, as it may be) and noticed the difference, it’s just too bad it took so long. My hope for this store is that it can continue to offer these quality products without ever compromising the values of small business and small meat production (relative to CAFOs).

I exited The Country Butcher with a delicious panini composed of their meats, several items from the pastry counter (cooked by their in-house pastry chef) – the ricotta-stuffed filo-pastry item was phenomenal. Unfortuantely I cannot recall the spelling. This was my first time in the store and I was quite pleased. I’ll continue to relay comments as I continue to visit.

For an introduction to this store, show up on November 15 for a gourmet food and wine-tasting event. Free, this is an opportunity to meet the owners, see what the store has to offer and chat with others. All while sipping a local vino – Stargazers, coming from right outside Unionville. This is local spirits!

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2. duckling drop