Johnsonville Andouille Review

It’s not real easy to find true Andouille sausage up here in the winter wasteland. The Louisiana version is a pork, coarse-grained smoked sausage made using pork, garlic, pepper, onions, wine, and seasonings. It’s stuffed in a natural casing and smoked again.  There are hundreds of sausage makers in Louisiana, and so there is a lot of… Continue reading Johnsonville Andouille Review

Jewel Italian Sausage Review

Picked up a package of fresh hot  Italian sausage at my local Jewel-Osco; the chain is part of the Albertsons et al grocery empire owned by Cerberus Capital. The store brand sausage is packed for Jewel stores by a Chicago area meat company called Randolph Packing, which also sells products under their own brands.  (Factory picture… Continue reading Jewel Italian Sausage Review

Fresh Picked Pizza Review – Shoreview, MN

Twin Cities Bureau Chief Lauren popped in to Fresh Picked, in the far northern ‘burbs. Had the sausage pie as an eat-in, but observed the take out, including take and bake business was brisker than the inside diners. “Thinish” but with a thicker crust, she reports it was good, but not great.  Exterior of the… Continue reading Fresh Picked Pizza Review – Shoreview, MN

Broadway Pizza Review – Twin Cities (the Minnesota ones)

I like things, places that came into existence the same year I did.  I had a Seeburg Jukebox of that vintage, and Broadway Pizza and I were born the same year. Back in the  day I used to visit the establishment, they had one location, in Northeast Minneapolis (which isn’t northeast, any more than mid… Continue reading Broadway Pizza Review – Twin Cities (the Minnesota ones)

Hmong Marketplace Review – St. Paul, MN

Forty years ago, the first Hmong arrived in Minnesota, due to the efforts of volunteer relief groups in the State. (The Hmong are members of mountainous tribes across Southeast Asia, but many of the refugees come from Laos). Today there are nearly 80,000 Hmong living in Minneapolis- St. Paul, and of course, any indigenous group… Continue reading Hmong Marketplace Review – St. Paul, MN

Genoa Illinois VFW Breakfast

This small VFW post does whatever it needs to in order to maintain their solvency and funds for projects; they have found a niche with breakfast, dinners, and events for the community and environs. The third Sunday of each month, they have an AYCE breakfast, loaded up with French toast, biscuits, hash browns, SOS, sausage… Continue reading Genoa Illinois VFW Breakfast

Parkview Hot & Spicy Smoked Sausage Review

Here’s another great product from global discount grocer Aldi. Germany based Aldi sells staples and fresh grocery items, under (mostly) their own created labels, at substantial discounts compared to national brand names.  I’ve written about several of them in the past.  These sausage, in the refrigerated section, also come in  “Polish” and “Sun Dried Tomato”… Continue reading Parkview Hot & Spicy Smoked Sausage Review

Digiorno Self Rising Pizza Review

It may not be delivery, it’s “Digiorno,” but for me, another “d” word motivates me to buy this brand: “desperation.” Translation? I’m in the mood for a frozen pie and happen to be someplace where this is the only thing available. In the case of last night, at a 7-Eleven, where the self-rising pepperoni was… Continue reading Digiorno Self Rising Pizza Review