About SausageFest.com

Sausagefest is about enjoying the diversity and artistic efforts involved in making and eating sausage. Sausages have been part of the family menu for hundreds of years and the sheer number of different sausages speaks to the unique artisan-like quality of combining local meats and seasonings and creating something grander than the sum of the parts.

This website also celebrates our friends and family who have participated in Sausagefest.

In 2005 Sausagefest (The Party) will be celebrating its eight annual festival of sausage. The party is by invitation only and we hope you have received yours before August 30.

Since we have held this festival on the first Saturday of the Labor Day weekend we give you ample time to recover from the sausagification of your blood system.

Needless to say, the American Heart Association does not endorse this event. As a partial remedy to this over-consumption of meats, we have adopted the philosophy that wine and beer are the ameliorating substances that help the digestive process the best.

In recent years we have seen a staggering (an appropriate term) increase in the number of bottles of wine consumed. For example, in 2003 we caught wine fever with over 40 bottles of wine consumed. There were also numerous cans of beer but who counts those things.

In 2004, the next morning wine bottle pile stood at 72 bottles. Since we also opened some large format bottles of line we estimated the 72 normal bottles. (The next time you have a party where 70 bottles of wine are consumed ask some of the wine experts in the drinking crowd to convert a jeroboam into normal 750ml bottles. Converting Pig Latin to French would be easier.) So, we drink a lot of great wine, while keeping in mind that moderation is always key to a healthy life style (whatever the hell that means).

If you are invited to Sausagefest (and you know who you are) please keep in mind these simple requirements:

1. Bring enough QUALITY sausage to share with a dozen people. (I realize quality and sausage may be an oxymoron to some people but when you taste good sausage next to bad sausage the differences are hugely apparent. If you think all sausages are alike this party is not likely to your tastes.)
   
   
2. Be prepared to tell the host and the invitees why you like this sausage and what makes it unique/flavorful.
   
   
3. Bring wine and beer of such quality that you would want people to remark on your largess and nobility rather than your ability to shop the "end of bin cart" at Osco or Safeway, Kroger, Jewel, etc..
   
   
4. In 2002 one of our very good friends brought a 1992 Opus One to share. This changed the entire tide of Sausagefest, raised the wine expectation bar, and has put Sausagefest at a quality level we didn't imagine could happen. Suffice to say the list of stellar Cabernets, Chianti Reserve, first growth Bordeaux and Burgundies, not too mention the always enjoyable Rhone varietals have set off a seismic reading at the Betty Ford Clinic.
   
   
5. Please do not bring a sausage you bought from the local chain grocery store (Jewel, Dominick's, Kroger's, Albertsons etc.). Use it as door stop or as a unique form of yard art, but please leave it at home.
   
   
6. Be prepared to meet people from different parts of the country who want to talk to you about their sausage. If you're not open minded about this you could be in for a long evening.
   
   
7. Hot Dogs are acceptable as food for the children. If they are really good hot dogs than they should be entered as trophy worthy entries and noted as such.
   
   
8. Each Sausagefest has a different personality - go with the flow. In 2002 in 90+ plus heat we smoothly went through 200 cans of beer (from around the world), while last year we didn't even do half that number. Last year with great cool weather the wine sampling was truly impressive and seemingly unending.
   
   

Enough of Sausagefest for now, we'll tie it off here and see you soon.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Sausagefest start?
During a Christmas Eve party in 1996 we were into the after drinks, after drinks portion of the evening. Since we do Cajun style Christmas Eves we talked about the sausage contribution to cuisine of this and that region and country.

Even those countries who have a GNP less than Anna Nicole are proud of their sausages. With a professional psychologist present we figured the persons attracted to eating sausage were those people who were not purist, vegetarians, organic farmers, health food Nazis, or squeamish about putting good tasting things into their mouth. This narrowed the universe of people down to a nice twisted segment of the population.

After that we just needed to find a special day that would appeal to the hard core. Labor Day weekend was perfect. At the end of summer, people who were still around their house on the weekend needed a reason to stay behind.
One can imagine this phone call...
"Sam, I'm sorry Patty and I won't be able to stay on your yacht in Chesapeake Bay this weekend, but we have this invitation to Sausagefest and its just too difficult to pass up the opportunity to attend this event."

Besides eating and drinking, what goes on at Sausagefest?
Well, we do try to offer some different amusements. Last year we installed a large "Moon Bounce" in the yard for the kids to play on, but actually had some BIG kids get in. The year before we had a magician entertain the audience. This year we may be doing a science fiction theme: War of the Sausages... so stay tuned.

3. Do people bring home made sausages?
Yes!!! We have had some great eating experiences with friends "rolling" their own.

Do you award prizes?
The general tone of the event is a celebration of art in meat form. While there are many juried art fests in America, our fest respects the artist and their work as unique and transcendent. (Ex-nay on prizes.)

What makes people want to attend?
Great food, great wine(really), some interesting attendees and lack of something better to do.

How do I get invited?
Generally, you will have to have invited us to your house for dinner, drinks, etc. Plus the payola. If you haven't made dinner for us, it's hard to think why we would invite you to our house when we never been to yours.
There are exceptions of course. The Founding Knights of the Sausagefest are empowered to bring in new people. Last year I was cooking up the first batch of sausages when I realized there were several people who I did not know in our yard. They behave well, were courteous, and are now invited back. This year I will commit their names to memory.
Another exception are those folks that are part of our wine drinking circle who are obvious members and invitees.