Wishek Sausage

I have no idea what all the ingredients are that go into Wishek Sausage but the combination works. Put it together with some kraut and YUM!

I also have no idea why we call it 'Wishek Sausage' as there are any number of little towns 'behind the sauerkraut curtain' with their own secret recipes, all of which are delicious and all of which are distinct enough for a local to be able to tell from one bite or maybe just the smell which of those little towns produced which of the sausages. At least so it is claimed by said locals, or used to be, back in the day. 

The little towns are littler than ever these days as generations leave and few return.

Our own Small Town USA does not happen to be behind the sauerkraut curtain but our sausage-maker grew up there, for which we are grateful.

HERE IS A LINK  to 

"Germans from Russia" Sausage Recipes

And here's one of the recipes you'll find there:

3/4 cup salt

1/2 cup black pepper

1/2 of a 1.25 oz. bottle of garlic powder

30 lbs. of ground pork

10 lbs of ground beef

1 cup brown sugar (optional) 

Visit the site as there are other interesting recipes.

'Behind the sauerkraut curtain' is in no way derogatory but merely a kind of shorthand for describing where a person lived or grew up, which is a fairly specific area of this state (South Central portion of North Dakota). For a long time the area was predominantly Germans from Russia, and to the best of my knowledge it still is, although with a steadily shrinking and aging population.

We're incredibly fortunate that our sausage-maker knows his trade well. Our meals are tasty indeed when we include his work.

Other favorites from the kitchens behind the sauerkraut curtain are kuchen and knoephla or knefla. Then there's fleishkuechla. And cheese buttons. And spaetzle or spatzle, the spelling varies. German Potato Salad is different from 'regular' - same with the cole slaw. Oh yeah, and sauerkraut. I'm pretty sure most people around here could add lots of others but these are some of the ones I like best. 

If ever you are lucky enough to get your hands on one of the local cookbooks of these towns' older generations you'll find loads of recipes for hotdishes and salads, too. 'Chello' (jello) salads are plentiful and creative.

Yep. And I've gone and made myself hungry. It's the middle of the night and our little store closes at six p.m. so tomorrow will have to be soon enough for me to satisfy my sudden yen for sausage, kraut, and kuchen.

The good news is that our little store is only half a block from my house and opens at eight in the morning.

Do a quick search for any of the above foods and you'll most likely run across recipes of the Germans from Russia - and be happy you met them.