Group Effort & Then Some

It’s funny because the Fazzolari Italian Sausage meeting was called to order by an honorary Fazzolari.

“Let’s do some sausage,” Scotty called out via text a couple of weeks ago.

I was down to one final pack so I answered quickly:

“I’m in.”

The arrangements were made and Scotty and Jim did the prep work. I just had to show up for the grinding, mixing, cutting and bagging.

We got rolling at 9 o’clock and all did a shot to honor my Dad - I don’t drink much at all - let alone a shot in the morning - but it was customary of Dad.

And then we worked, telling a whole bunch of stories along the way, laughing at things Dad, Jeff, John and Uncle Jim had all done at one time or another during sausage prep.

My lasting memory of Uncle Jim always presents itself at the end of the task when the pan is filled with sausage and we all grab a roll and hot peppers.

“I could eat the whole pan,” Uncle Jim said to me at one such gathering.

“That’s probably not a good idea with all of us waiting for a sandwich,” I said.

We had more than enough help as Daryle and Jake helped out as well.

We had 140 + pounds of sausage stuffed, put away and we cleaned the place from top to bottom.

Then we ate those huge sandwiches.

“Good to go for a little while,” I said as I loaded up the grocery bags with sausage.

“How is it, by the way?” Jim asked.

“Sucks,” we all said, at once.

And I thought of the day about 20 years ago when I lost half of my supply for the rest of my life.

Kathy, was never a fan of Italian sausage, but when Jake was in the hospital my brother Jeff dropped off a pan of sausage and potatoes.

“Oh my God,” Kathy said.

“What?”

“That Italian sausage is unbelievable.”

“Damn,” I said, knowing what that meant…

…she was in on it now.

I called her on the way back from my brother’s home.

“So we’re having sausage tonight, right?”

“Yeah. Calm down.”

More than 50 years of tradition…

…we always make it perfectly.