Conference turris::cooks

    I live in the Leominster area and to the best of my knowledge there is
    nothing like that (we need one badly).
    
    I buy my sausages at Chet's - you can also buy Italian groceries at
    Monty's Pasta place on Main Street - below the restaurant.
    
    In the past I have had to go to Concord - at the Wine and Cheese
    shop (can't remember the name of the side street - but it is downtown)
    and you can buy cheeses, wines, gourmet coffee, etc.!  There is also
    the Spice and Grain Shop that is across from a railroad station...which
    also sells potpourri.
    
    I find that a lot of supermarkets now carry gourmet cheeses - spices -
    jams/jellies - coffee's and tea's BUT prefer the ambiance of going into
    a little speciality shop where I feel like I am in another world.
    
    In the past - Hickory Farms has had a display at Searstown over the
    Christmas Shopping Season.
    
    Hope this helps...
    
    Marilyn
    

    Hi,
    
    I looked in the phone book under delicatessens and found the following
    listed:
    
    Chet's Grocery Store 144 Centeral St. Leominster 537-7337. I have
    actually pasted by and I know they make baskets filled with cheeses
    for customers. You might want to either give them a call to store
    hours.
    
    Real Food - Real People Delicatessen Inc  3 summer st. Lunenburg
    343-6440
    
    W. E. Deli 101 Pleasant St. Leominster  534-9629
    
    Also you could probably find the selection you want at either
    Marketbasket or Demoulos markets, Heartland/Purity supermarkets.
    
    Other ideas:   
    
    Yankee Meat Shoppe  177 Mass Ave. Lunenburg  342-1922   They sell fresh
    meats, offer a full service deli, and gourmet foods.
    
    Sala Market  108 daniels St. Fitchburg  345-7667 - fresh meat counter, 
    imported cheeses, open 7 days a week...
    Under gift baskets and parcels I found the following:
    
    Herbert Candies    Worcester rd. Sterling   422-8877 or 1-800-282-0075
          They mention in their ad to call for a free catalog.
    
    
    IT'S A WRAP  285 Centeral St. Leominster  840-0607   Custom gift
    baskets packed with imagination........ ballon arrangements a
    speciality.
    
    New England Gift Baskets 155 Pearl St. Wndn   297-0746
    Distinctive custom designed gift baskets for any occasion. Brochure
    available.
    
    Phyllis Silk Flowers   298 Spruce St. Leominster 537-5765
    Gift baskets to fit your needs. free delivery.
    
    
    I hope this helps,
    
    Cathy

    Hickory Farms is open for the season at the Pheasant Lane Mall,
    which isn't too far from Pepperell...

I use to buy homemade sausages from a small grocery store/butcher shop in 
Maynard. I don't remember the name but it's located next to McDonald's on
Main Street.

    Just found out about Tony's Bakery - 294 Sixth Street - Leominster.
    
    They sell Italian bakery goods - breads - homeade sausages (hot, sweet
    and fennel) - Italian meets (Prosciutto, etc.) - a touch of the North
    End in Central Mass.  I am going there Saturday!
    
    M
    

    thanks for the great replies.  you guys are super!!!
    
    i wish i could make the hickory farms in the malls this weekend but i
    don't think its a good idea, with all the other people that will be
    shopping those places will be mobbed.
    
    i do know of the cheese shop in concord too, great stuff but its
    concord and like sudbury, more expensive than other towns.
    
    i am looking for the type of sausages that are already cooked and
    packaged to be served with cheese.  i saw them in the figi catalog book
    that i mentiond in the smoke house note,(a few up from this note) and
    again, they have these at hickory farms.  does anyone know if the
    stores mentioned will have those?
    
    and monty's.. why didn't i think of that??? i'm surprized that some one
    opened up another italian shop in leominster.  the competition will be
    tough.  if anyone has been the new shop mentioned in another reply,
    please let us know what you thought. 
    
    thanks again for all the help.  
    
    cj (who loves being in the 'other' world) 
    

    Romano's Market on Harvard St. in Fitchburg. 
    
     Mike Romano makes homemade sausage every week, he also has lots of
    foods that he prepares for people who are busy, stuffed boneless
    chicken breasts, stuffed peppers, meatball mix.
    
    This is a old fashion butcher shop.

    I recently discovered a wonderful wine and cheese shop in Acton.  I
    don't think they carry sausage, but they have a wonderful selection of
    cheeses, wines, spices, teas, sauces, preserves (even garlic jelly!)
    and chocolates, to name a few items!
    
    They also have a nice selection of gift baskets and goodies for the
    holidays.
    
    The name escapes me, but they're next to Ralph Jordan's Fabrics in the
    Gould Plaza on route 2A, 1/2 a mile east of the intersection of routes
    2A and 27.
    
    
    Judi
    

    I believe the shop that Judi is talking about is called Palates
    Delight.
    
    They do have some great things in there.
    
    Karen

    thanks for all the great pointers and suggestions.  i have been to the
    palate's delight in acton and can't believe that i didn't think about
    it before.  when i saw the name i also remembered savory lane, which is
    just as good if not better.  we purchased a super picnic basket at the
    lane only because it was cheaper than the delight.  in any case, thanks
    for everything!  
    
    on another note, one of my gourmet magazines i was recently reading had
    an article on the six (6) best cheeses and none of them i read about
    were familiar to me at all.  from what i could gather there was an
    english cheddar, some kind of baby swiss and a camerbert (sp?) any
    ideas on what would be nice for people who like to entertain and snack
    on some good cheeses that one wouldn't normally buy?  thanks again!
    
    cj
    

    Is there anywhere in the S. NH or Acton/Littleton area where you can
    get "specialty" sausage?  I am specifically looking for andouille - the
    southern spicey sausage.  So far I have relied on my family in New
    Orleans to send me my supply, but would love it if I could find it
    around here.
    
    I'd even settle for it frozen!
    
    Thanks,
    
    ali

    Are there any shops around in the Fitchburg-Worcester area that sell
    German sausages?? ( bratwurst, etc) 
    
    Lynn
    

    re .12
    
    The Kabobary Coast Restaurant and Market located on Rt 28 at the 
    Salem/Methuen line sells andouille sausage. The last time I checked
    it was $9.99 per pound. I think I got it for $4. per pound when I was
    in New Orleans last spring.

    I'm looking for a local source in the Leominster/Worcester area for
    Andouille (cajun) sausage. I've called Romano's in Fitchburg and they don't
    have it nor a source. Lambert's in Fitch can order it (about $4 lb) but
    it will take a week.
    
    I was hoping to use it for Jambalaya this weekend.
    
    Does anyone out there are have a retail source within 20-40 minutes of
    Leominster?
    
    Much appreciated,
    George 

re: .15

>    I'm looking for a local source in the Leominster/Worcester area for
>    Andouille (cajun) sausage. I've called Romano's in Fitchburg and they don't
>    have it nor a source. Lambert's in Fitch can order it (about $4 lb) but
>    it will take a week.
>    
>    I was hoping to use it for Jambalaya this weekend.
    
I can't help you with a source in Massachusetts (I'm in Baltimore), but
I can suggest a substitute if you don't find any:

A good smoked kielbasa (Polish sausage) will have just about the right 
texture, and you can make up the difference in hotness elsewhere by using
more Tabasco or whatever other hot ingredients you're using.

My suggestion, of course, assumes that kielbasa is readily available in
your area (it's plentiful around here).  If not, try whatever firm smoked
sausage you can find.

-Hal

    Hal,
    
    Thanks for the tip. I may just have to use a substitute for this
    weekend.
    
    George