This time of year makes me crave something spicy and warming but not overwhelmingly so. One of my favorite items we carry at Provenance Food and Wine is Fabrique Delices Merguez sausage. Merguez sausage is a red, spicy sausage from the North Africa region made with lamb and /or beef and flavored with a wide range of spices.
I have prepared the sausage a few different ways and, truth be told, they were all delicious. The more traditional method is grilling and served with cous cous. I also did a little pan fry and served them up with some collard greens with dried currants and red peppers. A great party idea that I did was baked them in puff pastry in a "pigs in a blanket" style with some honey mustard on the side. Needless to say, they were gobbled up in a matter of seconds.
Fabrique Delices is a name I can trust for great flavor and safe products to consume. They select a number of "All Natural" meat suppliers and all of their meat is guaranteed to be antibiotic and hormone free and fed with only the purest natural feeds. In addition to the Merguez sausage, they also have garlic sausage and duck salami and a variety of other incredibly delicious items.
One last thing to compliment the sausages: Beverages. A fantastic pairing for these sausages is a classic Cotes du Rhone. The balance of spice, fruit and earth really highlight the full flavor spectrum of the sausage. It's not the only pairing you can do though. Try it with a Paso Robles Syrah or even a really hoppy beer. I have tried it with so many combinations and look forward to trying it with many more.
