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What do you do if you have 30 minutes to waste whilst waiting for a client? Well, I happened to be close to McLean Avenue this afternoon in Yonkers which is well known for great pubs, and Irish shops.... I had to indulge.. not in the pubs of course but in visiting a few of the stores.. Being a Brit, and walking into the stores and seeing the multitude of British (and Irish) candies on display, I was a child again (it doesn't take much)... I was also quite reticent to speak (because of my accent!)... In one store I purchased some sweets (candies) and an assortment of bad foods (see photo) but synominous with what I grew up eating, and then I saw a butcher's store.. Oh my! There was a nice curbside display and it drew me in (it didn't take much)... Oh my goodness.... home made sausages, leek and pork sausages (I bought a pound and made bangers and mash for a son this evening -- all gone).. fresh meats, black pudding (a sausage made out of pig's blood, spices and meal... sounds 'different' but delish ....) and there were foods ready made.... We...ellll if you insist... I bought some corned beef , mashed potatoes and cabbage for another son (I grow them big and tall) (it wasn't salty at all, the corned beef was slightly spicy and scrumptious - oops... okay, I tasted some..) and all for just $8... , a steak and kidney pie (HAD to), and as I started to speak, the butcher said "Oh your are British.." I replied that I am, but not to hold it against me! He very nicely replied that 6 Brits had already visited his store that morning and he had recently been interviewed by the BBC.
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The store is small, but you do not need large for perfection, and this store certainly made that statement. You could tell that the owner cared. Mr. Oliver Charles and his son were nice to all who visited... I felt as if I was back in England, visiting the local butcher's shop where pride, service were once again important to all... I felt as if I had taken a 30 minute vacation to Europe.. Sounds rather dramatic, but it was so refreshing.... I know that I have now found my shop for sausages and more... Mr. Charles mentioned that he had just received his shipment of spices from England for his Cumberland sausages........ and gave me a gift of a sausage roll as I left.... I was in heaven!
Butchers Fancy, 961 McLean Avenue, Yonkers, N.Y. 10704, 914.237.8260
Butchers Fancy is open Monday- Friday 8:30 am - 8 p.m., Saturdays 8:30 p.m. -7 p.m., Sunday 10-3 p.m.
The moral of this little story is to take the time to visit our local smaller shops, get in touch with our heritage, and to make sure that our heritage wil be our chidren's heritage by keeping them in business. Cheers!
Posted by: 
Gay Rosen
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