Have you been to Proper Sausages yet? It's a tiny store, one that sits on a busy street in Miami Shores. The butcher shop opened earlier this year, proffering a lot of things you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere else -- think Florida beef, local eggs, and, yes, even raw goat's milk.
The shop offers something less tangible, too. Owners Freddy and Danielle Kaufmann are bringing back a tradition that's been long gone: the neighborhood butcher.
We know, we know. It's easier to drive to Publix and pick up Saran-wrapped beef than to visit an offbeat specialty store. But there are several reasons why Proper Sausages is better. Here are just five of them.
The crazy good stuff you can get from Bee Heaven Farm
You look like you could use some raw goat's milk. Or fresh duck eggs, local okra, and tart carambolas. For the past few months, Proper Sausages has been the pick-up location for Bee Heaven Farm's web store. You can buy longans, jackfruit, or mamey. You can score mushrooms and Hani's goat cheese. Just pay ahead of time and pick up your goods on Saturday. Think of it as an online store for the farmer's market -- an easy way to get your tropical fix before farmer Margie Pikarsky shows up at Pinecrest Farmer's Market in the winter.
Duh, the bacon
BACON! Everyone loves bacon. Why? Because bacon is one of those magical ingredients that can make everything taste wonderful. And while the local tienda may only stock a few varieties, Proper Sausages offers fun cherrywood-smoked bacons with flavors like sage and maple syrup.
The flavor-packed sausages
You've probably already tried these suckers. They pop up on menus around town -- at Blue Collar, the Broken Shaker, and Essencia Restaurant. So next time you're craving some homemade paella, grab some of this chorizo. It's packed with a mix of fresh Berkshire pork, alderwood-smoked Berkshire pork, paprika, fresh garlic, and oregano. Plus, they're only $12 a pound.
Local Wagyu beef
You recycle. You also probably ride your bike around South Beach -- because it's fun, and it also helps save the environment. But the truth is raising cattle produces more greenhouses gases than driving cars. So shop for Florida-raised beef. It tastes good, and you'll be doing a good deed.
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Wine that won't give you a hangover
The Kaufmann's offer a variety of craft beers and quirky, affordable wines from small vineyards. Most labels are biodynamic or organic. Try Domaine de la Pépière's Muscadet for only $16 or Montesecondo's Chianti for $23. Danielle says biodynamic labels come with a huge bonus: No hangovers -- like ever.
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