5 Things: November 29th, 2019

Happy Black Friday! We'll keep this 5 Things™ short and sweet, so you can maximize your flat-screen TV-buying time today.

Duluth is covered in snow! November was a month of coldsnaps and rain, all a tease to the snow-covered winters to which we are accustomed.

The first Big Snow™ of the year began with slush sometime around 6 p.m. on Tuesday (I was inside, and not watching the radar), then accumulated overnight, continuing through the early afternoon on Wednesday.

Waking up Wednesday morning to let my dog outside, watching her hop and sprint around, struggling to pack down the tall snow just enough to do her business, the large snowflakes falling and slowly dancing in a mild breeze like the inside of a snow globe, I experienced one of those rare (for me) Winter moments during which I feel tranquil—not shrugging and squinting against the bitter cold, or cooped up inside longing for the warmth of sunshine. In that moment, with the insulation of a fresh coat of snow and the glow of dawn reflecting off the undamaged 'flakes, I thought, "this isn't so bad. I could survive this."

...

Where did I go? I got lost for a minute. Back to business.

Flo will be stationed at Hucklebeary's 2nd Birthday & Small Business Saturday Bash!

Alongside a host of great local merchants, NWS will have various swag (T-Shirts, hats, and tote bags), salumi (Salamini, Saucisson Sec and Pepperoni), bento boxes—with Castel Vetrano olives, local cheese, and sliced salumi—and gift cards available.

This marks the beginning of our annual holiday gift card sale: November 30th through December 31st, for every $100 worth of gift cards purchased, receive a ~*bonus*~ $20 gift card.

This offer is only available in-store, at the SBS bash, and the Duluth Winter Village, and does not extend to online gift cards.The $100 can be arranged in any increments, but please don't ask for 100x$1 gift cards.

Speaking of the Duluth Winter Village—it's next week.

December 7th & 8th, we'll be slinging the same wares as Small Business Saturday from a modestly heated shipping crate on the Glensheen Mansion grounds. It's a lot cuter and cozier than I'm making it sound, and this year the Village will have a glorious lights display, making it all the more magical.

Cross your fingers and your toes for more dreamy snow globe snowfall next weekend.

Mail Order has a busy Monday ahead of them.

Monday kicks off with the packing of 300+ boxes for a single corporate order. The crew will be here bright and early carefully arranging four slabs of assorted Atlantic salmon in each box (which they assembled and lined with insulation on Wednesday of this week) to be shipped ASAP.

All of this will happen whilst they navigate the assorted private orders shipping out the same day, and the incoming Pigs in Space orders.

Which brings us to this week's final Thing™:

Pigs in Space III (or MMXIX) takes place 24 hours only on C•Y•B•E•R Monday, December 2nd.

Pigs in Space is that special time of year when MN/Midwest shipping for orders between $150 and $350 is free and Continental shipping for like orders is 50% off.

From 00:00:01 to 23:59:59, use the discount code pigsinspace19 to receive free shipping on all eligible MN/Midwest orders and pigsinspacecont19 for 50% off shipping on eligible Continental orders. And we'll ship them whenever you like.

Some boring restrictions may apply.

That's all for today. See you next week on 5 Things™(-ings™ -ings™ ings™)

Smoked Meat Gift Guide 2019

We're back with another gift guide for the upcoming holidays (or any time). Our smoked meat products are darn close to guaranteed hits, whomever is receiving them, but we've got some idea fuel for you:

For the bon vivant.

Country Pâté.

Frequently found on charcuterie boards and our Hedonist sandwich, this rich and savory, slow-roasted loaf of pork liver, bacon, brandy and spices is the perfect reminder that it's good to treat yourself.

For the one who's always in a hurry.

Snack Sticks.

Cured and seasoned meat—in a stick! What's not to love?

Send your nomadic friend some fuel on-the-go. Whether it's our flagship Bison Buddy (with bison and pork), Big Jim hatch chile beef sticks, or the Royale With Cheese bacon-cheeseburger stick, it's reliable nutrition and a memorable flavor experience.

These are very popular in our deli, so availability varies. Get in touch with us to find out what's in stock, or to plan ahead.

For the Grill Master.

Smoked Polish Sausage.

One of our oldest products. While this sausage is fully-cooked and ready to eat from cold, it soars when re-cooked over a grill or open flame. Whether its served sliced up cold beside cheese and crackers, or crackling hot and caramelized on a roll with sauerkraut, our Smoked Polish Sausage is exquisite.

For the sports enthusiast.

Summer Sausage.

You either are someone who believes that Sunday is for sports, or you know someone. Our Summer Sausage makes a fantastic snack for the weekly sports gathering, providing tangy, smoky beef and bacon excitement during those interminable commercial breaks. You know the play—send some Summer Sausage to your favorite Sunday sports fan.

For the weekend bruncher.

Smoked Bacon.

The sunshine pouring over you and your loved ones. The boundless conversations and laughter. The endless coffee and mimosas pouring over you and your loved ones. The smell and sound of salty, smoky, thick-sliced pork belly sizzling on your stovetop. Eggs! Oh, the eggs! And potatoes. And more mimosas. Bloody Marys garnished with pickles and cheese cubes and a slice of crispy bacon. (Make sure you're drinking water too.)

Brunch is power, and there are some people who are destined to wield it. Send that someone in your life some NWS Smoked Bacon and elevate them to the next level.

Smoked Fish Gift Guide 2019

Gift-giving season is upon us. Here's our quick-and-easy Smoked Fish gifting guide, based on our best-selling items, and rough portraits of your gift's recipient. It's hard to go wrong with our smoked meats and fish, but with this guide, it'll be near-impossible to miss your mark.

For the one who's always entertaining.

All-Season Fillet.

One full fillet of Smoked Atlantic Salmon, featuring our Traditional (just brown sugar—the basis for all the rest), Cajun, Dill, and Black Pepper & Coriander preparations. Something for everyone.

This Smokehaus classic is a glorious centerpiece for any hors d'ouevres table: simple, beautiful, elegant, inviting of numerous questions ("what are these seasonings?"), and, as such, the perfect ice-breaker.

For the Locavore.

Lake Superior Bounty Box.

One buttery Smoked Lake Superior Whitefish and two fillets of Smoked Lake Superior Lake Trout. The taste of the greatest Great Lake, with a kiss of brown sugar, and a bear hug of smoke.

This gift box is equally aimed at those looking to share the taste of their home on the Superior shore, and those who are homesick for those flavors.

For the one who wants "a little bit of everything."

A Land & Two Seas.

A link of dry-cured salumi (selection varies) made with Minnesota pork, and a fillet each of Smoked Lake Trout from the cold depths of Mother Superior, and Smoked Wild-caught Alaskan Sockeye Salmon caught by local angler Dave Rogotzke.

Pair with cheese, crackers and your favorite jams and spreads for the ultimate charcuterie board, or steadily snack over the next handful of weeks. This gift box plays both games effectively.

For the minimalist.

Smoked Atlantic Salmon Fillet.

A lot like the All-Season Fillet, minus all the fussy seasonings. Let the sweet smokiness of our Traditional Atlantic Salmon be your guide, and hold the reins of your own flavor destiny. Express yourself, and let your guests do the same, with your favorite pairings, be they wine, honey, preserves or fresh berries. Serve on crackers, or eat it on its own. Either way, it's going to taste great.

For the sandwich lover.

Cajun Finn Sandwich Kit.

Save the cakes and pies for those with a sweet tooth, and send your favorite sandwich-lover a sandwich kit based on our all-time top-performing sandwich, The Cajun Finn.

Each kit features enough Smoked Cajun-seasoned Atlantic Salmon and Hausmade Scallion Cream Cheese for the sandwiches and some leftovers, pepperoncinis, roasted red peppers, mixed greens, and par-baked stirato rolls from Tribeca Ovens. The kits are available in two- and four-sandwich sizes, come with a free NWS tote bag, and are price-adjusted for FREE SHIPPING!

5 Things: November 15th, 2019

Mail Order season is suddenly upon us. The third-floor DeWitt-Seitz office is already primed for near-optimal success is preparing hundreds of skillfully packed boxes. You know what? This is my first Thing™ this week. Let's play it again.

Mail Order season is suddenly upon us.

The third-floor DeWitt-Seitz office is already primed for near-optimal success is preparing hundreds of skillfully packed boxes. Any surface that could possibly be repurposed as a work surface is or soon will be.

Storage space is at an all-time premium—we've even rented spaces in Proctor, MN and Superior, WI to keep from overburdening our DeWitt-Seitz location.

We've brought in seasonal reinforcements, who will be training in on Sunday the 17th, and making our Mail Order Director, Andy's life way less stressful. It's a whole thing.

We've updated our shipping policies and providers so that we'll hopefully be turning a profit (albeit small) on each package shipped, rather than losing a little bit of money on each. For our small, family-owned, community-oriented business, this is great news.

We met with our publisher.

On Tuesday, a cohort of those of us involved in producing the first Northern Waters Smokehaus cookbook took a field trip to the University of Minnesota Press's office in Minneapolis. We're honored and excited to be working with the press, and the feeling seems to be mutual. Icing on the cake: the building in which they're located has very comfortable conference room chairs.

In the wake of that meeting, we've developed a plan to methodically comb through the rest of the recipe testing, while polishing the text into something worthy of telling the story of NWS, DeWitt-Seitz Marketplace, and our beloved City and Lake.

While the cookbook itself won't be hitting shelves any time soon, it's been 20+ years coming at this point, and it will be a great accomplishment to kick off the next two decades of NWS.

Rush Creek Reserve has returned.

For the uninitiated: RCR is Uplands Cheese Company's (Dodgeville, WI) Autumn-exclusive, washed rind, raw cow's milk cheese made with the rich and silky milk that emerges when the cows' diets shift from Summer pastures to Fall and Winter hay.

The extremely seasonal, small batch cheese is sold in 12oz wheels ($35/wheel) that are intended to be served at room temperature in a single serving. (No worries if you and yours can't manage that: Just re-package it in its breathable wrap and tuck it in the coldest part of the fridge.)

Maker Andy Hatch has described the cheese as a "savory custard, [which] exudes a very soft, delicate texture with a savory, rich finish likened to cured meat."

Each wheel of the cheese is hand-wrapped with spruce bark, then aged 60 days before it is shipped off to distributors. For more information on serving—beyond the obvious: serve it on a fine cracker alongside a sparkling or dry white wine—chat with our deli staff.

You don't want to miss out on this exceptional cheese, and the rest of the delicious offerings—including my personal favorite, the Shepherd's Way Sogn Tomme—in our grab'n'go case, this holiday season.

The 127th Annual Sandwich Lab is this Sunday night!

On Sunday night at 7 p.m., the best of the best will be assembling to brush up our sandwich-making skills, pitch new sandwich ideas, and just generally have a good time.

Unlike our most recent Sunday night meeting, we'll be open full business hours (all the way to 6pm) on Sunday. I didn't realize that there had been so many until we received this official notice from our HR director, Greg:

We've smoked a few batches of North Road salmon.

The global salmon market is currently in flux—with causes and effects that extend outside of the purview of this particular blog post—and as a substantial importer of salmon, we strive to continue to bring you responsibly and sustainably sourced Atlantic salmon.

North Road provides huge (we're talking five-pound filets!) , beautifully marbled salmon sourced from sustainable farms off the coasts of Norway and Scotland, and within the Faroe Islands. The smoked product is melt-in-your-mouth tender and has taken especially well to our brown sugar & salt cure, resulting in some of the best smoked salmon I've had the pleasure of eating, even by our stringent standards—especially with dill seasoning.

Currently, we're only smoking it in small batches and selling it in our deli, alongside our other smoked salmon options. Next time you stop in the deli, ask for a sample and see for yourself, or just buy a big ol' slab and show all your friends and family.

Thanks for tuning in!

NEXT WEEK ON 5 THINGS™: More about mail order season, a follow-up on Sandwich Lab, an in-depth look at our new enormous standing mixer (described to me as "something out of War of the Worlds"), and more!