I love January…

I love Sundays, good food, time spent with family, beautiful dishes, clementines, fancy perfume, rustic recipes, fresh-cut flowers, cookbooks, everything french, quality handcrafted and useful objects, fine chocolates, special cheeses and prosciutto, Champagne, Cabernet and a top quality steak…that has been grilled to perfection.

I am inspired by …people with artistic vision, kind hearts, lively conversations, vintage finds and old photos, the color red, great music of any genre, the possibility that at any moment something wonderful is about to happen.

Since Chowfancy is written by me, The Butchers Wife, I thought I would share a little bit of the back story as to how this blog has come to life and perhaps a glimpse into what is in store for the coming year.

The Butcher and I have been together for twenty-one years. Since the beginning we have both had a similar take on the importance of family, hard work, dedication and quality. Over the years we have grown together and along with our children continue to change and adapt to each new year.

For the past two years or so, we have taken R&S Meat Market in a new direction by listening to the needs of our valued customers as well as the personal needs of our growing family. I have always been involved with the business, but now have more time to spend at the Meat Market and have enjoyed being with everyone at the shop, including you! By speaking with and listening to our customers I realized the need for ideas on what to cook for dinner or recipes to prepare for an upcoming dinner party. I also noticed the stress that comes with preparing and cooking a large piece of meat for a special holiday meal. At the same time I have witnessed the excitement of a customer satisfied with a delicious item, or recalling a special recipe that they enjoy to cook for their own family.

Our children are growing and I have noticed that they are looking for good food and that their appetites have grown too. It has become very rewarding to cook for them, because of their appreciation and empty plates! As a family we have come to the conclusion that less is more, and Quality, Not Quantity has become our motto. In order to accommodate our changing schedules and continue to fit in much-needed family time, we cook dinner at home and have taken many road trips with our boys, Upstate New york. In our travels we have met the kindest most hardworking people who create beautiful and delicious things. We have picked our favorites and brought them to you through the Meat Market.

As we start this new year our goal, along with our helpers at R&S Meat Market, will be to continue to listen to our customers. We will continue to carry top quality beef and poultry items as well as many entrée items all set for you to pop in the oven. All Natural Beef, Chicken, Pork and Lamb will be top priority and The Butcher will continue to search out the best prime beef to age to perfection. Together we will work hard to curate the Meat Market with specialty cheeses, gourmet pastas, healthy snacks, crackers and food based skin products brought down from the Catskill and Adirondack Mountains. Our family road trips will continue and there will even be a few new and unique surprises coming soon!

For 2016 we are inspired to think less about “out with the old”…and more about how to repurpose the old. Let’s bring back old family recipes and traditions and let’s make everything old new again!