I’m just Sayin’

Sausage shortage sends shoppers scurrying to social media

Columnist David Muise recalls the great kielbasa crisis of 2015.

There are some foods that you automatically associate with certain holidays — turkey at Thanksgiving, chocolate on Valentine’s Day, and cabbage rolls and kielbasa at Christmas, at least in Cape Breton. And we pronounce it “kabassa.”

On the morning of Christmas Eve, I was in the grocery store picking up some last-minute supplies when I overheard a conversation between two visibly upset ladies:

“You ready for Christmas, Carmel?”

“Just got to get some kielbasa and I’m done.” “They don’t got none here.” “Jesus, Mary and Joseph! No kielbasa! What’ll I tell Sonny? It’s just not Christmas without kielbasa. And he’s already picked up a two-four of Schooner.”

I imagine she had already made her cabbage rolls.

Meanwhile, out in Scotchtown, the lineup at Horyl’s was all the way back to Carpenter’s Hill. The people in line had a real fear that the kielbasa would be all sold out by the time they got to the door. The thought of a kielbasa-less Christmas was too horrible to imagine. One enterprising young lady went online and discovered that a kielbasa hotline had been set up on Facebook. A whisper went through the crowd that Sobeys in Sydney would have a fresh supply at noon while Superstore expected a shipment by one.

What to do? Give up your spot in line and take a chance that you would make it to Sydney on time, or stay in line in the hope you would score some sausage? There were rumours of a waiting list at the grocery stores and that if you didn’t know the manager you were not going to get any.

Phone lines were humming as desperate kielbasa-ites sought out the smoked Polish delight. Anyone going in search of the delicacy were asked to buy extra. Contingency plans were made as the sales of Polish sausage soared and, Heaven forbid, mainland kielbasa was purchased. I am pleased to report that the crisis was resolved by early afternoon when sufficient kielbasa was delivered to local grocery outlets and, by all accounts, Sonny had a good Christmas.

This got me thinking about a unique Cape Breton food. If Halifax can call itself the home of the donair, there must be a food that we can claim as our own. I feel another contest coming on...

Montreal has its smoked meat and Nanaimo its bars, but when you think of Halifax do you really think of the donair? The donair is a reworking of the Greek gyro and the Turkish kebab where someone in Halifax substituted beef for lamb, added sweet sauce and called it something new. I am sure we can outdo HRM and come up with an authentic Caper food, something created here and something we are known for.

So put your thinking caps on and send in your nominations for a unique Cape Breton food. No need to send a sample, just your suggestions. I’ll report in two weeks and once we have a winner, send it off to Mayor Clark for consideration by council.

This could be interesting. I’m just sayin’...

NOTE: In my Hail and Farewell column I mentioned that Jack Yazer had lied about his age to stay out of the army. I must clarify that his father did this to keep him out of the Polish army so he could emigrate to Canada. Jack did serve proudly in the Canadian Army in the Second World War.