Nueske's

Nueskes advertises itself (on its website) as providing the Worlds Finest Applewood Smoked Meats. This Wisconsin-based company provides a variety of smoked meats: beef, ham, bacon and pork; turkey, duck and chicken, etc. In addition, they offer several different varieties of cheese, a few seafood dishes (crab cakes, shrimp and scallops with bacon, etc.), and some dessert items (pies and cakes). The online ordering process is fairly straightforward, and delivery is quite reliable. I wanted something fancy for a New Years Eve Party a while back, so I ordered their whole smoked pheasant: this delicacy is not cheap ($40 for a 2-1/2 lb bird, part of which is, of course, inedible bone), but it certainly meets the qualification of fancy. It was a hit at the party; the one drawback was that (typically for smoked meats) it was very salty, not a good thing for people worried about their sodium intake and its effect on high blood pressure. After the party, I sent an email to Nueskes, asking (out of curiosity) if the high salt content was required by law, or some other reason. The answer I received was, in effect, some people like it that way, some dontits all a matter of taste, which I thought was not responsive to the question, and a bit defensive, as well. But this is a minor point, and at least I got a response from the company. A quick survey of the Internet seems to indicate that their prices are in line with those of other online-order websites (like Harry & David) that offer gourmet smoked meats, and perhaps slightly lower for some items. If youre looking for high-quality smoked meats, and dont mind the associated high price and the high sodium content (for which I'm subtracting a star, in my review), Nueskes would be a possible source.