~By Michelle Portesi
Did you know we now have our very own butcher and fresh organic meat purveyor in Truckee? Well, you do now!
Located on Donner Pass Road in the same complex as Smokey’s Kitchen (Across from what used to be the outlet stores) is your new venue for organic meats and unusual cuts that are hard to find. Yesterday while I was in the store, they had fresh rabbit in the case. Now how often do you see that at the grocery store?
The store is closed on Monday and Tuesday so that the owners, Clint and Linda Clark, can drive to wherever they need to go to get their fresh offerings. They are also amenable to special orders, as long as you give them enough notice as to what you’re looking for.
For instance, as a hearty peasant stock Italian, one of our family recipes is for an appropriately peasant version of Polenta. Our version has lamb ribs in it, which are near impossible to find these days as most of our lamb is no longer butchered at the store. Only the select cuts are offered, and as a result, the less desirable cuts never see the light of day at your local grocers. Well, my search is over for this hard to find item. A phone call or a stop into the store for a request is now all that is needed. Now if I can only locate those even harder to find little Italian sausages…
The store carries beef, lamb, pork, chicken and the most awesome applewood smoked bacon you’ve ever tasted, hand cut on the spot to the thickness you desire. They were setting out fresh chorizo sausage when I was there. And all are nitrate-free, organic and USDA-approved. In addition, they buy locally from small Northern California, family owned ranches who practice good animal husbandry. AND it’s all surprisingly reasonably priced for organic meats. With more and more studies pointing towards non organic meat practices underlying a myriad of health issues, a focus on quality meats instead of quantity dovetails nicely with our local outlook towards healthy living…and good eating.
The Tahoe Tribune wrote an excellent article on the store and the new owners, so I’ll just direct you there to read more about them.
From Ranch to Market- Truckee Meat Company
More info
What: Truckee Meat Company
Location: 12030 Donner Pass Road, Truckee
Phone: 530-414-8585
Online: Find them on Facebook
YOUR FRIEND IN HIGH PLACES 
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