If you were to ask the Team, I’m sure many would say October is always full of fun and excitement at Meat London. The Summer is over, we’re in full swing of Autumn, and with it comes the month’s antics to keep us on our toes.
The Stokey Pokey Search Begins
I have it on good authority that by the time this newsletter goes to press, the search for the Stokey Pokey 2026/27 Sausage will be underway. The Stokey Pokey competition is a highlight of the year and a must for budding sausage makers and recipe enthusiasts to enter. This year’s competition will be held on Sunday 8th November, so save the date. For now, you need to get your thinking caps on, as we need you to come up with a winning sausage recipe. Entry forms are available to collect from Meat N16 and Meat NW5, with the closing date of Saturday 31st October. Watch out for a special Stokey Pokey edition of ‘Meat The Gossip’ in the middle of the month with further information on the competition.
Banging Bangers
No, not the firework variety, I’m talking the Great British Banger. National Sausage week starts from Monday 26th October and as is always the case, the Meat London sausage cabinets will be full of, arguably, London’s best Bangers. It gives you a great excuse to try a flavour you haven’t yet sampled. From our garlic and herb Toulouse sausages, to the spicy Welsh Dragon leek and chilli sausages, or there’s our aromatic lamb merguez and, the kids’ favourite, chicken chipolatas. There’s a sausage for all and they’re all banging bangers in our eyes.
Whilst we’re talking sausages, if you haven’t tried our sausage rolls yet, you really are missing out! Available cold from both shops, or hot from Meat N16, our high welfare pork and beautifully flaky, buttery pastry will keep that hunger at bay.
The Three Crowns in Stoke Newington has our Welsh Dragon sausages on the menu. Nothing says pre winter comfort food better than a good ‘bangers and mash’ so head down to see Stacey and the team for a wonderful dish.
Spooky Goings On
The pumpkins will be carved, decorations up and it’ll be the only time of year you’ll find cobwebs in our shops. As has been customary over the years, ‘Witches Fingers in a Bun’ (hotdogs) will be available to buy from Meat N16 on the night, from 4pm until 6pm. We’ll make sure Fay dusts off her wig, straightens out her hat and is ready for the ever-enthusiastic ‘trick-or-treaters’ of Stoke Newington.
Gobble Gobble
It seems a little early to be talking turkey. So just to give a little snippet, I had a visit this week from one of our Turkey farmers, Mark, of Salix Farm in Saffron Walden. He assures me the Bronze turkeys are in fine health and growing well. Canadian Thanksgiving falls on Monday 12th October. Turkeys are available so be sure to order in good time. Wishing our Canadian customers a happy Canadian Thanksgiving.
Olé Olé Brindisa
We often send our teams out to meet suppliers, sample foods and create strong working relationships in order to provide our customers with the best possible produce. Brindisa, the famous Spanish foods supplier, is no different. Brindisa held their annual ‘Brindisa Day’ extravaganza at Battersea Power Station.
Gessica, what did you get up to?!
“We had a day of celebrating the finest Spanish food with Iberico Ham, Cheese, Live Demos, Wine, Beer, and all the people behind the special products from the country. Some members of our Deli Team successfully challenged themselves by hand-carving some superb Iberico Ham on the gondola under the supervision of Lago, our instructor. It is worth mentioning some new products like the delicious new *Perelló Kitchen* range, a selection of sauces for Pasta, Meatballs, Paella, Red Meat, or Chorizo, or *Soincar*, a prominent producer of excellent dry-cured meat based in Teruel. Each Ham reflects the traditional expertise passed down over time; all divine! Before leaving, every guest received a foodie bag full of scrumptious products like Arcano Semi Cured Cheese or Unico PX Balsamic Vinegar (available in our Shops). Could we ask for anything better? Thank you Brindisa for having us!”
What did you enjoy about the day Johelle?
“I had a lovely day, putting faces to the creators of some of my kitchen cupboard staples. There was one thing in particular I really liked; a snack made using Ortiz anchovies, wrapped delicately around cream cheese and dressed with tiny extra virgin olive oil pearls, topped with a crispy crouton. The sweet and savoury ‘cookies’ made with La Chinata Paprika were a confusing surprise to the tastebuds at first, before leading me to a delicious smoky treat.”
Putting in the Graft
As if Gessica wasn’t busy enough, she’s been on the hunt for some new and delicious wines for the Season ahead, with one of Meat London’s wine experts, Matt. (I told you October is a fun month!)
“This time of year becomes lively with plenty of portfolio wine tastings, when we focus on seeking new wines from all over the world. It is a magical season as we prepare for the early stages of Christmas, selecting a new range of products for our customers. As we arrived we were greeted by Chloe, our wine rep from Graft Wines, who acted as our expert guide for the afternoon. Thanks to Chloe’s great recommendations and the inspiring producers with their stories behind some of the bottles, we left with some definite standouts. In particular, she introduced us to some very impressive French red and white blended wines from the Gascony region. From velvety reds to crisp, refreshing whites, they are the kind of versatile, food-friendly wines we love sharing with you.
Exploring more than 180 wines, 55 producers and 8 new producers, we travelled the world. From Italy to France and Spain, ending up in the iconic wine regions of the New World. Our attention was focused on Christmas wines, searching for the finest wines for the most festive of tables. Some of these new labels will be available in our shops soon and ready for the regular weekend tasting with our customers. Raise a glass with us and sip two great Spanish wines from Navarra. A red and a white, perfectly paired at an exceptional price. Even better with a piece of Manchego or Arcano Cheese!
Well done to Graft Wines for winning Small Agent Of The Year 2026”
Bring on the sausages, the spooks and the good times. Have a great October.
