Dickson's Farmstand Meats

 

Om Nomz Hero Note to Self: Sandwiches should always be bought in pairs

Like so many others in this great country, my family is the first generation of immigrants. My parents came to the US in the 80s and I was a 90s kid. That meant GI Joe, POGs and supermarket foods. Unfortunately, many of my generation and the generation of my parents have grown up in the supermarket age where food is prepackaged and unfortunately for many children that grew up in suburbia in the 90s, it meant that meat came broken down in a plastic package and Captain Crunch destroys the roof of your mouth. However, thankfully with the help of such places as Dickson’s Farmstand. Meats I can have that 1950s nostolgic butchershop experience and pick up some great meat.

Pretty Meat

I hate hippies. I am like Eric Cartman in South Park and I generally and respectfully hope that all hippies die….or get a job. Yet, the only hippie-like quality I will ever relate too is trying to eat local foods and meats that have risen in the most natural humane environment. As Anthony Bourdain has said on so many occasions, “A happy animal, is a tasty animal”. To call any farmer a hippie is a discredit to them because of the craftsmanship and hard work (hear that hippies? WORK!) that goes into raising a respectable and tasty product. I am not going to go hyper-Alice Waters to you and say only eat local foods that you can smell the manure next door, however if places that support and practice great locavorism are in your area, I suggest you visit them. Note, I believe in practicality and have no problem buying chicken from Shoprite and realize that obviously not everyone has access to organic/crazy natural meat.

 Can I live in this case plz?

Pork, pork and more PORK!

One of the places that I visit frequently is Dickson’s Farmstand Meats located in Chelsea Market. They sell organically raised meats from farmers that they have personally met and know in order to ensure the best quality products. Not only are the meats organic, their beef is grass fed/grain finished and the other animals are of heritage breeds ensuring quality. Those working the counter are very knowledgeable and will always tell you about the other cuts of meat that they have and what you can do with them. Their meat, although generally more expensive than what you can get at the local supermarket, is undeniably worth the price. It is quality that one can rarely buy unless you venture to the farm itself. Dickson’s not only have multiple cuts of meats they also do something that I really love which is charcuterie. Charcuterie is the art of creating and preserving meats in such ways as sausage, bacon, pates, terrines, and rillettes and so on. Charcuterie is great in that it utilizes cuts of meat and offal that most people generally would not eat and minimizes wasting any part of the animal. Dickson’s has a range of charcuterie ranging from the sausages to their house made lardo (cured pig fat/meat butter) and guanciale (cured pig jowl, great for a bucatini). They make a range of terrines and pates including a chicken liver pate that I have not been able to put down and spreading on just about any piece of flat carbohydrate.

Better picture of the Pastrami next time- hunger and fattiness got to me

They have lunch from Monday-Friday and make tasty sandwiches such as their pastrami sandwich. House cured pastrami topped with a sweet acidic coleslaw are sandwiched in between rye bread baked fresh from Amy’s Bread literally across the way is ridiculously tasty. I picked up this sandwich and ate it on the NJ Transit on the way back and downed it before the train was in New Jersey. My only regrets are I should have picked up 2 sandwiches and if their cold sandwich taste this good, I must go back for the pulled pork. Make some time and go to Chelsea Market and pick up some charcuterie or meat at Dickson’s and if you want and feeling awesome, bring me back a sandwich. The usual One Dollar bounty stands. 

 Dickson's Farmstand Meats 

75 9th Ave
(between 5th Ave & 15th St)
New York, NY 10011

 http://www.dicksonsfarmstand.com/