WHERE QUALITY GOES IN BEFORE THE PRICE GOES ON

Missouri's "Best of the Wurst" Selected

The 27^th Annual Wurstfest Celebration, sponsored by the Hermann Chamber of Commerce, held March 25-26^th, is now history. The crew from Swiss Meat & Sausage Company walked away from the sausage judging competition with fourteen awards representing the best of their "wurst". Grand Champion honors went to their original Swiss Brand Bratwurst, Maple Link Sausage, Buffalo Summer Sausage, Beef Summer Sausage and Blutwurst. Reserve Grand Champion was awarded to Andouille Sausage, Pork Link Sausage, Italian Sausage, Beef Jerky and Beef Snack Stix. Claiming Champion was Smoked Pork Sausage, Naturally Aged Sommer Sausage, Liverwurst and Headcheese.

There were over 160 entries in this year's annual competition, so the judges had their hands (and their mouths), full! Judging this year was Lynn Stewart, WIL 92.3 radio personality; Margaret and Bridget Kelly, Charter Communications Channel 3 and Food Talk on 550 KTRS; Kevin Western, Western's Smokehouse, Greentop, MO.; Tony Stone, Pres. Kansas City BBQ Society, Cooksville, TN; Dr Eric Berg, Associate Prof. of Meat Science, UMC; Bob Aston and Steve Mueller both from the Hermann area.

In a previous competition sponsored by the Missouri Association of Meat Processors held in Columbia, MO at the Holiday Inn Select March 3-4, Swiss Meat claimed nine titles from their finest meat products. MAMP was founded in 1939 and represents more than 130 small and medium sized meat processing operations. This competition-the only Missouri state contest of its kind, selected the finest example of cured and smoked specialty items from over 250 products entered into 18 different classes. Swiss's Buffalo and Elk Summer Sausages took Grand and Reserve Grand Champion honors in the Wild Game Class. Also taking Grand Champion was their Olde Tyme Knackwurst, which is one of the original recipes of knackwurst served at Hermann's first Maifest celebration over 50 years ago.

A new sausage creation, Smoked Pepper Jack Brat, came in with Reserve Grand Champion as did their delectable, Pit Smoked BBQ Beef Brisket. This BBQ Brisket is served daily in their deli, so stop by and give it a try!

Picking up Champion and Reserve Champion was Hickory Smoked Dry Cured Bacon, German Bologna, Smoked Rhine Valley Pork Sausage, and another new deli product, Pepper Coated Italian Beef Salami.

Samples are offered each and every day at Swiss, so you can be the judge of their fine meats and sausages!

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