Standom Smallgoods at Gepps Cross sells a huge range of unbelievably good smallgoods, mostly German - like many of the staff - but with meats and delicacies from farther afield as well.
What more can you say? A lot, although you'd be repeating the same general line as above. So here goes.
A lot of the wursts, sausages etc are pork based. Standom must use only the tastiest little piggies, because the flavours, whether smoked or spiced up with herbs, are mouthwatering. This shop could convert a vegan, once you got them screaming through the door.
As well as the range of exotic smoked sausages, including double smoked ones, there are plenty of other home-made lines as well as European pre-packed stuff.
A few of these lovely meaty products stand out for flavour and value, in my opinion.
The Bockwurst sausages are fat little babies with a delicious smoky flavour. They're great cut in half and grilled, or boiled and put in a hotdog, if you can get your mouth around one.
The smoked Viennas come in peasant and deluxe (ie pure pork) form. Both are excellent, but you save a few cents per kg with the cheaper ones.
The Weisswurst (white sausage) has bits of greenish spice in it. Very tasty.
If you are there before they're all gone, the 'king size' sausage will make you the hit of any barbecue. They are huge and juicy when cooked, and delicious.
The fritz is as good as you can buy anywhere. It's a bit smoky and has that slight rubbery spring which any fritz connoisseur will tell you is the sign of a quality fritz.
Finally, bits of most of the meats on sale turn up as offcuts in cheaply-priced bags in the open fridge. These offcuts often include whole sausages etc and are not to be sneezed at, whether for pizza toppings, kids' lunches or nibbling at straight from the bag on the way home from Standom's House of Smoky Temptations.
I've left a lot of good things out. My advice into head out to Gepps Cross and call in. Look for a big wooden (two dimensional) bull on the side of the road. You'll be so glad you did. Even if you're a vego, the experience will be character-forming for you. read more