Link Lab got our first bit of press this past week in mint.com. If you haven’t had a chance to see this article, please take a look at this link to a wonderful story about the business, written by Matthew Amster-Burton. http://www.mint.com/blog/goals/sausage-garage-startup-05172011/

Hello Link Lab Friends,

Link Lab Artisan Meats has now been in business for 15 weeks. The buzz about this one-person sausage production enterprise is spreading quickly, thanks to many of you! Customer feedback from all of you has been a great motivator for my work, and I am grateful for your enthusiasm, curiosity, and in so many cases repeat business.

To date, we have sold 15 unique varieties of sausage, sourcing our meat from 5 different local farmers. Many new sausage recipes are being developed, and I look forward to sharing them with everyone as frequently as I can. Here’s a list of the sausages sold by Link Lab over the past three months. If you have favorites that you’d like to see again soon, I’d love to hear about it via email. :

• Chorizo
• Jalapeno Pork Sausage
• Fremont Beer Brats
• Vintner’s Bratwurst
• Boerewors
• Chipotle-Tequila
• Juniper-Garlic
• Beef-Pepper Links
• Rosemary Lamb (all lamb)
• Rosemary Lamb (with Pork)
• Rosemary-Sage Breakfast Sausage
• Lemon Zest & Thyme
• Merguez (all-lamb)
• Merguez (lamb with pork)
• Mutton Sausage (custom job for a local city shepherd)

The list will grow as new recipes and labels are approved by the USDA. It’s a slow process, but a lot more varieties are on their way, just in time for summertime grilling!

Link Lab News

1. New market: Link Lab is excited to be included in the new Virginia Mason Farmers Market this Friday from noon to 4pm. Come by, taste some samples, and say hi. The organizers at Virginia Mason are putting a lot of resources into making this market a success, and it should be a great weekly event. The farmers market will be on the Lindeman Pavilion Patio (just east of 9th Avenue on Seneca Street). I hope to see you there.
2. New restaurant: Any time a new restaurant puts Link Lab sausages on the menu, we are thrilled. Portage Bay Café (only South Lake Union location for now) will be serving Link Lab Italian Sausage soon, possibly this weekend. This Seattle dining landmark has always been committed to local, organic, and sustainable food, and we’re so excited to be a part of it! I hope everyone has a chance to make their way over to Portage Bay Café and enjoy a great breakfast and lunch…with sausage.
3. “Probation” is over: Link Lab Artisan Meats concluded the 90 day temporary grant of inspection from the USDA and received a permanent Grant of Inspection. My grant is formal now!
4. Chicken and Duck Sausage: Link Lab just got re-inspected and approved as a USDA Poultry Processing Facility. This means that I can start making and selling chicken, duck, and other poultry sausages. Get ready! There is a lot of great stuff to do with duck and chicken!

Where to find Link Lab Sausage:

• NEW! Portage Bay Café (South Lake Union)
• Sand Point Grill
• A Caprice Kitchen
• Stanza’s Cafe
• Sunset Hill Green Market
• Cherry Hill Swedish Medical Center Farm Market (in the cafeteria some but not every Wednesday, 11am-2pm)
• First Hill Swedish Medical Center Farm Market (in the cafeteria some but not every Thursday, 11am-2pm)
• Virginia Mason Farmer’s Market (Fridays (12pm-4pm)
• This list will grow. Stay tuned.

Thanks for supporting Link Lab Artisan Meats. Enjoy your sausage!