Joe Papandrea South American butcher, Bossley Park

Entraña

A shopping adventure with Mr and Mrs Pig Flyin last weekend led us to Uruguayan butchery, Joe Papandrea in Bossley Park. We'd made our way there on recommendation of friends, who'd rejoiced when they finally found the South American cuts of meat they'd been missing from home.


Joe Papandrea Wholesale Quality Meats

The Bossley Park Shopping Complex is a strip of shops fronted with dedicated parking, a set-up you often see in large towns. There's a hairdresser, a real estate agent and a cake shop (unfortunately closed by the time we arrive), but we're most interested in Joe Papandrea, a large wholesale butchery that sits next to the continental supermarket next door.


Meat display

The refrigerated meat display is set up in a huge L-shape, stacked neatly with trays of fresh meat, each clearly labelled and priced.  In amongst the lamb kebabs, sirloin steaks and Joe's own award-winning sausages, are cuts of meat typically used in Uruguayan cooking. Entraña (pictured at top) is a skirt steak, appreciated for its thick layer of fat that crisps when barbecued.

Vacio

Pig Flyin's eyes light up at the sight of the vacio, a whole flank that includes a layer of fat.

A whole flank of goodness

Vacio is usually cooked whole on the barbecue, the fat melting to give juiciness and flavour. Pig Flyin snaps it up, his eyes glinting at the promises it holds.

Asado

There's plenty of meat on offer, including asado short ribs, rabbit and morcilla blood sausages.

Morcilla sausages

The morcilla blood sausages come from Rodriguez Brothers in Yagoona but here we find the sweet version in addition to the savoury kind. The sweet sausages come with plump sultanas, reminding me of the Moroccan lamb sausages from Tender Value Meats.  I've been having the sweet version for dinner and find the sultanas mask the flavour of blood, however I prefer the savoury version, which is gutsier (boom tish) in flavour, and has the crumbly texture I enjoy.

Fresh rabbit

Bossley Park General Store

Bossley Park General Store

I love that we all wordlessly walk to the Bossley Park General Store next door. There is nothing on our shopping list, but we are happy to browse the aisles, seeing what's on offer and what we can justify putting in our basket.

Deli meats

The deli section is a bonanza of cheeses, prosciutto and smallgoods. One of everything, please.


Effervescente al limone, black beans and palm hearts

We spend our time cruising the aisles which are dotted with unusual South American, Italian and other Continental products.

The jars of effervescente al limone look very pretty. At first I think it's instant lemonade until we read the label and realise it's the Italian version of Eno antacid!


Hamburger and hotdog sauces, and habanero chile sauce


Herdez salsa verde, whole chipotles and salsa casera


Yerba mate tea, which is often drunk from a hollow gourd


A whole aisle of pasta


Bacalau salted cod $16.99/kg


Quince jam $6.99/kg


Olive bar


Duck eggs on special


Fresh free range duck eggs, au naturel

Arancia candita orange peel, cedro candito cedar peel and ciliegie candite glace cherries

Chocolate hazelnut nut spreads

Forget the overpriced gourmet purveyors - it's much more fun to go local and get everything for a fraction of the price.


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Joe Papandrea Wholesale Quality Meats

Bossley Park Shopping Complex

53-59 Mimosa Road, Bossley Park, Sydney

(corner of Quarry Road)

Tel: +61 (02) 9610 0099

Opening hours:

Monday to Friday 7am-6pm

Saturday to Sunday and public holidays 7am-2pm

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Bossley Park General Store

Bossley Park Shopping Complex

53-59 Mimosa Road, Bossley Park, Sydney

(corner of Quarry Road)

Tel: +61 (02) 9610 7669

Opening hours:

Monday to Sunday 7am-7pm

Related Grab Your Fork posts:

Nonna's Gourmet Sausages, Brookvale

Rodriguez Brothers, Yagoona
Tender Value Meats, Hornsby



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