Our
third Bostonian butcher is Lyell's, and if Rate My Sausage judged
purely on warmth and helpfulness I would have to close down right
now, because these people are unsurpassably lovely. But we're not, so
I won't, and I'll stick to the more traditional “eat the sausages
and give an opinion” method. You're not getting rid of us yet.
While
I was lurking in the shop in true RMS fashion, a little old lady
shuffled in through the door. She made her order, which was assembled
and placed on top of the counter, but as she reached for her money
she dropped loose change and a couple of cards onto the floor. Before
you could say “One
time they were just like you, Drinking,
smoking cigs and sniffing glue”
(name that tune!) the lady serving was around the counter and helping
to pick everything up. Lovely!
Real heart-warming stuff.
Where
To Find Them:
Physically
– Lyell's can be found on Wide Bargate in Boston, which is a little
one-way street running along the side of one of the huge open market
places in the town (there are two). You can park on this market place
every day except Wednesday. If you're using SausNav the postcode is
PE21 6SR.
Virtually
- http://fmlyell.co.uk/ You
really must check out this website, if only for the superbly
evocative “About” section which tells us about the history of
this business since it began in 1869. What you won't read on their
site is that they can trace butchers called Lyell back to the 1500s
(in particular Brian Lyell).
Opening
Hours:
Monday
– 0700 to 1630
Tuesday
- 0700 to 1630
Wednesday
- 0700 to 1630
Thursday
- 0700 to 1630
Friday
- 0700 to 1630
Saturday
– 0630 to 1500
Sunday
- Closed
Stanwatch:
I
visited when there was just one lovely young lady behind the counter.
And also the shop is being revamped, so maybe everyone else was busy
elsewhere?
Texture:
Very
pleasing. These chaps firmed up splendidly in the pan. The Squish
Test (squashing the filling through the tines of a fork) gives a
great result, no gruesome goo sticks to the fork and the filling
re-grabs hold of itself when you move the cutlery away. This sausage
falls apart beautifully in the mouth, perfect tiny nuggets of flavour
burst apart for a great eating experience. The only slight let down
with these bangers – and it is very slight – is the skins.
They're good. But I want them to be miraculous!
Flavour:
You
only get one chance to make a first impression, so they say, and the
first impression here was “Niiiiiice flavour”. It's sagey, sage
abounds, while the pepper lurks complementarily in the background,
like Dec behind Ant. The pork is very good, it's sweet and adds meaty
lightness, and this is an altogether well-balanced Lincolnshire
sausage flavour. Very good stuff.
Vital
Statistics:
Average
Weight Uncooked = 61 grams
Average
Weight Cooked = 49 grams
Meat
Content = 65.7 % (this is the minimum figure to meet the legal
requirements, the average figure is 72%).
Value
For Money:
£2.54
for 6 sausages weighing 364 grams. This works out as £6.98 per kg
and 42p per banger.
We
rate this as really good value for money.
Junior
Sidekick's Three Word Verdict:
The
wee chap had tonsillitis so was unavailable for reviewing duties.
The
Imaginatively Titled Next Day Cold Sausage Test:
“A-ha”,
I cried, “You two are going in the fridge for me to eat tomorrow
morning!”.
”Not
if I get there first” said Ruth. And so it was that I hid the cold
bangers in the fridge, under the grapes, behind the cauliflower, and
therefore safe.
I
tried them with Stokes Sauces ketchup, Branston pickle and
Colman's English mustard. The ketchup combo was tasty (can't go
wrong with Stokes), the mustard was hot and hugely flavourful, but
the best pairing – surprisingly to me – was the Branston pickle.
The Sunday-tea sweetness of Branston cuts the sagey sausage flavour
at a perfect right angle. Fabulous. Branston Pickles – you were
right all along. Weirdly the leftover sauces resembled a recently
elected leader....
And
Finally, Esther:
Quality
bangers from a quality local butcher. We heartily recommend!
Table
so far:
1=
Bycroft's, Boston
1=
Southern & Thorpe, Ruskington
3
– Lyell's, Boston
4
– Hambleton Farms, Doddington Hall
5
– Manor Farm, Leasingham
6
– Dunham's, Boston
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