SPORTS
Pugh is ready
Mike Pugh gets ready to grab for
the roundball as Craig Periiioux (30)
prepares to back him up in Friday's
65-51 Wave loss to Bogalusa.
(Times Photo by Anna McMahon)
Sparnecht's
venison sausage
a perfect end
to La. deer season
Staff Report
"I can't sell it. Money can't buy it. It is
a priceless substance." "
Rod Sparnecht, owner of Whitey's
Meat Center at 159 East Pine, was not
speaking of rare gems, moon rocks or
water from the Fountain of Youth. He is Sausage maker
speaking of his specialty, venison
sausage, and there's not a deer hunter
in Tangipahoa Parish who would dream Rod Sparnecht of Whitey's Meat
of disagreeing with him Center, 159 East Pine, takes a rack of
"'If it is done right, a lot of people his famed venison sausage out of the
believe deer sausage is the Rolls Royce smoker built behind his main street
of sausage," said Sparnecht,
He can not even guess at the number
of deer he and his brother-in-law
assistant Steve Boudreaux have dressed
for local hunters during the deer hunting
season which closed Saturday.
The second generation Ponchatoula
butcher has helped numerous success-
ful hunters insure that their hunting
prize is not ruined for human consumption
through some of the mistakes often
made by do-it-yourself hunters who
wind up butchering their meat in the
worst sense.
Under Sparnecht's skilled hands
freezer-ready steaks and roasts come
out wrapped for cooking. What remains
of the deer is turned into what is
probably the most succulent taste treat
ever enjoyed by a hunter's family -
venison sausage.
Sparnecht gets downright cagey.
when questioned closely regarding his
recipe for the big links, but he is
persuaded to let loose some information:
"The ideal ratio is 50-50, venison and
pork. This is probably the most
important part and this is where most
amateurs make their biggest mistake, by
trying to put too much venison in their
mixture. The pork is absolutely neces-
sary."
Sparnecht smokes his completed
links of sausage in a smoker built behind
his butcher shop three years ago by
Boudreaux which has become
seasoned to perfection. The smoking
process requires the sausage to be
"cured" and Sparnecht grows intentionally
hazy when responding to questions
regarding his secret cure. He does not
respond at all when asked what
)articular herbs and spices he uses with
:he pork and venison mixture, except to
say that all of the products he uses are
butcher shop.
(Times Photo)
iv]y sausage has earned a reputation
that has brought more and more
business each year. I believe my
venison sausage is the best. But I don't
want to give out too many of my secrets
regarding my special spices and cures.
And even when I say I only use pecan
smoke, for instance, I may be just
keeping some of my secrets secret, But
the real test is the taste.
Ah, the taste! The very smell of it
wafts on a favorable breeze up and
down the first block of East Pine. But
the heartbreaking news is that while the
showcases at Whitey's Meat Center
hold trays of delicious Ponchatoula-
prepared and Ponchatoula-smoked
bratwurst, andoille, hot sausage, pork
sausage and a variety of links
depending on the season., there is not a
single link of deer sausage put up for
sale.
Sparnecht is not allowed to sell the
sausage in his retail establishment and
even if he could, it would be hard
finding the hunter who was willing to
part with his custom-smoked links at
any price.
So the only ones lucky enough to
taste what may well be the top taste
treat in all Tangipahoa Parish are local
deer hunters, their families, and dinner
guests.
Like Sparnecht says, while lifting out
a rack of venison sausage smoked for
over eight hours in his downtown
Ponchatoula smoker:
"I can't sell it. Money can't buy it. It is
a priceless substance"
He didn't have to say that?
natural, chemical-free, food products.
Early in the interview he opened the
special compartment door next to the
main smoking chamber where 250
pounds of links can be hung and
smoked at the same time and revealed
what wood he uses, pecan.
"Pecan smoke is all I ever use. As '
soon as I found out how good it was l
used almost nothing but pecan." Spar-
necht, however, does not let all his
secrets out and it pays the interviewer to
notice little words like "almost" that he
drops into his statements, for later in the
interview the butcher with a prankster's
twinkle in his eye when pressed tar more
Information on his secret preparation:
CHEVROLET
Highway 51 South of Hammond
345-1285
THE PONCHATOULA TIMES, JANUARY 23, 1986,-PAGE
Free Throw Contest
open to boys and gi00:ls 11-14
Staff Report
Boys and girls age I I to 14 are invited
to compete in the Ponchatoula Knights
of Columbus Free Throw Contest
Saturday, January 25 at 2 p.m.
There is no entry or admission fee.
The contest takes place in the St.
Josoph Gymnasium and'Lnners
receive trophies, ribbons and"-the
chance to move up to the distribt
competition, and beyond.
Basketballs will be made available for
the competition
For further information contact John
DeLaune at 386-9008.
Paige Allen scores
The Greenie Girls' Paige Allen (32)
pops it up on the rebound during
Friday's triumph on the home court
(50-41) over Bogalusa.
(Times Photo by Anna McMahon)
St. Joseph Cheerleaders
St. Joseph cheerleaders for the
current season struck a professional
pose for The Times. They are (front
row, left to right) Jill Braun, Tasha
Duvic, Jan Braun, Christy Hatfield,
(second row) Avril McKean, Sandy
Schanzbach, Tammy Bordelon, (top)
Lynette Pinion.
(Times Photo by Terry Ann McMahon)
O'Bannon plugs main
A hard-working Superintendent of
Streets Doug O'Bannon was on-the-
job Friday when the old water main
on South Kathleen in Millville broke,
depriving some homes of water while
city crews completed a speedy repair,
restoring water service in about one
hour's time.
(Times Photo)
Gift Subscriptions
Only $I I for 52 weeks
See Coupon Page Two
NOVAS
St. Joseph Boys Abel leaps!
A m
St. Joseph's Jay Adams hooks one in t". Joseph's Melissa Abel, leaps,, J-classtaturdal-
but the local team fell 43-34 in shoozsforthelocaiteamssoleoaTh ,
Sunday's invitational tournament to in a 15-2 loss to St. Peter's in t, {e
Holy Ghost. second game of Sunday s tourna ,mC ,'
(Times Photo byT.A. McMahon) play at St. Joseph's. The girls t eoalcm
bowed to Sacred Heart in the P/lex °'
game of the invitational, 19-13. d a
(Times Photo by Anna McMah!, ot!
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AGES 5 - 14 iThe
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