Newmarket sausage facts for kids
The Newmarket sausage is a yummy pork sausage that comes from the town of Newmarket, Suffolk in England. It's made following old family recipes. There are two main types of Newmarket Sausage, named after the families who make them: Musk's and Powters. You can find these sausages sold all over the United Kingdom. In 2012, the Newmarket sausage got a special award called "Protected Geographical Indicator of Origin" (PGI). This means its name and origin are protected, just like famous foods from other places!
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What Kinds of Newmarket Sausages Are There?
There are three main kinds of Newmarket Sausages: Musk's, Powters, and Eric Tennant Butchers. The biggest difference between them is what they use as a filler. Musk's sausages use bread. Powters and Tennants sausages use something called rusk. Rusk is a type of dry biscuit or breadcrumb.
All these different kinds of Newmarket sausages have won many awards.
The Story of Newmarket Sausages
Powters Sausages: A Family Tradition
Powters Sausages started way back in 1881. It began as a small butcher shop in Newmarket. The first owner was Grant Powter's great-grandfather. During his time, William Harper created the special recipe for what we now call the Newmarket sausage.
Musk's Sausages: A Royal Favorite
Musk's sausages began in a small village called Stetchworth. This village is about three miles from Newmarket. In 1882, Elizabeth Drake, who owned a butcher's shop, became a widow. In 1884, she married a butcher named James Musk. She then started selling (or kept selling) the Musk's type of sausages.
People believe these sausages were first made at Ivy House Farm. The Drake family used to raise pigs there. Elizabeth and James also had a shop in Newmarket. They later moved their shop to the High Street in Newmarket. James Musk passed away in 1905, soon after opening the main shop.
After James died, his stepson, Louis Frederick Drake, took over the business. Later, Louis's grandson, Louis Gilbert Drake, ran it. The business traded from the High Street shop until 1979.
Musk's sausages were even liked by the British Royal Family. They received special "Royal Warrants" from different kings and queens.
- King George V gave a warrant in 1907.
- Prince Edward of Wales (who later became the Duke of Windsor) gave one in 1929.
- Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, gave one in 1965.
- Queen Elizabeth II gave one in 2005.
It's not fully known if Elizabeth Drake created the Musk's recipe. Or if James Musk brought the idea to Newmarket from Chiswick in London, where he had worked as a butcher.
Special Protection for Newmarket Sausages
In 2005, the European Union and the UK government tried to get the two main sausage companies to combine their recipes. They wanted them to get "Protected Geographical Status" (PGI). This status helps protect famous foods like Parma ham and Stilton cheese.
If they got PGI status, only they could use the "Newmarket" name for sausages. But it would mean only one recipe could exist. Both companies really liked their own recipes. Neither wanted to give up their unique way of making sausages.
In November 2012, the Newmarket sausage finally received PGI recognition. Luckily, all the different recipes were allowed to exist! The European Union agreed to protect all the different ingredients listed in the application. This included the recipes from Musk's, Powters, and Eric Tennant Butcher's.
