Being a foodie is all about experimentation and having no hesitations about trying innovative and exciting dishes. One cannot just eat the same food all the time and experience all that the world of fine cuisine has to offer. I also feel that although dining at top-notch restaurants can broaden your horizons in the realm of gastronomy, cooking your own foodie-inspired fare gives you a satisfaction that is unparalleled. Furthermore, being a male that loves food the way I do, and also enjoys cooking, the approaching summer means that I get to light the grill and start cooking with fire again.

With Memorial Day around the corner, I thought that I would let the foodie community in a little secret that is tucked away in a seldom traveled area in Boonton, NJ. Although right off the highway, Route 287, this remarkable shop is somewhat off the beaten path in an industrial park off Myrtle Ave. The clandestine market that I am referring to is named Fossil Farms, located at 81 Fulton Street, Boonton, NJ 07005, and they specialize in Exotic Meats. If you want your Memorial Day party to be talked about for years to come, this is the place you need to stop at to procure all of your holiday meats.

I, for one, will be grilling Kobe Beef sliders made from the Kobe Beef Ground Meat that Fossil Farms offers as well as a veritable smorgasbord of insanely tasty sausages consisting of Venison Sausage with blueberries and merlot wine, Wild Boar Sausage with cranberries and apples, Pheasant Sausage with hazelnuts and cognac wine and Rabbit Sausage with Dijon mustard. I will, of course, be serving chicken as well as good old American hot dogs, for the less daring eaters in my clan, but I have a feeling the star of the show will be the outlandish sausages that will grace the holiday spread.

I prepared this Memorial Day menu knowing that my family is not full of foodies and they may shy away from the hyperexotic meats that Fossil Farms has to offer, but if your family is adventurous, the sky is the limit when it comes to bizarre eats in Boonton. Some of the outlandish eatables they offer include Alligator, Antelope, Elk, Emu Eggs, Kangaroo, Quail, Rattle Snake and Yak.  This list is not by far a complete representation that this niche company offers. The complete list of their delectable foodie fare can be found on their website, where you can order from, complete with dry ice shipping. I, for one, would rather save the shipping cost and take the ride over to Boonton and spend my savings on more meat, but as they say, “to each his own,” I suppose.

Due to the rarity of the food that is offered by Fossil Farms, you must be prepared for the prices when you shop there.  As the title of my blog infers, I am usually frugal when it comes to any and all purchases I decide to make.  With that said, one of the main things that I remember when purchasing food from Fossil Farms is that they are the only purveyors of this product in the area. It is not like I can go to ShopRite or Pathmark and pick up a pound of Wild Boar and be on my merry way. It is for this reason, that I can justify paying $10, $20, sometimes even $30 a pound for a delicacy that I have yet to attempt in my foodie career.

I also feel, I must inform all of my readers that just because an item appears on the Fossil Farms website does not necessarily mean that the store has it in stock.  The brick and mortar store for Fossil Farms is not a huge place and only has a few freezers that hold their product.  They simple cannot carry every product they sell at this location, but I have been told they can and will do special orders if you do not see what you are looking for.

If you do decide to venture up to Fossil Farms, I must insist that you drive a little bit further on Myrtle Avenue and visit the best liquor store in North Jersey, Liquor Outlet Wine Cellars, located at 289 Myrtle Avenue in Boonton. Believe me, nothing pairs better with a 12-ounce Elk Steak than a cold craft beer, and Liquor Outlet has an unsurpassed selection of craft brew. From the wall of single bottle craft specialties to endless coolers, full of six packs that offer hundreds of selections I can always find something special of this establishment. Not a beer person, no problem, their wine selection is out of control as well. Even better than their gigantic selection that appeases even the most finicky palate, is the fact that their prices simply cannot be beat. Do yourself a favor the next time you find yourself in the neighborhood of Myrtle Avenue in Boonton, stop in and see for yourself.

Although, Boonton may be a drive for some, I assure you that everyone will remember your Memorial Day Party if you take the commute. Not only can you pick up some of the most obscure meats your guests have ever heard of, but they can wash down the food with a selection of fine craft ales from around the globe. The combination of Fossil Farms and Liquor Outlet in Boonton will not disappoint the foodie that lives inside us all.

I would not feel right publishing this article without mentioning the true reason this important holiday exists. Although, Memorial Day is now known for BBQ’s and family fun, this holiday is for honoring the fine men and women who ultimately gave their life defending our country. Whatever is on your agenda this Memorial Day, remember that if it was not for these brave young men and women the freedom to partake in these festivities might have been revoked years ago.