Hot Links!

Margo, I'm really excited you are moving to the area.  A new friend to go out and eat ice cubes with.   

Cats are more adaptable than you realise. Mine is skittish and settled in at my in-laws in a matter of days even without me there, after and international flight, 2 days at my husband's flat, and a long cab ride. If you go through a rescue organisation they are usually OK with a trial if you're upfront about it. It's common to need to make sure pets and people get along well enough! If you get a mainly outdoor cat it might help too

Oh, no... we'd need a mainly indoor cat.  In fact, exclusively indoor.  There's a quarry down the road from us, and massive lorries go by frequently enough to be scary for a pet owner.  And the people on the smallholding behind us have about 50 feral cats (I might be exaggerating, but not by much)... I wouldn't want our cat mingling with the riffraff.

But I do like the idea of talking to a rescue about a trial placement.  I'll seriously consider this if we don't figure out how the mouse is getting in and blocking its access soon.

I didn't know hot Italian sausages were called "hot links", must be a regional US thing? Or I never paid attention! 

Probably not the same, but would this fill an itch?
http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/10991/homemade-spicy-italian-sausagemeat.aspx

Or maybe online?
https://www.delicatezza.co.uk/collections/hand-made-sausages

I didn't know hot Italian sausages were called "hot links", must be a regional US thing? Or I never paid attention! 

Probably not the same, but would this fill an itch?
http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/10991/homemade-spicy-italian-sausagemeat.aspx

Or maybe online?
https://www.delicatezza.co.uk/collections/hand-made-sausages

hah I was wondering if it was a regional thing as we didn't call hot italian sausages Hot Links either where I'm from but then it might be that I just wasn't privy to it?

They're not strictly Italian.... in fact, I'm not sure Italian ones really fit... it all comes down to the flavour profile.  I'm thinking something from a Polish shop would be more likely to fit the description, but it would need a lot more heat than anything I've found over here.  I think the hot link is a rare, genuinely American thing, and not brought over from another culture.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_link_(sausage)

I didn't know hot Italian sausages were called "hot links", must be a regional US thing? Or I never paid attention! 

Probably not the same, but would this fill an itch?
http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/10991/homemade-spicy-italian-sausagemeat.aspx

Or maybe online?
https://www.delicatezza.co.uk/collections/hand-made-sausages

That recipe looks yummy! It was just hot Italian sausage or pepperoni links for the smaller sticks of pepperoni where I lived too. Can't wait to have a kitchen big enough for a spice rack again. (and the fun task of filling it) My husband literally didn't use spices before he met me... Just bought relishes galore for whatever he made, and then promptly discovered they were all made with malt vinegar and wheat and not safe for me. He hasn't been disappointed with my cooking and baking yet at least.

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They're not strictly Italian.... in fact, I'm not sure Italian ones really fit... it all comes down to the flavour profile.  I'm thinking something from a Polish shop would be more likely to fit the description, but it would need a lot more heat than anything I've found over here.  I think the hot link is a rare, genuinely American thing, and not brought over from another culture.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_link_(sausage)

Oh.. That almost looks like rebranded/smaller andouille sausage links. Hmm.

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My husband literally didn't use spices before he met me...

My husband barely even salted/peppered his food before I moved over. He now does it on his own but I was shocked at how little he spiced food when cooking!

Hey JF kimberley, your (hot) link is broken! 

I did manage to find my way to the French version of chitlins :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andouille

Oh.. That almost looks like rebranded/smaller andouille sausage links. Hmm.

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Snap! 
I love that stuff. 

Snap! 
I love that stuff.

Me too! Glad your Wikipedia share made it clear the French stuff is quite different than the creole variety, and probably not something I'd enjoy.

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Me too! Glad your Wikipedia share made it clear the French stuff is quite different than the creole variety, and probably not something I'd enjoy.

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Oh, you are right, I didn't realise the two were that different :
FTA
In France, particularly Brittany,[3] the traditional ingredients of andouille are primarily pig chitterlings, tripe, onions, wine, and seasoning. It is generally grey in color and has a distinctive odor. Also, a similar sausage is available called andouillette, literally "little andouille". Some varieties use the pig's entire gastrointestinal system.

I admit I was a bit surprised that we shared that taste, since the distinctive smell they mention is very poo like. 

Oh.. That almost looks like rebranded/smaller andouille sausage links. Hmm.

Andouille, in the cajun/creole sense, not the original French version.  But, yes!  I would be happy to find a proper creole andouille.

Come on you guys, what's wrong with using the entire gastrointestinal system?  Everything but the oink!

Hey JF kimberley, your (hot) link is broken! 

Right.  I've tried about five times, and the link is identical, no matter how I try to copy it.  So if you really want to know, search for "hot link sausage" at Wikipedia.  I can't make it work, and I am not accustomed to failure on this scale.  :/