Quick hits

Lincoln Quality Meats (the butcher at the bottom of Lincoln Sq.) has, among other nice things, a very nice house-made liver sausage. There is both a regular and a bacon studded version---the latter nicely smoky with just the right proportion of unctuous little cubes of fat. (Because liverwurst on its own is just too, too austere.)
The yumminess has to be balanced against what always seems to me the unaccountably irritated, even seething vibe of the main guy there who, no matter how pleasant, and decisive about ordering I feel I'm being, always looks as if he doubts my intentions, the validity of my credit cards, and my overall moral worthiness to purchase his meat.
(The ladies behind the counter are perfectly pleasant, though not always 100% know knowledgeable.)

Lincoln Quality Meats
4661 N. Lincoln
561-4570

Just tried a cheese from Trader Joe's that I liked. Its rather uninspiring name is "English Cheese." The label also says, more encouragingly, "hand made." What got caught me in the end was that it's coated with crushed hops. They did seem to add a nice tangy note to the slightly cheddary, off-white cheese. I didn't have, but wished for, a nice ale to go with it. About $10/lb. Would be great on a snack tray watching a game, or in a beer soup or souffle or seasoning a crouton.