Calma Optimal Deli: Amish/Polish butcher, grocer & more

Based on the steady stream of elderly immigrants who came through this morning, the wide selection of housemade sausages, the fantastic fried apple pancake I tried, and the large meat and poultry selection acquired via long-standing relationships with local Amish farmers, I assumed that Calma Optimal Deli had been around for generations. It turns out that the place opened just last week, though the owners have indeed been Chicago-area wholesalers serving the Polish community for generations. Dozens of house-made sausages and bacons made from pigs raised on Amish farms are on display, as are perfectly fresh-looking whole rabbits and young chickens. There's also a produce section which didn't seem to be the place's forte, some standard (largely organic) groceries, and the pièce de résistance from this morning's venture: the Placki Z Jablkami, also labeled "apple pancakes" despite the fact that they're way more like fritters than pancakes. Fresh, yeasty, loaded with apple and still slightly warm when I got one at 9AM today, this baby makes it easier to deal with the fact that Old Fashioned is such a hike for me.

Calma Optimal Deli is pretty close to me, and I'm very glad to have it.


Calma Optimal Deli
5155 W Addison St
Chicago, IL 60641
773-545-9227

Did you happen to see if they stock Amish butter? Usually sold in large rolls, wrapped in plastic. I pick it up whenever I see it. Salty, creamy and slightly tangy -- it's our "table" butter for any meal served with bread.

crrush wrote:Did you happen to see if they stock Amish butter? Usually sold in large rolls, wrapped in plastic. I pick it up whenever I see it. Salty, creamy and slightly tangy -- it's our "table" butter for any meal served with bread.

Hmm, I want to say yes, but I'm not 100% sure. Definitely saw Amish eggs, milk, chicken, pork, and lots more Amish stuff. But can't visualize the butter on the shelf.

The Amish butter is fairly easy to find in Polish stores here so if they have that other stuff, they surely have it. I agree with Crrush, it's a great bargain priced alternative to the name Eurobutters like Plugra.

There has been a Polish deli in that space for many years, so in some ways this is more like new management than a totally new deli.

LTH,

Happened to be driving past and stopped in for a quick look around, nicely laid out double store front, spotless, deli items and baked goods looked terrific, selection is slightly spare, though only in the context of traditional stuffed to the gills Polish groceries.

Was tempted by fresh rabbit, but simply ended up with a pound of Amish butter, $3.99 or 3/$10, and an Apple Pancake. Have not tried the apple pancake yet, though it looks tasty, if a bit dense.

Enjoy,
Gary

G Wiv wrote:Was tempted by fresh rabbit, but simply ended up with a pound of Amish butter, $3.99

Speaking of Amish Butter, happened to notice Fresh Farm's, Niles carries it for $3.99 a 1-pound block.

Enjoy,
Gary

Fresh Farms
5740 W Touhy Ave
Niles, IL 60714
(847) 779-7343

Finally stopped in today because I saw the "organic" posters on the outside of the place. This place added more square footage because they closed down their Milwaukee Ave. and Berteau Ave. store.

They are carrying the full line of dairy products from Farmer's Creamery. Milks are 3.99/ 1/2 gallon.

All various kinds of Lowell products too, with a smattering of the 365 branded products too.

Choices for Amish raised chickens and pork too. Chicken products from 1.69 to 1.99/ pound

We didn't have the opportunity for today, but they have a steam table with many different meats and veggies for 5.99 full dinners to go. Hot food is available 11am until 8pm. That will be my next purchase....along with some whole amish chickens.

This will be a nice addition to my growing list of places to shop for pasteurized animals and healthy food and ingredients

kenji wrote:This will be a nice addition to my growing list of places to shop for pasteurized animals and healthy food and ingredients

I can't shake my skepticism about "Amish chicken" and "Amish" this and that. It seems to me that "Amish" is too often used as a marketing term to stand in for meaningful descriptors like "free range" or "pastured." I've asked a few retailers of these "Amish" meat products for details about the farming practices of their sources and invariably got vague, meaningless, or nonsensical responses. Yes, I get it, a Christian religious sect. Uh huh, a farm somewhere in Indiana. Yep, black hats. Thanks.

The Amish, after all, are not exactly known for humane treatment of animals. What do we really know about Amish chickens?

--Rich

Next time I'm at Calma I'll find out which specific famrs their chicken and pork are coming from.

http://www.calmaoptimal.com/aboutUs.htm

I'm pretty sure their sources aren't feedlot animals, but unless we can see the actual operation the chickens are coming from we don't know how it really compares to a 20000 bird building.....

FWIW, the Fresh Farms halal area also has "Amish" chicken products......

OK - lemme clear something up about the Amish.

The Amish in general, which includes Mennonites and Old Order, have been adapting modern livestock methods in order to make money. Lots of Amish families, not a lot of land to farm. So they either go to work in the factories (RV factories for the Nappanee/Goshen/Shipshewanna, IN area) or they utilize the 10-12 acres they managed to find and raise poultry or some kind of livestock on a couple of acres of it.

As far as raising birds go, they have large poultry sheds for cramming in as many as possible. There's a brand of duck breast that Costco carries. I knew one of the families who supply the ducks for that company. If you didn't ask, you'd never know there was anything in the building it was that clean. Larger animals such as swine and cows either come from small time producers or large co-ops.

Kenji - you may not get a straight answer. Chances are the people at Calma have developed relationships with different families and don't source everything from a couple of farms.

I spent a lot of time going back and forth to what we called Amishland for many years. I got to know them and their lifestyle very well. I'm more than happy to answer questions about them and their farming methods.

If nothing else, you're supporting local (Big Ten area) businesses when you buy Amish products.