When I bought a cabin in Jackson, N.Y., more than 15 years ago, I used to shop at Yushak’s Market in the hamlet of Shushan, N.Y. I met Dennis Yushak there, a regionally famous butcher, and an interesting man, who left college when his father died and came up to Shushan to take over the family market.

Yushak’s meats are well-known in this area, people and restaurants drive many miles to buy his sausages and meats, the market is  a full-service and friendly place in a small but beautiful and very community-minded town. I always loved talking to Dennis, he is bright and engaging.

When I moved to Hebron, further away, I lost touch with Dennis, and sadly for me, with Yushak’s. Recently, I went there to pick up some meat as a favor to my friend Scott, who won’t sell any other meat from any other place than Yushak’s in his very fussy way. He only uses the very  best ingredients in the cafe, he is manic about it.

And around here, if you say it’s Yushak’s meat, that is a badge of honor. So Dennis an I re-connected, in the country way, it was as if no time had passed, we spent a half-hour yakking this morning about the weather, farming and animal rights. Dennis was happy to pose for my new monochrome camera, I am happy to add him to the list of regulars for my portrait gallery, people in my life.

Going to Yushak’s to shop for meat – I bought turkey sausages for dinner tomorrow, we invited the Gulley’s over – felt like running into a good friend for the first time in years, or finding a wonderful old shoe that really fit.