Geographically, I guess Krebs, Oklahoma is in the Sandstone Hills part of the the state and not the Plains, but I think most people’s perception of this state is flat grasslands with cowboys and indians. Regardless, I doubt that anyone could imagine this “Little Italy” in the Sooner State.
I had been dying to go to Krebs ever since I found the Lovera site and my search for Caciocavera. We had occasion yesterday to travel near here so we made it a side trip. I don’t think this place has changed much since 1946.
Doesn’t this look like it could be in the middle of Chicago?
Not having a real plan or any shopping list, I carefully wound my way through the small aisles, looking at every item because I knew I had to buy something. We ended up purchasing items for a picnic lunch—dry salami, smoked Italian sausage, some soft cremavera, a rosemary-olive oil boule, and some lemon sugar rallinis for dessert. (The meat market looked awesome and I wish I had this place around the corner from our house.)
We found a scenic lakeside lunch spot not far from Lovera’s and sat down to eat this simple but delicious lunch. The only thing that would have made it better would have been a bottle of wine.
This little community is also known for two or three outstanding Italian restaurants and a nearly famous beer, Choc, a microbrew based on a beer recipe passed to the Italians from the Choctaw Indians.
I don’t know that Krebs will ever become a tourist mecca—one could certainly drive buy the entire town without noticing—but I do know it is on my list to visit again.
