Today on [Culinate](http://www.culinate.com/):
> You can make fresh sausage so flavorful that a little goes a long way, and thereby encourage yourself to use meat as a flavoring rather than the main event, just like Mark Bittman told you to.
> Wait, where are you going?
Hmm, I always thought merguez was “supposed” to be seasoned with harissa, but I see that this is not necessarily the case. You should try it, though! Harissa is wonderful stuff.
Some of it I’ve had is a little reminiscent of habaneros — in behavior, not in taste. It’s hot enough to peel paint, but it’s also bursting with flavor so using only a teeny bit still works well.
I make my own sausage at home (and I’m with you… no more casing) but admittedly, I cheat. I grind the meat, but honestly, I have found that Penzey’s sausage blends to be quite good. I really enjoy the Bratwurst seasoning. The Italian is fine, but since I like hot, I do doctor add the requisite heat.