STROUD TOWNSHIP -- Easter is just a few days away and some people hosting the Easter feast are starting to prepare the meal.
In the Poconos, one popular place to go is Gary's Meat Market. All sorts of meats line the display case inside the market just outside Stroudsburg.
But if you take a deep breath in, you can smell hickory wood-smoked meat. But of course, you'll have to trust us on that one.
The smoked meat, specifically kielbasi and ham, is why many people come to Gary's.
"He has great hams," said Fern Blose of Cresco.
"The kielbasi is very delicious. He makes it here, freshly here. It's smoking in the back here," said William Thornton of East Stroudsburg.
"This week we're doing between 500 and 600 pounds," said Gary Oney, the owner of Gary's Meat Market.
That smoked meat is prepared outside, in back of the meat market. Oney says smoking meat is a 20-hour labor of love.
"It takes about five hours of smoking, probably 3-4 hours to put it in the casings, another 3-4 hours to cut the casings and tie the casings, on one end," said Oney.
"Double smoked ham is very delicious," said Thornton.
And I'll have to take his word for it because this girl doesn't dine on swine or any other meat for that matter.
Oh, and Gary knows that too.
"I wish I had some carrots in there for you. I'm sorry. Everytime you come, we always have that meat in there," said Oney.
I've never had a smoked carrot and would have been game to try one. At least the Easter Bunny would be happy about that too.