Any time a new salumi company decides to open shop in the United States it’s cause for celebration.  And If the same company decides it’s going to raise it’s own heritage hogs in an antibiotic-free (and soon to be organic and nitrate free) open pasture environment, then the salumi company should be praised. The Virginia based Olli Salumeria Americana is, indeed, the laudable salumeria founded by […]

Pennsylvania Salami Makers: Homemade Soppressata or “Soupie” In Calabria, the salumi sopressata (see my guide to salumi) enjoys PDO or Protected Designation of Origin status meaning any salami labeled as Sopressata di Calabria must be entirely manufactured (prepared, processed AND produced) within the specific region according to traditional methods.  Sopressata received its name from the practice of pressing the salami […]

(photo: some of Dr. K.’s homemade duck prosciutto sliced thin and eaten with bread and Prosecco)   I’m a big believer in chasing happiness in life and not the 30 minute kind that’s associated with a new car, electronic device, or a bigger house (sorry all you hedge fund managers and Goldman employees).  Happiness, after all (and there’s empirical evidence for this) is derived […]

(photo: locally produced bacon from a nearby butcher) By now, you’ve read my countless references to salame, prosciutto, capicola, cured pork, etc. and you may be thinking: what’s wrong with this guy, does he have a thing for pigs or something?   The short answer is yes and the pork obsession is centered on the cured kind – that salty and spicy […]

What is Antipasto and What Does it Include – Guide to Antipasto: Italian Appetizers that Come Before the Meal Antipasto literally means “before the meal” and varies from province to province in Italy.  Similar to French hors d’oeuvres or Spanish tapas, antipasto is a combination of small bites of tasty food, usually accompanied by wine (see our wine basics guide) or beer […]

(photo: Columbus Artisan line seasonal cacciatore) I’ve written about Columbus’ Artisan salumi line in the past (including their hot sopressata, cacciatore, finocchiona, crespone, salami secchi, and standard Sopressata) and their high-end line is outstanding as it’s made with a higher grade of pork, allowed to age 21-90 days, hand tied and stuffed, and made with natural casings.  Click here if […]

In honor of National Sandwich Day here are two of my favorite egg sandwiches as well as a guide to Italian cured meats and how to make your own roasted peppers.  Enjoy the day and make a sandwich for dinner tonight! Fried Egg Sandwich with Provola: Next to salumi, the fried egg (with a runny warm, runny, yoke) makes the […]

You can tell that a country is serious about preserving food culture when they issue “protective status” labels for cheeses, meats, wines, etc.  Italy, for example has standards for wine (such as DOC or Denominazione di Origine Controllata; meaning that any particular wine from an officially recognized region of Italy must be produced in specific well-defined regions, according to specific rules […]

(photo: the varying parts of a pig, photo courtesy of Meat Salt Time by Tony Seichrist)  I have to admit, I have an addiction.  Specifically, my addiction is centered on the mighty pig and it’s cured off-spring, Salami!   Salumi (the plural for salami) is made from either a single, whole, cut (e.g., Prosciutto) or ground parts of the pig. […]