Have you ever put a paper-thin, round slice of cured meat on your tongue, closed your eyes, and experienced the salty explosion of sweet, smoky pork?  We have and are humbled by every bite of delicately powerful cured meat!  To that end we continuously search for flavors of pork goodness that make us pause and relish our taste buds and our brilliant ancestors who faced with lack of refrigeration, who refused to sacrifice good eating!

Cured meat; it’s charcuterie in Paris, salumi in Rome, and always delectable in your mouth! The art of curing meat was born out of the need to preserve meat without refrigeration. The techniques were and remain simple. Add salt and other spices, maybe add smoke, and hang the meat in a dark, cool place for an extended period of time until the desired flavor and texture are achieved.

The term charcuterie was derived from the French word “chair” meaning flesh, and “cuite” meaning cooked. In addition to the cured meats, charcuterie also encompasses pâtés and rillettes, which are heavenly concoctions of finely ground meat, herbs, spices, and fat that are cooked in terrines, pastry dough, or ramekins. Salumi encompasses dried cured meats as well as some cooked meats like mortadella.

By now you’re probably thoroughly craving a platter of charcuterie, and we have quite the selection!

In December we introduced the incredible meats of Creminell, an award-winning artisan charcuterie producer whom you may remember from our Fancy Foods article. Currently we rotate between three of their cured salame: Tartufo, Wild Boar, and Barolo, all of which have been enthusiastically welcomed by our customers.

Fra Mani is a Berkeley based charcuterie creator who is obsessed with providing American pallets with the flavors of traditional salumi. Make your next sandwich with one or all of these little treats! Salametto is a small, coarsely ground, garlic scented salame.  Its rich color and full flavor will prove great for picnics! Salame Toscano is a deep burgundy color with salt slightly more pronounced in the Tuscan tradition of pairing foods with unsalted breads.

Proscuitto Parma is cured in the traditional fashion of Northern Italy and is so tender that it instantly melts on the tongue. We often pair it with cheese and other elements from our deli case to create sublime savory tarts or sandwiches, and it’s a must for a true antipasti plate.

Fermin Serrano Jamon – a SAVOUR favorite!

Fermin Serrano Jamon is the Spanish cousin of Italian procuitto, and is perfectly matched with Spanish Manchego or Mahon, and a bottle or Rioja. We use this Spanish ham in our top selling sandwich, the Jamon y Queso, where we pair it with a spanish cheese and fig jam. Yum!

Zoe’s Meats are a local favorite, and we carry a whole slough of creations from this Seattle-based producer. For thier beautiful and rich flavors Zoe’s Sweet and Spicy Coppas, Pepperoni, and Chorizo. Zoe’s Finochionna Salami packs a mild and satisfying flavor of meat and fennel.

No charcuterie plate would be complete without an excellent pâté! Fabrique Délices is a California- based company run by a family of French artisans committed to offering traditional charcuterie to Americans, and we are offer their Truffle Mousse Pâté, Duck Liver with Fois Gras Pâté, and Farmer’s Rabbit Pâté. Additionally we carry the very popular Trois Petits Cochon’s Black Pepper Pâté.  Pair any of these delisious creations with a good dijon mustard, cornichons, fresh bread and a hearty, red wine and you have the ultimate snack!

Can’t decide which meats to try? Let SAVOUR create a tasting platter for your next indulgence! We offer cheese and meat plates with either three cheeses with condiments (olives, fig jams, bread, nuts) for $12, or three of the meats above for $10. With such a great deal, you can try them all!!! Call us or stop by to order yours today!

 

 

 

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