mdbasile

Here is some Kielbasa and 3 kinds of bacon (cajun, garlic and maple)... forgot my camera, but also have been busy making Brats, Duck garlic and sage sausage, Salmon, duck procuitto, smoked duck breast, Lardo, and beef jerky.... I'll try to get photos and post this week...

I have to agree with degusto on the La Merenda - I am in Vieux Nice 4-5 times a year and have eaten there a couple of times, and truly find the food to be very ordinary... just my opinion... the stools are too small too.... and that no phone thing is just a gimic to me..... Is there a link to Mirazou(sp?) in Menton - planning on trying it this spring... Thanks

any word on this year's quality?

Very Nice Work!

Mine goes pretty fast too. Made it twice and @ about 1 week each time. Since it is sliced and cooked, you won't have any real"doneness" issues.... I'd get snackin' !!

Quick update: Had a very nice meal @ Baia Benamin - what a spot! Rubuchon's place@ Metropole: Actually ready to be disappointed, but it was very nice indeed, and the way the menu is set - it is possible to taste some very nice different dishes w/out spending a fortune. Jerome : actually our least spectacular meal there out of about 6 - still really excellent. Reserve Beaulieu: Outside on the terrace... unbelievable as usual... we had the degustation menu - the almmond pastry/truffle/foie gras/apple thing is amazing - heck the lobster course - they serve what must have been a 3lb normandy blue!!! Cap d'ail lunch.... disapointing, but no surprise. La Pinede.... ok ... can't remember the rest...

Here is the soppresetta - real happy with it.

I made the Taso exactly as the recipie states - though I think the cure was more like 8 hours due to other reasons - and it was/is terrific. I just made some jambalaya with it last night and it imparted the exact perfect flavor....

I have used the beef middle for the first time after using only hog. For Salami, I think the beef is just the right size, except for maybe the chirizo or pepperoni.

Awesome. Like I said before, I intentionally putting mold on the outside of my salame seemed like such a natural thing... until it started growing. I figured that the chances of some other, nefarious mold spontaneously growing on all of the sausages 24 hours after I innoculated with good mold spores seemed rather slim, but still, fuzzy=bad=paranoid me. Hopefully my salame will too! Cheers, -Dan ← LOL - yea me too.... should really proof posts... FWIW - I went through your same concerns - first time I totally freaked and wiped them all down with vinegar, except one....that one turned nice and chalky in about 1 week. Next time you are at the market - pick up a fresh salami that has white on it and - examine the mold -- helped me understand it better.

I'm sorry I didn't specify, yes those are beef middles I hand dice the sopressata and try not get the fat too large...but some of it is. I still like it! ← Took mine down last night - we'll 2 of 4 one is rather large... Very tasty!!! Thanks for the input.

You are totally fine - that is very normal. I will get chalky in a few days... ..no worries.

Ok great - that color is the same -- I guess I thought it would be redder... flavor is great though.... You have seriously larger fat hunks -- very nice!! Thanks for the help.

Thanks for this. Will he sell the truffles w/out the tour? I am going at the end of November.

Me? I took mine down late last week...perfect! ← Yes - you - sorry. How long did you hang it. Any photos? This is my first larger salami and I would like to be sure of color etc... Also how long did you incubate? If you recal?

Dave - how long have you had your soppressetta hanging? Did you incubate for long? I just checked mine and hard outside, but soft and not very red inside.... I am at 3 weeks - beef middles.

.... and you have all those body parts/shell for an amazing lobster stock for that rissotto....

Use your oven - I bet it might be close to that right now, but if not turn it on until it hits about 90 (not long) and then it will stay fairly warm for what you need. Plus I have incubated in the 70's without too many problems... Good luck and be patient -- don't expect too much on the first attempts. I have about a year into this (ok 9 months) and have made alot of stuff, and still have failures... I am thinking it takes years and years to perfect.... ... nothing like experience...

Hey Abra - I like that trick!! That jelly is very nice to finish off a risotto also... esp Duck Confit risotto

I have had the iberico both in France and in spain, and let me tell you -- it is fantastic - as good as any ham I have ever had - period!!

Yea -- I think it is right though... never had any problems before, and it just seemed like it was too moist in there... not enough ventilation...

Ruined Guiancale... Ok sot I took the jowl - cured it with the pancetta cure - cold smoked it... then put it in cheescloth and hung it for about 5 weeks.... took it down last night.... and well - lots of green mold... so much so that I had to toss it - no question on this one - hell it was almost "smoking" with mold. Could the cheese cloth hanging have contributed to this? This is the 1st green mold I have experienced, and I have been doing alot of stuff. Sort of baffled - ideas anyone? Thanks.. OTOH - my soppresetta seems to be doing quite well, with lots of white mold and no issues... yet... at about 3 weeks.

Nice looking salmon Ron. How long did you let the salmon sit after brining and before smoking?

Take a couple and hang them for about 2 weeks - they come out very nice. I did the Cold smoked version - hung some for 5 days and some longer.... the longer hanging ones developed a very concentrated flavor.

Michael, that reminds me of something -- is there any reason one could not use sea salt vs Koscher? Other than maybe cost. Thx