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I looked (I hope I didn't skip anything) for classes around MO. area and came up with zero. I live in the St. Louis area and willing to drive....how far I don't know. IL. not out of the question. At this time I'm looking for a sausage making class. Yes, that would also be all types. Does anyone have any idea on where? I have found one in CA. use to be one in WA but they are out of business. Thank you for your help, Jane

Chicken & Sausage Gumbo We call this "South of I-10 Style" This is a very basic gumbo that I learned many years ago from a dear lady in LaPlace, Louisiana. She was quite an authority on gumbo and its many styles. She and her far-flung Louisiana family put a lot of energy into “discussion” of one style versus another. This dark and sultry style is a favorite for poultry and sausage of whatever type. We made up the term “South of I-10 Style” because she claims it is more prevalent the further south you go. Turkey is often the bird in question after Thanksgiving. Duck often shows up after a successful hunt. It is not a thick gumbo, due to the very dark roux losing some thickening power in the process, and the vegetables just about disappear. File is often offered at the table for addition to the diner’s liking. The recipe is a good starting point. Endless variations are possible. I have included some techniques that might help achieve that dark roux. 1 c vegetable oil (peanut or canola) 1 c flour 2 c chopped onion 1 c chopped celery 1 c chopped green bell pepper 1-1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste) 6 c chicken broth (hopefully homemade but Swanson brand will do) 1 lb smoked sausage (kielbasa or andouille) cut crosswise into 1/2" slices 2 tsp Cajun seasoning (your favorite brand will do) 1 lb chicken meat cut into 1” chunks (best to use thigh meat) 3 bay leaves Chopped green onion, parsley, and file for serving (optional) White rice for serving (NOT optional) About the pot: Don’t even start this unless you have a proper pot, that means heavy. Heavy cast iron is the classic. Enameled cast iron (like Le Creuset) is better because it is easier to judge the color of the roux. Heavy aluminum like Calphalon also works. First you chop your Trinity: Chop the onion, celery and peppers into relatively uniform ¼” chop. Season with the salt and cayenne and set aside… close to the stove. (You will see why in a minute.) Now you make a roux: Combine the oil and flour in your pot and stir together until there are no lumps. It should be liquid enough that it flows well as you stir. Add more oil if necessary. Turn the heat to medium high on a wimpy range or maybe medium on a better burner and start stirring. I recommend using a wooden spatula rather than a spoon as that tool does a better job of sweeping the bottom and corners of the pot. Oh, by the way, you can’t stop stirring so you best go pee before you start this. I call this a “2 beer roux” That means that you can drink 2 beers before it is ready. I find that it takes me about 30 to 40 minutes to get there, but then I have done this a lot. Better to go slow until you gain some experience. When the roux gets to the color of a Hershey Bar, you are ready to go. WARNING: The slightly reddish Hershey Bar color is very close to burning. If black flecks appear, you have burned it and blown it. Start over. Makin’ Gumbo: Dump the seasoned Trinity into the roux all at once and stir like crazy. That is why I told you to keep this by the stove. If you are getting close to burning the roux, this drops the temperature and keeps it from burning. There will be a lot of steamin’ and sputterin’ going on but this has a lot to do with the flavor development. The high heat hitting the vegetables and cayenne makes a flavor difference. Continue to stir and cook for about five minutes until the vegetables are wilted. Add the sausage and bay leaves, continue stirring and cooking for about five minutes. Slowly add the broth (it should be cool) stirring continuously to incorporate. Reduce heat and maintain a slow simmer for two hours, uncovered, stirring occasionally. In the meantime, season the chicken meat with the Cajun seasoning. Add it to the pot and simmer for another hour, stirring occasionally. Excess oil may break out. Skim off if you wish. Check seasoning and add salt if necessary. Serving: Stir in chopped green onion and parsley and serve over white rice. File on the table for adding is optional. NOTE: You can use commercially available roux. (It is really quite good.) The trick will be to get it up to a high enough temperature to sear the trinity/cayenne mixture without burning it. I think making the roux yourself is more fun. It tests your intestinal fortitude… “How close can I get to burning before I dump in those vegetables?” You can double this recipe if your pot is big enough. I usually do because this is a bit of trouble and it freezes well. If you freeze leftovers, add the parsley and green onion only to the portions you serve. Parsley and green onion should always be added fresh. If you are using previously cooked bird, such as the leftovers from the Thanksgiving turkey, add the cooked turkey meat within the last half hour of the process. If you cook previously cooked meat in the gumbo too long it gets all broken up and stringy. It will still taste good. It is just ugly when that happens. Hopefully, you have made good stock with the bird bones. If it was smoked bird, remove most of the dark smoked skin before making the stock so the stock won't have too strong a smoke flavor. For a truly fascinating experience of gumbo cooking around the world, the Gumbo Ya Ya Cook-Off topic is not to be missed. Keywords: Main Dish, Intermediate, Chicken, Lunch, Dinner, American ( RG772 )

Butternut Squash with Corn, Spinach, Bacon, Onions, and Basil Serves 8 as Side. Thanks to MatthewB for turning me on to this simple recipe, which originally appeared in the November 1998 Bon Appétit. I'm sure that it's a given on eGullet, but I'd still like to emphasize that the fresher the ingredients, the better. (The original recipe specified packaged spinach and frozen corn.) Proportions can be adjusted at will. I made this for the 2003 Heartland Gathering in Grand Rapids using thick-cut farm bacon, with the other ingredients coming straight from the GR Farmer's Market. Outstanding! ½ lb bacon 1 large onion (about 2 cups chopped) 1 large butternut squash 9-10 oz spinach leaves 4-6 ears corn or 1 lb frozen kernels ½ cup or more chopped fresh basil salt and pepper Prep: Chop bacon crosswise, ~1/3-1/2" wide. Chop onion into fine dice. Peel squash (and seed, if using round segment) and cut into ~1/3" dice. Wash and coarsely chop spinach, if needed; baby spinach can be left whole. If using fresh corn, remove husk and silk and cut kernels from cob. Wait to chop the basil until it's time to add it. Cook: In a large pot or sauté pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until it is just getting crisp. Add the onion and squash and sauté until the squash is just tender (10-12 min.). Add the corn. If using frozen corn or older fresh corn, cook for a few minutes before adding the spinach; if using very fresh corn, add the spinach at the same time. Cook until the spinach wilts. Chop, then stir in the basil. Add salt (careful!) and pepper to taste. Keywords: Side, Easy, Vegetables, American ( RG737 )

Creamed Spinach with Bacon Serves 6 as Side. I first started making this after tasting a similar dish at Colonel Sander's original restaurant west of Shelbyville, KY. The Colonel and his wife used to stand in the yard of their home next door to the restaurant and greet diners there. The Colonel's menu included four entrees: fried chicken, steak, country ham and lobster. With these, he served mashed potatoes and gravy and SEVEN vegetables, passed family style. One such combination I had there was the creamed spinach, tomato pudding, mock oysters (eggplant), carrot souffle, corn pudding, green beans and Harvard beets. Instead of fresh spinach, you may use one 10 ounce package of frozen chopped spinach, but it won't be as good. Sometimes I add the onion, sometimes not. 1 lb fresh young spinach 4 slices bacon 2 T butter 2 T flour 1/2 c milk 1/2 c heavy cream Salt and white pepper 1 T grated onion (optional) Wash the spinach, remove stems and drop in briefly into a large pot of salted boiling water over high heat. When it returns to a boil, drain in a sieve and let sit while you make the sauce. If you are using frozen spinach, let it come to room temperature, you don't need to cook it. Fry bacon crisp and drain on paper towels. Melt the butter in a 1 or 1 1/2 quart saucepan over medium heat. If you are using onion, add now. Add flour, cook and stir for several minutes to remove raw taste. Add milk and cream, salt and white pepper, and stir with a whisk until it boils. Lower heat. Crumble the bacon into very tiny pieces and add. Squeeze the spinach well, with hands or in a ricer or however you prefer, and add to the sauce. Leave over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. For best flavor, refrigerate overnight and reheat. Keywords: Side, Easy, Vegetables, American ( RG730 )

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Tart From Charlie Trotter. It really is a great tart...And it's obviously a savory course not a dessert tart... DOUGH 2 c flour 1/2 tsp salt 1 c cold unsalted butter, chopped 2/3 c ice water FILLING 3 large yellow onions, julienned 2 T unsalted butter Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 lb bacon, julienned 1 egg yolk 1/2 c heavy whipping cream 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves TO PREPARE THE DOUGH: Place the flour, salt, and butter in a medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut the butter into the flour until it forms pea-sized chunks. Add the water and mix with a fork until the dough just comes together (it should have visible streaks of butter). Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. TO PREPARE THE FILLING: Cook the onions with the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionly, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the onions are golden brown and caramelized. Season with salt and pepper and cool to room temperature. Cook the bacon in a large saute' pan over medium heat, stirring occasionlly, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until crisp. Drain on paper towels and cool to room temperature. Combine the bacon with the onions. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together the egg yolks, cream, and thyme in a small bowl. TO PREPARE THE TART: On a floured surface, roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick, and then press into an 8-or9-inch tart pan, trimming any excess. Spoon the onion-bacon mixture on top of the dough, pour in the cream mixture, and top with freshly ground pepper. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until just firm to the touch and a light golden brown. Cool slightly before cutting and serving. INSIGHTS: THis tart can also be cut into 1-inch squares for canape's. To prepare the canape's ahead, cook according to above. Just prior to serving, cut the tart into 1-inch squares, place the squares on a baking sheet, and place in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, or until warm. Keywords: Appetizer, Tart, Hors d'oeuvre ( RG527 )

Sausage and Grapes Serves 4 as Appetizeror 2 as Main Dish. It's fun to watch the grapes turn into a sauce during the second half of roasting. Don't overdo it with the grapes -- if the sausages are completely immersed, they won't brown well and the grape juice won't reduce enough. The dish is best served with mashed potatoes (red potatoes, skin-on), but it also makes a good sandwich on French bread. This is not the sort of recipe that needs to be followed to the letter. You can double or triple it, or forego reducing the sauce. 4 Italian sausage links, hot or sweet (see note) 1/2 lb red seedless grapes 2 T butter 2 T balsamic vinegar salt and pepper Preheat the oven to 500 F. Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Prick the sausages several times with a fork and add to the boiling water. Reduce heat and simmer five minutes to remove some of the fat. While the sausages are simmering, remove the grapes from their stems, wash, and place in a bowl. Melt the butter and toss it with the grapes. Drain the sausages and arrange in a single layer in an 8"x8" pan. Pour the grapes over. Bake 25 minutes, turning the sausages after 15 minutes. Remove the sausages to a platter. Transfer the grapes and their juice to a skillet and reduce over high heat until syrupy. Off the heat, stir in the balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Pour the grape sauce over the sausages and serve immediately. Note: There's no substitute for pork, but our local Whole Foods sells excellent-quality chicken sausages, and we often use them in this recipe, which lightens it a bit. Keywords: Appetizer, Italian, Main Dish, Dinner, Fruit, Pork, The Daily Gullet ( RG462 )

Chipotle Bacon Cornbread Serves 6 as Side. This started out as just a scaled down version of Rachel Perlow's Skillet Cornbread With Bacon. I made a few changes along the way and the results are significantly different, hence the new recipe. This is for an 8 inch skillet. You could get away with using a 9 inch, but the bread will be thinner. Note: This is VERY spicy. If you can't handle the heat, seed the peppers. 5 slices cooked bacon, chopped 3 chipotle peppers, chopped – seed for mild 3 T butter 2/3 c yellow cornmeal 2/3 c flour 1/2 tsp tsp baking soda 1-1/4 tsp tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 1-1/2 T sugar 1 c buttermilk 1 egg Mix peppers and bacon. Set aside. Put butter in 8 inch cast iron skillet and set skillet in oven. Preheat oven to 350. While oven is preheating and butter is melting, mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix buttermilk and eggs. Gently add buttermilk and egg mixture to dry ingredients. Stir only until moist. Batter will be lumpy. Stir in bacon and chipotle mixture. Remove hot skillet of melted butter from oven. Pour cornbread batter into hot butter. Bake for 20 minutes. Keywords: Side, Hot and Spicy, Bread ( RG451 )

Fresh Breakfast Sausage 1 lb pork, boned 1 tsp pickling salt, non iodized 1/4 tsp pepper 1/2 tsp sage 1/8 tsp ginger 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1/4 tsp thyme 1/4 tsp paprika 2 fl oz water Grind pork through a 3/16" plate. Mix all other ingredients in bowl and then mix into ground meat. Chill in freezer for 30 min. Grind through 1/4" plate. If you just want bulk sausage, you can form into patties or just store in freezer bags, in freezer. If you are going to stuff..... Chill in freezer for 30 min. Stuff into sheep casings. This is no more difficult than it sounds if you know a few tricks. Just rinse about 3 feet of sheep casings in cold water and after finding the hole in one end, feed this onto the stuffing tube. Just keep sliding it on the tube until you reach the end. Tie a knot at the end and start stuffing. It is a lot easier with a helper to either keep the stuffer full or to do the stuffing. When the 3 ft casing is full, lay it out on a counter and smooth it out with the hands to a uniform thickness. About 3" from one end, pinch the casing and give the link a full twist. Pinch again about 3" from the first link and twist in the opposite direction. Continue in this manner to the end, always twisting the current link in the opposite direction from the previous. I always put the meat back into the freezer while linking just to keep it cold. Once the process is learned, you can stuff the whole batch and link them all at one time. Hang the stuffed sausage in a cool place to dry to the touch, approximately 30 minutes. Refrigerate or freeze immediately after drying. You now have your own home made sausage. All the fresh sausages are made in the same manner. Keywords: Pork ( RG406 )

Halibut & Bacon Serves 2 as Main Dish. 1 lb halibut fillet 1 tsp oil 3 bacon slices 1 garlic clove, sliced salt pepper Spread the oil on the bottom of a baking dish. Salt and pepper both sides of the halibut and place in dish. Place the garlic slices on top of fish. Top with bacon slices. Bake in a 425 oven until it's done (about 10 minutes). I use the convection fan so that the bacon crisps up nice. Keywords: Main Dish, Fish ( RG219 )

Sweet Sausage Rolls 1 pkg puff pastry or, 1 tube, crescent roll dough 24 miniature smoked sausage links 1/2 c butter, melted 1/2 c chopped nuts 3 T honey 3 T brown sugar Separate crescent rolls into triangles. Cut each length-wise into 3 triangles. If using puff pastry do the same with it. Place a sausage on the long end and roll up tightly. Set aside. Combine the remaining ingredients in an 11x7x2 in baking dish. Arrange sausage rolls, seam side down in butter mixture. Bake uncovered, at 400, for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Keywords: Hors d'oeuvre, Easy ( RG197 )

Pancetta Embossed Chicken My creation is no penicillin, ice cream cone, or Toll House cookie, but it could save your life if you are starving and has at least as many calories as the latter. There's nothing wrong with the "bacon-wrapped" motif, but its execution is so often inferior to its promise. The bacon is frequently over- or under-cooked; bacon is sliced so thick that it overwhelms whatever it is wrapping; too much bacon fat is absorbed; and so on. Here's a technique that avoids all of these problems and pairs bacon with one of its ideal partners: chicken skin. It started with a recipe for "Chicken with Pancetta and Balsamic Vinegar" from Mark Bittman’s column in the New York Times. I halved the ingredients and used chicken thighs, and it was quite good. But the best part by far was that bits of pancetta had been caught under the chicken while it was browning. They had become fused with the chicken skin! The crispy chicken-bacon, combined with the tender meat, made for a terrific eating experience. Again this triumph was an accident. I had been trying to avoid the bacon bits when I put the chicken into the pan, figuring I'd end up with a pancetta-laden pan sauce. Good thing I blew it. Unfortunately, because I had chopped the pancetta, these moments of glory were rare. I wanted all of the chicken skin to be bacon-infused. The solution was obvious: give each thigh its own slice of pancetta. It requires no more bacon than the original recipe, but it all ends up in exactly the right place. If you put this stuff in a plastic pouch at the 7-Eleven, it would put jerky out of business. Plus it's my recipe so I get to give it a ridiculous name. 4 chicken thighs (bone in, skin on) 4 slices of Pancetta, round and thin 1 T olive oil salt and pepper Place the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook a few seconds until translucent. Add chicken skin-side down, placing each thigh directly onto a pancetta slice. Reduce heat to medium. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook 15 minutes or until bacon and skin are well browned. Turn chicken and add a bit more pepper. Cook until underside is browned and chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Alternatively turn the chicken, transfer the pan to a 400-degree oven, and bake until cooked through (about 10 minutes, but check around the bone for pinkness and pull it as soon as it's cooked through). If you're using the oven, you may want to transfer the chicken to a foil-lined jelly roll pan so that you can use the skillet to make a pan sauce. For the pan sauce: pour off most of the chicken fat, deglaze with 1/2 cup white wine, reduce by half, and season with salt and pepper. Off the heat, add a pat of butter and a tablespoon of white wine vinegar. Pool it under the chicken -- you worked hard for that crispy skin, and it would be a shame to spoil it now just because you were feeling saucy. Serve on hot plates with mashed potatoes or egg noodles and your choice of vegetable. Keywords: Chicken, Main Dish, Intermediate, Dinner, Italian, The Daily Gullet ( RG191 )

Mezze Rigatoni con Pancetta i Cipolla Verde Serves 2 as Main Dishor 4 as Appetizer. This is a variation on Mamster's Pasta Bible Pasta. 1 pkg Mezze Rigatoni Pasta 1 bunch of scallions (green onion) 2 T butter 1/2 bunch of Italian (flat leaf) Parsley 2 beaten eggs 1/2 c grated parmigiano reggiano cheese salt to taste pepper to taste 1/4 lb chopped pancetta Fill a stockpot with water and bring to boil. While pot is heating up, Cook and brown 1/4 lb of chopped Pancetta in the pan in its own juices for 5 minutes on medium heat, then add the chopped scallions and butter and cook for 12 minutes on low heat. Cook the pasta in boiling water (salted) for 8 minutes. Transfer contents of pan to a plastic or metal mixing bowl. Let cool until merely warm (5 minutes; the exact temperature isn't critical as long as it won't fry the eggs) and stir in the beaten eggs, a LOT of cracked pepper, parsley, and cheese. Toss with the pasta and then serve. Keywords: Appetizer, Dinner, Main Dish, Intermediate, Italian, Pasta, Pork ( RG170 )

Skillet Cornbread with Bacon Serves 12 as Side. Here's a link to the Corn Bread, Baked in a skillet thread. Ingredient Notes: 1) Instead of buttermilk you can use 1-1/4 cup milk + 1/4 cup plain Yogurt or Sour Cream) – I like to use sour cream and skim milk. 2) About the Sugar: use 1-3 Tbs, depending on how sweet, or not, you like your cornbread. 3) Optional ingredients: corn kernels, shredded cheese, chopped sautéed hot peppers, chopped cilantro 2 Slices Bacon 1 c Yellow Stone-ground Cornmeal 1 c All-Purpose Flour 3/4 tsp Baking Soda 2 tsp Baking Powder 1-1/2 tsp Salt 3/4 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper 2 T Sugar 1 Egg, lightly beaten 1-1/2 c Buttermilk (see note above for substitutions) Heat the oven to 350°F. Place cast iron skillet over low heat and slowly cook the bacon. Occasionally stir and slice the bacon (I use 2 knives) until the bacon is crisp and the fat has rendered, then place pan in the oven (leave the crumbled bacon & grease in the pan). While bacon is cooking, sift together the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar and pepper. In a second bowl, combine the egg and milk. When the bacon is done and the skillet is in the oven, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients along with any optional additions (see notes), and stir to mix fairly well. Quickly open the oven and pour the batter into the skillet and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Turn the cornbread out on a rack so it doesn't get soggy as it cools. Picture Credit and Bacon Notes: Thanks to eGullet member claire797 for the great picture. She pointed out that leaving the bacon in the skillet creates a "bacony crust." If you want the bacon mixed through the bread then remove & drain the bacon (leaving the grease in the skillet), crumble and mix into the batter before pouring it into the pan. Also, please note that the size of your skillet will affect how long the cornbread takes to bake. The pictured skillet is 8" in diameter and took 25 minutes to bake. I cook mine in a larger skillet, the bread is only about 1 1/2" in the center when done and takes about 18-20 mintues to bake. Keywords: Side, Intermediate, Snack, Dinner, Lunch, Pork, Bread, American, Barbeque ( RG163 )

Today, The Minimalist column by Mark Bittman extols the joys of homemade flavor-infused oils, without regard to the food safety issues inherent in taking foods known to carry C botulinum spores and placing them in the low-acid, anaerobic environments in which they thrive. Do they not have fact-checkers or nutritionists or someone check these articles? This is a basic issue covered in the ServSafe exam, and in health code requirements in most US states. HERE is a link to more detailed info, written by scientists.

I couldn't find a topic dedicated to lamb bacon in a quick search, so here goes . . . I ordered two lamb breasts from one of my Reading Terminal Market butchers in Philadelphia, and for less than $16 got two breasts with the bones removed (reserved for scotch broth or grilled riblets for nibbling - there's still a little meat left). I followed the simple recipe from Mark Bittman's blog (contributed by Danny Meyer, from a recipe from his colleague Brian Mayer; you can find it here). It's two cups salt, one cup sugar, coat the meat, wrap and let it sit in the fridge for 2-4 days until firm. (Mine took four.) Then roast at 250F until you hit internal temp of 140F. I failed to correct for my inaccurate oven, so I overcooked a bit and didn't pull the breasts until they hit 180F. But they were still delicious. Here are the before and after cooking photos:

I found two quart jars with Confit of Toulouse sausages cover in oil that have been in the spare refrigerator. I am fixing to convert it into a curing chamber for some fermented sausages and wonder whether I should keep or toss these sausages. Paula's book says they will keep for two or three months, but I think it's been closer to six. Thumbs up....or down?

My battles with green mold are well documented here. For example, I present a few sticks of particularly memorable sopressata: Following the advice of basically every book ever published in English on the subject, in which green mold = deadly, horrible failure, I tossed them out. There are a few exceptions out there; members here mention washing it off and rehanging it, but only at the early stages. Shortly after that disappointment, I went to Barcelona, where I had this experience: Still no answers. Fast forward to August 2009. Chris Hennes and I are hitting the outer boroughs in search of good food, and we arrive here. The justly famous Calabria Pork Store, on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. The place is the holy shrine of cured pork on the east coast, and it smells hog heavenly. Hundreds of sausages, sides of pork, hams, you name it are hanging overhead. However, when you walk a bit closer to the product, you see this: These sausages weren't speckled with green mold; they didn't have a bit here and there. Most of the product in room was coated 40-50% with fuzzy, green to blue mold. Our jaws dropped. We asked the counter person three or four different times what the story was, and he looked at us like we were nuts. We got the sort of reaction you'd get if you tried to ask a crab on the ocean floor why it was so humid around here. Meanwhile, Hennes and I ate about as much of the free sample plate as we could eat without being arrested. The stuff is fantastic: funky, rich, deep flavor that only the best cured pork gets. And we're not dead. Something, clearly, is going on, and I'm hellbent on getting to the bottom of it. Here are my questions: 1. What, exactly, is this "fuzzy green mold"? What distinguishes "fuzzy green mold" from "chalky white mold"? 2. What effects do these molds have? How do you determine which effects are detrimental, beneficial, or both? 3. If, as all the books indicate, this "fuzzy green mold" is so terrible for you, why in the world is a premier salumeria displaying it overhead for all the world to see? For starters, does anyone have any access to actual facts?

A friend posed a question on summer sausage. He said his jalapeno summer sausage did not hold its shape well, and he used fresh jalapenos. I think using pickled jalapenos would be a better solution. Any advice would be great; thanks.

I was in Wells next the Sea today and came accross http://de-lish.co.uk/ a small shop in Staithe St, run by an enthusiast. They make and cure their own salami and other meats. They use Cley smokehouse for smoking some. I had excellent rilletes, salami, "stouties" (beef, vegetable sausage cured in stout) etc The enterprise deserves support

I made it this weekend to the Distinti Salumi festival in Cagli. Had I been more aware of its breadth, I would have posted an alert. In addition to the multitude of vendors, there were talks, exhibits, and related events. There were also four tasting rooms set up, one each for salumi interi, cotti, crudi and particolari. Great handouts and signage. It was just a really well done festival. There was an unbelievable bounty. I took home lots of fat – a creamy lardo macellato from Lecce, herby pestàt from Fagagna in Friuli, and a beautiful piece of lardo di colonnata from, well, Colonnata (so now I know that Colonnata is a place, not a style -- I usually see it without the "di"; the vendor had a great book showing the traditional vessels used to make the lardo). Plus a nice hunk of guanciale from a local Cagli producer, lamb salame from Holland, and a spicy, chunky bad boy from Abruzzo. Diverse selection of cheeses (mostly pecorino), too. I bought a piece of delicious pecorino trombaitolo, which the Puglian vendor had enticingly labelled the "viagra di una volta". Also various grilled meats. I had some very slow-cooked cinta senese from a local farmer that was unbelievable: just about the opposite of porchetta, it was soft as butter and virtually unspiced. Berkel had a display of restored slicers from the early 1900s. And then there was the exhibit "Women and Pigs". If only the photographer would have found a way to include my other two food groups: cigarettes and gin . . . (glossy format made for fuzzy pix). Cagli's a picturesque town, and the surrounding countryside is beautiful. It's worth the trip. I'll try to remember to post a reminder for next year's fest.

[Moderator note: The original Cooking with Ruhlman & Polcyn's "Charcuterie" topic became too large for our servers to handle efficiently, so we've divided it up; the preceding part of this discussion is here: Cooking with Ruhlman & Polcyn's "Charcuterie" (Part 6)] Duck prosciutto.

[Moderator note: The original Cooking with Ruhlman & Polcyn's "Charcuterie" topic became too large for our servers to handle efficiently, so we've divided it up; the preceding part of this discussion is here: Cooking with Ruhlman & Polcyn's "Charcuterie" (Part 3)] Damned you Ruhman! I just ordered Kinsella, Grigson, and Bertolli's books. (all your fault) It's not bad enough that after finishing Reach I had to go out and buy replacement copies of Making and Soul (loaned out and never returned) and now you tell me I'm going to have to buy ANOTHER copy of Charcuterie too! Sheesh!

I made a confit of 4 duck legs a few weeks ago and had kept them covered in fat in the fridge. This past weekend my fridge went belly up. I put the pot on a covered poarch but the daytime temps have reached into the 60's F. While I know that confit is a method of preservation, has the time spent over 40F spoiled my product? Any advice here?

Hi all, Here's a question, is there any culture that has used extra virgin olive oil to confit meat rather than it's own fat/lard, etc? Perhaps this has been done somewhere in one of the cuisines of the Mediterranean? I love the flavor of evoo, probably more than most animal fats, and I'm wondering if throwing some lean pork in a big pot of seasoned olive oil (pepper, garlic, various herbs, etc) and slowly cooking it at a low temp would result in something as delicious as the normal confit de porc? Aside from it being a bit cost-prohibitive due to the price of good evoo, is there any good reason not to try this? Have any of you tried it before? Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

I tend to lose all self-control when I go to Sam's. The end result is that I now have a cup and a half of clean bacon fat that I don't know what to do with. So far the only thing that has occured to me is to fry some potatoes with it. Thoughts?