2 hours ago, TdeV said:Could you tell me how I inquire from a bacon purveyor about the level of smoke in their bacon?
I'd like to share my experience with you. It's two words: pancetta affumicata.
Some time ago, I purchased pancetta from a local charcuterie, Fra' Mani. I did so because I had enjoyed their other products, and when I tried the pancetta, I was surprised by the lightly smoked flavor it had. I didn't know that pancetta was available as a smoked product. I've since discovered a few other brands of smoked pancetta and have tried a couple. The ones I tried were also lightly smoked ... a whisper of smoke.
I don't know how you can get an answer to your question other than by trying and tasting the product, but my experience thus far with smoked pancetta is that it's far less smokey than conventional bacon. AFAIK, you'd have to experiment to get your answer and find the level of smokiness and flavor you prefer. Were it practical, I'd send you a chub of the Fra' Mani ...
