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Burning Question: Are Salumi & Charcuterie the Same Thing?

YumSugar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:30:47 -0700

With cured meats making a comeback, it's common to see charcuterie and salumi platters on restaurant menus across the country. But are charcuterie and salumi the same thing? What about salumi and salami?

While charcuterie and salumi share many similarities - both are cured meats, and both maximize the use of every part of the animal - they're not the same thing. Charcuterie, a French term, typically refers to cooked meats such as pâtés. The Italian equivalent of charcuterie is referred to as affettati, while salumi generally refers to salted and dry-cured meats. Salame (plural is salami) is a cured sausage made from ground pork, and is a type of salumi.

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Rock Star Sting Produces Fields of Gold

YumSugar — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 09:00:58 -0700

Meet Sting, Grammy-winning singer, songwriter - and organic farmer.

Last night at a town theater in Figline Valdarno, Italy, the rock star opened up about his 300-hectare Tuscan estate, which includes a 100 percent organic farm. There, he produces extra virgin olive oil, chestnut and acacia honey, fruits, vegetables, jam, salami, and other food products that are popular among fellow Tuscans.

"I came here and I decided to stay and be a farmer, because I wanted to nourish my family with genuine quality products in a healthy environment," the singer explained. "With this business in Tuscany I am trying to help myself and those who are close to me to live better in a natural context."

The celebrity also spoke about another highly anticipated product of his estate: his own label of wines, scheduled to roll out in September. The line will include a Chianti and a Toscana made primarily from Sangiovese grapes grown on his estate. The first release will be 30,000 bottles of 2007 vintage that have been cellared for two years.

Although I knew Sting was a notable environmental activist, I must admit that I had no idea he had a 100 percent organic farm that produced goods such as olive oil and salami. Would you buy Sting's wine to support his efforts?

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Three-Cheese Calzones

partysugar — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 06:45:38 -0800

While I enjoy homemade pizzas, I rarely think of whipping up calzones. However, the classic cousin to pizza is incredibly simple, quick, and satisfying to make. This recipe takes refrigerated pizza dough and stuffs it with ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses, fresh spinach, and thinly sliced salami. The marinara sauce is served on the side for dipping. Like pizza, the possible filling combinations are virtually endless, so adapt this recipe to suit your family's liking. It's a great way to use up leftover cheese, meat, and vegetables.

To learn the technique for making calzones, read more.

Three-Cheese Calzones
From Real Simple

Ingredients

1 pound refrigerated pizza dough
1 cup fresh ricotta
1 cup grated mozzarella (4 ounces)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (1 ounce)
1 bunch spinach, thick stems removed and roughly chopped (5 cups)
Black pepper
1/4 pound thinly sliced salami
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup jarred marinara sauce, warmed

Directions

Heat oven to 400° F.
On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 4 equal portions and roll and stretch them* into 8-inch rounds.
In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, spinach, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Layer the salami on one side of each round of dough and top with the cheese mixture. Fold the dough over the filling and pinch the edges to seal.
Brush the tops of the calzones with the oil. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve with the sauce.

Serves 4.

*If the dough is too elastic and shrinks back when you roll it flat into full rounds, let it rest for 15 minutes before trying again.

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 664; FAT 36g (sat 14g); CHOLESTEROL 76mg; CARBOHYDRATE 60g; CALORIES FROM FAT 49%; SODIUM 1359mg; PROTEIN 31g; FIBER 5g; SUGAR 7g

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'Wich of the Week: The Ex-Boyfriend at Ike's Place

YumSugar — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 14:00:41 -0700

I love Ike's Place so much that I could start a 'Wich of the Week spinoff devoted solely to sandwiches from Ike's. I was hesitant to write about my new favorite sandwich place in San Francisco, since the lines are long enough already. But keeping the enormous, palate-entertaining creations to myself wouldn't be in the spirit of sandwich love.

Opened a year ago, Ike's is a tiny storefront in the Castro neighborhood, barely big enough to accommodate its sizable staff - making sandwiches this well is no easy task - and massive menu of 50-plus sandwiches with playful names like Nacho Boy (hot roast beef, mushrooms, avocado, and swiss) and the Paul Reubens (a take on the Reuben with poppy-seed coleslaw). Priced between $7 and $9, these are some of the largest sandwiches I've ever eaten; if I have one for lunch, I'm hardly hungry for dinner. But that's not even a taste of why I like Ike's. To count the ways, read more.

I have sampled several sandwiches from Ike's, all of which come with lettuce, tomato, and onions. My favorite so far is We're Just Friends, which features shredded chicken cooked in a sweet orange glaze, contrasted with avocado and pepperjack. On my most recent trip, I tried the similar but not quite as transcendent That's Too Bad (above), with chicken, spicy lime fajita sauce, mushrooms, and pepperjack, as well as today's featured sandwich, the Ex-Boyfriend, with salami, bacon, avocado, and cheddar. I've whipped up a recipe below, but first, here's are five reasons that Ike's is awesome.

The rolls - your choice of French, sourdough, wheat, or Dutch crunch - aren't baked until you order your sandwich, so they are fresh beyond belief.
Before baking, the rolls are spread with "dirty sauce," a homemade garlic and herb aioli. It's very subtle but adds a perfect little kick.
The ingredients are first-rate. The shredded chicken is so moist, I could eat a plate of it, and the avocados are always perfectly ripe.
The French fries are to die for. They're medium-cut but with a crust like curly fries that tastes vaguely of chipotle.
The staff is super nice. Clearly they care a lot about sandwiches, so they are happy to help you make a decision about which of the sandwiches suits you best.

View 5 Photos ›

For a sandwich lover like myself, Ike's is something of an obsession. But I'll try to refrain from letting it take over 'Wich of the Week. I haven't quite figured out how Ike's makes its sammies (for instance, does it put them back in the oven after assembling them?) but here's an approximation of the Ex-Boyfriend to try at home.

Salami and Bacon on Dutch Crunch
Inspired by Ike's Place

Ingredients

1 Dutch crunch or French roll
2 tablespoons of garlic aioli
2-3 slices of cheddar cheese
Thinly sliced red onion, to taste
1/4 cup iceberg lettuce, shredded
1/2 avocado, sliced
3 slices of tomato, thinly sliced
8 slices of high-quality salami
6 strips of bacon, cooked

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Slice Dutch crunch or French roll in half horizontally, and coat the inside of the roll on both sides with garlic aioli.
Lay sliced cheddar on bottom half, and toast in the oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Remove from oven. On top of the cheese, arrange onions, lettuce, avocado, tomato, salami, and bacon.
Place the top half of the roll onto the stack of ingredients, cut in half, and serve immediately.

Makes one sandwich.

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A Marble Floor Made of . . . Salami?

YumSugar — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 11:15:09 -0700

I was checking out one of my favorite websites when I came across some gasp-worthy food art. Belgian contemporary artist Wim Delvoye has created a marble floor with salami. Upon first sight of the piece, I was simultaneously wowed by the Delvoye's creativity and . . . hungry.

I already consider food art, but this installation made me consider art as food. Alas, it turns out the patterns are actually made of C prints of the meat (not actual meat) so it couldn't be eaten anyway. What do you think of it? Would you want an inedible marble salami floor?

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Antipasto Salad

partysugar — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 06:45:42 -0700

Packed with cheese, olives, and salumi, an antipasto platter is one of my favorite Italian appetizers. So imagine how excited I was when I discovered this recipe for an antipasto salad!!

Fresh balls of mozzarella mingle with salami, olives, and pepperoncini in this hearty, crunchy salad. Be sure to serve it with a chunk of ciabatta to sop up the vinegary dressing. A cold Italian white is also a lovely companion to this delicious dish.

For the recipe, read more.

Antipasto Salad
From Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients

3 tablespoons green-olive tapenade from a jar
1/4 cup peperoncini-stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups bocconcini (about 9 ounces)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 small head of iceberg lettuce, halved, cored and finely shredded (4 cups)
6 ounces thinly sliced Genoa salami, cut into thin strips (1 1/2 cups)
6 small basil leaves
1/2 cup green olives, such as Lucques or Picholine

Directions

In a medium bowl, mix the green-olive tapenade with the peperoncini and 1/4 cup of the oil. Add the bocconcini and toss.
In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice with the vinegar, garlic and oregano. Whisk in the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil and season the dressing with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, combine the shredded lettuce and salami. Add the marinated bocconcini and half of the dressing and toss well.
Transfer the antipasto salad to a large platter. Top with the basil and olives.
Drizzle the remaining dressing around the salad and serve at once.

Serves 8.

Make ahead: the recipe can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated overnight.

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Yummy Links: From Joey Chestnut to Hell's Kitchen

partysugar — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 09:00:36 -0700

Learn how competitive eater and Nathan's Hot Dog champ Joey Chestnut eats 15 pounds of hot dogs. - Time
Why Americans are crazy for all things bacon. - Salon
Speaking of America, here are ten foods only Americans could have invented. - Endless Simmer
Yesterday sliced bread turned 80. - SlashFood
Looking for good barbecue? Try one of these twelve restaurants. - Concierge
Disgusting: the world's worst eating contests. - Esquire
For my next party I plan on making these adorable, tasty looking salami cones. - Janet is Hungry
Eleven foods to add to your grocery list. - FitSugar
It's confirmed: the winner of Hell's Kitchen will be one of 65 chefs in Ramsay's kitchen and is only 'executive chef' by title. - Serious Eats

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'Wich of the Week: Salami and Pickle Party Sub

YumSugar — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:00:18 -0700

Perhaps it's no surprise that when I host a party, I like to serve some type of sandwich. (You know, like a Caesar wrap at an Ides of March party.) The easiest thing to do is make one long party sub then slice it into individual servings. If you're serving the sandwich as a way to soak up booze (which is often the case at my parties), you can't go wrong with a salty but simple combination of salami, cheese, and pickles.

Though rather minimalist in its ingredients, this sub is incredibly easy to prepare, and your guests will gobble it up. Plus, the lack of any wet components, aside from a smear of mustard, means no messy sauces dripping all over your house. The crunchy pickles, creamy cheese, and decadent salami keep the sandwich from being dry. To get the recipe, read more.

Salami and Pickle Party Sub
Original recipe

Ingredients

2 rustic baguettes, sliced lengthwise
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 pound salami
1 8-oz. pack of presliced sharp cheddar cheese
60 bread-and-butter pickle slices for sandwiches

Directions

Coat the bottom half of each baguette with 1 1/2 tablespoons mustard (or more to taste).
Evenly distribute the salami over the mustard-coated slices, so that you have a single layer of salami on each baguette.
Cut each cheese slice diagonally in half to make two triangles. Distribute the cheese triangles evenly atop the salami.
Arrange the pickle slices on top of the cheese, so there is a single layer of pickles covering the cheese.
Top each ingredient-covered slice with the other half of baguette.
Slice each loaf into 10 servings and lay on a platter.

Serves 20.

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YumSugar Gift Guide: Love Thy Neighbor

YumSugar — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 07:57:11 -0800

Every year, my mom gives a big box of cookies to all of her friends, neighbors and clients. I know because I spend the better half of a weekend curling ribbons for all of the packages. This year I'm helping her branch out of her comfort zone and have come up with a few fun ideas for her neighbors. She can present them with a cute set of holiday spatulas or she can update her tradition with a box of French-Style Macaroons. Either gift will definitely be well received. If you're looking for something for your neighbors, scroll through the list below.

Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut ($18.99)	Holiday Spatulas Set ($19.95)
Red Fire Chocolate Tortilla Chips ($20)	Fig Balsamic Vinegars ($21.95)
French-Style Macaroons ($32)	NapaStyle Artisnal Salame Set & Cave a Saucisson ($36-$69)

What Is Your Favorite Deli Meat?

partysugar — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 10:57:32 -0800