Preserving the Italian Way

Sardines are Back

Fantastic news.. Over 15 yrs ago , all the sardines in Port Phillip Bay were killed off by a fungus, introduced into the bay by ballast water from Japan. Well guess what... Nature has fought back and this year we have fresh sardines cought in the bay again.

So over the last week I have been salting 5 kg of fresh sardines. They are a little small but I know they will be fantastic . Just follow the recipie in the book. You will never buy anouther tinned anchovy in tasteless vegitable oil that was packed who knows where , who knows when ( that sounds like a lyric to a song.. maybe a swan song) .

Give it a try . It really is easy.

Bocca al lupo.

Salami poacher caught

A salami poacher was caught trying to pinch my salami's! This is what happened to him...

What to do after the Salamis are hanging.

Well the salamis are drying well. They have developed a luxuriant layer of mould...This is good.. and I have wiped it off with a rag soaked in vinegar and olive oil.

In the fields, my wife and I have begun to prune our 600 grape vines. This cold weather is good for the vines as it helps decrease disease. We are only 1/2 way through but will be finished before bud-burst in August.

Our neighbour brought us 6 lts of fresh, unpaturized milk from her cow. Lynn wanted some ricotta so we made that as well as some Halloumi..a Cypriot cheeze that is great in polpetti and frittata as well as the traditional method of frying the cheese and eating it hot on some crusty bread, with a drizzle of our own Olive Oil.

We also planted 2 apricot trees and I took a scion cutting from the plum tree to graft in September..all is proceeding well.

Well, must move on..I sold my first 2 books on line..very exciting !!!

Lynn just asked me whether anyone reads this. How do I know!! If there is anyone out there, drop me a line.

My compare has asked me to make him a wood fired oven. I will keep you posted with some photos.

Sta bonu.

Pietro

Well...we are in the middle of SALAMI Season

What a great week end. We were able to procure a free range pig and as we walked out of the butcher with a 120kg pig on our shoulders, the people parted and stood in awe (and total disbelief) as we loaded the pig into the back of the car. The legs did not fully fit in so we had to leave the boot open!!

It was a miserable cold wet day;  just the right conditions for Salami making.

From the 120 kg we made about 12 kg of preserving sausages, 6 Kg of fresh sausages (less salty for eating fresh) about 6 kg of liver sausages and 30 salami, 4 Cotechine and 4 large sopprezze (Finocchiona).  I also made a couple of Capocolli and 2 pancette. The head was turned into coppa.

It was a great day with my compare. Everyone had and opinion of how to do it best, but as always Calabria won over Veneto, Puglia and Campania.  After working in the morning we stopped for a lovely plate of Past'e Fasoulu with some freshly stewed Costate and bones generally. Absolutely chop licking.   

The salami e salciccie are all now in the cellar and on Wednesday I will finish off the Capocolle and Pancette. In case anyone is tempted to do a "mid night tasting" I have the place booby trapped and the last transgressor is now up on my trophy wall!!

Trimming the Prosciutto                   Course mincing for the Calabrese salami

Mixing the Meat                                     The essential ingredient

Filling the lamb bungs                            A finished Salami

Tying-off the liver sausages                    Liver and fresh Tuscan sausages

Sausages and Cotechine                                Men at work

the new blog

it is almost ready  I just have to have something to eat

Scusi per l'attesa, ecco il mio piatto.