5446 l LoOnNgGisISlLaAnNdDpPrReEsSSs.C.cOoMm •• S EPSEPTTEEMMBBEERR 22001177 46 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • SEPTEMBER 2017 46 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • SEPTEMBER 201TUTU111
FOOD
High on the hog
Charcuterie is not as offal a thing as you might have heard
If you lean vegan, you’ll want to
turn the page. This is all about
meat, overwhelmingly pork,
smoked and air-cured and terrined,
whole legs and loins and, oh yes,
the nasty bits, ground and spiced
and packed into the pig’s own
plumbing.
The French call it charcuterie, from
an archaic expression meaning
“cooked flesh.” In Italian it’s salumi,
honoring the Latin word for salt,
the world’s preservative for more
than 6,000 years.
(They say aufschnitten in Berlin,
further proof that German is not a
Romance Language.)
While preserved meats never fell
out of favor at ethnic delicatessens,
they have staged a spirited comeback
at white-tablecloth restaurants
and discerning homes, where the
charcuterie board has become de rigueur
at cocktail parties and casual
get-togethers.
Purists stick to meats, served with
bread, mustard and an acidic component
like cornichons or pickled
onions, sometimes offset with figs
or grapes or preserves. But growing
numbers of restaurants and
home foodies have merged their
charcuterie with the cheese board,
producing groaning platters that
add cow and sheep cheeses, olives,
nuts, rillettes, patés and more.
Locally, you’ll find hog heaven at
Mirabelle in Stony Brook, Publicans
in Manhasset and the sister
bars Salumi Tapas and Plancha
Tapas, the first in Massapequa, the
second in Garden City.
Another standout: Tullulah’s in Bay
Shore, where there are more than a
dozen possible additions, including
everything from duck prosciutto to
pickled brussel sprouts.
Planning to build your own
“board” for a coming soiree, or
simply heading to the deli for an
Italian sandwich? Here’s what you
need to know.
Mortadella: Made from finely
ground pork and the pig’s neck fat,
mortadella is traditionally studded
with pistachios and black peppercorns
and sweetened with nutmeg
and myrtle berries. A staple of
Bologna, mortadella is the artisanal
masterpiece from which the American
lunchbox sandwich devolved.
Prosciutto: The most famous variety,
di Parma, has a slightly sweet
and nutty flavor; di San Daniele is
sweeter and darker in color.
Salami Piccante: This is what
Americans call pepperoni. Made
in Calabria, it gets its flavor and
color from red peppers and paprika.
Usually made from pork, but
everything from beef and boar to
goat and donkey – sorry, Eeyore –
have occasionally made their way
into the mix.
And remember: Salami is salumi
but not necessarily the other way
around.
Soppressata: Originally from
southern Italy, this dry-cured
sausage was initially made principally
from pork, although it has
picked up numerous regional riffs
on its trip north, including hot
peppers in Calabria, extra lard in
Puglia and, in Tuscany, a makeover
that swapped out choice cuts for
trimmings.