As a chef I have a continuous pursuit for knowledge both to create a solid foundation for my craft and secondly to provide an environment to teach and inspire young cooks.  It is this belief which caused me to ask, can I pass along a simple yet informative understanding in regards to the buying, handling, shelf life and serving of salami?  The traditions and history of the Volpi family would be an excellent source of information and provide backup to my current knowledge, readings and reference books.

In the search for quality artisan salami to purchase, one must keep in mind a few key elements starting with the producer itself.  Volpi Foods maintains a long standing tradition for searching out the highest quality ingredients; using local hog farmers to supply their pork provides an excellent foundation for their artisan salami.  The other ingredients are kept simple and straightforward including salt, sugar, spices and starter culture.  A natural casing is imperative to allow for ideal curing and fermentation which in turn develops character and the depth of flavor.  The artisan salami will have a light coating of white mold covering the casing along with uniformity from end to end.

The flavor and texture are the last and certainly not least in gauging quality artisan salami.  The texture is checked by applying slight pressure to the salame, a firm yet soft feel tells us proper curing has taken place. Aroma can be defined with multiple levels of sensory hits starting with sweetness of the pork then moving into the added spices and fermentation all of which provides each salame its unique character.    Flavor should be relative to the aroma by providing balance between pork and spices along with depth created during the curing process.  Once the salami is sliced texture can be determined first by a visual inspection to show uniform distribution of pork, pork fat and spices.  The secondary test happens by tasting, the salami should not have a greasy mouth feel and flavors should evenly coat the palate.

We still need to cover the handling, storage and ideal serving conditions of artisan salami.  I look forward to passing along my experience, personal thoughts and tips in tomorrow’s blog.

Grazie mille,

Chef Michael