If you would like to add authentic Italian cooking to your food repetoire then look no further than Salumi, where you can learn how best to dry cure your own meat…
Salumi: The Craft of Italian Dry Curing
by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn, WW Norton, ?25 (hardback)
From the authors of Charcuterie comes this comprehensive book detailing the traditional processes of Italian dry curing. It?s not for the fainthearted ? with even a chapter on how best to butcher a pig ? but for those seeking specialist knowledge it is an incomparable resource. Initially the authors lead you through the terminology and logistics of dry curing, with cuts of the pig explained in full detail. Then comes the real fun ? experimenting with alternative meats (such as goose, duck or lamb), how best to serve your spoils, and recipes for the ultimate salumi salutation. Expect to see a multitude of variations, some classical in approach and some delightfully more unusual. The layout is simple and unfussy ? with only a smattering of photographs ? but the delivery of expert advice from these two authors is more than worth it. As they say in the book, making prosciutto is a ?near religious experience? for some ? and if you are of the same ilk then this hefty book is the perfect companion.