This week is Pork and Charcuterie week. On Monday we had five sides of pork in our kitchen and we broke them down into primary cuts and then secondary cuts. Since then we have been deboning ducks and cornish game hens, saving livers, hearts, gizzards and rendering fat to make all of our artisanal terrines, pâtés, ballottines, galantines, mousses, mousselines, rillettes and parfaits. Sound confusing? To most it is, but all it comes down to is using as much of the animal (pork, poultry, fish) as possible, transforming it into different textures and creating great art forms out of it. At the same time most of this meat is in a form that will keep for a long time.
Charcuterie comes from the French word “chair” which means flesh (meat) and the verb “cuire” which means to cook. In France, this line of work was and still is a highly sophisticated trade. A Charcutière preserves meat through curing, brining, smoking and other methods of cooking. The process became more of an artform as the charcutière developed their skills. Eventually they even started bringing the meat to the people. They became Traiteurs or Caterers. Charcuterie also encompasses other forms of meat preserves not to be forgotten such as sausages, bacon, prosciutto, and ham.
At the end of the week we are going to make platters of all our efforts. I will try and remember my camera…