eating (much as I love ’em)? Once you understand the basic
principles of sausage making and have a handle on the
technique, there’s no limit to your creativity. You like the
flavor of juniper and cinnamon with venison? Go ahead and
make a warm-spiced venison sausage. Broccoli rabe and
cheese with chicken? No problem: Or how about just some
garlic and parsley with pork? Yep, you can do that too.

THE CRAFT OF THE CURE

You remember that scene in the teen movie when

the  shy,    nerdy   girl    in  the     glasses     that    none    of  the

boys    really  wants   to  talk    to  gets    a   makeover,   trades

in  the specs   for contacts,   throws  on  a   dress,  and is

suddenly     the     hottest     one     at  the     prom?   Well,   that

never    happens     in  real    life.   But     how’s   this    for     an

awesome transformation: turning the tough,  sinewy

back    leg of  a   pig into    silky,  rich,   sweet   prosciutto, or

the  fatty,  squishy     belly   into    smoky,  crisp   strips  of

bacon?  That    is  the craft   of  curing, and it’s    one of  the

pinnacles   of  cuisine.

There’s  often   confusion   as  to  exactly     what

“curing”    means   when    it  comes   to  meat.   Curing  is  the

act of  preserving  meat    or  fish    through the use of  one

of   three   methods:    chemical    cures,  smoking,    or

dehydration/fermentation.   It  is  these   three   processes

that     are     responsible     for     the     incredible  array   of