My fiance just returned from several weeks in Italy. Among the places she visited was Sudtirol, or South Tyrol in the Alto Adige region. Now, I was aware that there are various geographical influences throughout the country. Whether it be an African influence in Sicily, or Slavic in Friulli, or Swiss in the Piedmont, etc. What I didn't know, until I researched prior to her departure, is HOW dominant the German influence is in this particular region. I know it was annexed in 1918, but still remains very German. Why is this so fascinating is I have a German name and have blonde hair and blue eyes. Yet, as I've written in the past, I spent a good deal of time in my youth with my immigrant southern Italian grandparents. I even learned to speak the language. Delving into the cuisine of the Sudtirol, I made a huge discovery. This is a cuisine of BACON! My fiance brought home a tiny little cookbook, called "Tyrolean Specialties." In it, I would say 80% of the savory recipes call for bacon, or some type of cured pork product. Amazing. Speck, speck and more speck. This picture of a mountain of speck was taken during a "speckfest." They call everything speck, I guess, and smoke everything. Speck bacon, speck ham, speck loin, and a smoked sausage called Kamminwurzen(see 3rd
picture below). Canederli, or Tyrolean gnocchi, or bread dumplings made with stale bread. Lots of crauti(sauerkraut), the use of caraway and rye bread. I figured that this is a way for me to leave my comfort zone, while still staying inside my little box(geographically, at least). Being that resources about this region and cuisine are extremely limited, I hope that there can be some outside contributions. Also, failed to mention initially. I cured(or attempted) my first meat of this style. I cured a pork loin for lonzino. It was cured with caraway, juniper and anise seed.
Oh YUM!
ReplyDeleteI love speck!!!
I can't wait to see how this all unfolds. Am very intrigued by the Tyrolean gnocchi and would love to know more about it.
Yes, Porsha, I'm very excited to start making new salumi. Tyrolean gnochhi, or Canederli, are just bread dumplings. There are many forms of them. I made some the other day, they were stale bread, eggs, milk, parsley and some of my bacon. Served with some brown butter and asiago.
ReplyDeleteI was an exchange student in southern Germany (where I met the lady who is now my wife) and I became a big fan of the smoked and cured meats, including speck. This year, on her annual trip back to visit with her family, I had her bring me a number of German languange meat curing books. I have only attempted a couple of cured meats (pastrami and Canadian bacon), but speck is high on my list of things to try. If I can be of help by providing any information that may be in these books and that may be useful, please let me know.
ReplyDeleteRandal, that would be awesome. I would really like speck and kamminwurzen to start with. Anything you can provide me with would be great, thanks.
ReplyDeleteScott, I love the wines from the Alto Adige, particularly those by J. J. Hofstatter! The speck I've had, aus Osterreich gekommen, is similar to our smoked bacon, but much denser, as if it's air-dried for quite a while. Is this typical of speck?
ReplyDeleteLarbo, I am hoping for someone to chime in to explain the speck thing. From what I'm told, they call everything speck. For instance, the pork loin smuggled to me is called Speck di Avezzano. Prior, I was under the impression that speck was specifically a smoked, cured ham. But, like I said, I believe everything is called this. I was asked what type of speck I wanted, the options were bacon or loin. So, it would seem that all the meats are cured, cold smoked, then dried. I'm starting to believe this is more of a method than a particular cured meat.
ReplyDeleteI believe you are right. For example,Cecina, in Spain, is referred to meat that is cured and smoked (usually beef and sometimes horse). I've also tasted bison cecina.
ReplyDeleteI think it is easier to find resources in Austria.
ReplyDeleteYou could fly to Vienna and visit Christoph Wiesner's farm to learn how to make Mangalitsa speck: http://woolypigs.com/_wiesner.html
Or you could get this Austrian books:
http://www.amazon.de/R%C3%A4uchern-P%C3%B6keln-Wursten-Schwein-Gefl%C3%BCgel/dp/3702009108/sr=1-1/qid=1171665579
Or the next time Christoph visits the USA to teach people how to slaughter, cut and process pigs into speck.