Charcuterie

Charcuterie

One of the hottest food trends is charcuterie (pronounced Shar-koo-tur-ee).  The term refers to gourmet, naturally cured meats such as smoked hams, sausages, prosciutto, and salami.  Delis have often carried these products which now are more frequently being sold in grocery stores.  Below is a glossary of charcuterie products.

Prosciutto is salted and aged for up to two years.  It has a flavor that is sweet with a silky finish.  It is often found as an ingredient in Italian cuisine. There are many varieties of prosciutto including prosciutto piccante.  All types are served thinly sliced.

Mortadella is a sausage made with finely ground meat and flavored with seasoning.  It is typically sliced paper thin and used in sandwiches.

Sopressata is an Italian hard sausage which is like pepperoni.  It is a pizza topping and goes well with pickled vegetables and bold cheese.

Salami is a hard pork sausage.  It is referred to as pepperoni’s milder cousin.  It is often used anywhere pepperoni is used.

Coppa is similar to prosciutto and is seasoned with wine and garlic, then rubbed with paprika and aged up to six months.  It may be roasted or smoked.  Coppa is a great filling for panini.