This turned out so delicious.
Just a few simple ingredients, eggs, prosciutto and asparagus,
scrambled together make such a wonderful meal.

I think this will be my regular Sunday morning breakfast.

A few photos if you are interested.
http://www.kokoscornerblog.com/mycor...asparagus.html

or
http://tinyurl.com/4g6r9mo

koko
--
Food is our common ground, a universal experience
James Beard

www.kokoscornerblog.com

Natural Watkins Spices
www.apinchofspices.com

> wrote in message
...
>
> This turned out so delicious.
> Just a few simple ingredients, eggs, prosciutto and asparagus,
> scrambled together make such a wonderful meal.
>
> I think this will be my regular Sunday morning breakfast.
>
> A few photos if you are interested.
> http://www.kokoscornerblog.com/mycor...asparagus.html
>
> or
> http://tinyurl.com/4g6r9mo

That looks like a good meal at any time of the day. I instinctively would
have added cheese, but I don't know that it would be an improvement over
simplicity. Won't be long before local asparagus will be here!

On 2011-03-12, > wrote:
>
> This turned out so delicious.
> Just a few simple ingredients, eggs, prosciutto and asparagus,

Awesome.

Jes made same, except I added the fresh onions and garlic you clearly
forgot (are you outta yer freakin' mind!?).

Brilliant!

......specially using the thick small-dice proscuitto I got at mkt in
out-of-date bin for about 1/3 usual proscuitto price (like proscuitto
spoils). I see this as a great alternative for my usual
salmon/asparagus quiches, as proscuitto is now cheaper than smoked
salmon.

Thanks!
nb

wrote in
:

>
> This turned out so delicious.
> Just a few simple ingredients, eggs, prosciutto and asparagus,
> scrambled together make such a wonderful meal.
>
> I think this will be my regular Sunday morning breakfast.
>



*Very* nice :-)



--
Peter Lucas
Hobart
Tasmania

"As we weep for what we have lost, and as we grieve for family and friends
and we confront the challenge that is before us, I want us to remember who we
are.

We are Queenslanders.

We're the people that they breed tough, north of the border.

We're the ones that they knock down, and we get up again."

On 12 Mar 2011 18:37:52 GMT, notbob > wrote:

>On 2011-03-12, > wrote:
>>
>> This turned out so delicious.
>> Just a few simple ingredients, eggs, prosciutto and asparagus,
>
>Awesome.

Thank you.
>
>Jes made same, except I added the fresh onions and garlic you clearly
>forgot (are you outta yer freakin' mind!?).

LOL Probably, I wanted the prosciutto and asparagus to be the "star"
of the show and for my taste it worked out great.
>
>Brilliant!

>.....specially using the thick small-dice proscuitto I got at mkt in
>out-of-date bin for about 1/3 usual proscuitto price (like proscuitto
>spoils). I see this as a great alternative for my usual
>salmon/asparagus quiches, as proscuitto is now cheaper than smoked
>salmon.
>
>Thanks!
>nb

Dang, I wish I could find prosciutto like that, I'll have to keep my
eyes open for it.

koko
--
Food is our common ground, a universal experience
James Beard

www.kokoscornerblog.com

Natural Watkins Spices
www.apinchofspices.com

On Sat, 12 Mar 2011 23:08:28 GMT, "I'm back."
> wrote:

wrote in
:
>
>>
>> This turned out so delicious.
>> Just a few simple ingredients, eggs, prosciutto and asparagus,
>> scrambled together make such a wonderful meal.
>>
>> I think this will be my regular Sunday morning breakfast.
>>
>
>
>
>*Very* nice :-)

Thank you *very* much

koko
--
Food is our common ground, a universal experience
James Beard

www.kokoscornerblog.com

Natural Watkins Spices
www.apinchofspices.com

wrote in news:gj1on6tckhv17t2a7ua167dmaus9t27lmk@
4ax.com:

> On Sat, 12 Mar 2011 23:08:28 GMT, "I'm back."
> > wrote:
>
wrote in
m:
>>
>>>
>>> This turned out so delicious.
>>> Just a few simple ingredients, eggs, prosciutto and asparagus,
>>> scrambled together make such a wonderful meal.
>>>
>>> I think this will be my regular Sunday morning breakfast.
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>>*Very* nice :-)
>
> Thank you *very* much
>



It made me yearn for scrambled/omlette eggs.

But I just had a cup of Chai Tea, so will have to wait for an hour or so.


We both looked at the pics and said "The prosciutto doesn't look very
'cooked', it looks more like ham." Then we read your comments on only
liking soft prosciutto :-)


We've never really tried it as soft as that, it's always been either fried
up to be crunched up and put in salads, or roasted in the oven/cooker
around chicken breasts/fillets etc.

But knowing my reaction to meat (at the moment) I'd probably swap the meat
for smoked salmon.


Mmmmmmmmmmmmm, I'm starting to plan some brunch. (10:20am Sunday here)


--
Peter Lucas
Hobart
Tasmania

"As we weep for what we have lost, and as we grieve for family and friends
and we confront the challenge that is before us, I want us to remember who
we are.

We are Queenslanders.

We're the people that they breed tough, north of the border.

We're the ones that they knock down, and we get up again."

wrote:
> This turned out so delicious.
> Just a few simple ingredients, eggs, prosciutto and asparagus,
> scrambled together make such a wonderful meal.
>
> I think this will be my regular Sunday morning breakfast.
>
> A few photos if you are interested.
> http://www.kokoscornerblog.com/mycor...asparagus.html
>
> or
> http://tinyurl.com/4g6r9mo
>
> koko

A fine use for leftover asparagus - we steam ours most of the time and
then melt butter on it, but we sometimes don't finish it for dinner. A
nice idea, and probably any sort of ham would work well, too.

-S-

koko wrote:

> This turned out so delicious.
> Just a few simple ingredients, eggs, prosciutto and asparagus,
> scrambled together make such a wonderful meal.
>
> I think this will be my regular Sunday morning breakfast.
>
> A few photos if you are interested.
> http://www.kokoscornerblog.com/mycor...asparagus.html
>
> or
> http://tinyurl.com/4g6r9mo

Nice! I probably would have added garlic to infuse the cooking oil, removing
it before adding the other ingredients. Either that or rub the toasted bun
with a cut clove of garlic.

Bob

Captain Peter Swallows opined:

> We both looked at the pics and said "The prosciutto doesn't look very
> 'cooked', it looks more like ham." Then we read your comments on only
> liking soft prosciutto :-)
>
> We've never really tried it as soft as that, it's always been either fried
> up to be crunched up and put in salads, or roasted in the oven/cooker
> around chicken breasts/fillets etc.

That's strange to me. One of the most-prized components of prosciutto is its
ethereal fat, and you totally ruined it.

Bob

wrote in
>
> This turned out so delicious.
> Just a few simple ingredients, eggs, prosciutto and asparagus,
> scrambled together make such a wonderful meal.
>
> I think this will be my regular Sunday morning breakfast.

Sounds wonderful. Tangentially, I would normally use pancetta rather
than prosciutto in scrambled eggs.



Steve

"Bob Terwilliger" > ha scritto nel messaggio
> Captain Peter Swallows opined:
>
>> We both looked at the pics and said "The prosciutto doesn't look very
>> 'cooked', it looks more like ham." Then we read your comments on only
>> liking soft prosciutto :-)
>>
>> We've never really tried it as soft as that, it's always been either
>> fried
>> up to be crunched up and put in salads, or roasted in the oven/cooker
>> around chicken breasts/fillets etc.
>
> That's strange to me. One of the most-prized components of prosciutto is
> its
> ethereal fat, and you totally ruined it.

My eyes are crossing at the idea of cooking prosciutto anyway. Sure, it is
done, but it takes away most of what is really special about it. Other than
to start a sauce, I never cook my San Daniele.

On Sun, 13 Mar 2011 01:40:43 -0600, Omelet >
wrote:

>In article >,
> wrote:
>
>> >.....specially using the thick small-dice proscuitto I got at mkt in
>> >out-of-date bin for about 1/3 usual proscuitto price (like proscuitto
>> >spoils). I see this as a great alternative for my usual
>> >salmon/asparagus quiches, as proscuitto is now cheaper than smoked
>> >salmon.
>> >
>> >Thanks!
>> >nb
>>
>> Dang, I wish I could find prosciutto like that, I'll have to keep my
>> eyes open for it.
>>
>> koko
>
>I've just spent a bit of time looking at "how to make Prosciutto" videos
>and am wondering if I could take an already cured ham and convert it
>with spices, pressing and hanging it for a year but there are no
>temperatures mentioned.
>
>My Hobart has tons of room in it for hanging (especially if I clear a
>spot in the bottom of it by re-arranging it) and holds a stable temp of
>about 40 degrees AND keeps things very dry. In fact, if I don't cover
>meat in there, it dries out quickly without spoiling. I've had it
>happen a few times. <g> Some beef almost turns to jerky within a week
>if it does not get used. I'm talking about cooked rare beef of course.
><g>
>
>I know it's dried my cured pork for Canadian bacon well within about 3
>days before I go to smoke it. The drying process for that is critical to
>get the right texture. I once tried smoking it only 1 day out of the
>wet cure and it turned out too moist for what I wanted. The other two
>times, it's been perfect.
>
>So, if I were to take a cured ham, press it and spice it with the
>appropriate "tuscan" spices, wrap it in cheese cloth and hang it from a
>bottom shelf, I feel sure that it'd dry out without spoiling.
>
>Is 40 degrees and appropriate temperature?
>
>Thoughts?

Dang, I don't have a clue. It would be an interesting experiment
though.

koko
--
Food is our common ground, a universal experience
James Beard

www.kokoscornerblog.com

Natural Watkins Spices
www.apinchofspices.com

"Omelet" > wrote
>
> I've just spent a bit of time looking at "how to make Prosciutto" videos
> and am wondering if I could take an already cured ham and convert it
> with spices, pressing and hanging it for a year but there are no
> temperatures mentioned.
>
> My Hobart has tons of room in it for hanging (especially if I clear a
> spot in the bottom of it by re-arranging it) and holds a stable temp of
> about 40 degrees AND keeps things very dry. In fact, if I don't cover
> meat in there, it dries out quickly without spoiling. I've had it
> happen a few times. <g> Some beef almost turns to jerky within a week
> if it does not get used. I'm talking about cooked rare beef of course.
> <g>
>
> I know it's dried my cured pork for Canadian bacon well within about 3
> days before I go to smoke it. The drying process for that is critical to
> get the right texture. I once tried smoking it only 1 day out of the
> wet cure and it turned out too moist for what I wanted. The other two
> times, it's been perfect.
>
> So, if I were to take a cured ham, press it and spice it with the
> appropriate "tuscan" spices, wrap it in cheese cloth and hang it from a
> bottom shelf, I feel sure that it'd dry out without spoiling.
>
> Is 40 degrees and appropriate temperature?
>
> Thoughts?
> --
> Peace! Om

My limited knowledge tells me you are way off in the curing. Taking an
injected cured ham is not going to get you where you want to be. It is also
smoked and prosciutto is not. It also has nitrates that are not used.

Proper curing is a mix of salt and usually coupled with sugar, pepper, other
spices as desired, but not for Parma hams. The fresh hams are rubbed and
hung in a curing house where air can circulate and the curing takes place
over many months. Remember, this was done for centuries before
refrigeration was invented so it was done in cool weather.

I had some information on this years ago but cannot find it right now.
Here is a starter though.


If you are interested in making your own, here's the procedure. Gonna be
kinda hard to find one of those huge Italian pigs, though! They have a
short life, but sure do eat well.

Four ingredients are essential to the production of Prosciutto di Parma:
Italian pigs, salt, air and time. Prosciutto di Parma qualifies as a
100-percent natural product; additives such as sugar, spices, smoke, water
and nitrites are prohibited. The hams are made from the rear haunches of
pigs that have been specially bred for Prosciutto di Parma production.
Their feed, too, is specially formulated--a blend of grains and cereals, as
well as whey from Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese production. The pigs are nine
months old and must weigh a minimum of 340 pounds at the time of slaughter.

Making a Parma ham is a long and painstaking process. The curing is
controlled carefully so that the ham absorbs only enough salt to preserve
it. By the end of the curing, a trimmed ham will have lost about a quarter
of its weight through gradual moisture loss, which helps concentrate the
flavor. Through natural fermentation and enzymatic action, the meat becomes
tender and the distinctive aroma and flavor of Prosciutto di Parma emerge.
The key steps in the production of Prosciutto di Parma are as follows:
Trimming: Some skin and fat are removed to give the ham its typical
"chicken drumstick" shape.

Salting: Coarse sea salt is rubbed into the
meat, which is then refrigerated, at a humidity level of 80%, for about a
week. Residual salt is removed and the ham gets a second thin coating of
salt, which is left on another 15 to 18 days, depending on weight. By
making daily adjustments in temperature and humidity, the producer controls
the rate at which salt is absorbed. Resting: The hams hang for 60 to 70
days in refrigerated, humidity-controlled rooms. The meat darkens but will
return to its original rosy color in the final days of curing. Washing and

Drying: The hams are rinsed to remove excess salt, then placed in
low-humidity drying rooms for about a week. Initial Aging: The hams are
hung on wooden frames in well-ventilated rooms with large windows that are
opened when outside temperature and humidity are favorable. Connoisseurs
believe that this period, when the hams are bathed in the aromatic breezes
of Emilia-Romagna, is critical to the development of Prosciutto di Parma's
distinctive flavor. By the end of this phase that lasts about three months,
the exposed surface of the meat has dried and hardened. Final aging: The
hams are moved to dark, cellar-like rooms and the exposed surfaces of the
meat are coated with a paste of minced pig fat, salt, pepper and sometimes
rice. This mixture softens the exposed surface and helps control the rate
of moisture loss. The hams hang on racks for an additional three to five
months, depending on their destination. All the hams are cured a total of
at least three hundred days; hams destined for the U.S. market must be
cured one hundred days longer.

Quality Testing: Inspectors use a horse
bone needle to pierce each ham at five points. By inhaling the distinctive
aroma at each site, they can determine whether the ham meets the quality
standards of the Consortium. If this test reveals any defects, the ham will
not be designated as Prosciutto di Parma, with its complex flavor and
texture. Instead, it will be sold as a less expensive, less prestigious
ham. Branding: A ham that does pass the quality test and other
requirements of health and safety is designated as Prosciutto di Parma. It
is then branded with the official mark of the Consortium, the five-point
ducal crown.
No wonder the things are so expensive.

Dave Lineback
Email:
Web Site: http://www.sunsetridge.com

On Sun, 13 Mar 2011 10:09:43 +0100, "Giusi" >
wrote:

> My eyes are crossing at the idea of cooking prosciutto anyway. Sure, it is
> done, but it takes away most of what is really special about it. Other than
> to start a sauce, I never cook my San Daniele.

You'd go bonkers with the "breakfast" pizzas we have over here that
use prosciutto - and it goes into the oven to cook with the egg.
Comes out tasting just like any other ham. Whatta waste.

--

Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.

On Sun, 13 Mar 2011 01:40:43 -0600, Omelet >
wrote:

> Is 40 degrees and appropriate temperature?

Seems like 40 is a bit cool, but I don't cure so I don't know. I do
know you'll need a fan going too.

--

Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.

"Ed Pawlowski" > ha scritto nel messaggio

> Four ingredients are essential to the production of Prosciutto di Parma:>
> Italian pigs, salt, air and time. Prosciutto di Parma qualifies as a
> 100-percent natural product; additives such as sugar, spices, smoke,
> water> and nitrites are prohibited. The hams are made from the rear
> haunches of> pigs that have been specially bred for Prosciutto di Parma
> production.
> Their feed, too, is specially formulated--a blend of grains and cereals,
> as> well as whey from Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese production.

The whey makes a big difference. Thousands of prosciutti are made here and
in Tuscany and all over Italy, but none taste like the Parma ham.


> Quality Testing: Inspectors use a horse
> bone needle to pierce each ham at five points. By inhaling the
> distinctive> aroma at each site, they can determine whether the ham meets
> the quality> standards of the Consortium. If this test reveals any
> defects, the ham will> not be designated as Prosciutto di Parma, with its
> complex flavor and> texture. Instead, it will be sold as a less expensive,
> less prestigious
> ham. Branding: A ham that does pass the quality test and other>
> requirements of health and safety is designated as Prosciutto di Parma. It
> is then branded with the official mark of the Consortium, the five-point>
> ducal crown.
> No wonder the things are so expensive.

Or rather amazing that they are affordable! Parma ham is my second choice,
with San Daniele from Friuli pigs fed on acorns coming in at the top of my
list. We usually don't buy a lot, so the price doesn't worry us so much.
100-200 grams depending on how many are eating it. So that's less than $9
to serve a crowd as antipasto.

"Giusi" > wrote
>
> Or rather amazing that they are affordable! Parma ham is my second
> choice, with San Daniele from Friuli pigs fed on acorns coming in at the
> top of my list. We usually don't buy a lot, so the price doesn't worry us
> so much. 100-200 grams depending on how many are eating it. So that's
> less than $9 to serve a crowd as antipasto.

I wish we could bring back hams. I was amazed at how many were on display
the the markets in Italy and at reasonable prices compared to the US. I
thought about it, but I'd probably run into the ham sniffing dogs at the
airport when we got back and some customs agent would be eating my ham.

Next trip I'll keep an eye out for the San Daniele. At least I can enjoy it
while there.

"Ed Pawlowski" > ha scritto nel messaggio
> "Giusi" wrote

Parma ham is my second
>> choice, with San Daniele from Friuli pigs fed on acorns coming in at the
>> top of my list.

> I wish we could bring back hams. I was amazed at how many were on display
> the the markets in Italy and at reasonable prices compared to the US. I
> > thought about it, but I'd probably run into the ham sniffing dogs at the
> airport when we got back and some customs agent would be eating my ham.
>
> Next trip I'll keep an eye out for the San Daniele. At least I can enjoy
> it > while there.

I saw San Daniele in New York while shopping for a meal. It pays to keep
your eyes open.

But don't take my word for it. When you are here try all the different
types. You may love one copmpletely different. You can ask for X slices or
for X number of grams, which allows you to try several at a time. It's
recommended to buy what you can eat in one day, although I stretch that.
While it is difficult for them to serve up less than 100 g (un etto) it
isn't mad to ask for 5 slices (cinque fette) etc. I wouldn't walk up to a
rushed off their feet crew and do that, but choose a slower time so I could
do side by side tasting. I like less salty ones the best.

While you are at it, don't miss the opportunity to try lardo di colonnata
and pancetta magra.

On 2011-03-14, Omelet > wrote:

> Hm, I'll bet my Kutas book has it. I'll just have to see if I can find
> the darned thing. <g>

Is that the Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing by Rytek Kutas? I
was wondering, does that book cover cold smoking?

I was watching an old episode of Bourdain's No Reservations and he was
plugging the Ruhlman/Polcyn book, Charcuterie. I read the review for
it on Amazon and many folks gave it a bad review cuz it heavily
promotes the use of nitrates. Apparently, the Kutas book does not.
So, I was thinking of buying the Kutas book, but not if it doesn't
cover cold smoking.

nb

notbob > wrote:

>I was watching an old episode of Bourdain's No Reservations and he was
>plugging the Ruhlman/Polcyn book, Charcuterie. I read the review for
>it on Amazon and many folks gave it a bad review cuz it heavily
>promotes the use of nitrates. Apparently, the Kutas book does not.

I've heard that making low nitrate/nitrite sausages and cured meat
really requires professional-level techniques and equipment, and
it not really accessible to us'uns. Dunno how true this is.

Steve

On 13/03/2011 3:40 AM, Omelet wrote:
>
> I've just spent a bit of time looking at "how to make Prosciutto" videos
> and am wondering if I could take an already cured ham and convert it
> with spices, pressing and hanging it for a year but there are no
> temperatures mentioned.


When I was first married we rented a house next to a small Italian
supermarket. I was young and naive, and i was turned off my the chunks
of meat hanging from the ceiling and looking like they were covered with
mold and mildew. I assumed that it was rotten meat. Sometime that year
I was introduced to Prosciutto and it was so delicious that I overcame
that initial squeamishness.

On Mon, 14 Mar 2011 01:30:31 -0500, Omelet >
wrote:

> Humidity fluctuates every time the door gets opened so I'm going to let
> it sit overnight and see what happens by morning. The DO sell wine
> coolers at Target but I'm not sure of the cost. They are not expensive
> iirc and that has been the recommendation from most websites.

Here's my 2¢. I don't ever read about you using prosciutto for
anything at home, so figure the cost of the wine cooler into the cost
of making prosciutto at home. You're not a wine drinker either. If
you are, you don't drink the kind of wine that needs to be stored in a
wine cooler, so the cost of the unit will be entirely in the
"prosciutto" column. I think it's going to take a lot of ham to break
even. After that, it's worth the cost. Do you know how thinly it's
sliced? That's another cost, because I can guarantee yours won't
slice that thinly. Now you need to make even more hams to break even.

Conclusion: I think you should just buy what you need at the store.

--

Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.

On Mon, 14 Mar 2011 09:54:43 +0100, "Giusi" >
wrote:

> I saw San Daniele in New York while shopping for a meal. It pays to keep
> your eyes open.

NYC is a unique place where you can buy things from "back home". Not
so much in the rest of the country, although surprises do happen.

--

Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.

On Mon, 14 Mar 2011 01:38:39 -0500, Omelet >
wrote:

> While I agree with the nitrate thing, every website I looked at DID
> smoke prosciutto but I see your point. I saw both wet and dry curing
> methods used in my surfing so I s'pose I could wet cure in a bucket. I
> have the space and can get fresh uncured hams.

I know one restaurant in particular that cures their own prosciutto,
but I'm unsure if they smoke. If they did, it would be cold smoke
because I don't think they have anyplace where they could do hot
smoking. Even cold smoke produces a smoke that needs to be vented,
right? I've only seen the drying rooms, which led me to think no
smoking was involved.

--

Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.

On Mon, 14 Mar 2011 01:39:25 -0500, Omelet >
wrote:

> In article >,
> sf > wrote:
>
> > On Sun, 13 Mar 2011 01:40:43 -0600, Omelet >
> > wrote:
> >
> > > Is 40 degrees and appropriate temperature?
> >
> > Seems like 40 is a bit cool, but I don't cure so I don't know. I do
> > know you'll need a fan going too.
>
> The refrigerator internal fan runs constantly. The Hobart is 40 cubic
> ft. interior space.

When I say "fan", I mean it's moving the air around.

--

Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.

"notbob" > wrote
>
> I was watching an old episode of Bourdain's No Reservations and he was
> plugging the Ruhlman/Polcyn book, Charcuterie. I read the review for
> it on Amazon and many folks gave it a bad review cuz it heavily
> promotes the use of nitrates. Apparently, the Kutas book does not.
> So, I was thinking of buying the Kutas book, but not if it doesn't
> cover cold smoking.
>
> nb

That is because most people that cold smoke use nitrates. There are other
methods, but you need much more care and conditions are more critical than
no nitrate curing.

"sf" > wrote
> "prosciutto" column. I think it's going to take a lot of ham to break
> even. After that, it's worth the cost. Do you know how thinly it's
> sliced? That's another cost, because I can guarantee yours won't
> slice that thinly. Now you need to make even more hams to break even.
>
> Conclusion: I think you should just buy what you need at the store.

Why a cost to slice? If you want the perfect thin slices like the deli, you
need a machine. However, many Italian homes have the ham on a rack on the
kitchen and just slice with a knife as needed. Just like they did for
hundreds of years before electricity.

"Giusi" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Ed Pawlowski" > ha scritto nel messaggio
>> "Giusi" wrote
>
> Parma ham is my second
>>> choice, with San Daniele from Friuli pigs fed on acorns coming in at the
>>> top of my list.
>
>> I wish we could bring back hams. I was amazed at how many were on
>> display the the markets in Italy and at reasonable prices compared to the
>> US. I > thought about it, but I'd probably run into the ham sniffing
>> dogs at the airport when we got back and some customs agent would be
>> eating my ham.
>>
>> Next trip I'll keep an eye out for the San Daniele. At least I can enjoy
>> it > while there.
>
> I saw San Daniele in New York while shopping for a meal. It pays to keep
> your eyes open.
>
> But don't take my word for it. When you are here try all the different
> types. You may love one copmpletely different. You can ask for X slices
> or for X number of grams, which allows you to try several at a time. It's
> recommended to buy what you can eat in one day, although I stretch that.
> While it is difficult for them to serve up less than 100 g (un etto) it
> isn't mad to ask for 5 slices (cinque fette) etc. I wouldn't walk up to a
> rushed off their feet crew and do that, but choose a slower time so I
> could do side by side tasting. I like less salty ones the best.
>
> While you are at it, don't miss the opportunity to try lardo di colonnata
> and pancetta magra.
>

Buying groceries in Italy was a bit of fun at first. I'm used to ordering a
half pound or pound and was not sure about ordering as most items were
priced in kilos. There was a store we frequented often. The owner spoke
little English, me very little Italian, but we managed. Every day he'd teach
me a couple of words in his language and I'd reciprocate.

Most days we'd eat lunch while out, then come back to our villa with meat,
cheese, bread, wine. I was amazed at the price of wine at the Penny Saver
store. I was hesitant to buy at 2 Euro figuring I was missing something in
translation, but that was the price. A hundred or more types for 2 to 4
Euro.

This trip I'm looking at a place south of Salerno. Plans will be more solid
in a few weeks though.

On 2011-03-15, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:

> That is because most people that cold smoke use nitrates. There are other
> methods, but you need much more care and conditions are more critical than
> no nitrate curing.

We used to grind/stuff 600+ lbs of beef/pork sausage in about 8 hrs,
then cold smoke for one week. Not a speck of nitrates was used. No
special handling or controlled conditions. Jes hung sausage in drafty
ol' smoke shack during the dead of Winter. Not exactly rocket
science.

nb

On Mon, 14 Mar 2011 22:38:30 -0400, "Ed Pawlowski"
> wrote:
>
> "sf" > wrote
> > "prosciutto" column. I think it's going to take a lot of ham to break
> > even. After that, it's worth the cost. Do you know how thinly it's
> > sliced? That's another cost, because I can guarantee yours won't
> > slice that thinly. Now you need to make even more hams to break even.
> >
> > Conclusion: I think you should just buy what you need at the store.
>
> Why a cost to slice?

Hello? Cost PER slice. I thought you were a businessman.

> If you want the perfect thin slices like the deli, you
> need a machine.

Yes.

> However, many Italian homes have the ham on a rack on the
> kitchen and just slice with a knife as needed. Just like they did for
> hundreds of years before electricity.

I guess you didn't understand a word I said. I was talking about
total cost of time and material. Materials include the cost of the
physical piece of ham and the equipment *Om* will use to process,
cure, dry *and* slice it.

If she wants to take a short cut, she can buy thinly sliced *good* ham
from the deli for $5 a pound and be done with it. Heck, maybe all she
needs is ham that's as thinly sliced as prosciutto.

I used tested prosciutto and thinly sliced "black forest" ham tonight
in the same dish and the two were so close that it didn't matter.

<shrug> Blather away. I think you're full of hot air.

--

Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.

On 15 Mar 2011 04:58:48 GMT, notbob > wrote:

> We used to grind/stuff 600+ lbs of beef/pork sausage in about 8 hrs,
> then cold smoke for one week.

Why so long? Carol S said she ground 60 lbs of bone in 30 minutes.

--

Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.

On 2011-03-15, Omelet > wrote:

> It has a brief blurb on it. Secret seems to be distancing the smoke box
> from the smoke generator with a long conduit to allow the smoke to cool.

That seems to be true if one is using a small smoking area, like an
old refrigerator, which I know some friends who do jes that.

Our smoking was a dedicated crud shed, about 15'x15 feet (remember,
600+ lbs). The sides were such that you could see light between most
vert wall boards, so it was far from airtight. A small pan (garbage
can lid) held a couple smoldering branches of dried fruit tree wood,
which was maintained around the clock. In short, in the dead of
Winter, the shed was at ambient outdoor temps for Jan in CA, probably
highs of 40-45 during day and near freezing or jes below at night.
The pan of wood and the enclosed space provided jes enough smoke w/o
the danger of adding any heat.

nb



nb

Omelet wrote:
>
> I've just spent a bit of time looking at "how to make Prosciutto" videos
> and am wondering if I could take an already cured ham and convert it
> with spices, pressing and hanging it for a year but there are no
> temperatures mentioned.
> ...
> Thoughts?

Reading through this thread I remembered one of Eldon Brown's Good Eats
episodes about country ham versus city ham. Country ham the way he
defined it was the entire class of dry cured hams so it would include
Prosciutto. City ham the way he defined it was the entire class of wet
cured hams.

If you tried to make something as much like prosciutto as you could pull
off and it came out rather like the country hams available in the US,
that would still be an extremely good thing. It took centuries of
practice to figure out how to make proscuitto. Get to being able to
produce an acceptable country ham and you're only a couple of centuries
of practice away from producing something approaching the quality of
proscuitto. ;^)

If you have a Hobart unit with space, trying for a country ham would be
an excellent hobbiest project.

A couple of times at Costco I found "proscuitto" that was made in
Canada. The label appeared to be a carefully crafted dodge that at
first glance looked like it said real Proscuitto but since it was an
immitation or emulation it wasn't the real thing. I bought a couple of
them and loved them. Better than a country ham from Cracker Barrel or
that place off I-55 near St Louis. Not as good as a genuine Proscuitto
or Parma or Black Forrest. Priced more like a regular country ham. I'd
love Costco to get more of them! I sliced them up and lived like a king
for a while.

Omelet wrote:
>
> I just dragged out mom's old manual slicer (crank and rotary blade) and
> did what little cleaning and greasing it needed and tested it out. Did
> not have any meat to cut at the moment so I tested it on a grapefruit
> sitting on the counter.
>
> It zested it. ;-)
>
> I think that's thin enough?

Major overkill! I love it.

On Mar 13, 11:41*pm, Omelet > wrote:
> In article >,
>
>
>
>
>
> *"Giusi" > wrote:
> > The whey makes a big difference. *Thousands of prosciutti are made here and
> > in Tuscany and all over Italy, but none taste like the Parma ham.
>
> > > Quality Testing: Inspectors use a horse
> > > bone needle to pierce each ham at five points. By inhaling the
> > > distinctive> aroma at each site, they can determine whether the ham meets
> > > the quality> standards of the Consortium. If this test reveals any
> > > defects, the ham will> not be designated as Prosciutto di Parma, with its
> > > complex flavor and> texture. Instead, it will be sold as a less expensive,
> > > less prestigious
> > > ham. * Branding: A ham that does pass the quality test and other>
> > > requirements of health and safety is designated as Prosciutto di Parma. It
> > > is then branded with the official mark of the Consortium, the five-point>
> > > ducal crown.
> > > No wonder the things are so expensive.
>
> > Or rather amazing that they are affordable! *Parma ham is my second choice,
> > with San Daniele from Friuli pigs fed on acorns coming in at the top of my
> > list. *We usually don't buy a lot, so the price doesn't worry us so much.
> > 100-200 grams depending on how many are eating it. *So that's less than $9
> > to serve a crowd as antipasto.
>
> I wasn't planning to try for Parma Prosciutto, just something in the
> general vicinity of ordinary Po' folk' Prosciutto. <g>
> --
> Peace! Om
>
> Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>
> "One man's theology is another man's belly laugh."
> --Robert Heinlien- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

My Mom has one hanging in her downstairs shower! She rigged up a
tripod type of hanger for it. It's suppossed to be ready in June...

On Mar 13, 12:40*am, Omelet > wrote:
> In article >,
>
> wrote:
> > >.....specially using the thick small-dice proscuitto I got at mkt in
> > >out-of-date bin for about 1/3 usual proscuitto price (like proscuitto
> > >spoils). *I see this as a great alternative for my usual
> > >salmon/asparagus quiches, as proscuitto is now cheaper than smoked
> > >salmon.
>
> > >Thanks!
> > >nb * *
>
> > Dang, I wish I could find prosciutto like that, I'll have to keep my
> > eyes open for it.
>
> > koko
>
> I've just spent a bit of time looking at "how to make Prosciutto" videos
> and am wondering if I could take an already cured ham and convert it
> with spices, pressing and hanging it for a year but there are no
> temperatures mentioned.
>
> My Hobart has tons of room in it for hanging (especially if I clear a
> spot in the bottom of it by re-arranging it) and holds a stable temp of
> about 40 degrees AND keeps things very dry. In fact, if I don't cover
> meat in there, it dries out quickly without spoiling. *I've had it
> happen a few times. <g> *Some beef almost turns to jerky within a week
> if it does not get used. *I'm talking about cooked rare beef of course.
> <g> *
>
> I know it's dried my cured pork for Canadian bacon well within about 3
> days before I go to smoke it. The drying process for that is critical to
> get the right texture. *I once tried smoking it only 1 day out of the
> wet cure and it turned out too moist for what I wanted. The other two
> times, it's been perfect.
>
> So, if I were to take a cured ham, press it and spice it with the
> appropriate "tuscan" spices, wrap it in cheese cloth and hang it from a
> bottom shelf, I feel sure that it'd dry out without spoiling.
>
> Is 40 degrees and appropriate temperature?
>
> Thoughts?
> --
> Peace! Om
>
> Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>
> "One man's theology is another man's belly laugh."
> --Robert Heinlien

Take a look at the book "Charcuterie"- all you would need to know!

On Mar 14, 1:54*am, "Giusi" > wrote:
> "Ed Pawlowski" > ha scritto nel messaggio
>
> > "Giusi" *wrote
>
> Parma ham is my second
>
> >> choice, with San Daniele from Friuli pigs fed on acorns coming in at the
> >> top of my list.
> > I wish we could bring back hams. *I was amazed at how many were on display
> > the the markets in Italy and at reasonable prices compared to the US. * I
> > *> thought about it, but I'd probably run into the ham sniffing dogs at the
> > airport when we got back and some customs agent would be eating my ham.
>
> > Next trip I'll keep an eye out for the San Daniele. *At least I can enjoy
> > it > while there.
>
> I saw San Daniele in New York while shopping for a meal. *It pays to keep
> your eyes open.
>
> But don't take my word for it. *When you are here try all the different
> types. *You may love one copmpletely different. *You can ask for X slices or
> for X number of grams, which allows you to try several at a time. *It's
> recommended to buy what you can eat in one day, although I stretch that.
> While it is difficult for them to serve up less than 100 g (un etto) it
> isn't mad to ask for 5 slices (cinque fette) etc. *I wouldn't walk up to a
> rushed off their feet crew and do that, but choose a slower time so I could
> do side by side tasting. *I like less salty ones the best.
>
> While you are at it, don't miss the opportunity to try lardo di colonnata
> and pancetta magra.

Sorry to butt in, but thanks for the recommendations. I am going to
Trento in July for my cousin's wedding, and plan on eating as much
good stuff as I can possibly eat!

On Mar 15, 12:16*am, sf > wrote:
> On Mon, 14 Mar 2011 22:38:30 -0400, "Ed Pawlowski"
>
> > wrote:
>
> > "sf" > wrote
> > > "prosciutto" column. *I think it's going to take a lot of ham to break
> > > even. *After that, it's worth the cost. *Do you know how thinly it's
> > > sliced? *That's another cost, because I can guarantee yours won't
> > > slice that thinly. *Now you need to make even more hams to break even.
>
> > > Conclusion: I think you should just buy what you need at the store.
>
> > Why a cost to slice? *
>
> Hello? *Cost PER slice. *I thought you were a businessman.
>
> > If you want the perfect thin slices like the deli, you
> > need a machine.
>
> Yes.
>
> > However, many Italian homes have the ham on a rack on the
> > kitchen and just slice with a knife as needed. *Just like they did for
> > hundreds of years before electricity.
>
> I guess you didn't understand a word I said. *I was talking about
> total cost of time and material. *Materials include the cost of the
> physical piece of ham and the equipment *Om* will use to process,
> cure, dry *and* slice it.
>
> If she wants to take a short cut, she can buy thinly sliced *good* ham
> from the deli for $5 a pound and be done with it. *Heck, maybe all she
> needs is ham that's as thinly sliced as prosciutto.
>
> I used tested prosciutto and thinly sliced "black forest" ham tonight
> in the same dish and the two were so close that it didn't matter.
>
> <shrug> *Blather away. *I think you're full of hot air.
>
> --
>
> Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.

Prosciutto and Black Forest ham are completely different! Maybe in the
dish you made it didn't make any difference, but eating it by itself,
it's definitely different...

Eggs are normally used to gain the weight but, if we take the certain and specific diet then there is no problem by the use of the eggs...