Charcuterie The Craft of Salting Smoking & Curing

CHARCUTERIE--a culinary specialty that originally referred to the creation of pork products such as salami, sausages, and prosciutto--is true food craftsmanship, the art of turning preserved food into items of beauty and taste. Today the term encompasses a vast range of preparations, most of which involve salting, cooking, smoking, and drying. In addition to providing classic recipes for sausages, terrines, and pâtés, Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn expand the definition to include anything preserved or prepared ahead such as Mediterranean olive and vegetable rillettes, duck confit, and pickles and sauerkraut. Ruhlman, coauthor of , and Polcyn, an expert charcuterie instructor at Schoolcraft College in Livonia, Michigan, present 125 recipes that are both intriguing to professionals and accessible to home cooks, including salted, airdried ham; Maryland crab, scallop, and saffron terrine; Da Bomb breakfast sausage; mortadella and soppressata; and even spicy smoked almonds.

The only book for home cooks offering a complete introduction to the craft.

Brian Polcyn is chef/owner of Forest Grill in Birmingham, MI; Cinco Lagos in Milford, MI; and a professor of charcuterie at SchoolCraft College in Livonia, MI.Michael Ruhlman has authored six nonfiction books, including The Soul of a Chef and The Making of a Chef. He lives in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.