ELEGANCE AND MEAT

We had to go to Whittier for a doctor's appointment yesterday, and on the way home, we followed up a tip on an awesome Italian market, where I had one of the best sandwiches I've had in a long, long time. This market sold imported Bresaola, Coppa Seca, Prosciutto, and Sharp Provolone... all of which went onto the sandwich they made for me. My only regret is that I should have cut back on the standard toppings to let these fine meats have the center stage they deserved... the mustard, peperoncinis, etc, masked some of the subtle flavors of the meat Next time, I'm going for meat, mayo, tomato, and a little lettuce. Also, I loved the flavor of the sharp provolone, but it, too, took away from the meat. Next time, I'm going to inquire about bufala mozzarella, which would just be completely ridiculous.

We also got some sliced meat to bring home... My wife and I both decided that the Coppa Seca was our favorite. Here are a few pictures of the cuts in our fridge so that you can see what we're talking about...

This is Bresaola. It is a cured beef top round, and has a texture similar to prosciutto, except leaner and meatier. This is my second favorite cured meat.

This is the Coppa Seca. It comes from the portion of the pig that is just forward of the tenderloin, over the shoulder. This was our favorite cut. It falls somewhere between prosciutto and bresaola, in that it has some nice meatiness to it, but isn't too rich, either. I like that the fat is incorporated within the slice, instead of on the outer edge, like prosciutto.. it gives you a more balanced fattiness in every bite.

We also got some Salame, which deserves an honorable mention, although, in my opinion, the art form that is Coppa cannot be contended with... This salame was some of the best I've had, with really tasty seasonings, and just the right amount of acidity.

Our dinner last night made my already great day. We had Garruch di Pumarole (which deserves its own blog post), with a side of these incredible meats and a little Chianti....  The world suddenly just seems so right. One day, I hope to make all three of these delicious works of art on my own.... but until then, I plan on doing lots of research ;)