Today at Caruso's, a meat so very rare and sexy arrived via Italy: Culatello di Zimbello. If Caruso's were a jeweler, Culatello would be our diamond. If our meats had a hierarchy, Culatello would be Kind. If we could drive our salumi, Culatello would be our Lamborghini. What is it?
Culatello di Zimbello comes from the leg of an adult hog and belongs to the category of naturally-aged foods. After salting, the ham is aged for at least 11 months during which times the climatic features of the zone production play an essential part in determining the characteristics of the final product. The result is a distinctive, pear-shaped ham, entwined in reams of string that form a broadknit net. The meat is uniformly red and speckled with pieces of white fat between the muscle fibers. The scent is intense and distinctive, while the the taste is sweet and delicate.
I like to pair my Culatello (which, by definition, in Italian, means "nice ass") with a chilled glass of Lambrusco.
No comments:
Post a Comment