Sausage has been a part of our culinary heritage as long as there has been pork. Within every country, every region seems to have its own technique for the preparation. When serving a sausage board, let people carve for themselves. Provide good boards and sharp knives, and offer a selection of breads, mustards, horseradish, and pickles.
Artisanal sausage making—long a tradition in Europe—is experiencing a renaissance in the U.S. At Salumi in Seattle, Armandino Batali is now handcrafting extraordinary spicy and smoky soppressata, fennel and green peppercorn-flavored salumi, chorizo, lardo, prosciutto, culatello, spicy boar sausage, coppa, and lamb prosciutto. At Paul Bertolli’s Fra’ Mani, in Berkeley, California, a fabulous full range of salami has been introduced, and the line will continue to expand. The more widely distributed Ticino brand, made with Niman Ranch pork, is still authentically crafted and worth searching out. Handcrafted salami and sausage making very much remains an art, and one that discriminating palates appreciate.
