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Salted and Cured: Savoring the Culture, Heritage, and Flavor of America's Preserved Meats
From country ham to coppa, bacon to bresaola
Prosciutto. Andouille. Country ham. The extraordinary rise in popularity of cured meats in recent years often overlooks the fact that the ancient practice of meat preservation through the use of salt, time, and smoke began as a survival technique. All over the world, various cultures developed ways to extend the viability of the hunt--and later the harvest--according to their unique climates and environments, resulting in the astonishing diversity of preserved meats that we celebrate and enjoy today everywhere from corner delis to white-tablecloth restaurants.
In Salted and Cured, author Jeffrey P. Roberts traces the origins of today's American charcuterie, salumi, and other delights, and connects them to a current renaissance that begins to rival those of artisan cheese and craft beer. In doing so, Roberts highlights the incredible stories of immigrant butchers, breeders, chefs, entrepreneurs, and other craftspeople who withstood the modern era's push for bland, industrial food to produce not only delicious but culturally significant cured meats.
By rejecting the industry-led push for -the other white meat- and reinvigorating the breeding and production of heritage hog breeds while finding novel ways to utilize the entire animal--snout to tail--today's charcutiers and salumieri not only produce everything from country ham to violino di capra but create more sustainable businesses for farmers and chefs.
Weaving together agriculture, animal welfare and health, food safety and science, economics, history, a deep sense of place, and amazing preserved foods, Salted and Cured is a literary feast, a celebration of both innovation and time-honored knowledge, and an expertly guided tour of America's culinary treasures, both old and new.
Prosciutto. Andouille. Country ham. The extraordinary rise in popularity of cured meats in recent years often overlooks the fact that the ancient practice of meat preservation through the use of salt, time, and smoke began as a survival technique. All over the world, various cultures developed ways to extend the viability of the hunt--and later the harvest--according to their unique climates and environments, resulting in the astonishing diversity of preserved meats that we celebrate and enjoy today everywhere from corner delis to white-tablecloth restaurants.
In Salted and Cured, author Jeffrey P. Roberts traces the origins of today's American charcuterie, salumi, and other delights, and connects them to a current renaissance that begins to rival those of artisan cheese and craft beer. In doing so, Roberts highlights the incredible stories of immigrant butchers, breeders, chefs, entrepreneurs, and other craftspeople who withstood the modern era's push for bland, industrial food to produce not only delicious but culturally significant cured meats.
By rejecting the industry-led push for -the other white meat- and reinvigorating the breeding and production of heritage hog breeds while finding novel ways to utilize the entire animal--snout to tail--today's charcutiers and salumieri not only produce everything from country ham to violino di capra but create more sustainable businesses for farmers and chefs.
Weaving together agriculture, animal welfare and health, food safety and science, economics, history, a deep sense of place, and amazing preserved foods, Salted and Cured is a literary feast, a celebration of both innovation and time-honored knowledge, and an expertly guided tour of America's culinary treasures, both old and new.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published April 11, 2017
About the author
Jeffrey P. Roberts
2 booksA resident of Montpelier, Vermont, Jeff Roberts is president of Cow Creek Creative Ventures, which is dedicated to developing solutions in the areas of agriculture and food policy, conservation, the environment, and community economic development. He was cofounder and principal consultant at the Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese at the University of Vermont. His book The Atlas of American Artisan Cheese (Chelsea Green, 2007) was the first comprehensive survey of small-scale producers. He is a member of Guilde Internationale des Fromagers. He teaches the history and culture of food at the New England Culinary Institute, is a visiting professor at the University of Gastronomic Science, provides consulting services to a wide array of small-scale food producers, and is a frequent speaker in Europe and the United States on artisan food, sustainable agriculture, and the working landscape. His new book, Salted and Cured (Chelsea Green, 2017), examines the history and culture aspects of dry-cured meat from 1630 to the present.
During his career, Jeff was a meteorologist, museum curator and historian, and director of development at the Morris Arboretum in Philadelphia. From 1987–1994, he was associate dean at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. From 1995–1998, he was vice president of external affairs at the Vermont Land Trust.
For more than a decade, Jeff was active in Slow Food International and USA, including service as a director and treasurer of the national board. Locally he served as a director of the Central Vermont Community Land Trust, Vermont Arts Council, and Vermont Fresh Network.
During his career, Jeff was a meteorologist, museum curator and historian, and director of development at the Morris Arboretum in Philadelphia. From 1987–1994, he was associate dean at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. From 1995–1998, he was vice president of external affairs at the Vermont Land Trust.
For more than a decade, Jeff was active in Slow Food International and USA, including service as a director and treasurer of the national board. Locally he served as a director of the Central Vermont Community Land Trust, Vermont Arts Council, and Vermont Fresh Network.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 17, 2017
I saw this book at the Mother Earth News Fair and decided to buy it. Jeffery Roberts explores the history of Salted & Cured meats in America. The first 2 chapters focus on the history of cured meats and meat production in America, then the rest of the chapters focus on a geographic area and how that area's culture (immigrant populations, weather, etc.) shaped the cured meats that were produced there. It's really nice to see so many businesses highlighted in this book that have been curing meat here for generations and still maintaining a high standard of both work and quality meat. Roberts also discusses some of the issues facing small, artisan producers of smoked, cured, and fermented products from USDA inspectors who don't always understand how these products are made. At the end of the book there is a list of all the businesses featured in the book and also a glossary in case you didn't know every type of cured meat that exists. Overall, a very interesting and unique book about an important part of America's food history and culture.
Some quotes I liked:
"The 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act added layers of new regulations, review, monitoring, and inspection. The new law established a wide range of standards, many of which impacted farmers, food producers of all sizes, and ultimately customers, who pay for increased business expenses. In some instances small artisan food producers, including those of cured meats, closed shop because they could not afford the costs to retrofit an old facility or build a new building." (p. 34)
"Cured meat was always about survival, ways to ensure we made it through winter or hard times. Life depended on the oral passage of skills from one generation to the next, a communication and transfer of knowledge and culture. For most Americans today survival isn't the issue; we are able to choose what, when, and how we eat. So in addition to the loss of skills, we no longer feel, appreciate, or understand the cultural context." (p. 92)
"The partners [of Salumeria Biellese] faced a disastrous situation: The USDA would not back down on its regulations, and Marc, Paul, and Fouad would not change the company's long-established methods of making its salami. The solution came about because of their stubbornness, unshakable belief in their products, and a $100,000 investment. They found a scientist cited in the USDA's literature whom they hired to run tests on the salami. In the wildest experiment imaginable, he injected the salami with pure Listeria monocytogenes and E.coli and then aged them following the Biellese model. The result, no dangerous bacteria present at all! The USDA accepted the findings, and the partners were back in business." (p. 118)
"In his book It's a Long Road to a Tomato, Keith Stewart relates his experiences as a longtime Union Square farmer and his appreciation of the deep connections he enjoys with customers. Whether it's someone on food stamps, a hipster couple, a Gramercy chef, or a neighborhood resident, all share a common bond, a democratic link around Keith's tomatoes and other fresh produce." (p. 133)
Some quotes I liked:
"The 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act added layers of new regulations, review, monitoring, and inspection. The new law established a wide range of standards, many of which impacted farmers, food producers of all sizes, and ultimately customers, who pay for increased business expenses. In some instances small artisan food producers, including those of cured meats, closed shop because they could not afford the costs to retrofit an old facility or build a new building." (p. 34)
"Cured meat was always about survival, ways to ensure we made it through winter or hard times. Life depended on the oral passage of skills from one generation to the next, a communication and transfer of knowledge and culture. For most Americans today survival isn't the issue; we are able to choose what, when, and how we eat. So in addition to the loss of skills, we no longer feel, appreciate, or understand the cultural context." (p. 92)
"The partners [of Salumeria Biellese] faced a disastrous situation: The USDA would not back down on its regulations, and Marc, Paul, and Fouad would not change the company's long-established methods of making its salami. The solution came about because of their stubbornness, unshakable belief in their products, and a $100,000 investment. They found a scientist cited in the USDA's literature whom they hired to run tests on the salami. In the wildest experiment imaginable, he injected the salami with pure Listeria monocytogenes and E.coli and then aged them following the Biellese model. The result, no dangerous bacteria present at all! The USDA accepted the findings, and the partners were back in business." (p. 118)
"In his book It's a Long Road to a Tomato, Keith Stewart relates his experiences as a longtime Union Square farmer and his appreciation of the deep connections he enjoys with customers. Whether it's someone on food stamps, a hipster couple, a Gramercy chef, or a neighborhood resident, all share a common bond, a democratic link around Keith's tomatoes and other fresh produce." (p. 133)
April 20, 2017
Several years ago, Jeffrey Roberts authored the Atlas of American Artisan Cheese. His atlas highlighted carefully crafted, locally made cheeses and their makers, who hoped to lure American consumers away from those weirdly orange “pasteurized processed cheese foods” at the big grocery stores. The movement he championed in that first book has succeeded in a big way — now even the grocery store chains offer extensive cheese departments that often stock locally made gourmet cheeses.
With the publication of Salted and Cured: Savoring the Culture, Heritage and Flavor of America's Preserved Meats , Roberts hopes to provide the same service for locally cured meats. This new book delves into the historical hows and whys of curing meats, then introduces readers to the contemporary farmers, chefs and even bloggers who are champions of naturally made, carefully crafted, cured meats.
Roberts’ book shows readers how unexpected things like weather conditions affected the history of meats: desert versus swamp makes a big difference in how you cure your meats.
From tales of ancient China and Egypt to how Native Americans taught explorers to make jerky, and from Italian prosciutto to Jewish corned beef at your favorite deli, Roberts tracks down the origins of cured meats. In the process, he tells the story of the waves of immigrants that brought their food traditions with them when they came to America.
Like Eight Flavors by Sarah Lohman, Salted and Cured tells the story of America’s melting pot by looking at the ingredients various ethnic groups have brought to our kitchens. Fans of Mark Kurlansky’s Salt and the works of Michael Pollan should also enjoy this fascinating glimpse into food history and customs.
This review originally appeared at "Between the Covers," the book review blog for the Baltimore County Public Library. For more great reading ideas, check out all the reviews there.
With the publication of Salted and Cured: Savoring the Culture, Heritage and Flavor of America's Preserved Meats , Roberts hopes to provide the same service for locally cured meats. This new book delves into the historical hows and whys of curing meats, then introduces readers to the contemporary farmers, chefs and even bloggers who are champions of naturally made, carefully crafted, cured meats.
Roberts’ book shows readers how unexpected things like weather conditions affected the history of meats: desert versus swamp makes a big difference in how you cure your meats.
From tales of ancient China and Egypt to how Native Americans taught explorers to make jerky, and from Italian prosciutto to Jewish corned beef at your favorite deli, Roberts tracks down the origins of cured meats. In the process, he tells the story of the waves of immigrants that brought their food traditions with them when they came to America.
Like Eight Flavors by Sarah Lohman, Salted and Cured tells the story of America’s melting pot by looking at the ingredients various ethnic groups have brought to our kitchens. Fans of Mark Kurlansky’s Salt and the works of Michael Pollan should also enjoy this fascinating glimpse into food history and customs.
This review originally appeared at "Between the Covers," the book review blog for the Baltimore County Public Library. For more great reading ideas, check out all the reviews there.
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August 29, 2017A digitized ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 29, 2017
Brimming with historical information concerning the domestication of pigs and how their usefulness provided for earlier cultures, Salted and Cured slowly leads the reader into valuing the treatment of meats for storage. Included are examinations of meat producing companies, past and present, describing their transformation of raw ingredients into their specialities, be it smoked hams from pigs and even goats or boudin and charcuterie. A complete microhistory of cured meat, Jeffrey Roberts has poured his research in between the covers for you to discover. Full Disclosure: I was allowed to read a copy of this book for free as a member of NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review. The opinions I have expressed are my own and I was not influenced to give a positive review.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews