Page 92 - Spring2018

All Thumbs Book Reviews

Pure Charcuterie: The Craft and investment will pay for itself many times over.
Poetry of Curing Meats at Home Leigh covers different types of charcuterie,
By Meredith Leigh devoting each subsequent chapter to a major
New Society Publishers area—sausages, suspensions and larger cuts
such as bacon and hams. She then moves on to
There are many books on making bread and more complex meat-curing techniques that use
similar items at home. The topic of vegetable time, temperature and fermentation to render
fermentation and preservation now fills count- something both culinarily exquisite and safely
less volumes. Cheese, too, has experienced a edible, relying on collaboration between the hu-
renaissance, with dozens of titles dedicated to man and microbiological worlds. These sections
the home or small-scale cheesemaker. include information about how to create basic
But what about meat? Lots of tomes explore set-ups for fermenting and smoking meats—an
raising, butchering and preparing it, but what added bonus in an already good book.
about preserving and perfecting it through tradi- Kids would enjoy some of the techniques
tional charcuterie techniques? Meredith Leigh’s outlined in the book, such as creating penicil-
book addresses the latter niche with marvelous lium from organic oranges allowed to mold at
inspiration and accessibility. Importantly, Leigh home. For real foods people, this may be the
makes it clear that “Good charcuterie starts final frontier, as one moves from merely har-
with good meat and fat,” which “come from an vesting microorganisms to making sourdough
animal that had a good life, a good death, a good and kombucha to embracing even the wilder
butcher and a good cook.” side of the unseen world to prepare meals. Leigh
Pure Charcuterie is written for the average makes such endeavors seem inviting again—a
person, even down to young adults who want natural and good part of food preparation—
to recapture skills that served the generations even if modern people have for too long been
before them so well. The book opens by cover- sundered from such processes.
More ing basics on sourcing, safety, equipment and Leigh intends for readers to work through
supplies. I was delighted to see Leigh touch on Pure Charcuterie sequentially. In this way,
complex the safety and value of sodium nitrate in tradi- someone with no experience can slowly build

meat-curing tionally cured meats, a subject that I think war- up their skills to handle ever more complex
techniques rants more discussion among health-conscious meat-curing approaches. Each chapter includes
consumers. Indeed, perhaps more than any other a handful of recipes to help readers master the
use time, reason, meat has lagged behind among those basics of each technique without overwhelming
temperature who seek to recoup traditional skills because them with too many options. In a few places, I

and of greater fears (compared to grains and veg- would have enjoyed seeing a few more recipes,
etables) about home preparation.
especially the sausage section, but perhaps that
fermentation The book’s section on sources is solid, tell- just shows that I have a soft spot for sausages.
to render ing us that “The surest way to find [good] meat The recipes are well laid out and the ac-
something and fat is through a direct relationship with companying images are lovely. Don’t read this
farming and farmers.” The supply section also book if you are hungry! If you are looking for a
both is a reminder that the second biggest reason gift for someone who is interested in dabbling in
culinarily charcuterie making has tended not to return home curing of meats, Leigh’s book will serve
exquisite and to the home is because it requires a fair bit of you well. It is easy to follow, enjoyable to read
equipment. The good news is that, given the high and lovely to look at. Two thumbs UP.
safely edible. cost of quality cured and prepared meats, this Review by John Moody

90 Wise Traditions SPRING 2018