Now there's prosciutto in my bathroom

Dear Friends – It’s been an amazing week for us here at World’s End with the most recent highlight being Klady’s day at renowned Fat Pig Farm to learn all about pigs and pork and how to make prosciutto (my ABSOLUTE favourite), salamis, bacon as well as a whole range of gourmet charcuterie goodies. As a result, I have declared myself the supervisor and chief taster and I now live in anticipation for when the right time comes and all the goodies are ready to eat.

I have to let you know that after this intensive day of hands-on tuition, Klady arrived home hyped-up and totally brain exhausted from learning completely new skills. It was then that I knew, (because all these foods take some time), we will be in for all manner of savoury treats in the coming months and years.

Hopefully with her new-found knowledge she can recreate amazing foods from her decade of living in Europe: rohschinken, pancetta, capocollo, bresaola, prosciutto and maybe – if we are lucky and she is very, very brave – salami.

However and most importantly, Klady met Fat Pig Farm’s new kelpie named Louie (why do I know so many dogs named Louie?). This rescue dog Louie is a little more long-haired that I am, definitely more polite than me and somewhat shy. I put the last two qualities down to his youth but I am not so sure how I feel about how he kindly accompanied Klady on the lunchtime gumboot tour of Fat Pig Farm! (I think I am a bit jealous).

And so this week has seen the Klady's first three charcuterie experiments begin (hanging in the laundry/bathroom) ……

• Lonzino - or air dried pork loin - cured with salt, juniper berries and cloves

• Bacon cured with brown sugar, mixed herbs and lightly smoked, and

• Two HUGE guanciale - made from pork jowls and simply cured with salt and garlic (perfect for a whole range of pasta dishes).

While Klady was preparing all these goodies using her butchering skills, I made sure to stay close to her and was suitably well rewarded with occasional nibblets of tasty fresh meat (oh... I do love her doing this type of cooking!).

But for me the most best deli item is prosciutto. During the workshop she tasted prosciuttos aged for several years with the change in taste proving really significant (the 3-year old sample hinted strongly of cheese).

Klady’s ambition is to make prosciutto next year, ready for tasting in 2023 and I can’t wait for all manner of smallgoods that we will have hanging and drying in dark, cool places around the house.

But what is she going to do with all this produce?

While all these goodies keep up to a year when refrigerated, I think they will become her new Christmas gifts, replacing the lemongrass and cardamom brioche bread and buns she has recently perfected.

She’ll also swap with friends, for example, for freshly smoked local salmon, home grown organic veggies, eggs and other delights and which makes our weekly menus very diverse and interesting.

And of course, these delicacies will also be part of the housewarming feast when we move to our new forever home in the coming months. I can’t wait!

Yours,

Feathers THE Wonder Dog!

PS: Following my last post about vet angst, I can confirm that for my annual visit I really behaved true to form and did my angry and agitated best visiting my new Tassie vet. My snarls, growls and barks could be heard outside - even when wearing a muzzle!

Go the dogs!!!