Hey lookie this, an XL sausage that goes by the name of Cotechino. And from what Toponia says, it makes a great sammich. That sounds REALLY good to me right now. Mebe I’ll stop off by Acme bakery on Friday and pick me up some hamburger buns, I’ll be lettin’ ya know how that goes. You bet. Their special this week? “Porchetta” style pork loin roasts with rosemary, lemon and garlic. Don’t pass these up, they won’t be around forever. Taylor will be on to something different soon and you’ll have missed out. I find them best smoked or grilled, tenderly.
For the last few weeks I’ve been a crepinette hound. It’s a tremendous package of meat, herbies, spices all mixed with greens and/or fancy nuts with possible onions or olives. Wrap it up in caul fat and you’re good to go. The other night we did Lamb Crepinettes on toasted bread with some crazy good mustard. Darned fine lamb, not all gammy. This week they’ve got duck crepinettes, I most certainly will be getting a few of those. I also see the wieners listed! YAY for wieners !!! Hey, I see Rabbit Rillettes (actually saw them listed last week as well). If there are Rillettes, whar’s the Rabbit Pate FOO !! I’m so ready.
Go read the list yourself and see you at the market on Saturday.
UPDATE (later on the same day): Welp, our plucky hero has found himself doing a little net related research on the Cotechino Sausage and it’s Lentil situation. Here’s a little blurb, “This hearty and satisfying dish is traditionally eaten on New Year’s to bring abundance and fortune.” Interesting beast this Cotechino Sausage. I haven’t decided yet whether I will get one or not, we’ll see. I can be pretty wishy washy at times. I’ll go out for something specific and come home with new boots. Ya just never know.
Xo Xo
Well, you’ve been reading this newsletter and going to the Berkeley Market to procure our delightful charcuterie goods for a awhile now, and you’ve learned a lot. You know the difference between pancetta and prosciutto (at least we hope so…), you’ve been brave enough to branch out from Sweet Italian, in some cases branching as far as Confit Duck Gizzards. (you go, you!) You have distinct dry cured product preference now; you’re certain that Sicilian All’arancia works much better as an after-dinner salami, while saucisson Sec is more appropriate for cocktails with your in-laws. You’ve realized that if you want something that was mentioned in the first 3 line items of the Market Menu, you have to be at the FC Stall by no later than 10:30, and it doesn’t hurt if you stop by Blue Bottle for a little sumpin’ sumpin’ for Taylor on the way.
We here at FC think all of your hard work, diligent eating and newsletter reading and trying and tasting and loving shows that you’ve really matured as a charcuterie eater, and we think you’re ready to move up: It’s time you graduated to The Big Sausage. Yup, they come in XL, and this week’s the week you get to see one, smell one, buy one and eat one. Cotechino. The word even looks all roundy, like the sausage. It even sounds big. Have you ever had it? It’s a traditional Italian jobby, basically pig stuffed into a beef “middle”, which, I’ve just learned, is the big casing. They’re double-wides. Like a regular, delicious Fatted Calf Sausage, only not so regular, much fatter, and just as delicious. Cotechino is so big and yummy, it’s definitely something to share. A finely ground sausage with aromatic spices, it is prepared most traditionally with lentils, for a last-of-the-cool-weather dinner, in a bollito m isto, or, to quote Toponia: “it makes a damn good sandwich, with mustard”
Congratulations, you’ve earned it.
Also, also, also, Porchetta is back-the mostest yummiest roast out there. Seriously, find a recipe for the Italian salsa verde, and go there.
This week at the Market:
Saturday, April 2, 2005
SPECIAL
“Porchetta” style pork loin roasts with rosemary, lemon and garlic
Sausage
Duck Crepinettes
Merguez
Hot Italian
Sweet Italian
Toulouse
Mexican Style Chorizo
Breakfast Sausage
Wieners
Bordelaise
Andouille
Cotechino
Pates, Confits & Terrines
Pate de Campagne
Duck Pate
Duck Confit
Duck Rillette
Rabbit Rillette
Duck Liver Mousse
Salumi
Pepperoni
Fegatelli
Chorizo
Finocchiona
Pancetta
Other Meaty Goods
Bacon
Duck Demi
Glace de Viande
Sugo di Carne
Fatted Calf
Phone/Fax (510)653-4327
Cotechino is a very traditional clove spiced sausage that is served with lentils on New Year’s day (for good luck!) it is wrapped in pigskin. It is very rich and I think a bit too savory for a sandwich but that might just be me. It’s very fatty so it’s best served warm, not cold. I haven’t had a good one since I smuggled one back from Italy.
Hey Amy,
Hmmm, I wonder what Taylor puts in his version. I’ll make a point of putting up a post about it so you can see. Hey, I have lentils too. Orange or yellow ones, I think. Now I have something to shoot for. Anything special for the lentils?
Lentils are supposed to represent gold coins and the idea of the New Year bringing you more money, luck. But why wait for New Year’s for good luck and gold coins? I’ve only had it with the green/brown lentils, but I imagine they would work with yellow ones just as well. Do report back! Here’s a link to recipe that looks just like how I remember it…
http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/egg/egg0396/cotlentl.html
I still cant find Cotechino nor any other pork products for that matter with a taste as good as the pork pruducts produced in Italy.
I think it’s is the pork itself or what it’s been fed.
Hey Joseph,
It is a tough match. You need to find a butcher & a chef in one person that’s motivated enough to have trained under an Italian master butcher/chef. Then? They need to be inspired enough to seek out the very best in ingredients. And I’m not just talking about the meat. Everything and I mean, everything needs to be just right. This is why Fatted Calf is so special, Taylor & Toponia are these people.
Biggles