Cured Meat Heaven

As a child, I was not exposed to anything like traditional Italian, whether it be antipasti or real homemade pasta. It was however, my first food love (see my first post), and the first food that I attempted to cook. Granted, my culinary skills have developed extensively since my first attempt at Fettuccine Carbonara in the early-90s, and I can make a mean Marinara or even some lovely stuff from the Silver Spoon cookbook. However, my skills are nothing compared to the skill required to make the king of all antipasti, the beautiful, delicious, salty, fatty, fantastic cured meats that are among the best things that a great Italian meal can offer.

One of my favorite local joints here in Washington, DC for really good Italian antipasti is 2 Amy's. I have a weakness for their woodfired pizza, but on Saturday afternoon it was all about the antipasti. They have a truly remarkable collection, from cannellini beans with grated botarga, to three different kinds of salted anchovies in olive oil, or a wonderful selection of olives. However, my personal favorite is their "grande piatto di salume:"

This cured meat lover's dream includes: proscuitto san daniele, proscuitto americano la quercia, jamon di serrano, speck, bresaola, boar cacciatorini, lardo, capicola, and lomo. It is a ridiculous quantity of lovely cured meats, but well worth the fat content. Each meat has a unique texture and flavor, from the salty gaminess of the boar cacciatorini, to the silky soft and luscious lardo, no two bites are the same. Paired with ample quantities of good Italian red wine (in this case a 2005 De Angelis Lacrima Christi del Vesuvio from Campania), our meal was a three hour feast not to be soon forgotten.