Your herbs and spices are very important in Charcutarie. Certain things work together and some things don't. Here we have Duck Proscuitto. Traditional Proscuitto and the most common consist of, trimming the ham (made from the rear haunches) of skin and fat, salting the ham, air curing, greasing with salted lard and then a much longer curing period ranging from 1-2 years. This Duck Proscuitto takes a process of 8-10 days. You are going to need a nonreactive container big enough to fit the duck breast without touching, lots of salt, and your preferance of spices. By taking a duck breast, which I prefer to get breasts from duck that Foie Gras was made from that are more healthier in size. Submerging it in your salt and spice mixture, (I used clove, cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper, and bay leaves.) covering with plastic and refridgerating for 24hrs. The next day you are going to remove the duck breast from your cure and wash completely, patt dry, and let sit out for and hour. You are now going to lightly wrap the duck in cheese cloth and hang it in your controlled air environment for 7-10 days until firm. The duck breast will have aged and cured, at anytime if you see any mold or unframiliar smells, throw your product away! I still have a few more days until my product is done but I'll let you know.

Pancetta

Well it has been seven days since i last started my curing process for my pancetta. Pancetta is a traditional Italian cured meat. This particular cure is a process that takes about three weeks. We start by obtaining a fresh pork belly from your local butcher or restaurant proveyer. (Keep in mind, that i am here to just show you my recipies and experiences not teach you!) You want to clean and square off the pork belly so that there is an even amount of meat and fat. Then leveling out the square so when you roll it, it will be an even cylinder. Next we would dredge the belly with Rosemary, Thyme, brown sugar, kosher salt, minced garlic, Juniper berries, peppercors, curing salt(highly recomended), Nutmeg, bay leaves, and cloves. If you have a coffe grinder it would make all of these things better. After you have coated the belly meat, skin, and all sides, carfully place it in a two gallon plastic bag, seal tightly and refridgerate. With a heavy weight evenly distributed ontop we are going to turn the belly over everyday for Seven days. When time is up, thuroughly wash and patt dry. The belly should now be firm from all of the water extracted. We are now going to let it come to room temp, coat with peppercorns, roll tightly with NO air and tie securely in a butchers knot. The meat is now hung in a controlled air environment, or in a Makeshift refridgerator that I made, temperature ranging from 55-65 degrees, w/60% humidity. You can also see here Duck procuitto that is also hanging(thats another story...). The meat is hung and dried for a good two weeks! If at any time you see any mold growing, throw your product away! Start over and fix your mistakes! If at any time your product gets too dry, refridgerate for a day and then continue. When the product is finished slice thin or dice and cook to eat. Pancetta is not meant to be eaten raw unlike other meats, it will be too tough. Forrest and Alba.

A Look Inside

Ok so this is the restaurant. The top color is the new color. We are located on 528 E. 6th and Des Moines ave, on the corner. There are alot of drastic changes to be made to a building that priviously was not a restaurant. Plumbing, lighting, floors, new design, etc. The next picture that you see is a first view look into the kitchen. The hood vent that is still laying on the ground today...to the left will be the dishroom and employee restroom. To the right is the dry storage. In the center where the hood is, is going to be the open-kitchen. We will have no wall or barier from the restaurant and the kitchen. We will though have a chefs table that is placed infront of the hot line, this is where special guests and frequent customers can dine while watching your meal being cooked. There is so much to be said but I will only explain until where the restaurant has progressed.

The begining

Coming from Cleveland, OH.(not originated) to Des Moines, IA just to cook. This blog was created for myself and some others to track my accomplishments and progression. First off i would like to say thank you to a good friend of mine and inspirational for this blog, Micheal Walsh. In my blog i would like to show you some recipes, and the progression and experiences of the restaurant that i am helping create. Blood sweat and tears is what i would like to show you how it is all done...Second of all i would like to say that if you see any miss spelled, under capitalized, or not punctuated things, good for you! keep reading! there is more than just my puctuation, there is a life and a passion. so please don't cretique.