Comments on A Hunger Artist: Constructing the Language of Charcuterie

Here's the most recent info I've found reg...

2011-11-03T18:01:16.170-04:00

Here's the most recent info I've found regarding Cultured Celery Extract (most commonly used in "natural" cured meat products)
http://ca.shine.yahoo.com/choose-healthier-lunch-meat-six-key-ingredients-avoid-040000758.html

I am beginning to miss reading your posts...you mu...

2011-10-25T17:22:29.561-04:00

I am beginning to miss reading your posts...you must be doing something interesting to tell us about?

This is right on target Bob. ANd I agree with you ...

2011-09-02T11:53:13.515-04:00

This is right on target Bob. ANd I agree with you about the celery powder. It's so erratic. I've had whole batches go weird on me using it.

Peter, I agree on all points and am just as puzzle...

2011-08-28T16:38:03.051-04:00

Peter, I agree on all points and am just as puzzled as you are about the attitude of the feds regarding celery powder. Recently, I developed a hot dog recipe for a client who requested celery powder for cure and who is going to be making them under USDA inspection. If I had used simple sodium nitrite the USDA would have required that I specify ppm nitrite. But because I used celery powder (which has nitrate), I don't have to do it. I don't get it.

I think you're giving the USDA too much credit...

2011-08-28T12:43:37.593-04:00

I think you're giving the USDA too much credit for using of science. These definitions usually involve lots of politics and history. They take years to evolve, and are often not to the point, or simply out of date, by the time they show up in the Federal Register.

Note the recent lower of acceptable temperature of cooked pork. The microbes haven't changed, only the politics.

It will be interesting to see if they ever come up with rules regarding celery powder, or at least demanding to control the amount of nitrite in it.

The USDA should take a cue from Lindy Wildsmith in...

2011-08-27T20:30:35.611-04:00

The USDA should take a cue from Lindy Wildsmith in her book "Cured."

She breaks it down into seven chapters, Salted, Spiced & Marinated, Dried, Smoked, Potted, Pickled, and Raw. (although the Raw chapter uses the other six for the most part)

The salt and sugar not being chemicals made me wan...

2011-08-27T17:11:35.306-04:00

The salt and sugar not being chemicals made me want to laugh for a brief, initial moment. Then I immediately thought not only about how inane that was, but of the ramifications which, in turn, quickly filled my mind with throughts of corporate greed, re-constructing laws and language for individual benefit, and preventing others from sharing in the capital. Nice job, Bob!

Warner, Many thanks.

2011-08-26T16:32:28.378-04:00

Warner, Many thanks.

I would change 'For example, salt and sugar ar...

2011-08-26T16:18:00.113-04:00

I would change 'For example, salt and sugar are not "chemicals"" slightly to point to the USDA, I read it the first time as you saying it.

Sounds a bit um, off to call it all "chemical...

2011-08-26T16:15:40.525-04:00

Sounds a bit um, off to call it all "chemical agents". Curing and drying has been (the most?) efficient way of preserving food for centuries.
I live in Scandinavia where it was what people did. That and pickling. I know people that just adore lutfisk, me not so much. It gets a very odd consistency when it's reconstituted. But still, in terms of preservation it works.

If you consider salt etc., as "chemical agents", then I hate to read the language requierd to describe sugar substitutes, and that which is made to constitute low fat products.