[English: shahr-koo-tuh–ree, shahr-koo-tuh-ree; French shar-kytuh–ree]
As Salami makers, we deal with the term “charcuterie” on a regular basis. If you are among the many who ask, “where does this word comes from?” … We have the answer! Buckle up your seat belts, we are going back in history.
The meaning of the word “charcuterie” remains flexible depending on the community you ask! To the food scholars and historians, it is a word that references the French culinary art from the 15th century. Derived from the French words chair “meat” and cuit “cooked,” it is the branch of culinary design that focuses on preparing various meats like air-dried sausage, prosciutto, ham, bacon, galantines, ballotines, pates, and confit, mainly from pork. The encyclopedia of gastronomy Larousse Gastronomique defines it as: “The art of preparing various meats, in particular pork, in order to present them in the most diverse ways.”
Before the development of refrigeration methods, charcuterie was meant to keep meat products from spoiling. Today, people simply relish the preparation method’s unique flavors due to the preservation processes. The process dates all the way back to the first century AD, when the Greek philosopher Strabo first documented salted meat imports from Gaul. The Romans created laws maintaining the proper production of pork joints, and may have been the first to regulate trade of charcuterie. The French word “charcutier” is used for a person who prepares charcuterie, and the rough English translation is “pork butcher.”
To urban shoppers and Europeans, charcuterie is the delicatessen-themed shop where air-dried sausages and cured meats are created and sold. To culinary arts students around the globe, it is a necessary course to learn the preparation methods of pates, terrines, and sausages. To the home cook, charcuterie is an easy party platter, picnic staple, or gourmet kitchen display. To the restaurant cooks and servers, charcuterie is an easily assembled and delivered appetizer. To today’s ‘foodie,’ charcuterie is the trendy meal customarily served using thin slicing techniques and very basic accompaniments like bread, cornichons, olives, and mustard, perfect for those minimalist photo selfies on Instagram.
What combinations of cheese, meat, fruit, and nuts do you enjoy when thinking about charcuterie? Let us know in the comments. I like anything with grapefruit!