Ho! Ho! Ho! Our Salami Bon Bons are back in stock and selling fast with real salami inside - this year we have the 3 flavours - sweet, savoury and hot - something for everyone! Christmas crackers were never filled with anything better! Bulk orders welcome.
Our Christmas ideas are fun and helpful in getting you through your Christmas shopping list. Let us help you have a stress free festive season by picking our unique, practical and attractive gifts.
- Under $50.00 Stocking fillers.
- Buy our Fresh Mediterranean Sausage Making Recipe Kit and get the Fresh Venison Sausage Making Recipe Kit for over 25% off.
- Make the perfect sausages and onion rings to match when you buy the $79.90 boxed Mediterranean Gourmet Box Kit - and receive a free Italian mandolin.
- Take our very own Sausage Queen Sara Grazia's instructional DVD home for FREE when you purchase the Deluxe Tre Spade #8 Manual Sausage & Salami Making Kit - valued at $29.90. Limited stock!
We are open everyday this week - including Saturday and Christmas Eve! (Sunday by appointment only)
Ciao Ciao!
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November, the second last month of the year and the perfect spring time for a Spritz and an antipasto. For those of you who have made some lovely produce in the winter months like cured pork neck and cured bellies, now is the time after about a 3 month period to open and taste them.
Cutting up these larger meats can be quite the challenge and it helps if you have some nice sharp help on hand to get the job done. Sharp knives and slicers are definitely the way to go to get the finished product looking as professional as possible.
Our Sanelli range of ceramic knives are unique in their cutting ability. They can cut through a piece of salame as if it were butter, and leave the meat smooth without jagged edges. As well, the Sanelli specialist prosciutto knife is the ideal length and shape for cutting into your prosciuttini and small hams. Teamed up with our attractive carving stands from Europe to hold the ham and prosciutto in place, your anitapsto table would have never looked better!
Alternatively we like to step up and use our MEAT slicers. All made in Italy, they look good as well as being functionally great, they range in price to accommodate for lots of different budgets.
If you are lucky enough to be able to slice up some paper thin slithers of meats, why not roll them up with some lovely soft cheese and pop them on a crusty slice of bread to make a nice crostini roll. Don’t forget to drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil and maybe some balsamic glaze to really impress your friends. I like to finely slice my solid mozzarella too so the slices are the same for both the meats and the cheeses.
The meat slicers can be adapted also for cutting bread with a serrated replacement blade and a Teflon blade for wetter items – making them the perfect multi tasker!
Watch out in the coming days to receive a discount code for this range of Sanelli knives and meat slicer products if you are a registered VIP customer with us and are interested in a useful gift for yourself or someone you know.
Ciao Ciao
]]>Ever wondered about the woman behind the sausage? Our figure head and self-proclaimed Sausage Queen, Sara Grazia has been teaching our courses for over 13 years now. She was one of the first people in Australia to begin teaching to the public and since then it has garnered a lot of attention from all around the world.
Sausages Made Simple has been featured on TV, newspapers and online articles and now we have given access to the woman who started it all.
Read about Sara in the latest article on Linkedin, click here to read the full article.
Many thanks to Aaron Lord, author of the outstanding article who captured the essence of our figure head, Sara Grazia so well.
]]>Our private events can be catered to your Dad and we also provide an assortment of food and drinks to taste. That should be a great incentive!!
Dad will be taught the art of Italian sausage and salami making in our state of the art commercial kitchen located downstairs at our Sausages Made Simple HQ with our instructor who will guide Dad through the process in an informative session.
After the class he will be treated to a range of cured meats, sausages, antipasti platters and more with drinks provided.
We have been teaching for over 10 years and our private events are always a big hit with a lot of laughs had along the way.
Our private events have also been featured on Channel 9's Postcards to which we received great response and rave reviews! (Check out our Postcards blog!!). But don't just take our word for it, check out just some of the great feedback we have received from past students.
"We had a very enjoyable afternoon learning how to make sausages. Lots of laughs. Instructors really looked after us. Thoroughly recommend this." - Sue B.
"Great afternoon, great experience and enjoyed as part of a team.." - Debbie C.
"What a fantastic experience, love every bit of it. Am not usually a sausage person, now I'm a convert!!" - Catharine C.
So don't wait too long as you may miss out!! Book a private event for Dad (and let us know!) and he'll receive a free gift!
]]>You not only learn how to make and master sausages and salami but you get to taste the delicious creations once the session is over (and have a drink…or 3!) It’s a smart way to get the team working together whilst still having fun with great incentives.
(Students enjoying a tasting after the class)
Many of our students from team building events have gone on to make their own at home and have now become familiar faces in store! We personalise each event to suit yours and your company’s needs and welcome any ideas that may help the event be more enjoyable for everyone involved.
Still undecided? Just read some testimonials from past team building events!
“Great hands on experience. The pace was a steady one and there was lots of opportunity to ask specific questions. Would highly recommend to others. Thank you for a great afternoon. Tasted great too!” – Debbie. V
“Loved it!! Great place, great people – YUMMY...” – Maria. B
“Excellent presentation and knowledge…” – Rick. V
“Thank you for the great content – delivered in an easy to follow process…” – Tim. N
So, what are you waiting for? Contact us today to book in your very own team building day and learn some great skills on the way!
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The last week in April brought us some nice perfect salami making weather. I always delight in the cool temperatures and the rainy moments where you know that the crisp winter months are not far away. I also remember my wonderful winter in Italy a few years ago.
For salami enthusiasts this sparks the fact that they need to get their gear organised and arrange to plan ahead the things that they would love to remake from the years before and maybe even try some new recipes. For the newcomers, we welcome you to our magical world where we transform the simplest of meat into delightful fermented treats for family and friends to enjoy. I always warn my students, that they can be sure to attract many people as new friends who claim they wish to help in the process of making the salami, but somehow tend to be available only at the time of tasting! I laugh at these thoughts and urge my students to insist the only tasters at the end are the helpers from the beginning.
I find this season a great excuse to get your family and friends together to make big batches of much loved recipes. If you feel inclined to take the tried and tested route, don’t forget that our salami and spice kits are full of flavour and are super easy to use, just by adding to your meat mix. We have had to increase production this year on our most popular Cacciatore packs and our Salame Piccante for the hot and spicy enthusiasts. I admit to being a lover of these lovely spicy mixes as they just make it very easy to make a few different recipes without the build up of spices at home. Fresh and simple has always worked for me and I love to pass these traditional recipes on.
Check out our full stock of our latest recipes in store and get the winter months off to an exciting start. Doing it early enough in the season permits you to make a second, third and fourth batch so you will never run out!
]]>Introducing..... STARTER CULTURES for salami and cured sausage making.
Now, before you go into a crazed frenzy thinking that we're suggesting you fill your salami with chemicals, fear not!
Introducing..... STARTER CULTURES for salami and cured sausage making.
Now, before you go into a crazed frenzy thinking that we're suggesting you fill your salami with chemicals, fear not!
The culture itself is easy to use, simply sprinkle the amount required in with your recipe mix and mix your meat well. You will feel the culture start to activate once mixing continues as your meat mix will become very sticky (this is a good thing. If it's not sticky... you're not working hard enough!)
Instead of leaving your salami meat mix to rest over night, you fill your casings straight away and then hang the salami in a warm area at between 18 and 23 degrees Celsius for 3-5 days (depending on the quantity of salami you're producing). Like with yeast when mixing bread dough, the starter culture needs to be warmed to activate. After this time, you move the salami to wherever you usually have it hanging. THAT'S IT, congratulations, you've successfully used starter culture!
So what does the starter do for your salami that's so wonderful and exciting? Well... this part gets a little bit scientific so we'll keep it brief:
As you will be warming your produce slightly to activate the culture, we highly recommend using a curing salt. The curing salt will help maintain balance in the meat and aid in preventing the meat from beginning to cook inside the casing. The nitrite content in the salt will also act as an added preventative to harmful bacteria wanting to make your produce their home.
Most people hear the word 'nitrite' and go on quite the rant, however how many of you eat fruit and veg? majority of these contain nitrates, which when ingested, convert to nitrites.
The amount of nitrite contained in our curing salts is 1.25% of the total weight, so for 5kgs of salami that's 1.75gm, barely measurable yet enough to keep you and your meat safe when used correctly.
Are you going to try our little salami secret?
As some of you would have seen through our socials, we recently had an exciting afternoon filming a sausage making and salami segment with the channel 9 Postcards crew.
As to be expected with any sausage making experience, it was full of fun, mess and some delicious sausage tastings afterwards.
To see the full experience tune in:
As some of you would have seen through our socials, we recently had an exciting afternoon filming a sausage making and salami segment with the channel 9 Postcards crew.
As to be expected with any sausage making experience, it was full of fun, mess and some delicious sausage tastings afterwards.
Host Glenn Moriarty got his hands dirty as I walked him through the process of making fresh Italian sausages from scratch.
Here are a few highlight from the shoot.
The preparation is always the most difficult part. But to create camera magic, a little nip, tuck, and some pinching and pulling is most certainly required!
It's time to eat! all the dishes you'll see in this segment were made by me from the salami and prosciutto I make myself. It's here where you might find some inspiration of simple yet delicious dishes you can make using your home made produce.
To see the full experience tune in:
We look forward to seeing you then for some foodie fun and inspiration.
]]>Tomatoes are in season for only a short time, but your passata can last you the entire year if made properly – without adding any preservatives!
Best of all, making your own passata is really easy to do. It’s so simple that we’ve written out the method for you. Should you forget halfway through the process, you can just pop back here and pick up from where you left off
]]>Best of all, making your own passata is really easy to do. It’s so simple that we’ve written out the method for you. Should you forget halfway through the process, you can just pop back here and pick up from where you left off.
Making Tomato Passata
Before you get to the good stuff, you need to prepare a few things:
And now for the fun stuff!
At this point, it’s best to have a container ready to catch all your fresh pulp (it’s often best to use a pot as it will save on the washing up later on) and another at the rear of the machine to catch all the seeds and skin.
Once you have extracted all the juice and pulp, it’s time to put the passata onto the stove and reduce it to the desired consistency.
You’re now finished, Buon Apetito!
Before you pack your passata making machine away for another season, why not give it a wash and try making your own seasonal fruit jams and conserves throughout the rest of the year.
If you find yourself without the required machine to make your own sauce and home made jams, you can pick one up at our Sausage HQ or from our online store for as little as $39.50!
When you’re not making sauces or jams, perhaps it’s time for a little freshly pressed fruit juice. This compact little machine can be used to produce a variety of sweet and savoury delicacies, so time to head down to your local farmer’s market or into the back yard and start selecting your favourite fruits and berries.
Have fun and enjoy making your own artisan recipes.
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2015 has been one of the biggest years in Sausages Made Simple’s history. We’ve reached a number of new milestones as well as opening the doors to our new Sausage HQ.
Here’s just a little summary of the year, of not only us, but you as well. We’ve heard from many of you throughout the year sharing your stories with us, showing off your salami, cured meats and fresh sausages with photos and video; which we’re looking forward to receiving again in the new year, along with new treats and treasures from all our meat processing newbies.
]]>2015 has been one of the biggest years in Sausages Made Simple’s history. We’ve reached a number of new milestones as well as opening the doors to our new Sausage HQ.
Here’s just a little summary of the year, of not only us, but you as well. We’ve heard from many of you throughout the year sharing your stories with us, showing off your salami, cured meats and fresh sausages with photos and video; which we’re looking forward to receiving again in the new year, along with new treats and treasures from all our meat processing newbies.
The year started with us moving into our new Sausage HQ at 118 Ireland St, West Melbourne. Formerly the Railway Hotel, a grand old Victorian hotel with a long and colourful history. It’s rumoured that bush ranger Ned Kelly was held in the basement until he appeared in court. Worried about a potential prison break, the basement of the railway hotel was one of the safest places to keep the notorious criminal.
Through the years this well-established building has housed a variety of businesses, now it’s time for another reincarnation. After months of work and restoration the original main bar has been stripped back and returned to its former glory – the bar as we see it today was originally renovated in 1913. Ned’s (apparent) former cell, once a beer keg storeroom, has now been converted into our 21st century SalamiLAB™.
With our renovations coming to an end, we will soon be opening our very own sausage and salami bar, filled with handmade delicacies, all produced onsite by our Sausage Queen, Norcina Sara Grazia.
During our renovation our Sausage Queen was back in Italy receiving professional qualifications for her specialty training in meat processing. She studied in depth with the Nocino Society and qualified being the first – and currently only – norcina (a female norcino) in Australia! The norcini stem back centuries in Italian history, and are an ever growing community of specialists.
We’ll have more on the Norcini soon, they’re such a fascinating people we think they deserve their own blog post.
After Sara’s return from Europe and Phase 1 of our Sausage HQ renovation was complete, it was time to get our bench tops dusted off and students through the doors to share the latest secrets in fresh sausage and salami making. Our cured meats and prosciutto making courses also came back with popularity being at an all-time high. Overall 15 additional courses were added to this year’s timetable, teaching over 1,000 people this year alone! we look forward to seeing and hearing all about your meat processing adventures in the New Year.
Our Sydney courses were back in force with a record number of courses being listed and a record number of enthusiasts learning how to produce their own fresh sausage, salami and cured meats. We introduced our Prosciutto Making Master Class in Sydney for the first time and were overwhelmed with the interest from Sydneysiders. A big Thank you to all. It’s always a wonderful experience when participants walk in with their sleeves rolled up and ready to start a session before anyone has even said hello!
As the year progressed and the renovations at our Sausage HQ continued – as many of you know, this has been a lengthy process, but one we think you will agree was worth the time and effort once we open our completed Sausage HQ to you all in 2016 – we managed to get in some travel time. Is was back off to Europe for a little Christmas shopping.
Our shopping adventure began in Milan at HOST. If you’re an avid food processer or coffee connoisseur, then this event is for you. With 14 exhibition halls filled to the brim with equipment, supplies and gadgets a plenty, this is your one stop Christmas shop! With busy schedules and our international diary bursting at the spine with meetings and tasting, more meetings, teaching (and the occasional shopping trip) we needed a little ‘quiet’ time.
With our luggage continually increasing in weight, we decided to try something new, and hopefully relaxing. Instead of packing up and heading off to yet another airport we took the morning train from Milan to Paris. It was an 8.5-hour journey, but what a beautiful experience it was. The train left Milan and passed around Turin before crossing the alps, through the French countryside and straight into the centre of Paris. The scenery was breathtakingly spectacular. The snow hadn’t started to fall between Milan and Turin at this time, so all the fields and villages were visible from the train, most being nothing but a blur with the speed the train was travelling. Vineyards were prepared and ready for the winter frosts to settle in, farms were battening down ready for the snow to fall, and Christmas decorations and lights were starting to be hung!
Once passed Turin, and in range of the alps, the snow had started to settle. White peaks that gradually faded into rock and lush forest the closer to ground level you got. As the train started to climb through the alps everything became much more fairy-tale like. There was a cross culture of Italian, Swiss and French design throughout local villages, many looking more like movies sets than comfortable family homes, however the magic and diversity continued from one village to the next. Some partly covered in snow, with ice crystals starting to form from window sills and gutter, while others were completely covered in snow with fairy lights ablaze, all looking like a village of gingerbread houses.
It was a spectacular sight to behold. A much recommended trip if you’re looking for a different route from Milan to Paris. We’d even recommend stopping off overnight at a couple of villages if you have the time, it is a truly picturesque part of the world. One I image not very many people get to see.
Next stop… Paris, the city of romance and love, and we can assure you there was plenty of love and romance to be had. There has been an Italian boom in Paris since our last visit. Salami bars have taken the city by storm, and not one is the same. They all housed the classics, Prosciutto Di Parma and some other top quality cured products from Italy, but then the they also had their own house made specialities. Depending on where the owners originated, they had their own special recipes that they made, with a few having a bit of French influence which in some cases was rather enjoyable. Most visitors to Paris visit all the major attractions, and we did just that, from one salumiera to another, to another and another, it was a very pleasant and unexpected journey. So when in Paris, you can eat like you’re in Italy!
After returning from our European shopping trip it was time to get back into the kitchen and what we know best, and that’s summertime salami making.
In the spirit of Christmas, we invited you to come and join us for our Salami Gruppo Experience. Many of you rolled up your sleeves and got your hands dirty mixing up salami recipes and filling casings ready for curing and eating over Christmas and the festive season. We had 2 events running that produced over 400kg of handmade salami.
We also introduced 2 new fresh sausage making kits, Beef and Burgundy as well as Venison Sausage. These have been very popular in the lead up to Christmas and we’re looking forward to seeing their popularity grow in the new year. If you haven’t tried them yet, it’s not too late. Make barbequing and picnicking more exciting with our new range of sausage recipe kits, all quick and easy to use, ready for cooking within hours!
Working with some of Italy’s top manufacturers we now offer a range of professional processing and kitchen knives by Sanelli. These knifes are used by many of Italy’s top chefs in some of the finest restaurants throughout Italy and Europe.
Overall it’s been a very exciting and meaty year for us at our Sausage HQ and we’re looking forward to sharing it all with you in 2016.
We will be running an even larger number of courses in 2016 with the opening of our SalamiLAB. We’ll also be extending our fresh sausage, salami and cured meats making courses even further around the country.
A new book is almost ready for release, and everyone will be invited to come and dine at our sausage bar. Dine in or take away, whatever your choice we’ll have tasty artisan made produce ready for you, your friends and family to enjoy.
We also re-introduced our Fresh Italian Cheese Making Master Class with great success.
We have some new sausage recipes on their way just in time for Australia Day barbequing.
We thank you all very much for your support and patience throughout the year and look forward to bringing you an even bigger and better year ahead, full of more sausage and meaty goodness, deliciousness and excitement.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
]]>2015 has been a busy year here at Sausage HQ, we have:
All this while renovating a glorious old building! So we will be taking a little break over the holiday period. Our last day of trade will be Thursday, 24 December 2015 until 16:00, reopening Monday, 11 January 2016.
]]>2015 has been a busy year here at Sausage HQ, we have:
All this while renovating a glorious old building! So we will be taking a little break over the holiday period. Our last day of trade will be Thursday, 24 December 2015 until 16:00, reopening Monday, 11 January 2016.
During this time you can shop online as usual AND if you need those fresh sausage, salami and cured meats making supplies or equipment, and will be in Melbourne, our Click and Collect service will operate during this time! Click and Collect will not be available Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve or New Year's Day.
We look forward to servicing your sausage, salami and cured meats making needs over the holidays and into 2016, and we would like to take this opportunity to wish you a safe holiday and a prosperous new year!
All the best!
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Have a Christmas with a difference and say it with sausage!
Need some Christmas shopping inspiration? Had enough of socks, underpants, pyjamas and the usual “please tell me you kept the receipt” Christmas gifts and stocking fillers. This could be the year to break that cycle and wake up and be greeted by something a little more…. sausagey on Christmas morning.
]]>Have a Christmas with a difference and say it with sausage!
Need some Christmas shopping inspiration? Had enough of socks, underpants, pyjamas and the usual “please tell me you kept the receipt” Christmas gifts and stocking fillers. This could be the year to break that cycle and wake up and be greeted by something a little more…. sausagey on Christmas morning.
Whether it’s something for yourself or your struggling with a Kris Kringle gift idea for a work colleague, friend or family member, or maybe you’re looking for something to really WOW someone this festive season – say it with sausage!
Our Christmas Stocking Stuffers collection is your one stop sausage stuffing online shop. Scroll through our product list (many of which are under $50.00) click, pay and they’ll be in the post the next day! That’s Christmas shopping made simple for carnivores worldwide!
]]>On Monday 02 and Tuesday 03 November 2015 our retail store at 118 Ireland Street, West Melbourne, will be closed. Our online store will remain open to fulfil your sausage and salami making needs, noting that orders placed over this period will be dispatched on Wednesday 04 November 2015.
We trust you have a safe and enjoyable Melbourne Cup Carnival.
]]>
But once a year at Flemington
A horse race stops us all
And we hold our breaths and listen
To the commentator’s call
For never has there been a race
That holds such fascination
Than the race they run at Flemington
The race that stops the nation
Vivienne McCredie - The Race That Stops a Nation
On Monday 02 and Tuesday 03 November 2015 our retail store at 118 Ireland Street, West Melbourne, will be closed. Our online store will remain open to fulfil your sausage and salami making needs, noting that orders placed over this period will be dispatched on Wednesday 04 November 2015.
We trust you have a safe and enjoyable Melbourne Cup Carnival.
]]>Father's Day is a day where we thank our father (or someone else special to us) for being awesome! Every year we're looking for something just a little bit different and special for our dad's, something he might not have but needs, something fun, or if all else fails - more socks!
]]>Father's Day is a day where we thank our father (or someone else special to us) for being awesome! Every year we're looking for something just a little bit different and special for our dad's, something he might not have but needs, something fun, or if all else fails - more socks!
Why not treat dad to something much more exciting, something the entire family can enjoy along with him, and at an affordable price.
Take a look at our gift ideas that will knock your dad's socks off!
Wanting to get dad (or yourself) something a little extra special this Father's Day? Take a look at some of our luxurious gift idea's that can be enjoyed by dad and the entire family!
Italian made Tre Spade Electric Sausage Maker. This machine comes from world renowned Italian manufacturer Tre Spade, one of the world’s leading producers of food processing equipment.
Available in stainless steel and galvanised iron.
From $485.00
Italian made Electric Meat Slicers. Stainless steel blades, with adjustable cutting width.
*Luxor and Essedue machines come with a teflon stainless steel blade and detachable blade sharpener.
From $125.00
From $155.00
Treat dad to an evening of Italian cheese making. He will get hands on producing his own ricotta and buffalo mozzarella (milk base may vary depending on availability).
$165.00
Our range of professional carving and processing knives are exclusive to Sausages Made Simple in Australia. These knives have been specifically designed for professional meat processing. The ergonomic style and design of the handle means you can use it more often, for longer periods without fatigue.
Used by the top chefs in majority of Italy's finest restaurants and salami bars, these are a must have for any meat processor, whether they're a hobbiest or a professional!
From $36.98
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One of the benefits of my working trips in Italy is that I get to travel to a lot of new and exciting towns, villages and small farmlets that you would not normal see when you’re on holiday.
One of my favourite out of the way towns to visit in northern Italy is Bolzano. Nestled on the Italian and Austrian border, Bolzano is a small city of mixed cultures. Here you will find some of the best Italian flavours infused with traditional Austrian delicacies.
]]>One of the benefits of my working trips in Italy is that I get to travel to a lot of new and exciting towns, villages and small farmlets that you would not normal see when you’re on holiday.
One of my favourite out of the way towns to visit in northern Italy is Bolzano. Nestled on the Italian and Austrian border, Bolzano is a small city of mixed cultures. Here you will find some of the best Italian flavours infused with traditional Austrian delicacies.
This part of Italy is best known for its cured speck and strudel! I can say that this is the best place in all of Italy to enjoy strudel.
In the street markets, stalls are filled with a variety of produce, flowers and trinkets. The bakery stall sells large pretzel buns along with salami, speck and locally produced cheeses from farms in and around the Alps on both sides of the border.
Speck is a cured smoked meat, traditional to the northern regions of Italy, predominantly close to the alpine region. In this part of the world, it’s as readily available as a McDonalds in a large city. On every corner, and at almost every market stall there is someone selling speck. It’s particularly delicious when it’s sweetly smoked and in a freshly made toasted flat bread with rocket and sliced parmesan. That was breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea for me on this particular day.
Being here was like being on a Hollywood movie set, there are streets that are very Austrian inspired, and then you turn down an alleyway and you’d be certain you were in the back streets of Rome.
Being here in winter was a truly magical experience, there was a large carousal in the centre square which in the evenings is surrounded by a night market at certain times of the year and a live orchestra.
On the edge of the city flows a large river and on the other side, the winter play ground to the rich and famous. Dotted all over the mountain side were villas large and small, some occupied all year around, and others only seasonal.
In winter, this area is famous for its ski fields, and in the spring and summer time, the pathways are full of hikers and walking enthusiasts.
The views are amazing and it constantly changes as you continue moving.
For a magical experience, in any season, I would highly recommend taking the long drive out to Bolzano and stay for a day or two. If you’re planning a foodie trip, you might need more than a couple of days, scattered through the town, its surround villages and throughout the mountains are a multitude of artisan producers.
Some producing in shops and selling their produce over the counter, others are on farms offering tastings and produce to take away over their kitchen tables, some even out the boot of the cars. A wonderfully magically experience nestled away in the Alps.
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When I’m travelling through Italy, I tend to make as much salami as I possibly can with friends and producers large and small; however, my travels are not always about salami!
Today I hit the road running, running out into the great unknown of the Italian country side to visit some home producers that make their own wine and spirits. (It turns out they also make their own salami, but we’ll get to that later).
]]>When I’m travelling through Italy, I tend to make as much salami as I possibly can with friends and producers large and small; however, my travels are not always about salami!
I like to visit a range of different places and experience new and exciting things, get treated to new methods and skills that these crafts people have learned many years before and are excited to share when they meet equally as enthusiastic people such as myself, that share a common passion for all things hand made.
Today I hit the road running, running out into the great unknown of the Italian country side to visit some home producers that make their own wine and spirits. (It turns out they also make their own salami, but we’ll get to that later)
Miles away from the new freeway that links most of Northern Italy to Milan, I drove through towns, large and small, villages with only a few houses and the great mountainous valleys that northern Italy is known for. All in pursuit of the perfect cantina.
In a small farming village sat a traditional Italian farm house surrounded by acres of vineyard. As it was the middle of winter everything was quite brown and grey. I could just imagine how picturesque this place must be in the spring time, when the fields are full of colour and the vines are heaving with grapes.
This farm house and vineyard belonged to twin brothers, who both enjoy living off the land. They have a chicken hutch for eggs and roasting, a pig pen for rearing their own pigs ready for the winter slaughter, a vineyard and so much more.
The real reason I was here was to see a great Italian cantina, a real gem, and like most gems it was hidden far beneath the ground. I wasn’t expecting such a downhill slope and didn't come properly prepared on the shoe front. The path led us down into the ground approx. 3 storeys deep.
At the bottom of the slope was a large flat area with two large roller doors on either side. The door on the right led into a large farm shed that had been built under part of the vineyard. The door to the left however opened up into a cavernous vaulted palace.
It was one of the most impressive cantina’s I've had the pleasure of visiting. It dwarfed the farm house above 10 fold. This place was unbelievable; there was even an elevator through the centre that took you directly up to house. I'm not sure where the exit point in the house was, I only received a very limited tour – I do love the Italian way of life the way they hold onto their family secrets and such.
The cantina was full to bursting with wine equipment from 100 years ago right through to the present day. These brothers and their families produce 1000’s of litres of wine here, none of it is to sell – it’s purely for sharing amongst the families. If you don’t help with the harvest you don’t get any wine, it’s as simple as that.
With many of the younger family members coming into adulthood, they want to experiment and try new things with the wine, things the family hasn't done before. The younger generation decided to produced a small batch of sparkling wine. The younger of the twin brothers was very excited and thinks it’s great to see his nephews, nieces and grandchildren getting involved – trying new things and keeping the family traditions alive. The older of the twins, not so much. He’s much more of a traditionalist; you make the red wine and the white and basta! (That’s it!) "They shouldn't be blending the flavours and spoiling the grapes! There is a way that the wine is made, it has been like this for several generations and now the younger ones think they know better!"
After a tour of the cantina and wine cellar it was time for a little tasting. The wine was still young in the twins’ opinion so we only had a thimbles worth, and it was impressive. Full flavoured and bold, a very meaty red which went perfectly with the homemade cheese and salami. I was a little early for the salami making of the boys this year, so we shared what was left of the previous year’s batch, and it was delicious. A typical northern flavour, heavy on garlic and herbs, succulent and aromatic. A feast for all the senses.
I’m hoping that I can plan my next trip to be able to go and visit the twins on their next salami making weekend, it sounds like a festival. Close to 100 family members and friend embark onto this farmhouse every year to mix up a batch of salami, prosciutto and a range of cured meats. Its sounds like quite an event, one definitely worth heading back for.
]]>In a tiny village in northern Italy, miles away from anywhere stands what’s left of a medieval farming estate. Some of the buildings have been restored and are now weekend retreats for those working in the larger towns and cities surrounding Milan and Brescia, while others remain architectural sculptures of a passed era. It’s here where I am catching up with a very dear friend of mine, Signor Pierluigi.
]]>In a tiny village in northern Italy, miles away from anywhere, stands what’s left of a medieval farming estate. Some of the buildings have been restored and are now weekend retreats for those working in the larger towns and cities surrounding Milan and Brescia, while others remain architectural sculptures of a passed era. It’s here where I am catching up with a very dear friend of mine, Signor Pierluigi.
This estate looks like something purpose built for an epic gladiator film, it’s hard to believe what’s left of this beautiful picturesque village is hundreds of years old. There is one road that takes you to and through the village. It’s a single lane road approx. 15km long and on either side of the lane is a very deep irrigation ditch. This area is prime farming land, predominantly for corn.
Nestled away behind a large stone arch is a massive courtyard. Unfortunately over the centuries the cobbles have deteriorated, been removed or stolen and now all that remains on a sunny winter’s day is slush and mud…. lots and lots of mud! The scenery however is breathtaking.
The original farm buildings and out houses, storage vaults and the village itself, looks as though nothing has been touched in centuries. The original hay shed still stands, packed with hay from a recent harvest, a few repairs to the roof, but otherwise untouched. The cow shed and stables are still as they were. Walking in you feel a real sense of history, almost like you’ve travelled back in time from the present day.
Between the cow shed and the hay shed, is the diamond in the rough, Pierluigi’s personal meat producing haven. Pierluigi purpose built this production space within the old surrounds of the farms outbuildings.
The heavy and thick brick walls help keep the temperature ideal for processing the meats. In one section he has configured the space into two small curing rooms with the latest computerised technology to control and monitor the curing environments. On the other side of the curing wall is the processing room. It’s a big space with a stainless steel bench in the centre, and a trough for cleaning and washing the fresh intestines… the joyous job that was given to me on my very first visit! In the opposite corner sits a massive pot and a few other bits and pieces for some cheese making that will be happening later on in the week.
We went to have a look at how the latest batch of salami and cured meats were coming along in the curing rooms, things were looking good. It was the ideal time to visit as the previous batch of salami was ready for coming out of the curing rooms ready for today’s batch to be hung. This means I get to hand pick a little something delicious for lunch!
After a little bit of squeezing and smelling and decided which salami we were going to be enjoying for lunch, it was time to pop next door, pull on our very fashionable and stylish plastic couture and get skinning and dicing. Today was salami making day and we were going to be making three different types. The first salami we are making is a very traditional style to these parts, salami Felino.
It all began with Pierluigi, his brother in law, his brother in law’s brother in law and few of their good friends. I’m not sure how many kilos of meat we diced up, but some was diced finely and some was diced in very large pieces. The different grades of meat where put into buckets ready for the next part of the process.
A very old meat mincer was pulled out from under the bench and lifted onto the bench top. I don’t think I’ve seen anything quite like it! It was originally a manual machine, that like so many ‘handy’ Italians, was hooked up to a make shift electric motor. It was quite a thing to behold! Once it was all set up, I took a few steps back and left the mincing of the meat up Pierluigi and friends. I was a little hesitant about getting my hands anywhere near that machine! Despite my concern it was all good in the end; we had a few laughs about it!
With the meat all minced and seasoned, the boys headed out to prepare some lunch and have a coffee and brioche, I was left to clean the casings.
It must be one of the least pleasant jobs known to mankind. These casings were FRESH, not in the sense that they’ve been cleaned and salted and purchased from the butcher or over the counter… I’m talking directly from the animal fresh. There is a pig farm a hundred metres or so down the road, so all the pork produce is extremely fresh. In this state the casings have a very pungent smell, it’s enough to make your stomach turn. They’re slimy and gooey and no matter how much you cleaned them it just never seemed to be enough.
Soon enough the lunch call was made and I was out of that production room in a flash and into the sun filled courtyard for some grappa and handmade salami panini. The salami was cut thickly and put on bread and it was delicious.
After lunch I was dreading having to go back and clean more of those casings, thankfully someone lost a bet – they didn’t think I would get my hands in the trough and clean any casings at all, but as I did – the casing cleaning was handed over to someone else.
With the meat rested for a while it was time to start filling. The salami was filled on one side of the table and on the other everyone was busily tying.
With the last few salami left to tie, Pierluigi took me on tour of the local village. Just outside the door of his meat processing room he had a small beehive. Apart from the meats and cheeses, this family also produce their own honey! It was amazing to see.
On the other side of the village was the piggery. There were hundreds of pigs and these pigs were huge; a small adult must have weighed between 160 and 180kg.
On the way back to the farm we discussed recipes and different ingredient blends. After returning home, I sat down in my kitchen and blended up one of the recipes we made that day with Pierluigi. A Venetian style cacciatore, with a Calabrian – hot chilli paste – twist.
You can try it for yourself at home as it is now available on the shelf at our Sausage HQ.
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The next few months will be heaven for many homemaking salami enthusiasts. The weather down south has finally gotten grey and miserable, the ideal time to get your casings ordered and soaking, your fillers cleaned, polished and placed front and centre on your table.
If you’ve not started preparing for this year’s salami making season, don’t panic, it’s not too late, there is plenty of curing time still to come. For those of you that have made some salami, why not make some more? You’ve made the family recipe, why not experiment with a few kilograms of something exciting just for yourself!
]]>The next few months will be heaven for many homemaking salami enthusiasts. The weather down south has finally gotten grey and miserable, the ideal time to get your casings ordered and soaking, your fillers cleaned, polished and placed front and centre on your table.
If you’ve not started preparing for this year’s salami making season, don’t panic, it’s not too late, there is plenty of curing time still to come. For those of you that have made some salami, why not make some more? You’ve made the family recipe, why not experiment with a few kilograms of something exciting just for yourself!
Earlier this year, while many of you were enjoying the summer sunshine, I was rugged up in fleece, mittens and everything else I could find to keep me from freezing as I travelled around Italy working with some of the best artisan producers in the country.
Every year that I do this it is an exciting time for me; however this year just seemed more inspiring than ever. I learned about, and got the opportunity to experiment with, new techniques and got creative with new ingredients. It was how I imagine a six year old feeling on their first ever visit to Disneyland.
So much happened in such a short time, let me tell you about my visit to Berlingo.
This is a truly inspirational story. I met signor Luigi on a previous trip to Italy. I went back to see him again this year to find that in the last 12 months he has extended his processing plant, added a salami bar and is one of the most sought after boutique producers in the Northern provinces.
Like many of you, and very close to my own background, signor Luigi was brought up making fresh produce at home every year with his family. After his studies he went on to create what is now becoming one of Italy’s highest sort after boutique salami and small goods producer. In this rural setting, he produces everything you could possibly imagine that could be created from one animal.
The carcasses are delivered early in the morning, they’re hung in a foyer (which resembles something like an airlock in Sci-Fi movie), and here they are gutted and drained. Someone will be there to collect all the different organs and the blood and takes them away, cleans them and gets them ready for processing. Nothing goes to waste!
After the carcass has been cleaned it is then moved into the main production area. Here the meat is weighed and cut up into all the different cuts that will be used for the array of salami and cured meats that are to be made. This room looked more like a Hollywood movie torture chamber with all sorts of manual and electric cutting machines hanging from the ceiling and fixed to the walls. For me this is where my ‘Disneyland’ moment started. Seeing how respectfully and carefully the animal was treated, and the precision used to dissect the animal in such a meticulous way as to not waste any or damage any of the quality cuts.
One of Italy’s biggest exports is prosciutto, every production house no matter how big or small, is totally focused on producing quality prosciutto. This is equivalent to owning a gold mine to Italian producers. Once the legs have been removed the rest of the animal is taken apart quickly and put into individual crates ready for processing. The meat for the salami is taken away ready for mincing; the neck (capocollo) is taken to another area in the factory where master craftsman are ready and waiting to prepare the meats. This process continues for each and every cut of meat.
In these boutique manufacturing places you will find that each processing area has its own set of skilled producers. The team making the capocollo doesn’t make the salami, the salami makers don’t produce the prosciutto and so on. Each production process is a skilled craft.
With all the cuts sent off to various areas, our tour continues on. Tucked away in a corridor was what I initially thought was a cleaning cupboard, it was small and pokey, barely large enough for a fully grown person to fit. It actually turned out to be the recipe mixing room. In true Italian style, no one except signor Luigi and a few select staff were aloud in here to prepare and mix the recipes.
Recipes are blended and then taken off to the various areas to either be mixed in with the minced meat for the salami or rubbed onto the big muscle meats such as bresaola and pancetta. These recipes are so prized that not even the master craftsman preparing the meats know the particulars of the ingredients and quantities.
With all the meats taken off to their various zones, it was time to go and visit some of these masters of meat. Each preparation zone housed different types of equipment that were specific and required for each particular process. In the room where the pancetta and capocollo were being made, the room was lined with benches full of spindles of salami twine, butchers hooks, curing wraps and all sorts of trinkets and gadgets to aid in the production of the perfect Italian cured meat.
Down the centre of the room was a long island bench where five or six elderly Italian men were working away, chatting and laughing while they worked. At the end of the bench all the meats were rolled into a large bucket where it will be wheeled into the adjoining meat room ready for salting.
Further down the hall, salami was being prepared. This is a very meticulous process, with each stage being carried out in separate rooms.
Once all the meats had been prepared wrapped or filled, tied and netted, they are taken away to the drying rooms. Each type of meat has its own specific drying room, each monitored with varying temperatures and humidity levels. Some lovely and warm, others very chilled and one or two equivalent to the outside temperature.
Each drying room is heavily packed with racks brimming with thousands of kilos of produce. The aromas alone wanted you make a run for the closest rack, pull down a salami and start eating. In the drying room a little further down the hall was the prosciutto room... my own personal piece of paradise.
With my senses overloaded with phenomenal fragrances and sights it was time to head back upstairs with for a little tasting. It true Italian style, our little tasting turned more into lunch. We went through a couple of salami with some locally made bread and a bottle of wine. The salami was delicious, the consistency was lovely, and the meat was tightly compacted with the hint of crushed spices, the colour, and a beautiful crimson.
It was sad to say goodbye after such an amazing morning with signor Luigi, the sadness was softened though when he gifted me with a stick of a traditional northern style salami, Felino - a delicious salami recipe I now produce myself at my Sausage HQ!
]]>It’s that time of year again when the Good Food and Wine Show rolls into town and passionate food lovers get to see the best of what’s on offer.
From 5 June to 8 June, Sausages Made Simple will be at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre stand K11, showing off a selection of our sausage, salami and cured meat making equipment and supplies.
We look forward to seeing you there! however if you're not attending the show you can always buy online any time on our website sausagesmadesimple.com.au, or drop by our new Sausage HQ at 118 Ireland Street, West Melbourne, 3003.
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To make your shopping experience more convenient Sausages Made Simple are now offering a CLICK and COLLECT option.
To CLICK and COLLECT simply:
Your goods will be packed and ready to pick from our Sausage HQ at 118 Ireland St West Melbourne.
A collection confirmation email will be sent out to you shortly after your order is placed with pick up details. Should you be unable to make the allocated time simply reply to the email and let us know which is more convenient for you.
]]>To make your shopping experience more convenient Sausages Made Simple are now offering a CLICK and COLLECT option.
To CLICK and COLLECT simply:
Your goods will be packed and ready to pick from our Sausage HQ at 118 Ireland St, West Melbourne.
A collection confirmation email will be sent out to you shortly after your order is placed with pick up details. Should you be unable to make the allocated time simply reply to the email and let us know which is more convenient for you.
Note:
Monday | 11:00am – 2:00pm | 4:30pm – 6:30pm |
Wednesday | 11:00am – 2:00pm | |
Friday | 11:00am – 2:00pm | 4:30pm – 6:30pm |
Saturday | 10:30am– 2:30pm |
As we’re seeing all over our TV screens, on the side of buses, trams, trains, taxi’s, on our PC and mobile devices "#WinterIsComing"… and it’s coming sooner than some of us have expected.
For some winter means hiding under quilted covers in front of the heater and staying sheltered until spring arrives, while for others it’s time for some fantastic foodie fun. The time has come again to pull on your wellies, get your sleeves rolled up, invite over a friend or two and get your hands dirty with some ooey gooey sausage making fun.
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By: Sara Grazia
As we’re seeing all over our TV screens, on the side of buses, trams, trains, taxi’s, on our PC and mobile devices "#WinterIsComing"… and it’s coming sooner than some of us have expected.
For some winter means hiding under quilted covers in front of the heater and staying sheltered until spring arrives, while for others it’s time for some fantastic foodie fun. The time has come again to pull on your wellies, get your sleeves rolled up, invite over a friend or two and get your hands dirty with some ooey gooey sausage making fun.
We’ve just received a fresh batch of top quality, locally processed fresh sausage and salami casings. These are natural animal casings, cleaned and fragrance free, ready for use.
Why use natural casings? Why not! Apart from the fun and games you’ll have with their ooey gooeyness, being natural skins gives them a natural elasticity which makes them less prone to breakage. As the meat fills the casing, the casing will stretch a little making filling easier.
The casings are also packed in salt, naturally preserving them, so all you need to do is cut off and rinse the lengths you want to use and put the rest back in the fridge until you’re ready to make your next batch of produce.
So long as you leave the unused casings in the salt they’ll last for months refrigerated, so there’s no urgency to use them up all at once.
If you’re wanting to make your sausage or salami making experience that little bit more fun (and tasty) try using our fresh sausage and salami casings, they’re the same ones used by our Sausage Queen, Sara Grazia at our Sausage HQ. They’ve been tried and tested and have our SQ (Sausage Queen) seal of approval.
Winter is well and truly on its way, cold and miserable for some – but paradise for us here at our new Sausage HQ at 118 Ireland St, West Melbourne. What better time of year to start producing your own small goods simply and successfully at home?
We have a unique range of traditional Italian fresh sausage, salami and meat curing classes running throughout June, July and August. Take a look at what we have got on offer and get yourself booked in.
I look forward to seeing you there!
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Winter is well and truly on its way, cold and miserable for some – but paradise for us here at our new Sausage HQ at 118 Ireland St, West Melbourne. What better time of year to start producing your own small goods simply and successfully at home?
We have a unique range of traditional Italian fresh sausage, salami and meat curing classes running throughout June, July and August. Take a look at what we have got on offer and get yourself booked in.
I look forward to seeing you there!
23 June 2015 - Tuesday - 18:30 to 21:00
25 June 2015 - Thursday - 18:30 to 21:00
14 July 2015 - Tuesday - 18:30 to 21:00
16 July 2015 - Thursday - 18:30 to 21:00
05 August 2015 - Wednesday - 18:30 to 21:00
This is a hands-on class where you will learn the methods involved in salami making successfully at home.
This course is ideal for beginners.
You will make your own salami using traditional methods and techniques and learn of the risks and pitfalls to be aware of, as well as the intricate and meticulous process involved in curing. We use only traditional recipes, and what you make you will take home with you to try.
11 May 2015 - Monday - 18:30 to 21:00
13 July 2015 - Monday - 18:30 to 21:00
This is a practical master class where you will get hands-on with equipment, supplies and ingredients, to produce your own Italian cured meats.
What you produce in this course you will take home with you at the end of the evening ready for drying.
24 June 2015 - Wednesday - 18:30 to 21:00
15 July 2015 - Wednesday - 18:30 to 21:00
This is a practical master class where you will actively produce your own prosciutto using traditional Italian curing methods and techniques.
We will cover two varieties of curing, and walk you through the process from start to finish. At the end of the class you will take your freshly prepared produce home with you to hang and dry until ready.
22 June 2015 - Monday - 18:30 to 21:00
03 August 2015 - Monday - 18:30 to 21:00
Fresh sausages are bags of mystery no more; learn to produce your own fresh Italian sausages ready for cooking.
This is a hands-on, completely practical class where you will learn the process of sausage making from start to finish, step-by-step. Prepare your meat, mix your recipe and fill your casings. Fresh is best when it comes to making fresh sausages, and we only use the best quality ingredients and authentic family recipes. What you make you will take home with you at the end of the class.
19 May 2015 - Tuesday - 18:30 to 21:00
04 August 2015 - Tuesday - 18:30 to 21:00
This is a demonstration workshop where you will discover the intricacies involved in salami making and meat curing, such as pancetta and capocollo.
This course covers all three processes from start to finish, you will also learn about the problems that can arise and how to avoid and/or combat them.
This is a very in depth session, you will walk away at the end of the evening with the confidence to produce your own fresh small goods safely and successfully at home.
Tastings are offered during this class
You may have seen that we have recently moved into our new Sausage HQ.
Our new venue is located at 118 Ireland St, West Melbourne. It is just a short drive from our previous location, and the Queen Victoria Market; and is just meters from the North Melbourne train station.
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By: Sara Grazia
As some of you may have worked out, over the past couple of months we have been busy redeveloping an historic Melbourne building into our new Sausage HQ.
Our new Sausage HQ will be the pinnacle of sausage making technology, flavours and all things mouth-wateringly scrumptious. We will be opening phase one of our redevelopment in just under a weeks’ time ready for the first of our 2015 courses. Our next phase – and to some the most exciting part of our redevelopment, will be opening in mid-April with our official opening at the beginning of May.
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By: Sara Grazia
As some of you may have worked out, over the past couple of months we have been busy redeveloping an historic Melbourne building into our new Sausage HQ.
Our new Sausage HQ will be the pinnacle of sausage making technology, flavours and all things mouth-wateringly scrumptious. We will be opening phase one of our redevelopment in just under a weeks’ time ready for the first of our 2015 courses. Our next phase – and to some the most exciting part of our redevelopment, will be opening in mid-April with our official opening at the beginning of May.
In the beginning:
Late last year, with the growing popularity of our sausage, salami and cured meats making courses, we embarked on a mission to find a new Sausage HQ. High on the list of requirements was more space so that Sausage HQ could be everything we needed to make our sausage, salami and cured meat making experiences even more exciting for enthusiasts, hobbyist and commercial producers.
It was a lengthy search but eventually a palace was claimed. Built in the 1800’s with a very colourful and fascinating past, the former Railway Hotel in West Melbourne was chosen to be the hub of our sausage kingdom. Although the location is technically “West Melbourne”, it is just meters from the North Melbourne train station, and just a short drive from our previous location.
Retaining many of its original features, our new Sausage HQ will house our tasting bar plus a few other exciting things that we will share with you as time goes on – or better yet, things you can come and experience for yourself very soon!
To start with the upstairs area looked like this, a blank canvas retaining many period features…
Powered by a good strong English breakfast and an Italian pastry our Sausage HQ started its transformation.
The heritage tasting bar was the place to start. A stunning art deco bar, hand crafted in Tasmanian oak featuring the original lead-light detail that was installed in 1913. It is a beautiful piece of craftsmanship and over the next few weeks a stunning transformation occurred as years of neglect were peeled away.
It took 10 days and 120 litres of paint stripper (eco-friendly of course) just to remove the old varnish and wood stain. This was followed by a week of sanding and an unfortunate event that accidentally set off the buildings fire alarms – before our 100 year old bar was reborn. The following fortnight was a combination of varnishing and sanding, varnishing and more sanding until...
The final touch was having the deco stained class repaired, cleaned and installed giving this handcrafted beauty back its original Victorian splendour.
With our new tasting bar complete, the theme continued around the rest of the main bar area reviving all the original oak features – benches, shelves, doors and door frames. Weeks and kilograms of sawdust later, the refurbishment was coming along brilliantly.
Our window signage was installed, our light box put in place, all gold and glittering reflecting the heritage of this amazing Victorian site. Paint colours were chosen and some hidden original gems found under stair treads and between walls, were cleaned up and ready to be put back on show.
A few ‘mod cons’ like internet connection have been installed to keep us connected to you, and some amazing new technology has been introduced.
We are very excited and proud of the work we have undertaken to date, and look forward to the next phase of redevelopment. We’ll keep you posted!
If you’re in Melbourne we wold love to see you at Sausage HQ!
]]>By: Sara Grazia
At Sausages Made Simple we're helping you get your gifts under the tree with time to spare this Christmas. We're offering you a FREE Express Post upgrade on all orders large or small.
No matter what you order, simply choose the standard post option at the checkout and we'll prioritize your parcel to Express Post ensuring a speedy delivery.
Now you can shop with confidence knowing your sausage and salami goodies will be arriving down your chimney in time for Christmas. This offer is valid up until December 19th.
At Sausages Made Simple we're helping you get your gifts under the tree with time to spare this Christmas. We're offering you a FREE Express Post upgrade on all orders large or small.
No matter what you order, simply choose the standard post option at the checkout and we'll prioritize your parcel to Express Post ensuring a speedy delivery.
Now you can shop with confidence knowing your sausage and salami goodies will be arriving down your chimney in time for Christmas. This offer is valid up until December 19th.
*Offer only valid for postage within Australia.
By: Sara Grazia
At Sausage HQ we have a motto that's easy to remember... Keep It Simple!
That's why we are pleased to introduce you to our customised gift wrapping service. Simply click the 'add gift wrapping to my order' box at checkout, and let us know if you would like traditional Christmas wrapping or our very own custom Scooter Girl design.
Make gifting that much more exciting by adding a personal message, you write it and we'll print it! Add a unique and playful finish to all your gifts no matter what the occasion...
]]>By Sara Grazia
At Sausage HQ we have a motto that's easy to remember... Keep It Simple!
That's why we are pleased to introduce you to our customised gift wrapping service. Simply click the 'add gift wrapping to my order' box at checkout, and let us know if you would like traditional Christmas wrapping or our very own custom Scooter Girl design.
Make gifting that much more exciting by adding a personal message, you write it and we'll print it! Add a unique and playful finish to all your gifts no matter what the occasion
At Sausages Made Simple we've been working hard to make it easy for you to choose and give fantastic and unique gifts to your loved ones.
We have a whole new section of our website dedicated to gift giving ideas, you can shop easily and quickly with a same day shipping option! Here's a few suggestions...
Produce your own Sausages, Made Simple using natural and fresh ingredients in your own kitchen. This is the revised edition of the original book. It contains more full colour illustrations to assist in guiding you through the process simpler and with ease.
We've also included more tasty fresh sausage recipes plus some exciting and authentic cooking with sausages recipes for you to try with your freshly made produce.
This kit is ideal for anyone interested in producing their own handmade fresh sausages no matter what their experience level.
Get hands-on with expert and Sausage Queen, Sara Grazia, as she guides you through the process of making your own fresh sausages simply at home using this Classic Starter Kit. Sara will guide you through the process of how to set up and use the portable sausage making machine that is included with this kit.
Learn to produce your own handmade, preservative free Italian salami using traditional methods and techniques. This is a hands-on master class with expert and Sausage Queen, Sara Grazia. Sara will guide you through the salami making process from start to finish using methods and techniques that have been mastered and practiced by her ancestors for generations.
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Spring has definitely arrived here in old Melbourne town. The sun is breaking through the last of the winter clouds, bathing the city in glorious sunshine (in between the wet weather days – it is Melbourne after all, 4 seasons in one day and all of that!!)
This spring we will be celebrating everything SAUSAGE with The Last Jar Irish Pub in Melbourne at their Sausage + Cider Taste Festival. It’s going to be an exciting afternoon ( come rain, hail or shine) full of sausage and cider tasting, a fresh sausage making demonstration with me - be inspired for your next barbeque feast with quick and easy to make sausage recipes and all the sausage and cider you can eat and drink.
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Spring has definitely arrived here in old Melbourne town. The sun is breaking through the last of the winter clouds, bathing the city in glorious sunshine (in between the wet weather days – it is Melbourne after all, 4 seasons in one day and all of that!!)
This spring we will be celebrating everything SAUSAGE with The Last Jar Irish Pub in Melbourne at their Sausage + Cider Taste Festival. It’s going to be an exciting afternoon ( come rain, hail or shine) full of sausage and cider tasting, a fresh sausage making demonstration with me - be inspired for your next barbeque feast with quick and easy to make sausage recipes and all the sausage and cider you can eat and drink.
There will be fun and games for everyone young…and not so young, entry is free and there’s going to be plenty of in-house made sausages on offer.
Get your bib packed and head on over to the The Last Jar on Saturday October 25th between 1pm – 6pm and enjoy spring time as it’s meant to be enjoyed with fresh tasty sausages, cider and great company.
The Last Jar – Irish Pub
616 Elizabeth Street
Melbourne, Victoria
Australia, 3161
]]>By: Sara Grazia
If there’s one thing I love in the world, it’s making my own salami and cured meats, my second greatest passion is when it’s time for tasting all these homemade delicacies I’ve spent days preparing and months nurturing and curing.
Over the past week or so I’ve been busy doing final checks on all the produce I’ve made a few months back. You may recall my series of ‘From Rump to Rafters’ blog posts from when I processed the entire pig I was given for my birthday.
Since then, the salami has been taken down and…….eaten! I decided to make another batch so that I could share it, but alas, that batch was also snapped up and eaten pretty quickly. There was nothing left to do other than make up a third batch! I was planning on making some more salami for mamma anyway, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to restock my personal supplies. Mamma has always used the same recipe for as long as I can remember, so that was going to be pretty straight forward. For my own stocks however I wanted to try a few different things, things I haven’t made in a while, so I picked a few recipes from my Secrets in Salami book at random and got started.
]]>By: Sara Grazia
If there’s one thing I love in the world, it’s making my own salami and cured meats, my second greatest passion is when it’s time for tasting all these homemade delicacies I’ve spent days preparing and months nurturing and curing.
Over the past week or so I’ve been busy doing final checks on all the produce I’ve made a few months back. You may recall my series of ‘From Rump to Rafters’ blog posts from when I processed the entire pig I was given for my birthday.
Since then, the salami has been taken down and…….eaten! I decided to make another batch so that I could share it, but alas, that batch was also snapped up and eaten pretty quickly. There was nothing left to do other than make up a third batch! I was planning on making some more salami for mamma anyway, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to restock my personal supplies. Mamma has always used the same recipe for as long as I can remember, so that was going to be pretty straight forward. For my own stocks however I wanted to try a few different things, things I haven’t made in a while, so I picked a few recipes from my Secrets in Salami book at random and got started.
I ended up producing 10 kilograms of the Salame Felino (P118), 5 kilograms of the Genoa (P127)(which was so delicious I’ve made another 10 kilograms since), 10 kilograms of the Salame Napolitano (P123) and a few kilograms of the Calabrian - Salame Calabrese (P119), all of which vary in flavour, colour and texture. And for safe measure I've also got some Finocchiona (P11), Soppressata Molisana (P110) and some Salame Milanese (P114) hanging from my rafters just in case.
The Felino recipe (a personal favourite) is a classic, authentic recipe that just melts away in your mouth. It’s sweet on the first few nibbles with a bit of a kick to follow. You would have seen a number of posts from me on Twitter, Facebook and Google + about this recipe. I’m slightly obsessed with it at the moment to say the least. The Genoa and Finocchiona salami recipes are however strong contenders. Deeper in colour, the extra fat in the recipe keeps the salami exquisitely succulent and full of flavour. The fat melts away on your tongue leaving a sweetish flavour behind. The meat holds onto the peppers and when mixed together they create quite an extraordinary flavour combination. I’ll be making another batch of these for Christmas I think, perfect for gift giving.
The Calabrese is and will forever be a favourite. A recipe my mamma introduced me too many years ago. It’s succulent, rich in colour, flavour and of course heat! You really need to be particular about the type of chilli you use for this recipe, especially if you like to break into a sweat on every mouthful. I use mamma’s home grown peppers, but when there’s none available I go for the Calabrian Chilli flakes. These are available at the Cellar Plus stores in North Melbourne and Epping (for Melbourne residents). These guys import them directly from Calabria and you can taste the difference, and they’re HOT! I also use them in the Napolitano.
You might remember in my ‘From Rump to Rafters’ blog posts back in June, the sizes of the Lonza, Capocollo and Pancetta that I produced. Well there are a couple of these that are ready and I’m excited to be showing them off today. Some of the prosciutto is still curing and I estimate they will need a few more weeks of hanging before they're ready, and another 4 more months on the full leg prosciutto.
This particular Pancetta you’re seeing here was made using an Italian friend’s recipe from the northern Alps region of Italy. It’s not for the faint hearted, however if you’re a fan of ‘spicy hot’ then this is your heaven on earth!
This Pancetta was seasoned and then rolled. Making good, tasty produce, isn’t enough, you also need to serve it correctly to get the full appreciation for your time and effort. When this Pancetta is sliced thinly and delicately it falls apart in your mouth.
For the Capocollo I used a more traditional recipe. Another classic that mamma has used for many years. A little salty with a peppery kick. The succulence is perfect, not to juicy and not dry.
The color is beautiful and deep with an even marbling throughout. As I’ve said many times before, we Italians like our food to look as good as it tastes and this Capocollo couldn’t get more ideal than this. I like to serve my Capocollo sliced a little thicker that the Pancetta, however thin enough to maintain a slight translucence when held up to the light. I want to enjoy the colours, excite my senses with the fresh and peppery fragrance and then….. I’d like to say – take a delicate nibble and bask in the lusciousness and flavours, but alas…. it’s gone! It's lucky that I have plenty more slices on hand so there is no need for delicate nibbling!
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On a wintery Tuesday afternoon, the boys and I at Sausages HQ packed up suitcases full of salami making goodies ready for another traditional foodie adventure. This time we were off to Sydney, to share our Secrets in Salami making with New South Wales enthusiasts. Like each of our salami making journeys, it was an early and cold start to the day. With our bags all packed and weighed, we were bundled up tightly in our coats, hats and gloves and it was off to the airport to check in, have a quick coffee and then board our flight.
When we arrived in Sydney, the sun was blazing and the temperature …. Mild! Nothing like the weather we we’d just left back in Melbourne.
]]>On a wintery Tuesday afternoon, the boys and I at Sausages HQ packed up suitcases full of salami making goodies ready for another traditional foodie adventure. This time we were off to Sydney, to share our Secrets in Salami making with New South Wales enthusiasts. Like each of our salami making journeys, it was an early and cold start to the day. With our bags all packed and weighed, we were bundled up tightly in our coats, hats and gloves and it was off to the airport to check in, have a quick coffee and then board our flight.
When we arrived in Sydney, the sun was blazing and the temperature …. Mild! Nothing like the weather we we’d just left back in Melbourne.
I haven’t been to Sydney in quite some time… navigating our way through the streets full of historic houses and buildings, the sun shining and beautiful scenic views of the harbor and bays that surround the eastern suburbs, I remembered fondly the brief period that I lived here. Now I am excited to be back, sharing my secrets with a beautiful view.
We had a quick bite to eat in Woollahra, sitting on an overlook gazing out at the northern shores of the city. It was soon time to head over to Paddington and get things set up and ready for the afternoon’s salami making festivities.
With our bags unpacked and the tables set and dressed in all the specialist salami making equipment and supplies, it was time to begin. All the participants in our first session showed up much earlier than expected, it was great to see the excitement and enthusiasm from them all and we were quickly underway.
After an introduction it was straight to work, slicing, chopping and mincing meat, seasoning and mixing. We discussed ingredients and what recipes others in the groups had tried and what successes they had. As I’ve said many times before, salami making isn’t just about a few spices and some minced meat – it’s so much more. Every person I speak to has experienced something a little bit different from the person before. They’re not all from an Italian background, so it’s great to hear about what their past experiences have been, whether they were successful or not. The key to success can be something very simple and usually it’s the smallest thing that has been missed that can lead to disaster and spoilage.
After today however, I think I can say with confidence that none of these folk will be suffering from bad salami in the future.
After all the labour intensive work was complete, it was time for filling. There was a lot of conversion throughout the process about who was doing what and how they were doing it. There were laughs, and sighs and the occasional burst casing, easy fixed and all part of the fun.
The room was abuzz with excitement as each and every person started to see their salami come to completion. Everyone compared their tying techniques and of course - whose salami was longer than the other….. Boys!
Our evening session mirrored that of the afternoon. We had plenty of laughs, a few burst casings and… some mathematics! Getting your spices right is an essential part of the process and this group wasn’t leaving anything to chance, meticulously working out how much of each ingredient needed to be added to the closest gram. There was pen to paper, + and – equations all over the page, followed by an uncertain glance and a complete recount. Once the recipes were ready, there was mixing and filling, tying and netting, all finished off with an antipasto plate of salami and cured meats which had been prepared by me back at my Sausages HQ.
We had a wonderful time sharing these traditional Secrets in Salami with some of Sydney’s salami making enthusiasts and wish them all the best with their salami making adventures.
After a good night’s sleep and a light breakfast on the popular Oxford St, it was off to visit some of Sydney’s famed attractions. We’re all familiar with the Sydney Harbor Bridge, Luna Park and a host of others, I’m talking about Sydney’s hidden gems and its charcuterie temples. Tourist destinations any meat lover would want on their tourist map. There was lots of weaving through back streets and lane ways, down freeways hoping not to miss an exit. Sydney can be a tricky city to navigate if you’re not a local! I kept my boys stocked with sugary treats to aid in the navigation and we managed to work our way through the maze of suburbs to visit some exciting destinations.
We stopped for a spot of lunch, where we walked through lanes full of creative art pieces (clearly someone was missing quite a few pairs of jeans!) and embraced the unspoilt sites that the great city of Sydney has to offer.
We’ll be back in Sydney on 30 July 2014 with some more traditional food arts with our Italian Cured Meats Master Class. Learn to prepare and produce your own cured meats full of authentic flavours, click here for more details…
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It’s been an epic journey over the past few days and today we finish off the last of the meat curing. We’ve made kilograms of salami and now they're resting ready for hanging later in the afternoon. Before we get to that stage however there is still quite a lot of work to be done finishing off the pancetta, capocollo, prosciutto and other meats that will be cured over the next several months.
Our variety of cuts have been under salt for the past couple of days and now need to be cleaned, seasoned, wrapped and hung. One of the downfalls of cleaning the meat is that it needs to be done using cold water and on a cold winters day, your hands feel very quickly like ice blocks. With 12 cuts to clean, it was looking to be a long and cold process. I have a cup of warm water at arms length and after every couple of cuts I clean, I stopped and wrap my hands around the cup to thaw them out.
The only problem was the dread of getting my hands back under that ice cold water for the next round of cleaning. Half way through I decided it was better to simply close my eyes and think of tropical waters and get the remaining meats cleaned – it didn't work that well but I managed to get everything cleaned much quicker than expected.
Once cleaned of the salt and brine it was time to rinse them off with a little wine and then get the spices rubbed all over.
As this is a process I've undertaken many times before, I don’t really follow any particular recipe. I gauge everything on sight and how the weight feels in my hands, I was brought up this way. It was only a few years before I started teaching professionally that I was forced to began using scales for recipe preparations.
So armed with a table spoon in one hand and a soup spoon in the other, it was time to mix up our first batch of ingredients. I prepare each recipe directly onto the meat… this is not advisable for beginners.
This method is similar to watching a painter create a piece of art on a canvas, in this case my meat is the canvas and the ingredients are my paint. I start with the background colour, then add a few highlights and finish off with dollops of radiance. With a combination of black pepper, paprika and mammas homemade chili paste, this canvas is ready for painting and what a beautiful colour the paste gives the meat. The paste blended with the cracked pepper gives of such an intense fragrance when rubbed through together.
Once every surface, crack and crevasse has been rubbed all over with the ingredient mix - it was time to wrap, net and have it ready for hanging. For the capocollo I'm using the thin layer of belly fat that mamma meticulously separated and cleaned a couple of days before.
The fat is wrapped tightly around the meat to protect it during the curing process, similar to how our skin protects the muscles within our bodies.
I will also use the dried version of this same product to wrap the rest of the meats in. This is a great alternative as it’s still natural but has been commercially dried. You’re getting the same benefits without all the preparation work.
You might remember a couple of blogs back when I mentioned that the pancetta from this pig were half the size I am, they literally were. They rolled up so big individually that it would take a good 12 months to dry and cure properly. I was almost tempted to give it a go, but was persuaded otherwise. We ended up slicing each side of pancetta into 3 sections and they were still huge, each piece coming in at approximately 4kg! We ended up with 6 in total and I was a happy girl.
I used the same recipe on 3 of the pancetta and for the others I used a very traditional crushed coriander mix that my mamma has used ever since I can remember.
After the pancetta I processed the lonza and the prosciuttini. The prosciutto leg still needed a couple more weeks under salt, but my smaller prosciutto cuts were ready after a couple of days under salt.
On each piece I used a different recipe, I made mamma’s as she always has – using her homemade pepper paste. Another I did used a simple black and white pepper mix and the remaining two I got a little creative with. Simple mixes with a twist. I’ll have to wait a few months before I can let you know how they turned out!
All in all my epic family adventure draws to a close on yet another year of sausage, salami and curing production. Over the next few weeks all the salami we made should be ready for slicing up and packing away ready for the festive season. My cured meats and prosciutto will have to wait a month or two longer, so far all are looking good and I'm really excited about sharing with you an antipasto plate when everything is ready.
Stay tuned I have more exciting adventures on the way, near and far!
If you've missed out on how mamma, me and my tribe of salami making enthusiasts got this far you can read the entire story her at Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3.
I wish you all the best on your meat curing adventures this winter and keep me up to date with your progress.
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