Having always loved my smallgoods it was only a matter of time before I tired of the same bland, mass-produced bacon and ventured forth into making it myself.

 

I went out and purchased the cheapest, smallest, smoker I could find. From there I began to experiment with making my own sausages, bacon, ham and more. I even tried smoked pumpkin, though I can’t - with good conscience - say that was a success.

 

My homemade salami skills were gleaned from our old Italian neighbour Albert, the older generation, the “nonnos”, carry with them the secrets and traditions of generations past. I then took my passion for pork and all things meat a step further, and made a pilgrimage to Italy to hone my skills with the masters. It was there, in Tuscany, that I completed my Advanced Salumi course, followed closely by the opportunity to be a ‘butcher for a day’ with the porcine master Dario Cecchini at Panzano in Chianti.

 

What I learned from my time in Italy was that preserving meat is no more or less important than preserving tradition. There are only a very few rules that must be followed, though there are myriad versions of the same recipe to be found.

I will never grow tired of trying and discussing new ways to preserve meats and improve flavours.

 

I believe less is more. Take good produce and do as little as possible to it.

 

It’s not a passion, it’s an obsession.