Honestly, I think this is a testimony to the transformative power of salt more than the deliciousness of raw pork fat, but either way I think I may be in love with the lardo. Sounds like a statement to be heard in a Seth Rogen movie, eh? Well that statement fully belongs in the annals of Nommy. This post is going to go on a bit, as I worked the lardo through three different presentations in one sitting. In fact, for the very first time ever (drum roll, please) a Nommy post will require a table of contents. Prepare to be awed at the amazing HTML skills about to go on display. Please do not try this at home.

1. The Lardo: What is it?
2. Salted Pig Fat, Straight Up
3. Panne Lardo: Canapes to murder your best friend for. Seriously.
4. Maccarune Lardiate: Sauce done Sumo style!
5. Lardo: Get some!

Sounds fun eh? Fine Mr. Sumo, get on with it already, you beastly tease, you.

The Lardo: What is it?

Charcuterie has what looks like a great recipe for lardo that I definitely have to try at some point:

• Take 3 1/2 pounds of the best pork back fat you can get your greasy little mitts on.
• Sprinkle a thin layer of cure mix (several different recipes are available from the book of course) into the bottom of a non-reactive pan.
• Place the slab of fat onto the layer of mix and rub the rest of the mix over the up side.
• Layer 6 fresh bay leaves on the top side along with 2 bunches of fresh thyme and 1/4 cup freshly crushed peppercorns.
• Remove from the pan and wrap in plastic wrap and then foil.
• Put into a refrigerator under about 10 pounds of pressure (sounds like you finally have a good use for that "Eat Healthy, Eat Light" cookbook!) and walk away from it for about 2 weeks. Oh, open it twice during that time to redistribute the rub.
• After that, remove the plastic and foil, rinse the rub off of it and wrap in several layers of cheesecloth and hang in a cool, dark corner for an additional month.

During the curing the fat will take on a thick, spongy texture that is completely different from straight up fat. The herbs, spices and salt will work into the layers of fat, infusing flavors as they go. The application is as old as pigs are, Romans did this in fact, and the effects generate one of the most amazing products. Eat Healthy my ass!

Salted Pig Fat, Straight Up

So the simplest presentation of lardo is... well to eat some. Now, I don't recommend that you saw off a large hunk and just start chewing on one end. The ratio of fats in this is, well, 100% to be honest. To say a little goes a long way is and understatement. But do this... your lardo will have a layer of rind on the outside. Trim that away with a sharp knife and slice a paper-thin piece off of one end. Simply place that on your tongue and let it sit. Your body heat will melt it away and all of those flavors will take over. I've never had anything so subtly intense before. I know, that statement is one of those moronic cow things and this is Pig Week, but there it is. The flavor wants to overpower your mouth with porcine flavorings. It's all the pork rinds (Why yes, I did grow up in the south, why?) and chops and sausages you've ever had rolled into one large kiss of the pig. And yet, they don't. Its almost like they know they could if they wanted to, but are just too damn lazy to be bothered. It almost makes up for the whole swine flu thing.

Panne Lardo: Canapes to murder your best friend for. Seriously.

Buy, steal or bake the best baguette you can get ahold of. A trip to Italy is not completely out of the question here. Place it in a 300° oven to get almost too hot to touch. At the same time slice a ripe roma tomato as thin as you can get it. Shred some fresh basil and have the olive oil, salt and pepper ready to go. As soon as the bread comes out of the oven slice it thinly, place a wafer-thin slice of lardo on the bread, cover with tomato, basil then sprinkle olive oil and salt and pepper lightly. While I loved the lardo straight up, this is where it shines the best. You have small enough measures of everything else to taste the lardo and yet enough substance from the other flavors to really get your attention. If I had the last pound of lardo in the world, this is the way I would serve it. I've been eating Italian foods my whole life, but this is an animal of a different stripe. And what a stripe! This presentation is so essentially italian that it will floor you. When you get your hands on some of this stuff... do this one. You will not regret it.

Maccarune Lardiate: Sauce done Sumo style!

This sauce has roots that go way back and its easy to see why. You can place it over any pasta, I chose to go with some fresh penne from the local grocer. So why call it "Sumo style"? You start out by frying lardo (fat) in more fat. If that doesn't scream SUMO then I don't know what does.

Lardo: Get some!

Hopefully this write up has whetted your appetite for the stuff. I hope my words have done it justice and you decide to try it yourself, either by curing your own or ordering some online. My source is the wonderful people at BuonItalia. They shipped it out right away and had it in my hands in less than five days. It arrived nicely packed in styro and with a cold pack to keep it cool. The 1 1/2 pound order came in two vacuum packed slabs. Opening them flooded the kitchen with an earthy, ancient and piggy aroma. My wife says I'm not allowed to rub down with it before going to work in the mornings. Damnit.