Pizza Quest, with guest Charles “Charlito” Wekselbaum, Salami Master

Welcome back to Pizza Quest! 

We are joined this week by Charles Wekselbaum, owner and head salumeriest for Charlito’s Cocina, makers of fine charcuterie. Is it salumi or salami? We’ll find out, as Charles guides Peter through a tasting of three of his most popular Spanish-influenced products, and explains how he transforms fresh meat products into cured and fermented dried meats in which his goal is to evoke the full potential of flavor trapped in the meat through application of his craft. Together, Peter and Charles explore the many parallels between the crafts of bread, cheese, wine, and beer making to the art of charcuterie. In the end, the common bond is the concept of transformation. It’s fascinating and delicious, so learn all about it here, in this episode of Pizza Quest with Peter Reinhart.