SC - Zampone

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Stefan li Rous wrote:
> 
> I got a question today about whether I knew of any place in New Jersey (NJ)
> that carried Zampone. I had to ask back what "Zampone" was. Here is his
> reply:
> 
> >      Zampone is a stuffed pig's leg (trotter) served on New's Year Eve or
> > New's Year Day.  It is served on a bed of lentils with the lentils
> > representing wealth (money) and the leg symbolizes the richness of life in
> > the coming year .  It is tough to find Italian deli's in NJ that carry it,
> > much less know what it is.  It is usually imported and vacuumed sealed.
> > There is no bone.  You boil it first, then may elect to bake it just to add
> > color to the skin.  You then serve it sliced on a bed of lentils.  Yes, I
> > know; probably more than you need to know :)
> >
> >      Anyway, I was hoping to find a butcher or deli in NJ that carries it.  I
> > guess I could find it in NY.  Ugh, I do not like the prospect of the traffic.
> >
> > Thank you,
> >      Nick
> 
> So, can anyone provide an answer to him? He is not on this list, so please
> copy him with any replies. His email is: BoccieBoy at aol.com  .At this time
> I do not know whether he is closer to Philadelphia or NYC.

See http://www.todarobros-specialty-foods.com/alps_meats.asp

Todaro Brothers is located on 3rd Avenue somewhere in the low 30's in
Manhattan. They ship, so presumably UPS can deal with the traffic for
you. Todaro's is a favorite of mine; their quality is as high as the
stuff at Balducci's or Dean & DeLuca's, but things are somewhat less
manic and also less pricey. (My favorite is still Fairway, but they're a
little more mainstream comparted to Todaro's Italian food
concentration.) 
 
> I would also be interested in any more details that folks have on this
> dish.
> Any evidence whether this dish is period? Nothing strikes me right off
> as
> being non-period, and boiling it and then baking it would seem to be a
> period
> cooking technique.

The filling of a zampone is a basic cotechino "boiling" sausage, only
encased in the boned-out pig's trotter instead of a gut casing.
Cotechino (at least modern cotechino) isn't much different from
cervelato or saveloy, for which we have period Italian and German
(Austrian?) recipes. Whether anything like a zampone was made, I
couldn't say, but it's not impossible, I suppose.  

Hope this helps...

Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com