SC - long pork

[Cindy M. Renfrow]

In a message dated 5/30/00 11:08:02 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
raghead at liripipe.com writes:

> Hi all,
>  I'm planning a 15th c. meal for an upcoming event & most of the ingredients
>  don't require refridgeration, but one item called for is prosciuto.  now I
>  know that prosciuto is made by being hung to dry/cure in a cool place, but
>  NOT as cool as a refrigerator, so do I need to refrigerate the end product?
>  I assume the answer is yes, but I'd like to know...
>  

Actually, you have to be careful with this one, as there are some very 
different types of proscuitto out there.  Procuitto itself is merely raw, 
cured ham, and of them all, the best I have tried is proscuitto de Parma, 
which requires no refrigeration due to the length of the curing process (it 
will, however, get a mold on the rind after a while).  The ones sold 
commercially in the states are usually very lightly cured, and should remain 
refrigerated (just to be safe).  However, since even these types are cured to 
some extent, I can't imagine you'd have much of a problem, so long as they 
are not sitting unrefrigerated, in direct sunlight, for too awful long.  One 
way I have found to help extend the shelf life of items I will not be able to 
refrigerate at events is to freeze them very well, wrapped tightly in film 
and foil, and pulled out of the freezer just before heading out.  When in 
doubt, however, refrigerate!  Hope this helps.

Balthazar of Blackmoor

Mr. Wizard, what happens when you combine pasta and antipasta?