Consumers may soon face a culinary disaster: the cold cuts crisis.
Authorities in Italy have slaughtered 90,000 pigs over the past two months as African swine fever spread in the European country famous for its foodie culture as well as a range of delicious pork products popular across the United States.
Food industry insiders fear shortages Salami, Mortadella and Pancetta, Tasty dishes are available At nearly every supermarket deli counter, sandwich shop, and Italian restaurant in America
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“The spread of swine fever has reached dangerous levels, putting not only the health of the animals but the health of the entire pork sector at risk,” Ettore Prandini, president of business trade group Confindustria, wrote in a recent letter to Italy’s agriculture minister. Has gone.”
The potential deli-counter devastation has been caused by rising food prices, a strike that disrupted trade at U.S. ports and a massive recall by meat-maker Boar’s Head, which has forced it to shut down its liverwurst production. .
With its pale pink color and paper-thin texture, Prosciutto di Parma is renowned throughout the world for its juicy flavours. It is made only in the Parma province of Italy. (David Silverman/Getty Images)
But it’s the onslaught of exotic swine-fever on salty, salty, dry-cured prosciutto, an essential ingredient and flavor in Italian cuisine, that has Chef and restaurateur To intensify their concern.
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“Prosciutto has a ‘num-num’ factor. It has to have a ‘num-num’ factor,” Vito La Fata, co-owner of Vito’s Sicilian Pizzeria and Restaurant in St. Louis, Missouri, told Fox News Digital.
The deep, rich flavor and silky texture of prosciutto crosses the palate like soothing warm oil. It stimulates the taste buds – La Fata’s “num-num factor.”
“This is the foundation of an Italian restaurant,” he said.
Joe Isidori, chef-owner of Arthur & Sons, a popular red-sauce Italian restaurant in New York City, grew up in the third generation of a family of butchers and chefs.
Chef Joe Isidori of Arthur & Sons in downtown New York City fears swine fever in Italy could affect his menu in the US. At left, Rulliano treats prosciutto in Riaño di Langirano, Italy. At right, a woman tastes prosciutto in Parma, Italy. (David Silverman/Getty Images; Joe Isidori/Arthur & Sons; Edoardo Fornaciari/Getty Images)
he puts prosciutto on a pedestalVery.
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“Prosciutto is in our veins. It’s part of our DNA. I don’t know if we could live without it,” Isidori told Fox News Digital.
Prosciutto and Arugula Pizza is one of the signature items at Vito’s Sicilian Pizzeria and Restaurant in St. Louis, Missouri. (Pat Imig/Imig Communications)
The threat to prosciutto has increased in recent weeks as swine fever moved down from its epicenter in the northern region of Lombardy and neighboring Parma.
The province of Parma is celebrated worldwide for Italy’s finest prosciutto.
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Isidori is already planning for the worst, noting that two of Arthur & Sons’ most popular dishes involve traditional Italian ham.
Eggplant at Arthur & Sons features prosciutto mixed with red peppers and burrata cheese. Smoked prosciutto enriches what Isidori calls “our world-famous” spicy rigatoni alla vodka.
Prosciutto is one of the main ingredients in the signature stacked eggplant at Arthur & Sons in New York City. (Joe Isidori/Arthur & Sons)
“We’ll have to figure it out,” Isidori said, should Parma prosciutto become rare. “For our cuisine, prosciutto is king.”
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Vito’s La Fata in St. Louis was raised in Sicily. But he’s already prepared to survive and thrive during the cold-cut crisis the Italian-born is facing.
He buys American.
“We support a local company,” La Fata said. “The prosciutto that we use here, Volpi, is made here in St. Louis. It reminds me of the flavor that we used to get in Sicily. It’s a very good prosciutto. It also has a big advantage that it It is also local.”
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Volpi prosciutto “has got that num-num factor, like the gold standard Parma prosciutto,” La Fata said.
Twelve countries, including China, Taiwan and Mexico, have banned imports of Italian pork dishes like prosciutto because of the swine fever outbreak in Italy, the AP reports. America is not among the 12.
