Curing and smoking are two of the best ways to preserve and enjoy meat, fish and even dairy products. From salami and ham to bresaola and smoked salmon, cured meat and fish can be expensive to buy and cook with; and often the quality is questionable. So take control and do it yourself. Nothing could be better than sitting down to dine on luxury, made at home grub. With very little effort, you can create your own cures, hot and cold smoke with wood chippings and even smoke delicate meats and seafood on your stovetop with scented teas and rice. Whether you're an urbanite or country lover, it's easy to have a go at the Good Life. With a how-to guide on every technique featuring step-by-step, practical instruction, tips and advice, and dozens of delicious recipes to inspire you, you'll be making your own salt beef, dry-cured hams, salamis, smoked cheeses, gravadlax and smoked oysters in no time.
Author Biography
Dick & James Strawbridge are experts in the Good Life - and it's the life they've led at Newhouse Farm, their smallholding in Cornwall, in the southwest of England. On just 3 acres of land in the midst of a village they've produced an abundance of good things to eat and drink: fruits and vegetables that they eat fresh, juice, ferment and preserve, pigs for ham, sausages, salamis and bacon, a mixed flock of birds for eggs and eating, and bees for honey - to name a few. It's been a lifestyle driven by their desire to eat well every day. Dick & James appear regularly on TV in the UK and Australia. The whole family featured on the BBC's It's Not Easy Being Greenowhich documented their move to Newhouse Farm. Dick is a regular host of C4's Scrapheap Challenge, contributes frequently to Coast on the BBC and last year came 2nd place on the BBC's Celebrity Masterchef, showcasing his cooking talent.Dick & James will appear together on ITV1's The Hungry Sailors from Spring 2012, and there's more to come. When they're not on location, tending the garden, feeding the animals or cooking and eating, they're spreading the word and sharing what they've learned. Previous books include It's Not Easy Being Green (BBC Books) and Practical Self-Sufficiency (DK).
