Day 228

"Moscow Brand" Dry Salami: As my readers probably know by now, I'm a big fan of all types of cured meat. From the finest Italian or Spanish ham to the most rustic head cheese, I love it all. During my visit to the European Deli in Marietta, I found several interesting cured meats and salamis that I'd never seen before. I would have liked to take home some of each, but I managed to narrow my choice down to one since I was going to be out of town for half the week. I had a hard time doing that, but the helpful employee recommended this "Moscow Brand" dry salami as one of his favorites.

Upon seeing a cross-section of the salami, it looked to be fairly high in fat content, which is always good for me. Yes, there is such a thing as good fat, and if you're used to the chewy, inedible stuff that's trimmed off your Outback steak, you're missing out. This all-beef salami was studded with little white pieces of fat throughout, and the taste was a bit milder than the Italian styles that I've been used to eating. It had a thin casing that I ended up eating instead of peeling off, and I ended up knocking out several pieces before I gave up. Really good stuff.

If you're looking for an inexpensive addition to a charcuterie plate, this Russian salami would be a great choice. Even though I found this one out in Marietta, I'm sure it could be found at the Buford Highway Farmers Market or New Odessa off Clairmont Road.