Masterchef's Matt Preston, a fleischmeister and a feast of salami

"You're a bad bad fleischmeister!"

Now that is the kind of dirty talk guaranteed to get a gourmand's pulse racing.

When those words are uttered by Matt Preston himself, well, let's just say I was glad I was sitting down at the time...


The deli envelope containing the Don media lunch

I have to confess that Matt Preston was the main drawcard to my attendance at the Don Smallgoods media lunch, although the invitation--wrapped in butchers paper and sealed with a deli sticker-- earned major points for creativity.

But Matt Preston? With giant salamis? The potential for sexual inneundo was priceless.


Don salamis

Matt Preston (it seems too flippant to call him just Matt), Masterchef judge, revered restaurant critic, food writer and thinking women's crumpet (oh yes!), will be fronting was MC'ing the lauch of the latest ad campaign for Don. Today we would be enjoying a three-course lunch at the Victoria Room in Darlinghurst, and an education in the Way Of The Salami, attended by assorted media and food bloggers Ellie, Howard, Leona and Melissa (thanks Nuffnang!).


Fleischmeister Gerhard Feiner and Matt Preston

Fleishmeister Gerhard Feiner is one of only six qualified fleischmeisters in Australia, four of whom are employed by Don. A fleischmeister translates as a meat master, and is the highest qualification obtainable for meat specialists in Europe. It takes 5-7 years to become a fleischmeister, Gerhard explains, involving full-time study with no pay.

In his strong Austian accent, Gerhard takes us through the process of salami production. "First you take raw meat, and then you add fat, and then you do something to it."

It sounds simplistic, but in essence, that's all there is. The ingredients are simple - it's the aging process that is responsible for creating the flavour. The meat is not cooked - it simply hangs and ages slowly. "You can only control and fine-tune the temperature, humidity and airflow," Gerhard says.

"It's like a wine or a cheese," Matt adds.


Don salamis

Salamis have a 4,000 - 5,000 year history, Gerhard tells us, acknowledging that the Chinese were probably the first when they started making lup cheong. The Chinese realised that drying meat made it shelf-stable, and the process soon spread to Europe. Salami preferences are cultural, with the Scandinavians preferring milder versions whilst the Spanish prefer theirs spicy (chorizo), and the Germans love it smoked.


Gerhard Feiner slices into a salami

Salami school is fascinating. We learn:

• Salamis must lose about 30%-32% of their weight before they can be sold. This means that a 1kg salami at production ends up weighing 680g by the time it's sold.
• It takes about 7 weeks for a salami to mature.
• When slicing a salami, cut it on a diagonal for maximum surface area. It's also important to brush the knife back up against the cut surface - this helps add a lovely shine to the meat.
• A good salami should have an even colour distribution. If there's a visible darker ring, it means the salami was dried too quickly and moisture was extracted too fast.
• Don makes about 100 tonnes of salami per week. Their salamis are cold smoked at a temperature of about 20-25 degrees Celcius. This creates clean smoke flavours.
• Don are planning on launching a new range of salamis that will contain alchohol, like port. This snippet of information was prematurely revealed by Gerhard, prompting Matt to call him a bad fleischmeister as per the opening quote!
  
• Pepperoni was a product specifically developed for pizzas. When pepperoni is cooked, it doesn't form a cup like most other salamis. The non-cupping effect is achieved by using less fat and drying the salami for much longer. It has a firmer mouth-feel.
• Good salami is made using sow meat. It's said that meat from male pigs has a pungency that affects the flavour, creating what's know as bad salami. "It smells like a teenage boy," Matt says. I take his word for it.
• The best meat for a salami is from the neck and the shoulder area, where the interconnective tissue provides the best flavour.
• The ideal thickness of a salami slice is 1.5mm-2mm. You should be able to bend the salami around your finger and not have it crack. It's important that you "eat" a salami as the chewing action activates the oil in the fat, creating a richer fuller flavour.
  

Matt Preston likes a hands-on approach with his salami

Watching Matt talk about salami is mesmerising. All the gestures and manerisms you know from Masterchef are there - the eye-closing, the slight lift of the shoulders, the wafting of his fingers, a little sigh here and there, the thoughtful muse, and the buttery tones of his baritone voice.

When we're guided through a taste-testing of various salamis, Matt urges us to use our fingers to pick up the slices and eat. "I love the smell that gets left behind on your fingers," he confides. "It's like parmesan. You can smell it for hours later." He shudders with visible pleasure at the memory.

I think my spine just tingled.


Fresh figs with gorgonzola and Don prosciutto

We're plied with a three-course lunch featuring Don products, although sadly, there is no bacon or salami in dessert. The fresh figs with gorgonzola and Don prosciutto is particularly swoon-worthy.


Coffin Bay oysters with crisp Don chorizo and caramelised balsamic


Antipasto with [L-R] Don Danish, Don white Hungarian,
Don pepperoni and Don hot Hungarian salamis

It's interesting being able to compare and constrast the different salamis on our antipasto plate. The salamis have all been given plenty of time to come to room temperature, allowing the fats to soften. Eating the salami with our fingers--feeling the slight springiness of the spiced meat in the mouth and relishing the luscious melting of fat on the tongue--is actually quite a sensuous experience.

Long slender bread sticks and a punctured burrata that oozes fresh mozzarella and cream only reinforce the theme of sensuality. A scroll of stuffed red capscium, artichokes and olives add sophistication, and we all wonder aloud why we don't eat more salami late at night, like a plate of good cheese with crackers.


The money shot: breaking open the burrata


Twice cooked confit of duck with orange and pistachio salad
served with Don pepperoni salami on a beetrot relish

The orange and pistachio salad really makes the duck confit dish--fresh and citrusy with the crunch of nuts--although I'm not too sure about the pepperoni twigs, which are chewy and more akin to beef jerky.


Roasted lamb rack with warm salad of rocket, goats cheese and peppers
served with Don white Hungarian salami and garlic chips


Lemon bread and butter pudding with maple infused cream

The maple-infused cream on the lemon bread and butter pudding is another highlight (I end up eating half the cream of an abandoned dessert) and the rich density of the sour cream cheesecake is far too tasty for me to resist demolishing in its entirety.


Sour cream cheesecake with coffee roasted apples

Matt obligingly poses for photos with us, and when I introduce myself as "Helen from Grab Your Fork" he nods with recognition and says "Oh yes, I know Grab Your Fork."

*cue quiet hyperventilation behind a mask of coolness*

Apparently he uses it to find suburban eats because whilst hatted restaurant reviews are easy to locate, it's the little ones in the suburbs that are hard to find but often the most rewarding.

"You'll have to leave a comment sometime," I say.

"Oh no," he frowns. "I never leave comments."

Maybe he's reading this right now.

OH!

oh.


Matt Preston shows off his giant salami