277357 Sat Apr 02 13:25:46 -0800 2005 7 31 Home Cooking 0 1465276 I am planning to make Cook's Illustrated bolognese sauce. It calls for pancetta. What brand do hounds recommend? Is this something I can get at Trader Joes? thanks in advance. Sat Apr 02 13:25:46 -0800 2005 0 elise h 1 1465282 It is unsmoked Italian bacon. You should be able to get it there so judt ask. If you cannot find it, you can use the American smoked type, imo, but it may affect the flavor somewhat depending on what prportion it is of the recipe. Sat Apr 02 13:53:58 -0800 2005 1465276 0 nikki 1 1465317 Does the recipe call for the pancetta to be diced? I recently needed pancetta for a recipe and I had the hardest time finding a plain chunk of pancetta that I could dice. I went to two TJ's, two local chain grocery stores (Ralphs, Gelson's), Whole Foods, and a local independent market, all in vain searching for a chunk of pancetta. TJ's didn't have it at all, the grocery stores only had thin deli-style sliced which was not going to work in the recipe, and Whole Foods only had peppered and I didn't want that because it had a ton of black pepper. It finally occurred to me that I needed to go to an Italian deli-market, but it was a Sunday so forget it. Had to put off my recipe to the next day. Guess I didn't plan ahead very well but I never thought that finding pancetta in pieces rather than in slices would be a big deal. Now I know. Sat Apr 02 19:14:19 -0800 2005 1465276 0 Debbie W. 2 1465321 Don't know what part of the country you are located in, but here in Florida the largest chain grocer in the state (Publix) carries it all the time. I just have the deli counter slice it about 1/4" thick and then I dice to the size I want. And not to put down your neck of the woods, but any worth while Italian Deli is always open on Sunday ----- where else would we get our fixings for antipasto?And I'm not sure I agree with the other posting about substituting bacon for the pancetta. Although both are pork they are completely different products. Sat Apr 02 19:31:48 -0800 2005 1465317 0 FrankT 3 1465322 L.A. - Sherman Oaks, to be precise. Not exactly the middle of nowhere. You could be right about Italian delis being open on Sundays, and maybe I overgeneralized, but the one closest to me isn't open and there aren't that many around here. And I'd already been to so many stores, I was worn out. With our traffic that seemingly never lets up, I have a limit as to how far I'll schlep for pancetta! Sat Apr 02 19:40:47 -0800 2005 1465321 0 Debbie W. 1 1465329 The best available in your area is the housecured from Traverso's market in Santa Rosa. Sat Apr 02 20:54:38 -0800 2005 1465276 0 Melanie Wong 1 1465385 i've been fortunate enough to encounter two brands in one local store--columbus-ticino and niman ranch. a previous thread was right about pancetta being an uncured bacon and there have a few occasions where i just couldn't be bothered to get a chunk of pancetta so i just used good-quality american styled bacon (smoked) even with the pepper and the recipe was still good (albeit, with a twist). Sun Apr 03 14:00:03 -0700 2005 1465276 0 wasabi 1 1465400 Just to add a note, I just had the best tasting pancetta from a little store on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx called the Calabria Pork Store. While the pancetta's available in my neck of california are tsty, this one from CPS is astonishing. Really meaty, a slight fermented tang, and wonderful aroma. Google them or call Peter at 718 367 5145. Their soppressata is damn good as is their speck (a smoked prosciutto like ham). Sun Apr 03 15:59:28 -0700 2005 1465276 0 Food Tyrant