It's getting Tougher to Smuggle Home the Bacon

We came across this story in The Wall Street Journal about how the Christmas Day underwear-bombing attempt will probably disrupt efforts to smuggle quality salami, prosciutto and headcheese.
The extra security efforts to discourage terrorists, will most likely catch chefs smuggling meats from Europe.

The salami we are talking about sells for $16 for a 12-ounce piece, it's the good stuff.
Hiding meats under clothing may prove difficult at best with scanners able to see through clothing.
Generally, the scanners can't find items stashed in a body cavity, but we're not eating salami that has been transported in sweaty orifices.
The government only allows imports that have been processed abroad by U.S.-certified slaughterhouses.
The best salami often comes from small European villages where people have no interest in following U.S. trade regulations.
The government argues, sausages and hams "are much more dangerous than people think," says Janice Mosher, an official at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which seizes about 4,000 pounds of prohibited meat, plant and animal products a day. "Those items truly have the ability to spread disease." The government is concerned that bacteria from a smuggled piece of meat will spread through the ecosystem, infecting livestock and hurting agricultural production, Ms. Mosher says.

The Holy Trinity of Cured Pork

We are often asked about the Holy Trinity of Italian cured pork, prosciutto, pancetta and guanciale. So let's take a look at these wonderful cured meats.

All three are types of cured pork, which means that salt is used to draw the moisture out of the meat to preserve it, and then the meat is left to sit for a while to age.

Many pork products come from the belly of the pig, but guanciale,

pronounced:(GWAN SEE ALL EEE)

comes from the Italian "guancia" or cheek, comes from the jowls.

It has a strong, rich, intense flavor and is a celebrated delicacy in Central Italy. To make it, first the cheek is rubbed with salt, peppercorns and thyme, then it is hung to air-dry, and is ready to eat after three weeks. It’s rather fatty, but once rendered, you’re left with a strong, rich, porky flavor.

Pancetta, comes from the Italian "pancia" or belly, and is often called "Italian bacon."

That’s not quite accurate because pancetta is not typically smoked the way American bacon is. Like guanciale, it’s salt-cured, but it is seasoned with different spices that can include nutmeg, pepper, fennel, dried ground hot peppers and garlic, and then air dried for three months.

Pancetta is sold either rolled or in a slab.

It gives dishes a wonderful pork flavor without the overwhelming smokiness of bacon.

Prosciutto is the Italian word for ham, and describes a salt cured whole leg of pork that has been aged for up to two years. Proscuitto production takes just four ingredients: pork, sea-salt, air and time. There are no other seasonings. Nearly 70 percent of all prosciutto is Prosciutto di Parma, which comes from its birthplace in Parma, Italy. Prosciutto di San Daniele from Italy’s Friuli-Venezia Giulia region is also well-regarded.