History
It all started in Charlotte, NC. A couple of chefs had the desire to recreate old world salumi with a nod to terroir. North Carolina had been famous for dry cured hams at one time and there might have been a reason. After searching for pork that was more than its commercially raised counterparts, a farm producing Tamworth pigs presented itself. The next step was what to make and where to make it.
After much research and after many discussions with the proprietor of the restaurant group that had made dry cured salami years before, a simple red wine and garlic salami was the first goal. It turned out well. The wine room of the restaurant quickly turned into the wine room with a lot of salami hanging from the ceiling.
Not long after filling the wine room and running very low on space, a new alternative was needed. In the back of the building of an unoccupied sister restaurant, a small walk-in cooler was discovered. Although it was cleaned and sanitized, the whole building lacked power. After purchasing a compressor and fans, an extension cord was run from the sister restaurant. This was the first incarnation of The Pig Cave. A small, secret, hidden cooler in the back of a vacant retail space in a building. The cooler was climate controlled with a plug in humidifier and dehumidifier which both had to be filled and emptied daily. By this point the selections of salumi hanging in the "Pig Cave" were definitely experimental. Every salumi was tasted and if there was any doubt, the whole batch went into the trash. This crude environment produced pretty good salami, each with its own distinctive characteristics.
Next came accompaniments. What do you serve with charcuterie...MUSTARD. While working in Florida at the Ritz-Carlton, a batch of fresh mustard was created. This mustard was very different from the turmeric yellow condiment in squeeze bottles. Pungent, spicy, and bold, this black mustard woke up the senses and excited the palate, preparing the diner for what was next. After becoming more involved with charcuterie and salumi, it was noticed that the mustard was a great match with many foods. The recipe was refined until it became what it is today...The Pig Cave Black Mustard.
After much research and after many discussions with the proprietor of the restaurant group that had made dry cured salami years before, a simple red wine and garlic salami was the first goal. It turned out well. The wine room of the restaurant quickly turned into the wine room with a lot of salami hanging from the ceiling.
Not long after filling the wine room and running very low on space, a new alternative was needed. In the back of the building of an unoccupied sister restaurant, a small walk-in cooler was discovered. Although it was cleaned and sanitized, the whole building lacked power. After purchasing a compressor and fans, an extension cord was run from the sister restaurant. This was the first incarnation of The Pig Cave. A small, secret, hidden cooler in the back of a vacant retail space in a building. The cooler was climate controlled with a plug in humidifier and dehumidifier which both had to be filled and emptied daily. By this point the selections of salumi hanging in the "Pig Cave" were definitely experimental. Every salumi was tasted and if there was any doubt, the whole batch went into the trash. This crude environment produced pretty good salami, each with its own distinctive characteristics.
Next came accompaniments. What do you serve with charcuterie...MUSTARD. While working in Florida at the Ritz-Carlton, a batch of fresh mustard was created. This mustard was very different from the turmeric yellow condiment in squeeze bottles. Pungent, spicy, and bold, this black mustard woke up the senses and excited the palate, preparing the diner for what was next. After becoming more involved with charcuterie and salumi, it was noticed that the mustard was a great match with many foods. The recipe was refined until it became what it is today...The Pig Cave Black Mustard.
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