de Pamplona salamis and for the Chorizo de Oaxaca and Charro Habanero sausage recipes .
Today MeatCrafters offers recipes with flavors that hail from 16 different countries . “ Most people who make salamis in the United States — and there aren ’ t that many — are from Italy or of Italian heritage , so they ’ re making traditional salami , soppressata , truffle , Porcini … and we make those as well .” But MeatCrafters also takes a more experimental approach “ because this is America ,” says Mitch , “ and people like to try lots of different things . So we make half of our salamis with what we call our out-of-the box flavor profiles . We have salamis with Indonesian and Middle Eastern seasonings , with dill pollen , and our Chesapeake salami features Old Bay style flavoring … and people love them !”
Purchasing natural , clean , hormone and antibiotic free meats requires a chef ’ s discernment to produce the best product . Meats are sourced locally and regionally from small farms . One such place is Polyface Farm . It has become a leader in regenerative farming practices , grazing cattle within small pastures with electrified fencing that is easily moved each evening in an established rotational grazing system . Animal manure fertilizes the pastures and enables the farm to graze about four times as many cattle as on a conventional farm , which saves on feed costs . Because MeatCrafters ’ wholesale operation also private labels meat products for local farmers and
other food enterprises , you ’ ll find the MeatCrafters logo alongside that of Polyface Farm , attesting to the highly conscious methods for producing their products .
Going forward with online sales booming , the wholesale and private labeling of products , and distribution at local , regional and national boutique grocers and distinctive gourmet stores like Balducci ’ s in Bethesda , the sky is the limit . With Renaissance businesswoman Debra at the helm , bringing her extensive background in business strategy to the company — real world and teaching grad students at John ’ s Hopkins — and Mitch ’ s indomitable energy , MeatCrafters creates a high bar for locally sourced artisanal food . Retirement ? It remains elusive .
CAMP
IS HEATING UP @ BLACKROCK
Performing Arts Camp
June 20 - July 29 | Rising Grades 3-8 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM | Monday - Friday $ 650 per 2-week session
Arts Journeys Camp
August 1-19 | Rising Grades 3-8 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM | Monday - Friday
$ 350 per 1-week session blackrockcenter . org / summer-camp 301-528-2260
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