Friday, October 13, 2006

Central Market's Black Pepper and Prosciutto Ficelle

Obviously, Central Market is a bad and evil place, haunted by uneasonably high prices (Three dollars for a pepper? Seriously? Just because it's from Holland?) and addled richies from River Oaks.

So you shouldn't go there at all. But, if you did, you should buy a black pepper and prosciutto ficelle from their bakery section. They are simply outstanding: dense, intensely chewy skinny demi-baguettes with big chunks of salty prosciutto and a pleasant peppery heat. Whole Foods tried very briefly to compete with Central Market on this point, but theirs was bland, soft, and just plain uncommitted. If you can, bribe someone at the front door to buy one for you (the way you did for six-packs in high school). If that doesn't work, you may have to go in the store -- but don't say I didn't warn you. And don't visit the olive bar. It's a crushing disappointment.

2 Comments:

At 10:43 PM, Blogger Peter said...

I am glad to have found a kindred spirit that adores the black pepper and prosciutto ficelle. I get it almost every time I go to CM. My friend called it "bread jerky" (in a good way).

I tried convincing the baker at the Whole Foods down the street (I'm in downtown Austin) to make something similar, but I never saw it available there.

 
At 1:48 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

yes i stock up on it about 5-10 at a time every month and store in freezer, they are ready after about 10 minutes of thaw, just slice with a serrated knife into thin wafers, they last forever in freezer. yes, it is like jerky, maybe better. my favorite thing at central market

 

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