Zapala: Martín Carjal Mosqueira adds delicatessen to his gastronomy

The artisan production of cold cuts and sausages is experiencing a resurgence in Argentina, especially since the start of the pandemic. In our region, the Zapalino chef Martín Carjal Mosqueira is one of the many who joined the region to venture into the practice of alternative techniques that make it possible to diversify his gastronomic proposal.

“While walking through this world as wonderful as gastronomy is, one gets to know and discover paths that ultimately derive from the same route as cooking and without end of ramifications”, comments the young chef from Neuquén when sharing this entrepreneurial facet hers.

“In these changing times in which you have to adapt quickly, I began to be interested in the world of delicatessen, a fascinating world not only for the work but also for the commitment that exists between the different actors that make up this chain. From the participation of the producer -who raises and feeds an animal, achieving first-class meat-, going through the intervention of the locally produced aromatics until reaching the manual production process of an artisan butcher putting his personality his love in each cube of bacon for the artisanal product”, he affirms.

Of course, at this point, charcuterie is the ancient art of meat preservation. It has existed for more than 6 thousand years, its popularity came from the Romans but perfection was added by French butchers, who were always characterized by not wasting any part of the animal. At first it was found that with rudimentary techniques proteins could be dehydrated, salted, sweetened and pickled: they had a longer useful life in extreme conditions. It is thus then that the delicatessen allowed survival when food was scarce. In our Patagonian region, the pioneering immigrants left a whole school and a tradition in this regard.

“Yes, our history tells us a lot”, says Martín and warns that more than one should remember the pantries that our farmers had in their homes, where these products were not lacking, praying and waiting to be enjoyed. «The preparation of dry sausages was something that I focused on in recent times. First it was the interest to know how they do it, what their processes are like, why and how many questions that arose to me as a lover of cooking. It was thus that little by little I began to produce and want to improve a product made by hand and as personalized as a salamín, a bondiola, a raw ham…”, he affirms.

“Although the restaurant is something that fills the soul and it gives great satisfaction to put together a dish for that diner who enjoys the dynamics and that social environment that today limits us in such a brutal way, I looked for the alternative of how to be able to continue reaching those lovers of good food who enjoy the fruit of our labor. That is why I decided to look for a place in the delicatessen where I could generate not only a business but also generate a locally made product supporting the producers of the region”, says Martín. And he immediately adds: "as I always emphasize, we are a chain where each participant responsibly provides a quality product."

“Right now I am very focused on this development, looking for alternatives and generating products that not only satisfy customer demand but also show and highlight the production that exists in my region, with everyone's support we can all have possibilities” , insists.

How does this translate into your gastronomy? As an enterprise "MC regional delicatessen", preparing and offering mixed salami, pure pork salami, a boutique salami with pistachios, bondiolas on a bed of salt, raw hams and Calabrian sausage. In most of the elaborations he uses meat and aromatics from Neuquén production.

There is no shortage of cold cuts today in any bar or tavern; the well-gourmetized ones appear on the menus of the best restaurants where they are usually made by the cooks themselves. Martín Carjal Mosqueira did not want to stop experiencing this possibility that his work in Zapala gives him. Your clients, grateful.

A good plate or table with charcuterie, what does it pair well with? Red wine is perfect - abernet sauvignon, malbec, syrah or pinot noir. If the picada has a gourmet character, it also accepts a good cold beer.