well guanciale isn't hard to find, it's just 5-6 times the price of belly. parmesan is already expensive and pecorino is twice the price. :no-mouth-must-scream:
As an Italian (I know I'm sorry) I almost always use bacon, sometimes pancetta if it's at the store, for this exact reason. Guanciale is waaay too expensive and makes carbonara from an easy cheap dinner into needless expense.
My 100% Italian American grandmother used to just use bacon too, I use pancetta and sometimes bacon. I have almost never seen guanciale around here. Besides, pancetta usually has more meat vs fat in it and I prefer that honestly
Besides, unless you're in some parts of Lazio, or have the good fortune of having a good salumeria closeby, most of the guanciale (and pecorino for that matter) is going to be bland industrial bs.
Might as well make tasty food with good, local stuff (when possible). Anything else is class performance (not ok) or diaspora nostalgia (very valid).
Yeah, it depends on where you live. Here in Houston, the 4th largest city in the US, there is only 1 store I know of where you can get guanciale. Pancetta I can get at most grocery stores, but for guanciale I would have to go to this one high end grocer.
EDIT: Oh, one liquor store would also probably have guanciale.
well guanciale isn't hard to find, it's just 5-6 times the price of belly. parmesan is already expensive and pecorino is twice the price. :no-mouth-must-scream:
As an Italian (I know I'm sorry) I almost always use bacon, sometimes pancetta if it's at the store, for this exact reason. Guanciale is waaay too expensive and makes carbonara from an easy cheap dinner into needless expense.
New site tagline dropped folks!
My 100% Italian American grandmother used to just use bacon too, I use pancetta and sometimes bacon. I have almost never seen guanciale around here. Besides, pancetta usually has more meat vs fat in it and I prefer that honestly
Besides, unless you're in some parts of Lazio, or have the good fortune of having a good salumeria closeby, most of the guanciale (and pecorino for that matter) is going to be bland industrial bs.
Might as well make tasty food with good, local stuff (when possible). Anything else is class performance (not ok) or diaspora nostalgia (very valid).
Yeah, it depends on where you live. Here in Houston, the 4th largest city in the US, there is only 1 store I know of where you can get guanciale. Pancetta I can get at most grocery stores, but for guanciale I would have to go to this one high end grocer.
EDIT: Oh, one liquor store would also probably have guanciale.