Italian for cheek, guanciale comes from the jowls of the pig. It's cured similarly to bacon but it's not smoked and has an Italian flair — a bit of rosemary is included.

With more fat than pancetta, it’s intense, indulgent stuff and magnifies the flavor of your dishes immensely. Slice off a few chunks and toss them into a pan with root vegetables like potatoes or squash. Give your sauces a boost with a few pieces in the pot. Get creative. Guanciale rewards the adventurous cook.

Some quick back story. Herb & Kathy Eckhouse fell in love with cured meats like salami and prosciutto after living in Parma, Italy. They spent five years researching, studying and testing recipes and cures before opening their own Prosciuttificio — now that's a ten dollar Google for you — called La Quercia in Norwalk, Iowa. Today it's one of the best sources for great Italian style cured meat, either here or in Italy.

We cut the guanciale by hand from a larger piece, wrap it and ship it frozen. It will last weeks in your refrigerator.

Guanciale is "the savory-leaning palate’s equivalent to white chocolate."
John Thorne, Simple Cooking