Chef Luke Powell was working in top-level kitchens for decades (including several years as head chef at Tetsuya's) before developing a passion for charcuterie while working in the US, and is now founder and co-owner of LP's Quality Meats in Chippendale (a hatted restaurant turned meat wholesaler) and Bella Brutta Pizza in Newtown, where the pepperoni and mortadella offerings are beyond belief.

Luke's passion for making quality charcuterie, along with his chef's eye for flavor, means he has honed and refined reliable and delicious ways of making meats that can be made safely at home. From the basics of sausage-making at home, to the steps to curing your own charcuterie, and the dos and don'ts of smoking your own meats, LP's Quality Meats offers a mouth-watering guide to curing, fermenting, brining, ageing, and cooking your own meats, whatever your level of experience. For those too busy to be buying smokers or filling casings, every chapter is full of delicious ways to use your favorite smallgoods, including a host of simple plates, meals, sandwiches, pizzas and sharing boards, to get meat-lovers thinking about flavor combinations and the magic of marrying depth, fat and acid in the oven or around the barbecue.

Luke is also an expert at cooking with vegetables, with his restaurants' veg offerings following the same flavor philosophy, so those who are less pig-headed can come along for the ride. Whether you've already got the meat sweats and want to saucisson immediately, or you just want some showy shortcuts for your charcuterie board, LP's has the answers to both quality and satisfaction.