Pork lovers rejoiced and chef Chad Colby no doubt breathed a sigh of relief when Mozza finally opened the Scuola di Pizza doors for the bi-weekly Salumi Bar on May 31. Colby and crew worked for more than a year to set an L.A. County public health precedent so they could dry-cure meat in-house. We sat at the counter in front of the open kitchen and ordered a plate of salumi – dealer’s choice – and promptly graced gnocco fritto with melt-in-your-mouth lardo and slid a slab of pork butter between a many-layered buttermilk biscuit. They were both delectable, as were the contorni, but my favorite bites were of the plump pork belly sausage patties, seasoned with anise, garlic and pepper, which were especially juicy and tantalizing.

12/7/13 Note: Mozza Salumi Bar closed to make way for the even more ambitious Chi SPACCA.

Dose of Vitamin P spotlights my favorite pork dish from the previous week.