This Little Piggy Meats & More

01/13/2019

While working away to dot the "I"s and cross the "T"s on my walk-in cooler, I haven't slacked off on making things that I want to hang there. This is the 28-pound ham from a Mulefoot pig, simply packed with salt and cure #2 for 28 days, then coated with piment d'espelette, in the style of the basque hams Kate Hill introduced me to. Now into my temp and humidity controlled fridge to begin the S-L-O-W, 1-2 year process of drying and aging.

02/08/2018

It's more than a bit tongue-in-cheek, but I'm calling this "tongue 'n cheek terrine." Head, hocks, and trotters slow-cooked for hours with mirin and Chinese five spice, then mixed with parsley, hot mustard, rice wine vinegar, and sake before setting it up in its own gelatin.

01/16/2018

Coming soon, thanks to local craftsperson Deborah Campbell of Fine House Press!

12/20/2017

"...and now for something completely different." I have a number of friends as dear to my heart as my carnivorous ones, so I now present my first vegetarian sausage! Cajun, with wild rice, carrots, celery, peppers, parsley, and onion.

11/19/2017

With thanks to Cathe Capel, of Seven Sisters Farm, for the lamb livers, I now have more of the liver pâté made with harissa in the house!

11/13/2017

Preparing ingredients today for sausage tomorrow: from a quart of mushroom broth to a 1/4 cup of mushroom essence.

11/08/2017

Prairie-style Nduja, made with this year's cayenne peppers, just about done fermenting and drying. When no less an authority than Jeffrey Weiss tells you that he really likes the heat and smokiness of these, you know you're doing something right!

11/08/2017

This year's nduja, just about done fermenting and drying. When no less an authority than Jeffrey Weiss tells you that he likes the heat and smokiness of this one, you know you're doing something right!

08/29/2017

Told ya!

Low-fat diets could raise the risk of early death by almost one quarter, a major study has found.

07/30/2017

Today rillettes, tomorrow rillons, 'cause that's how I roll.