center cut

Did you know that March 1st is National Pig Day?

My creation

I didn’t find out until recently, but once I did, I knew that as such big fans of the pig and her gustatory gifts, it was our duty to celebrate. Luckily, the fridge and freezer were well stocked will all manner of porky goodness, and the pantry with tasty accompaniments, so we put together our plan: Rancho Gordo Marrow beans, slow cooked and studded with chunks of Mike’s pork confit; center cut whey-fed pork chops from Bobolink, lovingly rubbed with a mixture of smoked paprika, fennel seeds and ground chipotle then seared to perfection; and chard wilted down in the same pan the chops had cooked in, lightly glazing the leaves in rich and smoky pork fat.

Dinner: March 1, 2008

Dinner was set, and in the end it was delicious, but we had no intention of putting off our celebration until the evening – oh, no. Pork is fantastic any time of day, and we wanted some sooner rather than later. Bacon and eggs would have been a great choice, as would biscuits and good sausage gravy, but I was really craving Mexican, so we made our way to the Fort Greene outpost of Bonita for a hearty, pork-centric brunch. With full bellies and satisfied smiles, we drank a toast to the pig – a truly magnificent beast.