Pork

"Pork - no animal is more used for nourishment and none more indispensable in the kitchen; employed either fresh or salt, all is useful, even to its bristles and its blood; it is the superfluous riches of the farmer, and helps to pay the rent of the cottager.”
Alexis Soyer 19th century French Chef

"Mmmmm Bacon"
Homer Simpson- 21st century gastronome.

Do you not find it odd that there is nothing so in vogue right now in restaurant kitchens as the humble hog? Shocking when at least two of the most populous religions in the world consider it inedible verging on sacriligeous. That being said it appears that after years of the big ticket item being some sort of beef filet, the rage now is all towards braised, stewed, seared, and grilled pork.

My personal taste suits this just fine! The beauty of pork for me is the tender, meltingly sweet layer of clean fat that sits on the exterior of most cuts- and in the best directly between layers of moist flesh.

Bacon is king, and vicariously pork belly is queen. Crisp bacon has no comparison in the world of breakfast food. However, as named in the Toronto Star, Globe & Mail and Food & Wine magazine it is also the hot taste of the year-showing its glory in everything from lunch, to ice cream, to alcohol (no I am not kidding). Pork belly also seems to be de rigeur on most menus, often in a tasting of pork (for which I am eternally greatful to those chefs who can pull it off). My only qualifications are thus; If you are putting pork on your menu thou cannot commit the following sin

1 ) Thou shalt not serve me rare pork liable to give me trichonosis
2) Thou shalt not serve me pork similar in taste to sawdust (how can you screw it up with all that fat?!)
3) Though shalt not try and pair pork and a dessert (leave it to breakfast, brunch, lunch or main--please!)

So to close, it is clear my love of pork is absolute (via the image at the header of this blog) and I will elaborate the facets of this animal I crave!...the succulence of brined pork chops...the satisfaction of crisp bacon....the indulgence of Martin Picard's Pied de Cochon...the simplicity of roast pork and apples...the glory of braised pork belly...and finally--the joy of pork crackling..

So in the words of the worlds pork producers: "Get pork on your fork!"