Ick…

I was reading my favorite travel magazine–Conde Nast Traveler–on the flight home from San Diego yesterday. One side-bar in particular caught my attention…some preparation notes from a famous restaurant in Montreal where the chef takes great pride in creating unique dishes using every part of the pig…and I mean EVERY part. Here are my three favorite preparations:

1. Head: “Saw top off skull; remove brains; rinse brains under cold running water for three hours. Poach brains. Boil head until meat leaves bone. Cut off ears; peel skin off tongue. Press ears for 12 hours, then dehydrate for 6 more in 100 degree oven. Use liquid to cook meatballs and beans. Fry in pork fat.meatballs and beans. Fry in pork fat. Serve tongue, head meat, and diced skin with meatballs, beans, and fried ears.”

2. Tail: “Cook, wrapped in caul fat, and stuff with foie gras.”

3. Brains: “Scramble with eggs into a dripping, creamy omelet.”

Mmmmmm, mmmmmmm, good! That’s good pig. (I had chicken for dinner last night.)