Porky Pleasure

The most exciting discovery I made at the farmer's market today was a new stand- Severino's Community Butchers. They sell pig products galore. I picked up head cheese pate (coppa di testa), country pate (pate campagnola), boudin noir, and the most beautiful spare ribs I have ever seen. No blood, but thick, creamy striations of fat. I'm not sure what to do with pig with so much fat quite yet.

The guys behind the booth seem to be Justin Severino and Jim Dunlop according to this post.
They were charming, laid back, and after tasting their products I believe I will become a regular. Famous food writer and Tony Bourdain and Thomas Keller crony, Michael Ruhlman, mentioned them in his blog last month.



Here's a moody photo full of chiaroscuro with the country pate on the left and their head cheese on the right. It's all slathered on some crusty Acme baguette :

I tasted this stuff and was addicted. I started just eating it straight, licking it off the knife. It's embarrassing and true. That chunk of garlic there came with the head cheese. The flavors are very strong, the texture isn't too creamy, there are pieces of pig and herb (and garlic), but it's so clean tasting. You don't feel at all like you're eating offal. I hope this stand sticks around.