Baconfest Michigan: My Recap

It’s been a while since I wrote about meats and food, so it would take a rare event to break me out of a moderate lull. Luckily, that event arrived this past weekend: Baconfest Michigan. The samplings, drinks, creativity and ambience were too much for me to remain silent.

My friends and I bought VIP tickets and arrived about 10 minutes to start time. The general admission line stretched to about twice the size of the VIP line. Organizers were very good in handing out the VIP passes and wristbands while we waited in line. Once the doors opened it took a comparatively normal time to enter the building compared to other general admission festival type events I’ve attended.

But enough with logistics, this event was purely about the food. I had scouted out the website beforehand to know what items I specifically wanted to try (Side note: Because this was the first such event in Michigan, I wasn’t sure if vendors would run out of certain items or specific vendors would only remain for a specific amount of time so I knew the things I wanted first).

I first spotted Cork Wine Pub who advertised a pork belly slider with pickled red onions, bacon jam, and grainy mustard on a pretzel roll. I enjoyed it a lot, but I had a few critiques: the pretzel roll didn’t have the unique pretzel taste and the mustard took away a slight amount from the pork belly.

After the first taste, however, people (myself included) tend to get excited about all the options in front of them. Despite lines outside, most of the tables had yet to develop any semblance of lines. Instead of the marathon we planned for we sprinted through a lot of food. For the first half 45 minutes any food waiting on the table met my stomach.

Some of the early highlights: Green Lantern’s bacon. The pizza, which they’re known for didn’t excite me much, but their glazed piece of bacon on the side was the best actual piece of freestanding bacon in the venue. Lockhart’s had unique bacon lollipops (figs stuffed with bleu cheese, wrapped in bacon) that if you’re a fan of bleu cheeses did the trick.

Union Woodshop Pork Belly, Mac & Cheese, Cookie. I ate some before the picture because you can’t just look at food and not eat it.

To round out the first 45, however, I had two of the best samples I had the entire night. First, came the Union Woodshop Mac & Cheese, pork belly and cookie serving. The Pork Belly reigned supreme, practically melting in my mouth. Next, came Treat Dreams. The person serving up the ice cream suggested trying The Sunday Breakfast (vanilla swirled with maple syrup, waffles and bacon). It reminded me how awesome and unique ice cream can be.  The two stops practically slowed down time and helped me get back to a marathon mindset.

And that’s when we discovered the beer vendors for the evening. I was a little skeptical for no real reason about the drink selection. I figured it’d be pretty basic, so when I spotted the Kuhnhenn Brewing sign I shed a tear of joy (I really just texted a friend who shares similar joy in their brewing to make him jealous, but same thing). Kuhnhenn has some of the most unusual beers I’ve tasted and have become one of my favorite breweries ever since discovering them at The Great Taste of the Midwest in Madison, Wisconsin. I went with their award-winning Double Rice IPA (DRIPA), which balanced the type of food available wonderfully at the start.

From there, it seemed about time to scout out the VIP section. There were only two VIP vendors (Forest Grill and MGM) and a nice lounge area, less busy bar to order drinks at, but a few more VIP specific food vendors may have been nice.

I went right for the Forest Grill sample. It was in some ways the perfect corn dog. An incredible bacon sausage covered by a warm pretzel roll. The pretzel roll tasted like it should and the sausage tasted so unique to me I felt compelled to speak with Brian Polcyn about it. Know his charcuterie history I was slightly intimidated. He was great though, explaining the bacon sausage and how it was put together, definitely a highlight.

After a bit of a break I headed to the MGM stand. I was a little disappointed in their sample to be honest. The Faygo root beer pork belly was very good on its own, but the corn cake and other additions didn’t really do it for me. Around that time I was thrilled to be covered by a tent as storms quickly passed through, but I think it added to the experience.

Overall I’d say (especially for a first year event) it was fantastic. I gained five pounds in the four hours, but that’s what I signed up for. The VIP gift bag I think would’ve been better served with a hat or shirt instead of poster, but that’s nitpicking. I think a bacon information station about where some of the bacon comes from, where the local places get their pigs, preparing bacon and so on would’ve been interesting. Maybe bring in some famous bacon people from around the world (not Kevin). I know a lot of people got turned away, but I thought 1,200 people seemed like a perfect amount. While bar lines and some others got long, there was never a feeling of being too cramped. If they increased it to 1,500 it may be too many people in the end.

I tried approximately 30-33 different places in the end and that the perfect amount. The moment you stop enjoying the food because you’re full does a disservice to the vendors.

I have a feeling next year will sell out a lot faster and I will make sure to be in attendance once again for what I can only imagine a great event getting better.

Other highlights and unique tasting:

Cheeky Monkeys Food: The best shortbread I’ve ever tasted. At that point I was close to full and certain items weren’t enjoyable anymore. This erased my memory of being unable to fit more food in my stomach, just awesome.

Café Muse: Mac and Cheese and Butterscotch Pudding with bacon. The Mac and Cheese was good, but it was their pudding that won me over. The bacon mixed in perfectly and that’s just one good pudding.

Street Eatzz: Their presentation was something cool to see. They made a crazy bacon frittata that tasted pretty good, but the living cooking added a nice touch to the event and they interacted well with the crowd.

Cliff Bell’s bacon-banana cupcakes were moist with a great banana taste.

Bakon Vodka Bloody Mary with McClure’s pickle brine. This I tried and at first taste I didn’t like it. In fact, I thought it was pretty disgusting and I really enjoy a good Bloody Mary. But like any introduction I knew first impressions aren’t always the real impression. When I sipped it again the taste really started growing on me. The flavors flowed together nicely and the spice level topped it off nicely.

The dancing crowd: this has nothing to do with food, but the people who danced to the music and seemed to genuinely enjoy the whole scene were awesome. I’ll admit, even I jumped in and danced a little because when you’re high on bacon you can do anything.

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Beef Heart Party and Butchery

In order to end the year on a proper note, I recently held a celebratory beef heart party at my apartment. While we have already discussed the greatness that is beef heart, I thought I’d share the recipe we used and talk a little bit more about it.

First, in order to ease people into trying beef heart for the first time, we made a beef heart stew. While beef heart doesn’t have that exceptionally iron flavor that many organ meats have, the concept can still be intimidating. By mixing it in with a stew, it eases the mind a bit for those afraid.

The stew consisted of the following:

Celery, Carrots, Potatoes, onions, garlic, Cream of Mushroom as the base, and chunks of beef heart.

It was thrown into a crockpot and slowly cooked for 8 hours. Extremely simple to make and not one complaint was received about the taste.

The one issue you might find is you don’t get the full beef heart effect because the meat is a bit more on the well done side the tenderness that beef heart has.

I was going to throw in some extra organ meats for the day, but people didn’t seem so willing to try kidney, plus due to unforeseen circumstances there was no time to truly prepare.  The recipe I was going to use is this one below:

I suggest to everyone, throw your own beef heart party, it might surprise you as to how many people might come.

One more thing I wanted to mention is something I was sent the other day about new butcher shops opening up in Chicago. These are unique because it will give the customer the opportunity to see firsthand the animal being cut. It does not get more fresh than that. This is what a lot of people talk about though, getting to know and respect your food.  What better way than watching the whole process take shape in front of you?

Think about it, people take for granted where the meat comes from and how it’s cut apart. One of the lessons from the beef heart is how much work has to go in to cutting out the heart and then breaking down the heart when it comes to the eatable muscle.  So take a chance and see what kind of creations you can do for yourself.

How much of a role does food play in defining you?

I never had a reason before to announce to the world my favorite Food Network show, but last night’s episode left me with no choice. It might not stand on the same pedestal as Iron Chef or Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, but Private Chefs of Beverly Hills is simply fantastic. It always has good stories and the chefs have personality, but more importantly the show features unique meals and that’s something I’ve appreciated more than anything.

The premise of the show is straightforward, private chefs in Beverly Hills cook for rich people. It’s simple, but a hell of an entertaining show. Usually there is at least one star getting food cooked for an event and two other parties that need these private chefs for lesser known people.

There are meals they are required to cook for specific cultures, freedom to make what they want, and the occasional meat loaf for Meat Loaf, like tonight’s episode. Pan seared lobster with mozzarella and eggplant wrapped in bacon does sound fantastic.

But, that wasn’t what piqued my interest. It was the other two events covered on the show. There was the strict traditional Jewish cuisine the chefs had to adhere to featuring chopped liver with schmaltz fried onions, matzo balls, and a beef stew. Add in the food date party (where the foods determine who you connect with) featuring Crickets.

We’ll start with the traditional Jewish meal. One of the most interesting things to come out of it was the message Chef Sasha, who had some Jewish culinary background from her upbringing. She said something along the lines of you don’t realize how much the background of what you grew up with is infused in what you do especially when it comes to food.

And that is one of the biggest differences between people willing to take chances when it comes to eating and cooking and those who don’t. If you grew up with a steady dose of chicken fingers and french fries, your engrained with little food culture. That’s why expanding your palette at a young age and educating those around you is important even in small chunks.

The second event was the food dating.You started with an appetizer and based on what you swarmed to, the matchmaker would then set you up. From there you chose what foods to bring to your date. There was a simple beef dish, chicken dish, and then crickets.

A big argument about the crickets was who would actually choose that in a first date scenario to try to match up with someone. As much as I might be willing to try it for myself, not sure if I could force it upon someone else. Especially since the other two items looked better than fried crickets. But, the concept itself was intriguing. Do you learn a lot about what people eat?  Does it make for a better match more than anything else?

I would’ve been interested to see if they had a vegetarian match with a person who went in a more meaty direction. While I venture that not many people actually take the time to read this blog, the real point of this is to ask a question.

How much of a role does food play into your personality? Is it engrained in your culture? Is it a factor as to who you connect with as friends or beyond? Think about it, and if you don’t answer here at least ask yourself that question the next time you’re eating.

A Visit to the Farmer’s Market

This is a story I did earlier in the semester, but I thought why not put it on here since it’s the semester crunch and I’m not going to have time to pitch it anymore…

I’ve never been one to believe in the idea of eating healthy. If something looks good I’ll taste it, and probably engulf the whole thing regardless of perceived future consequences. Perhaps this comes in to play more than ever when it comes to meat. A succulent steak, a perfectly crisp piece of bacon, or even a juicy breast of chicken will tempt me no matter the producer, just like many other consumers.

My curiosity about the natural and healthier food craze peaked, leading to my latest voyage through the Madison farmer’s market. I went to the Wednesday edition, opposed to Saturday’s market where a giant square suddenly feels miniscule as people bump your shoulder scouring tents for the most vibrant green in a green pepper. I had one goal in mind; seek out a meat vendor to talk about the craze revolving around “healthy” meat.

A giant “No Hormones! No Antibiotics!” sign caught my attention, but I scoped out a few more vendors just to be sure. It quickly became obvious that on Wednesdays, only one-meat producer sets up shop on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Pecatonica Valley Meat.

For over 30 years, the Carr family has been involved in meat production. They advertise purity in their meats and in the other items they sell. On this day, Amy and her husband Todd man the tent standing in front of a trailer full of dead animal parts. Amy stands with a warm smile waiting for the next consumer to step up.

I’ve always found it tough to trust people selling products in any form when asked to discuss why theirs is better, especially when it comes to food. Taste buds vary, metabolism constantly differs, and lifestyle choices play into health and pricing concerns.

The Pecatonica story can be seen as a mirror image of how the meat industry has fluctuated and the mentality of the buyer has shifted. In the 1980s, the Carr family found themselves on the outside of farming looking in. Prices in stores dropped significantly, larger meat producers dominated the market, and any chance of profits disappeared. “As my brother always said, the country is used to cheap food. And to farm commercially, back in those days you just couldn’t make anything,” Todd told me.

And that’s where the large-scale meat industry started drawing praise and scrutiny all at the same time. The ability to offer affordable food was, and still is, the key to many consumers’ hearts. At a farmer’s market or in the world of raising natural animals, you’re not going to find the cheap meat. In order to create inexpensive meats simple steps are taken. Feeding antibiotics to keep an animal healthy before they ever get sick, throwing in various hormones to speed growth rates, and constantly feeding them in a sheltered environment to prevent weight loss is part of the game.

For the Carr’s, that lifestyle didn’t fit their views for how an animal should be raised.

“When you raise animals naturally and you keep where they live clean, you won’t need to use a lot of antibiotics or hormones,” said Amy. “They’re outside getting fresh air and sunshine, that also helps contribute to a healthy animal.”

Approximately seven years after leaving the industry, the Carr family found a way to reenter full-fledged farming. It was what they knew and loved. Plus, many consumers started backtracking on the whole cheap meat concept. Pecatonica reestablished itself and could promote this “No Antibiotics, No Hormones” lifestyle without a problem. Enough people became willing to spend a bit more for cleaner and leaner meat.

While I chatted with the Carrs, I watched customers buy $1.00 beef sticks for a quick snack and the occasional piece of meat well above grocery store costs. Nobody questioned the prices or where the animal came from. They didn’t ask about the environmental effects of large-scale meat production or long-term health effects of eating red meat.

That’s when it became more obvious of the choice these people make. Instead of buying eight ground beef patties totaling $4.25, they buy one pound for the same price from the stand. The reasons might not make sense at first glance and may even seem elitist, especially to those struggling to make ends meet.

The choices can be broken down into three facets. People could simply be eating less red meat. If the product is higher quality and you’re willing to eat less of it, why not spend more. By buying massive quantities of commercialized meats, in the end you’re setting yourself up to eat massive quantities. Cheaper food can be enjoyed more often than stuff that can’t fit into a budget.

And as time has shown, if you eat a lot of red meat no matter what kind, health effects will eventually creep in.

Additionally, the carbon footprint of buying local is astronomically smaller than from most stores. Time magazine once said the meat industry generates over 18% of the world’s greenhouse gases. While this may be the furthest thing from anyone’s mind looking to feed their family, think about the future costs. Manure has to constantly be destroyed (and it’s piling up). Add in some unused offal meats that might be needed one day to help the world sustain enough food for all and there are some troubles.

And finally, think of the animal lifestyle. I’ve talked to people who want to know the animal they’re eating was happy. It might sound slightly sadistic because the animal ultimately died to be on your plate. Can that ever be a happy lifestyle? But, to them they’d rather eat an animal who got to see the sun, than locked in a sheltered room.

But, it circles back to how you eat the meat. And that’s what so many people miss in the healthy meat craze. A place like Pecatonica Valley has been around long enough to build customer relationships full of trust. They have no desire to become the largest farm and they’re happy working with local restaurants and on the farmer’s market circuit. And that’s okay because it leaves more options for those looking beyond price and quantity.

There are choices like happy cows and environment they can help you with, but the ultimate decider is you. If you’re looking for the cheapest and most meat, a farmer’s market isn’t the place to look. If you want to enjoy meals every day involving pig, cow, or chicken, it really doesn’t matter where the meat comes from because it will still clog your arteries.

But, if you’re looking for an alternative, the Carr’s method might not be so bad.

Eating Bird

Picture courtesy of Maslowski/National Wild Turkey Federation

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I thought it about time we venture into the world of eating bird.  Sure, we’ll talk about your traditional Thanksgiving turkey, but I’m interested in the more unique birds and items people eat. Eating quail and duck isn’t totally unique, but Quail Eggs are fun and there are some good duck recipes with the meat or don’t do the work and find some duck fat fries. How about some Partridge, pigeon (the rat of the sky), pheasant, and grouse. Plus, the big birds, cousins Emu and Ostrich and a little bit of Rhea. For all your chicken needs for raise them for meat yourself, could be fun. And even though I am totally against eating them because they are a top 4 animal in my book, Penguin.

First, the turkey because people like holidays. A brief history of how the turkey came to where it is today shows that the turkey population almost ceased to exist. Like often seen with species in the 19th century, hunters took advantage of the plentiful amount that existed on the land. As they spread further west to take over more land, more turkeys were discovered and killed. Finally, with some federal protection turkeys began to survive. Now, you might even see a wild turkey in your suburban neighborhood. I had the honor of seeing one cross the street a few years ago. So, you enjoy the taste and think how about I raise some wild turkey! Okay, very few actually think that, but if you do… here is a intro article into it and an in depth beginners books that exists. And of course, some nice turkey recipes for when that thing is ready to move on from your backyard to your dinner plate. And as an added bonus, a turkey confit recipe courtesy of Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.

Moving on, let’s check out the essence that is the “game bird”. The University of Minnesota has a nice breakdown of the world of these birds. And even a brief synopsis of how to raise them yourself if you don’t feel like hunting is included there. Be careful if you’re buying game bird to eat, however, as the FDA doesn’t have many guidelines or testing for that meat.

One of the most common game birds is pheasant. You can do a lot of cooking with the young or old. The pheasant has 35 different species and are seemingly most commonly hunted in Britain. But do not fear, in America there are many dedicated sites to bird hunting, including the pheasant to show you where to go. Part of the pheasant family is the well known Partridge. Here’s a little hunting guide for Partridge and Grouse. And a very nice sounding Pan-Fried Partridge recipe.

Moving from the pheasant we’ll get right into the pigeon. I’ll be honest, I’m not a fan of them as animals. They irritatingly fly around waiting for food, swarm to whomever has food, and poop on people (true story). So I encourage you to eat the rats of the sky all you want. And if you’re really daring, have fun and raise them. There is actually a deep history of eating pigeons, especially at a young age. Eating squab has been around in Europe for generations. But, here is a distinct hunting guide for you to find those pigeons (where you aren’t shooting wildly on the streets).

Now, on to the big birds known as Ratites. It includes the ostrich, emu, and rhea. The USDA has a guide to these fine tasting animals. These animals have become common alternatives when it comes to eating meat. A nice ostrich steak or Emu pate can be quite delicious. And the meat is becoming easily obtainable. If you have a farmer’s market nearby you might be in luck with an Emu farmer or two. Emu has many values in addition to meat like the oils, feathers, and skin they produce. So maybe you could even raise them yourself. As for Rhea, one Microbiologist is convinced of it’s magical powers that it has surpassed chicken soup in their mind.

Finally, the penguin. If you’re living in Antarctica I can accept you eating the penguin. There is a site out there taking a mocking approach with the concept of eating and hunting penguins. Penguin meat is a delicacy in some lands, but it’s also not as common as it used to be. Even Antarctic menus have removed penguin meat (and seal brain). Luckily for my sanity and yours, I could not find any true Penguin meat recipes.

So for now, they can go on happily living, but beware there might be one under your car.

Get right to the heart of matters, It’s the heart that matters more

Thanks to travelpod for the picture of a Peruvian Heart Skewer server on the streets

Looking to get a bit crazier in the next piece of meat you eat?  Let’s step it up a little bit and get to the blood pumper, the engine that drives the body, the soul of it all: the heart.

A little background first on heart for those ready to head out and eat something better or something you’re more comfortable with. Let’s start with this: you’ve probably eaten heart before without even knowing it. It’s quite possible in your fast food heyday that the taco from Taco Bell had a slight percentage (10-15%) of heart in it. According to Jeff Sindelar, University of Wisconsin meat extension specialist, the company is allowed to use up to 15 percent. And, since it is a cheap meat (because the demand is low), they take advantage.

Next, if you’re from Detroit or have ever had the honor of indulging yourself in any sort of coney dog or items with chili involved from Lafayette Coney Island or American Coney Island, you have had beef heart. Of course, that recipe emerged from the 1910s and 1920s, a time when organ meats were as common as regular ground beef is today.

And of course, if you’re from a place like Peru, beef heart is still commonplace. Peruvian dishes like to use beef heart and not in a way that hides the meat. Beef heart skewers can be found from street vendors and in many restaurants. Even in Madison, Wisconsin a Peruvian restaurant, Inka Heritage has the skewered beef, known as Anticuchos featured on the menu.

So what are the benefits of eating heart (besides being able to say you’ve got a lot of heart- awkward)?

Thanks to Kelly the Kitchen Kop, she helps lay out some of the benefits. These include the obvious heavy concentration of protein, but continue into more in depth benefits like B vitamins often found in offal meats, the much needed phosphorus and zinc, plus a lot of CoQ10- good for a lot of things according to Wikipedia.

Don’t forget the heart is a muscle, and one of the strongest for a body. That means it’s a leaner, less fatty meat.

And for those who don’t trust me, trust local Madison Chef Dan Fox, executive chef at the Madison Club. He says if he was limited to choices of offal meat to use in a meal, heart would be right up there.

“Heart I like to serve. I think that’s a very tasty part of the animal.” He says braising or roasting hearts

He also relayed a story that proves the theory, if you don’t have the mental image of what it is, it might not be so bad…

“We’ve served beef heart and called it beef skewers, I did it on purpose,” Dan told me. “We did the Best of Madison party and I put out very interesting things. One was a marinated beef heart skewer and all the salon stylists were up there like ohh that’s fantastic… Beef heart is very very good, but people just don’t want to try it.”

The best part of the story, Chef Fox never told the guests that they had just tasted beef heart, and probably for the first time. “They can just go on believing what they thought it was.”

And that’s the key for people trying foods they wouldn’t try because of the mental image. If you can trust where you get the meat from and the cook, it usually doesn’t matter what they’re using. And, Chef Dan wouldn’t risk the trust of the people who it his food. By taking a risk of serving beef heart to unsuspecting consumers, he didn’t put them in any danger and was willing to show them a world they never knew.

So you want to try beef heart?  Well, if you can find a Peruvian restaurant nearby they probably present a good opportunity. Or how about cooking it for yourself…

Grilled Beef Heart with Roasted Chili Peppers
Beef Heart, Bacon, Butter and Onion

Beef Heart en Mole

And a whole lot more of them…

Change of Pace: A Look at Seafood

Today we take a little break from the extensive world of meats and focus on the world of seafood. Sadly, there is debate in this world as to if fish is actually a “meat.” For those wondering, it is. The animal is still being killed, the “meat” inside is being used for food, it contains proteins, and it’s still a living breathing being. The biggest debates come from the religious side (I’ll leave that one alone), but because this is a meat blog and I’m writing about it, clearly it’s a meat. So for those who think it’s different, especially vegetarians who try to get around, look in the mirror and realize what you are doing, you monsters.

Anyway, seafood tastes great and comes in a variety forms. But, like all good things there is usually some bad that comes with it. Much of the fish and seafood industry is heading the way of the meat industry and deserves attention as well. Seafood can offer some great products like salmon, swordfish, or the now popular Chilean Sea Bass, as well as crab, shrimp and lobster. There are controversies all over the world about certain items to eat (like the dangers of eating octopus head in South Korea, a very tasty treat by the way), fish that are constantly on the endangered list (like Salmon), and fish farms full of pollution (Thanks ARK fisheries).

First, let’s start with the previously mentioned salmon debate. There are people on both sides of the debate. Pacific and Atlantic salmon are both seen as heavily declining populations. If you’re into the whole trends, data, and maps thing the government has tons of sites set up here for Pacific salmon, a call for a 5- year review from March 2010 with an updated list of salmon species to be looked at, and a nice Atlantic endangerment article from Maine.  According to this report from Canada in October 2010, which includes a video, thinks might not be so dire:

The video, released by Positive Aquaculture Awareness (PAA) entitled “Salmon Extinction? A Reality Check”, uses the direct words of prominent activists who have claimed BC’s wild salmon are at risk of extinction.

“These outrageous quotes of salmon extinction were spread by activists with a clear goal in mind – to damage the reputation of BC salmon farmers,” says PAA President Cory Percevault. “But this year, we have literally millions of examples swimming back to BC rivers, proving just how wrong they were.”

But, why are things endangered?  There are more reasons than just the over-fishing part of fish farming. Diseases and hazardous practices can engulf more salmon species than it should according to the watershed watch.

Also in the Pacific Northwest, a political debate rages on over the Columbia Dam plan in America. This debate has raged on since the Bush administration and people feel Obama hasn’t done enough to change the original, faulty plans.

The 2010 plan assembles new information about climate change but does not offer any ways to help salmon survive the warming water temperatures and changing river flows that are expected, the motion argued. It added that the plan fails to follow the best available scientific information.

While there is both sides of the salmon endangerment concerns all over North America, one place that is safe is Alaska. The industry did take a hit when the world was looking for the cheapest food possible, but this article, from 2004, talks about what the Alaskan salmon industry went through.

Moving on from salmon, let’s take a brief look at the lobster industry. I recently read the book The Secret Life of Lobsters and it gives a pretty detailed account of the industry and the lobster itself. The lobster has also been in a heated population debate over the past quarter century. The book tells the story of how government forces and scientists have tried to enact regulations in the industry despite some data to the contrary. It looks at the fisherman/lobstering perspective, researchers, and government in the middle of this tenuous debate.

As you see, just like the meat industry there are environmental hazards, population debates, methodology debates, and anything else you can think of. Fish aren’t as easy to continue the local movement as water isn’t everywhere. But, there is one benefit of seafood everyone can enjoy. The pleasure of eating. And for those who lasted long enough, I will share some recipes that I’ve never used, but sound fantastic.

I’ve actually had similar variations to this simple recipe of the salmon variety. A nice Salmon with Lemon and Dill.

Salmon too fishy for you?  How about some simple grilled Sea Bass or a nice Tuna Steak

And finally, lobster. Instead of spending $45+ at a restaurant, how bout you make some at your home.

Grasshopper tacos with Fried Tarantula on the side

Bug Eatin, courtesy of PBS

I’ll start with the unfortunate news, and as a waiver, I have never tried a prepared insect meal or item. Sure, I’ve eaten the occasional bug that flies into my mouth or a worm from back in the day, but I have yet to seize the opportunity to eat a real bug. Recently, I’ve come across some links involving appetizing meals that include insects. Some have been stumbled upon and others sent to me. Eating an insect is still a lot more popular outside of the United States than in them. Places like Cambodia and Thailand specialize in fried bugs, Central Africa is known for snacking on ants, while Mexico is also known for inserting them in various meals. In fact, 4 out of 5 people worldwide eat insects regularly.

For those adventurous enough to seek insects to eat, do not fear. There are some brave chefs in America that do incorporate what is known as entomophagy, the eating of insects. In fact, less than a month ago the New York Times had a set of articles dedicated to the habit. First, they described an $85 dollar dinner event at the Brooklyn Kitchen highlighting the flavors and uniqueness that these insects offer.

Scorpion Soup

They also discuss some history of insects in food and talk with famous eaters like Andrew Zimmern from Bizarre Foods. To go along with the article, the NY Times setup a Q&A for Zimmern to discuss the bug world and some other items. And in case you wanted some recipes, NYT has you covered. They tell you the insects you can eat and some of the ways to eat them.

Of course, New York isn’t the only place interested in this kind of food. While, New York and L.A. often see the beginnings of fads around the country, there are plenty of other places interested in this bug world. At the University of Wisconsin (hey, I go there!) a former professor, Gene DeFoliart, used to do quite a bit of research on the topic. He ran a website called http://www.food-insects.com. At the website you can get the newsletter that he and other professors from around the country contributed to regarding the subject.

Now, we’ll move on to what you’re really interested in. The what to eat, who to eat, how to eat. First, we’ll start with Rick Bayless and his grasshopper tacos.

“If there’s one dish that Chicago’s super chef Rick Bayless wishes Chicagoans would lighten up about and learn to love, it’s: “Grasshopper tacos. Whenever I mention them, it always elicits a gasp from people because all they focus on is the most bizarre qualities of that particular dish. The Mexicans have been eating insects for centuries …”

That quote came from the Chicago Tribune in 2007, and he isn’t the only one attempting to keep that tradition going in the United States. Robert Sietsma talks about his own experiences trying out grasshopper tacos in Philadelphia. And for those thinking grasshoppers don’t have any benefits, he’s quick to mention protein is twice as much as beef and there are plenty of nutrients available within.

So now that we have been tasting some grasshopper tacos, how about some fried tarantula? One man, Jerry Hopkins has tried pretty much everything you could imagine in the world, including these Cambodian treats (On a side note, read about him trying his son’s placenta, not sure if even I could do that). Darrin DuFord takes a real look at the history and how to eat fried tarantulas. And, if you prefer another insect to be fried, checkout this Phucket dining guide. Of course, in America this delicacy is a lot harder to come by. So, let’s instead move on to dessert.

I’ll start you with a chocolate ant recipe. If you’re too lazy or gross to do it yourself, order them from the candy warehouse.

I’m assuming for those still left, the lingering why still remains. First, those food fearing nations might need to truly suck it up and eat insects for the fact that food supplies aren’t what they used to be. The article also talks about a great salad with crickets if interested.  Also from the article, the most telling part of this battle that will creep up quicker than people think:

“The world is already struggling to feed itself, a crisis that shows no signs of abating unless population trends make a sudden U-turn over the next five decades. The oceans are being plundered at such a rate that – according to a recent UN report – even if we halve the number of fishing trawlers operating, fish stocks would still be unable to replenish themselves quickly enough to recover. Developing world nations such as India, China and Brazil, meanwhile, are cultivating their own rapidly expanding middle classes who are emulating the West in their demand for meat.”

In addition to the carrying capacity and food supply, general environmental effects are very important. The more animals killed, the worse it is for the environment as a whole.

“The livestock sector generates more greenhouse gas emissions as measured in CO2 equivalent – 18 percent – than transport. It is also a major source of land and water degradation.”

That report from the United Nations in 2006 helps explain why eating bugs might not be so bad in the long run to get your protein.  This article from Discover magazine helps break it down a little more.

Alright, so we’ve reached the end. Here’s one more in depth look at the culture of entomophagy.  And favorite bugs from around the world from PBS. (I felt obligated since the picture at the top is theres after all.)

And some helpful recipes:

A variety of grasshopper recipes including Grasshopper Fritters.

Recipes from Clemson, including Mealworm spaghetti.

Banana Wormbread and a host of others.

The Pig- Mr. Versatility

I’m just going to come out and throw this statement at you: The pig is the most versatile animal in the meat industry today.

Instead of advertising pork as “The Other White Meat,” let the world know that the pig can be cooked in a bevy of ways. Before we rip into the un-Kosher meat, let’s look back at my history with the pig.

Growing up in a Jewish household, pork was not something promoted within the house. Sure, I had the occasional strip of bacon at a Big Boy breakfast buffet or a pepperoni pizza (a double violation of the rules), but it was rare. The first time and most familiar I had become with a pig was Wilbur from Charlotte’s Web. He was lovable, no doubt, and I understood why my people wouldn’t want to eat such fun creatures.

As I grew older, so did my fascination with food. By this point, the scenes of Wilbur no longer endeared me. Not even Babe could deter me from ripping through bacon and ribs on a regular basis. Then, in 2009, my admiration for the animal reached its peak.

As I walked through Madrid, the Museo del Jamon stared me down. I knew at that moment, I would have to make a new friend. We flirted at first. I’d walk by it on my way to a real museum and tell myself, you’ll go inside soon. I’d go as far as walking in, looking around, and walking out.  It was still early in my travels and I knew minimal Spanish to begin with. I took chances at other restaurants first, engulfing jamon iberico sandwiches at random locations. I finally knew I wanted to make sure I took advantage of this Museum of Ham. Finally, with a day to spare, I entered determined to eat. I remember pointing at the sign and accepting whatever they gave me. I knew at that moment, the pig could never disappoint.

Since then, I’ve eaten all sorts of pig from Morcillo (blood sausage) to pig ear and whole pork knuckles (cartilage included). The pig can be used and eaten in a variety of delicious ways.

And now, after getting my self-obsessive pig story out of the way I will take you threw the pig breeding process.

Pigs are typically noted as dirty animals and a tad bit destructive. This means, especially early, you have to monitor them closely. Keeping them in a clean environment is important. Don’t believe the media scandal that tells you pigs love their own filth. If you help keep their area clean, the pigs will do their part as well. For those offended by their mud baths, the truth is, they need those to keep cool and clean, plus they invented the mud bath well before spas began charging hundreds of dollars for them. Check and mate.

This site about pig breeding helps introduce the basics of early life. Important to note, if the mother pig isn’t in some sort of crate/contraption, the breeder runs the risk of having the piglets crushed during the first few month. With usually 14 teats to extract milk from, the piglets are well serviced. From there, they begin to live the normal life of feeding. Here are five additional tips of the type of environment they should have ready to go.

From there the cycle continues. This pig production chart from ukagriculture.com helps show the process and time it takes to get to the slaughter point. 

As you see at the end, the slaughter is the final destination. If you want to see the actual process check out this photo and caption timeline of the final chapter in a pig’s life. I do warn it’s a bit graphic and even depressing if you’ve ever been attached to pigs like Babe, Little Cory (of Boy Meets World fame), or Wilbur.

But the good news are the final products. Led by bacon and accompanied with ribs, ham, pork chops, and everything else, the pig offers up many delightful tastings. How about some Dr. pepper ribs or bacon wrapped smokies. And check out a wide range of recipes from thepigsite.com.

And to cap it off, here’s a video from a friend (from My Backyards Chicken fame) highlighting the greatness of one product, bacon.