Chef Chris Bauers' Recipe for Maple Braised Bacon

1lb slab bacon
1qt veal stock
1/2 cup maple syrup
1tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. start an appropriately sized pan on medium high heat. make sure it is large enough both to fit the bacon and allow the bacon to be covered with the stock.
2. when the pan begins to get warm lay the bacon in so the fattiest side is down. the fat will begin to render and as the pan heats it will start to caramelize.
3. when the fat side has browned nicely, flip the pork belly and caramelize the other side
4. when both sides are browned, add the veal stock, maple syrup, molasses and vanilla.
5. let this simmer uncovered on low heat checking frequently after an hour or so. if the liquid reduces too much add a little water and cover.
6. the pork will tighten up and then become very tender. before it starts falling apart remove from pan and chill overnight.
7. save the glaze, it might be the best part!
8. slice it thin and use it on EVERYTHING! or take the chefs route and warm up a big slab of pork belly and serve over lentils.

enjoy!

Winnemere from Jasper Hill Farm

I was recently reminded of how fabulous and wonderful Winnemere is when it showed up on our cheeseboard again at work a month or so ago.  As usual it came and went very quickly, but I did manage to sneak a few bits in here and there before it all went to the guests.  It's simply delicious with a meaty smoky funky finish and a creamy butter paste that reminds me of thick mayonnaise.  It tastes like eating a really good ham sandwich.

Winnemere comes from Jasper Hill Farm in Vermont which many consider to be among the best in New England.  It's their version of Forsterkase, which is a washed rind wheel of cheese that is bound with a strip of Spruce bark.  It's something the woodsmen would take into the forest to work in Northern Switzerland.  The Kehler brothers of Jasper Hill use their top quality raw Ayrshire cow milk as well as a Lambic beer made right at the dairy to make this delicious domestic version.

Pollo Buono from Epicurean Farms

The most delicious chicken I have ever cooked was one that I bought from Whole Foods a year or two ago.  I haven't seen them at the market recently, until my shopping trip there today. I'm not sure if the market hasn't been carrying them, or if they are simply sold out by the time I get there, but I was so excited to see them today.  I snatched up a nice sized bird around three and a half pounds.

Since it's on the pricey side at $15, it will be good to stretch it as far as possible.  I'll be carving it up and roasting the breasts on the bone.  The flavorful dark meat will go into a hearty cassoulet with salt pork and lentils.  The wings and spine will go into a stock for soup and maybe a risotto later this week.  The joy of buying whole chickens is how versatile the bird is and how many meals you can get from it!

The Pollo Buono birds are raised by Epicurean Farms, a joint project between Rob Saglio and the Hain Celestial Group, an organic food company.  Saglio discovered the chickens on a trip to Italy when he ate one at a small Roman restaurant.  He raises them according to the same methods of the Roman farmer allowing to them to naturally grow ten to thirteen weeks without the use of growth hormones or antibiotics since the birds have a naturally strong immune system.

Marlboro Musicians at The Gardner

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museums is one of the gems of Boston's arts scene, but did you know that it boasts and equally wonderful concert series?  I was fortunate enough to hear one this past Sunday performed by musicians from Vermont's Marlboro Music Festival.  The program consisted of Bartok's second string quartet, a Haydn quartet, a Mozart concert aria, and Schumann's Liederkreis.  It was a lovely program performed in an intimate and warm setting on a cold afternoon in Boston.

I bought the tickets some time ago in hopes that Dan would be able to join me since his quartet, Arneis, is also working on the Bartok second, but he actually had to perform a house concert in Western MA that same day.  I was happy he had work and they managed to raise nearly a thousand dollars for their group, so it was definitely worth missing the concert!  Luckily, my friend, the pastry ninja, from work was able to come with me.  It's always more fun having someone along to talk about the program with during and after the concert.  Beth and I had a great time together.  We ate a quick lunch near the museum and she really seemed to enjoy the whole afternoon, especially the Haydn quartet which was beautifully and elegantly played with Ida Levin on first violin.

Harvard Museum of Natural History

My day off brought me to the Harvard Museum of Natural History this afternoon.  I must admit that I don't make it over the river nearly often enough, but every time I cross the bridge over to Cambridge, I'm glad I went.  The museum today was a truly unexpected surprise and I can't believe that I have lived in Boston as long as I have without having visited there.

My first stop in the museum was the glass flower exhibit.  This is really the reason why I made it there today to check it out.  A friend had told me about how amazing it was and it certainly met and exceeded expectations.  The collection represents work by Leopold and Rudolph Blaschka.  They were active over a century ago in Germany and were commissioned by Harvard to create this exhibit for scholars of botany.  They worked as costume jewelery makers, and adapted their skills quite successfully to amazing lifelike representations of North American flowering plants.