Good Taste

Taste Contributor

. . . And am I glad he did! I now have a pig in my freezer, waiting to be devoured. My husband and I bought a small pig from a local farmer last spring who then raised it for us. It has been butchered and is ready to eat. There is such a myriad of recipes for pork that I do not know where to begin!

Did you know that the pig was one of the first domesticated animals? It is a cousin of the wild boar, and even though we think of chubby little pigs, modern methods of raising pigs produce a very lean carcass with a thin layer of fat. There are a LOT of different cuts of meat that come from a pig, and each has its own unique way of preparation. Have you heard the expression that you can eat every part of the pig except the squeal? Well, that is almost true as you can eat the shoulder butt (blade roast, blade steak and ground pork), picnic shoulder (smoked picnic, arm picnic roast, smoked hocks), loin (chops, center rib roast, boneless center loin & sirloin roasts, tenderloin, Canadian style bacon and ribs), leg (bone-in fresh ham, smoked ham, leg cutlets, fresh boneless ham roast), side (spareribs, sliced bacon, slab bacon), shoulder butt (bone-in and boneless blade roast, ground pork, sausage, blade steak), shoulder picnic (smoked picnic, arm picnic roast, hocks). I have even seen pickled pig’s ears. And of course most everyone has heard of headcheese, too. I guess that does leave mostly the squeal, after all!

Pigs are good for things other than eating, too. Here are some interesting facts about pigs from the National Pork Producers Council:

Hogs are a source of nearly 40 drugs and pharmaceuticals on the market.

Pork is the world’s most widely eaten meat.

Pig skin is used to treat massive burns in humans due to its similarity to human skin.

The pig is rated the fourth most intelligent animal.

There are more than 180 species of pigs, found on every continent except Antarctica.

Pigs are often thought to be dirty, but actually keep themselves cleaner than most pets. They are seen lying in mud because they do not have sweat glands and constantly need water or mud to cool off.

In the old days, sea captains kept pigs on board because they believed, should they be shipwrecked, pigs always swam toward the nearest shore.

To stop free-roaming pigs rampaging through their grain fields, Manhattan Island residents built a long wall on the northern edge of what is now Lower Manhattan. The street that came to board the wall was named . . . Wall Street.

Swine research led to the development of the CAT scan, a technology for examining internal organs without surgery.

Wow, we really use up all of the little porkers, don’t we? As a general rule, cooked pork should be slightly pink and firm, never too red, too white, too fat or damp. However, never assume that it is done by its color. Pork should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees for medium and 170 degrees for well done. A fully cooked ham needs to have an internal temperature of 140 degrees while a fresh ham needs to be 160 degrees. It is a good idea to invest in an instant-read thermometer so that you can gauge the internal temperature as the pork cooks. Doing this will also help train your eye as to what the meat should look like when it is done – but use that thermometer. Remember, too, that the internal temperature will rise five to ten degrees after you remove it from the heat, so for perfectly cooked pork, cook it until a bit underdone and then let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes to achieve the final temperature/doneness.

Did you know that pork is a nutrient-dense food…

For the rest of this story, including recipes and more, pick up this week's Voyageur Press.

Taste Contributor

Autumn is here and so is a fresh crop of cauliflower and broccoli! I love these two vegetables, and we eat them year around. While they are plentiful and inexpensive, buy several and try some new dishes.

Broccoli and cauliflower are both part of the cabbage family.

Broccoli as we know it in the U.S. is green, has fleshy flower heads on a thick edible stalk; they look sort of like a tree. Broccoli has been cultivated for thousands of years, originating from wild cabbage in northern and western coasts of the Mediterranean.

Romans grew it in the first century, and it became popular in Italy long before it became popular in other countries. Cauliflower was developed from broccoli during the early cultivation of broccoli.

Broccoli is nutritious! Eaten raw or cooked it is a great source of vitamin C, vitamin K and fiber. It contains multiple nutrients with potent anticancer properties including diindolylmethane and selenium.

The leaves of the plant (which I tear off) contain betacarotene. Besides being eaten raw as a snack or hors d’oeuvre, it can be steamed, microwaved or used in stir fries to retain the anticancer compounds.

Boiling is the least preferred method of cooking; if boiled more than 10 minutes, its anticancer benefits are greatly reduced.

One-half cup cooked broccoli has 27 calories and provides the following percentage of the your daily nutritional needs: 138% Vitamin K, 84% of Vitamin C, 24% Vitamin A, 20% Vitamin E, 21 % Folate and many minerals.

Cauliflower has a large white head, surrounded by thick green leaves. The leaves are usually discarded but can be used to add flavor and nutrients to vegetable broth. Like its cousin broccoli, it can be eaten raw, cooked or even pickled. Cauliflower is low in fat and high in fiber and vitamin C. Like broccoli this vegetable has anticancer benefits. People who want to lower their carbohydrate intake might want to substitute cauliflower for potatoes. Whether you roast, boil, fry, steam or eat it raw, it’s an easy and fast vegetable that is very versatile.

One-half cup cooked cauliflower has only 14 calories and provides the following percentage of your daily nutritional needs: 46% of Vitamin C, 11% Vitamin K, and 7% Folate.

Other members of the cabbage family, which are plentiful and nutritious in the fall, include brussels sprouts and turnips. Pile up your dinner plate with vegetables from the nutritious cabbage family this fall while they are fresh, and remember, you can find quality frozen vegetables all year long.

For the rest of this story, including recipes and more, pick up this week's Voyageur Press.

Taste Contributor

I remember my grandmother Cora Geving making her homemade potato salad dressing many years ago when she lived on the farm. Making your own dressing involves more work than buying pre-made, but the effort is worth it.

Years ago they didn’t have the pre-made dressings, they were all homemade. My grandmother used to plant a garden every year, and when the vegetables were ready, she had homemade creamy dressings and vinegar dressings. Nowadays it is much easier to make homemade dressings and vinaigrettes. Just throw the ingredients into a blender or food processor, and voila! You have a wonderful-tasting finished product. Here are some simple pointers for making your own vinaigrettes.

Start with two parts oil for every one part vinegar. Taste, and adjust the proportions to satisfy your taste buds. Extra-virgin olive oil, toasted sesame oil, hazelnut oil, and walnut oil are all power players in the world of taste, and you can get by with using much less oil while still adding superior flavor if you choose a bold one. To add that all-important zing to the dressing, try cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, raspberry vinegar, or even lime or lemon juice. Whatever you use as the basis of your dressing, be sure to round it out with salt and pepper, a teaspoon of sugar for balance, and perhaps a dash of red pepper flakes, a little bit of crushed garlic, and a dab of mustard.

There is so much more flavor in making the dressings myself. If I want more bleu cheese, I add it or any extra spice. We have many varieties of vinegars to be able to make many types of vinaigrettes. I have a few favorites I would like to share with you. These are tried and true recipes.

Asian Ginger Dressing
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. minced, fresh ginger root
3/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
3 Tbsp. honey
1/4 cup water

Directions: In a one-pint glass jar or larger, combine the garlic, ginger, olive oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, and water. Cover the jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well. Remove lid and heat jar in the microwave for one minute just to dissolve the honey. Let cool, and shake well before serving. Store covered in the refrigerator.

For the rest of this story, including recipes and more, pick up this week's Voyageur Press.