Cassoulet Roundup

Saturday's Cassoulet Cookoff drew in a large crowd from the cold streets of New York to sample some warm, sausage-y goodness. I would like to take a moment to thank the warm-hearted chefs who gave their time and talents (not to mention ingredients!) to support the Greenmarket.

Cathy Erway's cassoulet was teased with apple and made with maple cured sausages and ham hocks from Tamarack Hollow Farms. Andrew Field of Rockaway Taco and RICE favored us with a root vegetable cassoulet using ingredients from Migliorelli Farm and John D. Madula Farm. Phillip Kirschen Clark looked to Violet Hill Farm, Three Corner Field Farm and Paffenroth Farm to round out his creation. Melissa Rebholz, a former Greenmarket manager, dubbed her masterpiecethe Cassoulet de Chomage (Cassoulet of Unemployment!) using pork and lamb from Tamarack Hollow Farm. Jimmy's No. 43's own Chef John Crabbs' entry was created with products from Three Corner Field Farm and Violet Hill Farm. Both Kelly Geary of Sweet Deliverance and Chef Mark Bello of Pizza A Cassa prowled the Greenmarket and hunted down the finest ingredients for their delightful entries.

Many thanks to all who came to support a cause very near and dear to our hearts... and stomachs! Eat local! Eat delicious!

How to Get Summerfield Bacon

During the past few weeks, we were fortunate to have had several outstanding bacons in the house. Through the winter, Jimmy' s No. 43 had run the very popular "The Slab" on the menu. "The Slab" was a massive quarter inch thick slice of Benton's Smoked Country Bacon from Tennessee cooked in a skillet. It is a great dish to share- almost a bacon steak. Two weeks ago, chef Phillip Kirschen-Clark brought it back, this time with Nueske's bacon (some of their product is pictured above), drizzled with ice wine vinegar. Yes, that was an especially good combination - luscious, creamy bacon fat with a brilliantly fruity yet tart vinegar. Those two bacons are so different. The Benton's is rustic, old fashioned, with pronounced salt and smoke. Nueske's is a sweeter, more tender, maple sugar cure.

The king of all slab bacons is Summerfield. From Culpeper, Virginia it is an old fashioned, sweet cure. Almost 2 years ago, Josh Ozerksy had brought it in house for a special bacon tasting. At the time, it was available online through The Grateful Palate , a specialty shop and home of "The Bacon of the Month Club". By last year it had become virtually impossible to find, other than at a few select restaurants around the country. We have tried several times to contact them, and have no word in over one year. This article in the New York Times about a writer's own bacon tasting caught my eye because she had been able to procure some Summerfield.

Our rating of farmer produced bacons:

1. Summerfield. It stands alone. Virginia
2. Benton's. Very rustic, super salty and smoky. Tennessee
3. Neuske's. Popular winner, more available, maple cure. Wisconsin
4. Flying Pigs Farm. Available at NYC greenmarket. From upstate New York, a local favorite. Great farm. Great meat.
5. Violet Hill Farm. Available at NYC greenmarket. From upstate New York. Great pork. These two are tied for best pork in New York state!