Tots for the win, looks delicious!!
Tots and Champagne…MMmmmm!
That is one beautiful chop. Wish I could find anything close locally. Or convince Auburn ag research to start experimenting.
Definitely blessed to have a couple of guys that started a local co-op that has since developed into a full-blown distribution business. They proactively call when somebody backs out of a carcass (beef or pork) and I get some crazy opportunities. Grabbing a fresh half pig on Wednesday that was hazelnut finished and aged for 26 days :0 Cost works out to be around the same as what I’d pay at QFC (bulk discount, but a lot more fat, bones, etc) but the quality is just a different planet.
All things being equal, I’m super happy to pay local guys and help the ranchers while I’m at it. Cool story here:
Freaking tater tots and lobster?!? I now finally know who I want to be when I grow up!!!
My man Buzz-well done
Made pan-grilled turbot and seared-then-roasted, maple syrup glazed Ibérico pork tomahawks (long marinated in Japanese golden peach juice, port, lemon juice, garlic) for dinner last night.
Rodaballo a la plancha
Maple glazed Ibérico pork tomahawks.
I am in the middle of my fennel pollen harvest and those pork pictures above might just cause me to break my “no meat since 1/1” streak. I confess I miss my pork chops most of all.
Tomatoes baked in the oven with garlic, middle eastern inspired spices, balsamico and olive oil. Turned in greek youghurt, olives, fresh peas and mint.
Served with a simple falafel burger.
Falafel, a fresh feta and lemon salad, greek youghurt with garlic and a bit of mild chili paste.
My kid was very creative with his food today 
Got some fairly large local oysters and did something of a Rockefeller with them. Sauteed garlic, spinach and diced mushrooms, added and flamed some Ouzo, added the oyster liquor and reduced.
Lightly dusted the oysters in flour and quickly sauteed in butter. Added them to souffle dishes with the mixture and topped with reggiano, then finished under the broiler. Really good. Served with a 2023 Kobayashi Marsanne-Roussanne.
Brined a 22 lb ham over three days, smoked it today with cherry and hickory.
Glaze/sauce was a cherry soda, luxardo cherry sauce and rice wine vinegar reduction.
That is a big ham, looks amazing, how did it turn out?
Everybody loved it! I need to go down and vacu-seal ham slices for days now tho 
It is always nice to have limitations on what to cook, tennis is better with a net and all that. Good friend of ours had some limitations for our Sunday meal that she dubbed - Colonoscolapolooza, basically everything needs to be white/beige with nothing that could be considered good for you allowed. I went straight to crab dip. Made some gnocchi with russets for a base.
Sauce made with shallots/button mushrooms/thyme - cooked down, white wine/ reduced - cream - strain. Melted in half a wheel of Brillat and some lemon zest.
Warm crab in sauce.
Browned up the gnocchi for some texture.
Breadcrumbs and parm to finish.
This one worked, never would have made something like this without the limitations. Nice to get out of comfort zones. I am not used to being able to use dairy like this. It does look like it came straight out of a cookbook from the seventies though…
The 21 Beta Chard was pretty great with it.
My wife can’t have dairy so made her some with red sauce.
I have made just about everything imaginable, but gnocchi continues to be my kryptonite. It’s the only meal that I’ve cooked where I took the serving plate, emptied it in the trash and taken the family out to dinner.
Nicely done, @Rob_Isaacs
I had moments were I thought I was going to mush them out in the pan, stars aligned tonight though!!
Those look absolutely incredible. And the crab and sauce, too, but man; I love gnocchi.
Crab and Brie is an outstanding match.
Home made porchetta rolled with basil and shiso pesto from our garden. Now smoking on the BGE. Photo to follow. Looks excellent.
Hmm. I have plenty of shiso - and basil - in my herb garden. Never tought of making pesto with it. Might have to give t a try.
What else do you do with shiso. I put ribbons of it in salad but that’s it.