Why? Because you can! And pickle, and jam, or otherwise celebrate the resurgence of the domestic arts our forebears held so dear. Put on your best apron and step into our kitchen, won't you?
For the final challenge, I pulled out all the stops for an Iberian feast: Spanish cured meats, salt cod croquetas, paella with home-cured chorizo, and bacon in two desserts.
Cassoulet with duck confit, Saucisse de Couenne, Saucisse de Tolouse, pancetta and pigs feet, for the final challenge of Charcutepalooza, the year of meat.
Home-cured sauerkraut, piled high with boudin blanc, brined-and-smoked pork loin, and a hunk of smoked pork belly; whole-grain beer mustard; saucisson sec and garlic sour dills to start. It was a fine meal to finish up a great year of meat!
The dinner blew my guests away. It also told a story. The photos made it, barely. And the charcutepalooza experience was an initiation ritual, taking me from mere observer into a new world of meaty knowledge and appreciation.
One meal to Ruhl(man) them all. My final Charcutepalooza challenge was a Polish-inspired meal of bigos (hunter's stew) and pierogies filled with duck confit, mashed potatoes, and caramelized onions.
And so it goes. Our year of meat has come to a close. For the final Charcutepalooza challenge we were told to show what we learned all year. In Cathy’s own words, do some “showing off” with a celebration,
