COCHON555
Here's one for Chef Rob Belcham ...
The pig may have been THE culinary mascot of 2008, but he's still going strong in 2009, especially in Seattle.
On Sunday, March 8th, our neighbouring Pacific Northwest city to the south will host Cochon555, a porcine event featuring 5 chefs, 5 locally-raised pigs and 5 local vintners in a friendly contest. Each chef will prepare a 70 pound heritage pig from head to toe for 200 pork enthusiasts. Guests and professional judges will determine the winner, who will then go on to compete against winners from similar events in 9 other US cities at the Grand Cochon later in the year (details TBA).
A few of the local celebs who have signed up to participate include Chef Tamara Murphy of Brasa Restaurant, McCrea Cellars Winery and Armandino Batali of Salumi Cured Meats.
The chefs at least, will have their work cut out for them (no pun intended), just to keep up in the creativity department with the restaurants that ran in the New York semi finals. On that occasion judges were treated to such inventive delights as Dirty Pig Martinis (Aquavit with pickled cubes of fatback); Belgian waffles with bacon "whipped cream"; pig liver bread pudding; and bowls of chocolate covered espresso beans doused in pork fat and smoked salt. Said the reporter at eatmedaily.com "It's been a few hours since I've been home from yesterday's Cochon 555 in NYC, and my hair still smells like pork. No joke: the smell hit us like a greasy, meaty wall as soon as we entered the Hiro Ballroom at the Maritime Hotel."
Should be fun. Seattle's Cochon555 takes place at the Bell Harbor Conference Center – Pier 66 – from 5 – 8 p.m.
Charity beneficiaries are the The Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance (a Seattle based, non-profit organization dedicated to preserving local farmland, helping family farms and educating consumers about the importance of supporting local agriculture), and The Good Farmer Fund, an emergency relief fund available to NFMA farmers who lose farm income due to weather, flooding and personal hardship.
Information, tickets and ALL the details are available at: www.amusecochon.com. Or sign up to receive their "Bacon Bits" newsletter.
