[Photo: Naseema Khan]
Yes the weekend was rife with events, including yesterday's second annual Cochon 555 pig fest at the Fairmont Hotel. Five local chefs: Perbacco's Staffan Terje, Pizzeria Delfina's Anthony Strong, Flour + Water's Thomas McNaughton, Namu's Dennis Lee, and Bi-Rite Market's Morgan Maki were each given a whole pig to butcher and prepare in multiple ways. It was all in the name of raising awareness for heritage breed pigs (though some guests persisted in wearing non-heritage furs anyway). Do peruse the gallery here for some highlights.
1) Staffan Terje walked away with the first prize, meaning he'll go on to the Grand Cochon contest to be held at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen in two weeks. The crowd buzzed about his eight-hour "Sunday Gravy" even before the award was given.
2) The Alembic was on hand with an avocado and mezcal cocktail and Magnolia Brewery was pouring pig-infused beer.
3) Thomas McNaughton gushed about the new "dough room" he and the other Flour + Water owners are working on where cooking classes and private dinners will eventually take place. Apparently his impromptu butchery sessions on the communal table at the end of Friday dinner service have been drawing spectators for a while now as well.
4) One of the favorite desserts of the evening was a chocolate cup cake made with pork blood. It didn't taste like pork or blood.
5) Industry folks filtered out to the after party at Bloodhound where they could cap off the pig parade with rye whiskey, sponsored cocktails and bites made from three butchered lambs, just for giggles.
· Inside the Napa Valley Wine Auction 2010 [~ ESF ~]
· Restaurant Revelations & Reality TV at Union Street Festival [~ ESF ~]
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