Heritage Food aka Slow Food, Real Food, The Good Stuff

I want to share one of my food sources with all of you. The beef, lamb and pork I have purchased from Heritage Foods is some of the best I have ever eaten. Before I had a local source (Beechtree Farms) this was one of my go-to food "stores".. and shipping is included.

If you have never experienced grassfed, organic and/or heritage foods, treat yourself and your family to one of their specials. Tell them The Good Cook sent you.

(disclaimer: I have not been asked to endorse, nor do I receive compensation for this endorsement, nor am I an employee, representative or any other paid type of person for this company or any farms or restaurants mentioned here. I am just a fan) That should do it.

ps. I am ordering the lamb - I adore lamb.

Heritage Foods USA 718-389-0985
The Source for Authentic American Heritage Foods

Dear Heritage Foods USA Supporter, “The shared philosophy at all of my kitchens in New York City, Las Vegas and Los Angeles is simple: use the best local ingredients as simply as possible and serve them with flourish and joy. Our friends at Heritage Foods USA make this credo easy to live and eat by. For the past seven years, Heritage has been our supplier of memorable and delicious pork, and boy, do we love pork! Their consistent quality and support of the American Farmer and the Slow Food approach to farming, food and life itself help us create our sustainable, local, and seasonal menus night after night in every kitchen, all of the time.” – Mario Batali We are most proud of our relationship with Mario Batali and his team at Lupa, Del Posto, Babbo, and Otto in New York City; B&B Ristorante, Enoteca San Marco and Carnevino in Las Vegas; and Pizzeria Mozza and Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles. We encourage you to visit these great establishments and to try the very same product Mario uses for your Superbowl dinner! Photo credit to Melanie Dunea In honor of the tight-end position we are featuring Newman Farm Certified Humane Boston Butt pieces! Also his Country Rib packs (a four rib rack farmer favorite) and the classic St Louis Rib pack (about twelve ribs per slab). We applaud Mark for raising such a great product! Enjoy 15% off when you buy two or more of those items. Be the star of your local tailgate spot! Click here for our Superbowl Sunday Specials. Before checkout locate the green "enter coupon" button beneath your shopping cart and type "superbowlspecials" to activate this offer. We are also proud to feature Half Sweet Grass Targhee Lamb from the rolling hills of Big Timber, Montana which provides a variety of cuts that serve up something for everyone on Superbowl Sunday! Half Sweet Grass Targhee Lamb (about 23 lbs) – Overnight Shipping Included - $262 1 Shoulder roast (4lbs) 1 Rack of Lamb, Frenched (2.5lbs) 1 Package of Ribs (2lbs) 2 Shanks (3lbs) 6 Chops - 1 1/2" thick (3lbs) 1 Boneless Leg (6lbs) Stew meat (1lb) Ground lamb (2lbs) Thank you for your continued support.

Heritage Foods USA The Source for Authentic American Heritage Foods Heritage Foods USA has been featured as a Company of the Year in Bon Appetit, House & Garden, Newsweek, Saveur Magazine and The New York Times Magazine. Contact us with questions or ideas, look out for weekly announcements and read new recipes, by visiting: www.HeritageFoodsUSA.com. If you wish to be removed from our mailing list, please click here. 402 Graham Ave. Box 198 Brooklyn, NY 11211 Tel: 718-389-0985 Fax: 718-389-0547

Out of my Funk and into My Kitchen - Applesauce with Pork Tenderloin

It's funny how something out of the blue can inspire you. 

I was in a funk all day because of the ceaseless rain. I tried reading, couldn't get into it. 

Read the news. same old same old.

Started doing some research or a dream vacation The Best Husband In The World and I are just beginning to dream about. In September, 2010 (economy and life please cooperate!) we are thinking, dreaming, hoping of going to Italy. 

First Rome for a few days of pure food and tourism. Then on to Naples and the Almafi coast to (wait for it) COOKING SCHOOL!! Anyway... more on that later... 

That is not what inspired me out of my funk (okay, it did a little)... but my real inspiration was a comment by Lover of Life over at Life in the Second Half. Actually, it was an after thought "By The Way" comment by LOL... some advice from her daughter over at http://jenacide.blogspot.com/ regarding the health benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar and...

Holy Seven Degrees of Separation!! Dinner is practically served. 

Home Made Applesauce with Apple Cider Vinegar brined Pork Roast

Four Apples (washed, cored and quartered, NOT PEELED)

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

water

1 Tablespoon honey

Squeeze of lemon juice

1 Tablespoon horseradish (optional - if serving with pork)

Pinch of salt 

Place apples in medium saucepan and add to water to cover half way. Add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Bring water to boil, reduce heat and simmer until apples are tender. 

Transfer apples withe a slotted spoon to a blender. Blend until desired consistency (I like mine a little chunky)

Transfer processed apples back to saucepan. Add honey, lemon juice and horseradish (if desired) cook gently over low heat to meld the flavors (about 3 minutes). 

Taste. Add a pinch of salt if too bland or apple flavor doesn't pop! 

Serve warm or cooled to room temperature. 

Delicious with a little "bite" if served with the following pork (a great flavor combo of sweet and savory with a little kick from the horseradish)

Pork Tenderloin: (serves 4-5)

One 2 lb. (or less) pork tenderloin

1 Tablespoon kosher salt

1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

2 Tablespoons brown sugar, divided

1/4 cup water

salt and pepper

Combine salt, vinegar, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and water in saucepan. Heat and cook until sugar and salt dissolve. cool.

When cool, pour over pork tenderloin in plastic bag. Let brine for 1 to 4 hours. When done brining, take out, rinse and pat dry. Discard brine.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Salt and pepper pork. Pat remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar on top of tenderloin. Place on rimmed cookie sheet and quick roast for 20 minutes per pound or until meat thermometer registers 150. Take out and tent and rest for 10 minutes. Residual cooking will bring the temp up to 160. Perfect. 

Slice and serve with applesauce on side. 

A great accompaniment is little potato pancakes with greek yogurt - but that's another blog! 

Gotta go. Gotta cook. Thanks Lover of Life and Jen - you both inspired me today! 

Rain, Rain, Go Away and Pork Loin

It's raining today. AGAIN.

It has been raining for weeks now. 

Everyday, rain.

Oh, the sun comes out for a little while. Just to tease everyone into thinking the rain is over but within a few minutes or an hour... rain.

Today it's just solid rain though. Not even a tease of sunshine. 

Just so you know how bad the rain is making me feel, I have no idea what I'm going to cook today. Really - not a clue. 

I have some lovely cage-free, free range chicken in the freezer. ho-hum

I have a beautiful pasture fed pork loin already defrosted. sigh...

I'm just not feeling the love. 

Usually a rainy day sets me to baking bread, simmering some stock to make soap, braising or roasting something wonderful, but this constant barrage of rain is just making me want to, well, it's making me want to do nothing. 

No inspiration. Nothing. 

Anyone else feel this way about the weather? 

Anyone out there have any suggestions for a beautiful, already defrosted, 2 pound, pasture fed, pork loin? 

Blah. And to top off the rain, I have to go to the dentist today.

Maybe I'll just go back to bed for awhile. 

Laughing and Pork Shoulder BBQ

I come from a long line of laughers. The people in my family laugh all the time. 

We laugh for all kinds of reasons. For instance, we laugh instead of crying. We laugh at jokes, no matter how lame they are. We laugh at ourselves and at each other. We laugh when we are happy and we laugh when we are sad. My sister M laughs when she is mad. 

But the worst laugh we do is we laugh at inappropriate times. We can't help it. It is our family affliction. It's not that we don't recognize a serious situation. Oh, no. We are perfectly capable of being somber - it's just that at some point in our somberness, someone will say something and we will just crack up. And there's a lot of us so it's not easy to be inconspicuous. We are a whole gaggle of people (who all resemble each other) laughing hysterically while our significant others look like they are going to die of embarrassment. Which by the way, makes us laugh more. 

The reason I am telling you this is that I am getting ready to go to Pennsylvania tomorrow. My dad is having surgery on Friday. It is serious surgery. My sister is coming in from Virginia, I am coming, my other siblings are all nearby and we will all most likely congregate tomorrow night at my mom and dad's to wish Pop well. On Friday, I'm sure everyone will congregate at my mom's waiting for news.... We are all worried about our dad. Very worried. Which is going to be a problem because it will trigger the family laughing affliction. How inappropriate is that? 

I would be interested in knowing if anyone else has this problem. Let me know and feel free to share any particular bad laughing bouts. I'm sure I'll find it hysterical. 

I'm making pork shoulder to leave at home for the best husband in the world. It feeds a lot and all he'll have to do is rewarm. 

Preheat oven to 325, or grill to low, or use a slow cooker

1 pork shoulder, trimmed of fat (about 5 pounds)

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1 tablespoon oregano

1 tablespoon Kosher salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon chile powder

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon white vinegar

Optional: Cole Slaw (the creamy kind)

Mash garlic. Add oregano, salt, pepper, chile powder, paprika, oil and vinegar. Mash all together to form a sort of paste. 

Rub all over the pork shoulder. 

If using oven, place on rack in roaster and cover. Cook for 5 to 6 hours. 

If using slow cooker, start on high setting, after 1 hour, turn to low. Cook for 6 to 8 hours

If using grill, place a drip pan under grill grate to catch fat drippings) Cook for 5 to 6 hours.

Let rest 30 to 60 minutes when done. Shred using two forks. Serve on Kaiser rolls or soft tortilla's topped with Cole Slaw. 

A Cook's Notes: This will feed a crowd and is just as good rewarmed (slowly) the next day. You can also pass a store bought (or your favorite recipe BBQ sauce) instead of the cole slaw.