The Ethical Butcher

One..Two..Seven..Eighteen!!

2012-01-26T12:13:00.000-08:00

This move back to Brooklyn has kept me BUSY! I've been putting eggs in all kinds of baskets, but the one I'm most excited about is my new collective, 718.

718 is a new Brooklyn-based band of chefs, artists, musicians, activists and healers with a vision that includes community meals, classes & internships, urban agriculture and food justice for all. We've got some big plans in the works, an urban permaculture/agriculture project that will grow food for our events, herbs for infusions and medicinal use, chickens and ducks for eggs, and eventually even a rooftop apiary! We're also developing summer classes and internship opportunities while also curating nightlife events, brunches and of course, community feasts!! Whew! And it all starts with this event! 718 Love Feast is four courses of local goodness, DJ Nolita Selector and secret musical guest all for $40/person or $70/pair! That's amore!

Many of you have supported The Ethical Butcher project for some time now and I hope to start seeing you at 718 events! The unique experiences I gained over the course of those projects will now be funneled into a memoir, set for a hardcover release early next year by Counterpoint Press. As I transition away from nomadic solo renegade chef/butcher toward a sustainable stationary existence in my favorite food-loving city, I am exhilarated to share this project with a couple of like-minded chefs who just want to feed you just food!

Below,you'll find info about our first event, including the menu and reservation details. 718 celebrates all love, not just the romantic variety! So, bring mom, dad, roommates, best friends or treat yourself! This night is for everyone!

Check the drool-worthy menu and join us for 718 Love Feast on February 14th!

NOTE: Entire menu is SOY-FREE with many vegan/veg, raw and gluten-free items. In fact, it's sort of a vegan meal with meat options! The best meat option being two flavors of my famous hand-cured bacon, naturally!

718 sources local, seasonal ingredients, so this menu is only going to get more exciting when we hit the market!

718 Love Feast

with DJ Nolita Selector + secret guest

Firsts-

Winter Vegetable Slaw

Pan-seared Brussels Sprouts
Caramelized Carrot & Coconut Milk Panna Cotta w/ Sriracha-glazed popcorn

*all dishes vegan, gluten-free

Seconds-

Dressed Stew & Soup

Two options of hearty soups made from seasonal ingredients

served with array of toppings, crostini and fresh corn tortillas.

*one soup bone broth-based, one vegan. both gluten-free

Mains-

Pentagram Crucifers-

Cider-braised Greens, Spicy Oven-crisped Cauliflower, Rutabaga Mash, Root Vegetable Gratin and Kale Salad (all vegan except gratin)

OMFG! Steak & Salad-

718 hand-cured Coffee & Chili or Champagne, Rose & Almond Bacon Steak topped with Fresh Herb Salad and served with choice of sauces.

Thai Fried Chicken-

Chicken marinated in Coconut Milk mixture for 3 days, coated in fine cornmeal and fried crispy and served with Housemade Pickles

*all dishes gluten-free

Dessert-

Love Day Sundae-

Assortment of fresh, homemade cookies and two housemade ice creams

*vegan and gluten-free options

served with Counter Culture Coffee

718 Love Feast
8pm Feb 14th
 255 McKibben St. BK, NY
$40/person, $70/pair. Reservations required.
 
Guests are invited to provide beverages of their choice (BYOB)
TIX: sunday.seveneighteen@gmail.com or theethicalbutcher@gmail.com

Brunch Bash in Brooklyn

2011-11-21T08:39:00.000-08:00

The rumors are true. I've left the fair city of Portland and all of its pork-lovers in the interest of building a permanent fixture in the Brooklyn food world. After 3 years of running EB projects solo, I've partnered with a couple of Brooklyn-based chefs for a whole new venture!

718 Farm + Table will be a brunch event presented every Sunday. While this event launches New Year’s Day as a monthly community feast, we are already in talks for a permanent location for Spring 2012. As DJs and musicians provide atmosphere each week, whole pasture-raised animals and market-fresh produce will be transformed into a new menu for Brooklyn brunchers.

What better way to bring in the New Year than a festive brunch with friends?

718 Farm + Table invites you to celebrate the new year and nourish yourself with a luxurious Sunday Brunch! This prix-fixe feast begins at 2pm sharp and meanders through 4 courses of local, seasonal ingredients from trusted small farms and producers. A radically different dining experience, our ingredient-driven menu travels the globe for inspiration, but is built on responsible, local sourcing. The menu is soy-free, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options! Showing attention to detail, traditional methods are honored with everything from house-cured bacon to homemade pickles and handmade herbed butter, and of course, the good luck legume dish, Hoppin’ John will start off the meal, but the rest of this menu is top-secret until New Year’s Day!

718 Farm + Table has invited Everyman Espresso to run a pour-over station with Counter Culture Coffee and mulled apple cider will be on offer. If that weren’t enough, guests are also invited to provide their own beverages...a little hair of the dog to wash down your grub? This afternoon affair in a quintessential Brooklyn loft includes music to dine by and post-brunch revelry and dancing with DJ Nolita Selector- nothing short of the perfect Sunday destination!

How could you dream of starting 2012 any other way?

718 Farm + Table New Year’s Day Brunch
January 1st, 2012 at 2pm
255 McKibben St., Bushwick, Brooklyn
$40/person

Price includes 4-course brunch, coffee and mulled apple cider.

Service starts promptly at 2pm.

Limited seating. Reservations are required for this private, ticketed event.

For more info and tickets for the very first 718 Farm + Table event on January 1st, simply email:
sunday.seveneighteen@gmail.com

POTLUCK!!

2011-09-19T07:08:00.000-07:00

I am honored to be the guest chef for the The Laundromat Project's 2nd Annual Public Art Potluck!! This organization is immensely important and a great resource for all 5 boroughs and even Jersey! Read all about them on their site, linked below, and find tickets at Eventbrite.com, also linked below.

I am not giving away the whole menu yet...you know I like to keep that in my pocket until after the jump. However, my teasers might be enough to get you interested in supporting this incredible group of artists!

I'll be whipping up the most extravagant "Taco Bar", a vast spread of build-your-own deliciousness, with:

Stout Carnitas, Coffee-roasted Pulled Chicken and Roasted Veggie Melange
wrapped in your choice of:

Gluten-free Herbed Waffles, Steamed Cabbage or Fresh Corn Tortillas

With a host of fresh salsa, relishes, sauces and slaws to fill your creation to the brim with layers of big flavor and local ingredients!

Let's cut to the chase, the big draw here is dessert! This may be the best request I've ever gotten, and one that I am excited to grant! You all know I've been doing the crazy bacon limit pushing for sometime now, but the takes the cake, or rather, candy.

BACON COTTON CANDY, that is. Yes. You read it correctly. I'm whipping up a special flavor of bacon just right for these clouds of sugar!

I can't wait for this event! Please head over to eventbrite.com today or come buy tickets at the door!

The Laundromat Project
www.laundromatproject.org

Thursday, September 29, 2011 \| 6pm-9pm 2nd Annual Public Art Potluck  Taller Boricua Puerto Rican Workshop Julia De Burgos Latino Cultural Center   1680 Lexington Avenue (and 106th Street)  New York, NY 10029 Tickets \| $35 includes dinner and drinks
2011 Create Change Public Artists in Residence Hector Canonge, LaTasha N. Nevada Diggs, Jabari Owens-Bailey, Karina Aguilera Skvirsky, and Micki Watanabe Spiller 2011 Create Change Professional Development Fellows Aliya Bonar, Elvira Clayton, Sonia Davis, Uraline Septembre Hager, Jessie Henson, Gisela Isuaste, Bianca Mona, and Piero Passacantando

New Boat (back in action part 2)

2011-09-08T16:49:00.000-07:00

What began as a one-off experiment has now become my main project! Beginning with early season celebration back in the spring, this summer of the Farm & Table Project blossomed into a traveling dinner party that graced tables from Seattle to San Francisco. I have had an indescribable amount of fun scouring the farmer’s market in Olympia, WA just as much as my beloved NYC Greenmarkets and the historic Ferry Plaza in SF. This project has been exactly what I had hoped it would be-a sort of combination of the most fulfilling parts of the larger events and private tastings I have been doing, with a layer of personalization of the discussion around accessibility to local foods-but it has turned out to be so much more than I could have imagined. I have been humbled by the experience of becoming a traveling private chef over the last 5 months, carrying only my knives along on the journey. It has been an incredible challenge as a young chef, and rising to the occasion has honed my blades and set my sights on even bigger goals.

As a transient one-man band in this field of rock star butchers and chefs, it is exciting to look forward to continuing to build The Ethical Butcher projects with this new dimension to my work. I am honored to enter each home to meet, not just the few who attend “foodie” events often, but friends and families just coming together to share an experience. I have stood in the stupor of exhausted and incredulous glee as unashamed moans and “tink-tink” are all that break the contented silence of a dozen people in the next room.

Months into the project, I am also completely amazed nothing has gone awry yet! Schleping through NYC subways in early summer humidity, depending on Craigslist rideshares to get me from one end of the expansive West coast to the other, and rocking 3- and 4- course meals solo-style from menu to sourcing to prep to service, I’ve more than stacked the decks.

NOTHING would go so smoothly if I didn’t have the invaluable support of friends, both in the food biz and out, and the downright asskickingness of my readers and their friends is indisputable. The Farm & Table Project has been so successful because of the scores of people who have have been gathering around those aforementioned tables over the course of the project. THANK YOU! As I’ve already returned to some of you for round #2 dinners already, I hope to see many more of you next time I’m in your city! In the meantime, as I look forward to this season of harvest and abundance, and even further down to the holidays, I am focusing on streamlining some projects, expanding others and developing long-term goals for The Ethical Butcher.

Today, a summer of rejuvenation, creativity and inspiration has me ready to roll out the fall season of the Farm & Table Project!

First up...NYC Farm & Table Project September 15-October 5!!!!

My computer dying in May just before I set out on my summer travels means it’s been a while since I’ve been able to post any menus or photos. I also traveled much of the summer without a photographer -a true disgrace to the blogosphere, I know. To jog memories and fill in the blanks on this summer of food fun, I’ve included a few photos of dishes and lists of a few more things I’ve been slapping on tables lately.

So, scroll down and take a look, wipe the drool and then check the details below to get your dinner booked!

F I R S T S & S E C O N D S

L: Grilled Pretzels Spears with Grilled Fruit and Lemon-Basil Butter
R: Trio of Gazpacho with Grilled Pretzel --
roasted beet-fennel, mint-cucumber-lemon, and watermelon-pink peppercorn

more starters...
Michelada Mussels with Elotes and Grilled Bread

Summer Pea Salad-English peas, sugar snap peas, snow peas and amaranth greens in rhubarb vinaigrette

Pomegranate Molasses Popcorn with Sour Plum and Mustard Raba Salad

L: Rose-Pork Baklava with Grilled Garlic Scapes in Gin Vinaigrette--
almonds, cashews, honey, herbs & local organic rose petals, layered with pork liver, heart & kidneys
R: Spring Walla Walla, Nettle and Chinese Cilantro Fritatta with Grilled Garlic Scapes

A mouthful! Heirloom Radish, Mizuna & Mustard Raba & Baby Bok Choi in Caramelized Lemon Vinaigrette with Cumin-Chinese Cilantro Goat Panna Cotta and Piquant Peach, Rose and Bacon Popcorn

and more...
Roasted Beet, Fennel and Bing Cherry Gazpacho with Lavender-Sage Grilled Toasts

Heirloom Tomatoes on Himalayan Pink Salt Slab

Pickled Plum and Pea Shoots

Grilled Purple Potatoes with Toasted Cumin Butter

Thai Coconut Mussels in a Bed of Spiced Yam Chips

L: Trio of Crostini and Mussels with Green Garlic, White Wine & Oregon White Truffles and Mustard Raba-Black Radish Salad
R: Chocolate Cake for Breakfast- stout cake toasts with rhubarb-port bacon jam and cocoa-chili whip

M A I N S

L: Rosewater & Fig Spare Ribs with Rapini
R: Smoky Stout Carnitas with Coconut-braised Red Russian Kale, Spicy Citrus Radicchio and Red Beet Slaw, Black Pepper-seared Strawberries and Avocado Relish

some of the meatiest morsels...
Dry-roasted Ribs with Fig Sauce and Coconut-braised Greens

Dukkah-crusted Smoked Pork Chops

Oatmeal Stout Carnitas with Gold Beet/Treviso Slaw, Avocado-Charentais Melon-Jalapeno
Relish, Peach Pasilla Salsa

Horseradish and Kale-stuffed Pork Shoulder Roast with White Wine Sauce and Dueling Beets

Pistachio-crusted Lamb Lollipops over Floral Slaw-napa, chrysanthemum greens, nasturtiums, johnny jump-ups in kumquat vinaigrette

Spice-rubbed Roasted Lamb Sirloin with Braised Komatsuna and Queen of Vegetables

Yuzu-Blackberry-Scallion Sausage with Green Garlic Potatoes and Spiced Whip

Stout-soaked Sightglass Coffee-crusted Chicken with Tequila-glazed Grilled Padrones

Thai Coconut Fried Chicken with Habenero Pickled Plums

D E S S E R T S

L: Smoky Chocolate Stout Cake with Stout Berries and Fifty Licks Tahitian Vanilla Ice Cream
R: Turkish Affogato with Rose-Almond Puffs- Intelligentsia organic Anjilanaka coffee over Fifty Licks lemon-saffron coconut sorbet.

a few more ways to end a meal...
Grilled Nectarine with Dirty Pretzels and Julep Whip
maple candied dry-toasted crushed pretzel

Cheese Course-Cocoa Sheep’s Milk Panna Cotta with Fresh Tayberry Smash, Grilled Peaches, Bourbon-roasted Mixed Nuts & an assortment of soft and hard cheeses served with Sweet Crostini.

Grilled Figs with Chocolate Crinkle Spears and Port Whip

Tequila-Burnt Lime Creme Brulee

Grilled Apricots with Woodlands Ricotta Ice Cream and Cocoa Nib-Bacon Crumble

(first from scratch ice cream! ricotta, fresh herbs and lavender, bourbon, honey)

I’ll admit, this isn’t from a dinner. It is the one meal of this summer I keep thinking back to, shared with a dear friend on Martha’s Vineyard the morning after a raging thunderstorm. Buttered orange peel ciabatta piled high with local crabcake, ginger gold beets and arugula and a perfectly heavily-peppered over-medium egg. Heaven. I should cook for myself more often...

Your NYC Farm & Table Project dinner will begin well ahead of time with a private menu consultation. Using the menu created together, local ingredients are sourced for your meal from local farms and markets. The day of your dinner, simply have your dining table set, kitchen free and clean and ready to be taken over at the predetermined time. Then sit back, wait for guests to arrive and savor the aromas wafting in the air as a three-course dinner brimming with the season’s best ingredients is lovingly prepared in your own home. Or, head out for the day and come home to a spread of decadence! Brunches are also a great option for weekends! Local meats and produce will, as always, will be the highlight of the meal. Expect to see breads, jams, ice creams and other local foods featured as well!

Check out the prices and details below and then contact theethicalbutcher@gmail.com to participate in NYC Farm & Table September 15- October 5.

Feasts are only $25-45/person!! Book yours today!

NYC Farm & Table Project

3 courses-first, main, dessert

Feast for 2-$90

Feast for 4-$160

Feast for 8-$240

Feast for 12- $300

*New for NYC! Weekend Brunch!*

5-8 small plates-style dishes and one main course.

$30/person, limited to 4-10 guests.

Early Bird Special- 10% off all feasts booked by September 16th!!

Not at all small print: Dates are open from September 15th to October 5th. Full payment is due at menu consultation to confirm date. All dinners are 3 courses (1st, main, dessert), brunches are served tapas-style with number of dishes determined by total number of guests. No beverages are included in meal and should be provided by host. Soy, nut & gluten-free diets are easily accommodated and all dietary concerns will be discussed during consultation. While main courses will be a carnivore’s dream, side dishes are often vegetarian, vegan and even raw. Vegetarian entree can be added to the menu for small fee. Price includes consultation meeting, ingredient sourcing, meal preparation, kitchen clean up and table service for up to 12 people. Table service for larger parties and the addition of courses can be arranged at an additional charge.

Contact at theethicalbutcher@gmail.com to schedule consultation and dinner or inquire about rates for larger parties.

Whew! That was a doosie! Now that I am back in the culinary cyberworld, it’ll much easier to keep up with the latest projects and events! Thanks for your support of The Ethical Butcher projects over the years. The rest of this year holds even more big moves and new adventures and this here bloggity blog is where to find out about them. Til next time...

New Boat (back in action part 1)

2011-09-08T16:46:00.000-07:00

Back in cyberseafaring condition and I’ve got lots to catch up on! Let’s just jump right in!

Early this summer, Summer Beats & Bacon took place in both SF and Portland. Sold out venues were packed with a total of 90 bacon tasters sampling 10 flavors in 24 ways as DJs played hits!! However, while Portland and Bay Area bacon lovers knew the deal and moved fast on tickets, Seattle was a bit luckluster in its bacon affinity. Coming off of two sold out events, I didn’t want to lose steam with a rare slow-selling event, so, I pulled the plug and did private dinners instead. Sorry Sea-town!

Both events were a raucous whirlwind of a farewell-for-now to the Bacon Gospel. Two years of tastings and bacon subscriptions and bacon making lessons into the project, I am so proud of the more than 100 flavors of bacon I have now etched into my little black book. Back when I started the Bacon Gospel, 100 flavors was my lofty goal. Now that I’ve exceeded it and have yet to see anyone out there trying to capitalize on the technique I’ve been perfecting, I am putting those secrets back in my pocket. Starting from scratch with these slabs, making each infused spirit and candied lemon by hand, dreaming up flavors and pushing the expectations for one of our most favored and traditional foods has been just the culinary alchemy that thrills me. Yet, for the foreseeable future, those magical slabs will be available for purchase only for those who book Farm & Table dinners. To be sure, while I focus on other projects that have been waiting in the wings, I may bring the bacon out of the vault when you least expect it...but, for now, here’s a peek at the last tastings of The Bacon Gospel.

PDX Flavors:

Hold Your Horses

(BCN/PDX Fridays! Members Choice)

3 Mustards, Fresh Horseradish, Brown Sugar,

Pickled Garlic

Coming Up Roses

Organic Local Rose Petals, Lavender, St. Germain, Gin, Thyme, Sage, White Peony Tea

Rhubarb Hill

Caramelized Lemon and Rhubarb, Gold Beets, Ginger, Pomegranate Molasses, Nutmeg

Summer Storms

Watermelon, Gin, Black Peppercorns

Heat Wave

Tequila, Plums, Jalapeno, Serrano, Habenero and Roasted Pasilla Peppers

Tasting Menu:

Miang Kham-

Black Pepper-seared Strawberries, Fresh Horseradish, Melon, Serrano and Jalapeno Peppers, Fried Shallots, Fried Red Onion, Fresh Red Onion, Ginger, Toasted Coconut, Toasted Cashews and Hazelnuts

1. Coming Up Roses Herb Bundles

with Gin Vinaigrette

2. Hold Your Horses Candied Sweet Potatoes with Cumin Whip

3. Coming Up Roses & Jaegermeister Figs

4. Summer Storm Buckwheat Waffles

with Lemon-Balsamic Redux

5. Heat Wave and 6. Rhubarb Hill Tacos

with Avocado Relish or Toasted Coriander 2-milk Yogurt Sauce

7. Hold Your Horses and 8. Rhubarb Hill Open-face Sammies

with Lemon Fromage Blanc or Pomegranate Molasses Mustard

9. Heat Wave-Almond-Cocoa Nib Crumble,

10. Summer Storms Shards and Limoncello Whip

11. Rhubarb Hill and 12. Summer Storms Candied Popcorn

SF Flavors:

The Beach House

Strawberries, Cherries, Fresh Sage, Pink Peppercorns, Gin and Rosewater

Three Islands

Lime and Shredded Coconut and Triple Ginger

(fresh, dried & crystallized ginger)

Desert Sweet Tea

Rooibos Chai Tea, Fresh Turkey Figs, Toasted Coriander, Fennel and Cumin Seeds

Beet Feat

Red and Gold Beets, Fresh Dill, Mustard Seed and Onion

Christmas in July

Brandy, Cocoa Nibs, and 5 chiles

(Sightglass coffee-soaked habenero, chipotle & ancho chiles, fresh serrano & jalapeno chiles)

Tasting Menu:

1. Beet Feat and 2. The Beach House & Pomegranate-Black Pepper Popcorn

3. Three Islands and 4. Desert Sweet Tea Miang Kham

Galia Melon, Toasted Coconut, Fried Red Onion, Fresh White Cipiollinis, Herbed Citrus, Ginger, Roasted Cashews & Filberts and Serrano Chiles wrapped in Napa Leaves

Grilled 5. The Beach House and 6. Desert Sweet Tea with Crostini

7. Christmas in July and 8. Beet Feat Tacos

9. Desert Sweet Tea and 10. Three Islands Grilled Kabobs

*toppings*

Cherry Mustard, Black Carrot-Bok Slaw, Avocado Relish, Black Pepper-seared Strawberries

Two-milk Panna Cotta with 11. The Beach House Swizzle Sticks and Tequila-Lime Sauce

12. Christmas in July Maple Pretzel Dream with Sightglass Coffee Whip

Seattle, you missed out!! See you next time!

No Boat.

2011-08-03T10:02:00.000-07:00

That's me. A blogger with no computer, like a sailor with no boat. I'm coming up on month two of no computer, deep in summer travel and trying to make the best use of the tiny windows of time I am graced with by people who own working computers. (Thanks, Tia.)

Buuutt..the fantastic thing is that my work doesn't start or stop at this blog. This is just the bulletin board, folks. While mouthwatering photos and menus haven't been appearing in recent posts, they've still been appearing on tables in SF, Seattle, Olympia and Portland. The past weeks have been full of Summer Beats and Bacon fun and Farm & Table dinners up and down the west coast. I've also taken up hunting while enjoying my California summer, in preparation for a big wild boar hunt in October, just before the Good Food Awards!

Oh, and The Ethical Butcher will officially be based out of Brooklyn, NY as of September. I'm deep in transnational relocation world, for the 3rd time, and loving it. I can't wait to unleash a whole new set of dreams and plans on that concrete jungle! Yep, I'm busy..when I'm back in Internetland with a cyber-seafaring vehicle (new laptop), I'll fill in all the blanks in salivating detail.

In the meantime, folks in the SF Bay Area: I've added yet another set of dates to the Bay Farm & Table Project!!! Email for info on booking your own private feast cooked by yours truly!

Available dates are: August 5 & 7-11!!

Last Stop.

2011-07-06T16:47:00.000-07:00

Two of three Summer Beats & Bacon events have gone down and I am honing in on my last destination in this early summer tour. Sorry to the bacon fiends of SF and Portland, but Seattle's crowd will be the lucky ones to enjoy the creme brulee station! The full menus and bacon flavors of the Summer Beats & Bacon tour will not be posted until after Seattle's event, but both events featured a wide range of bacon coma-inducing treats and so far 9 new flavors and one BCN/PDX Member Choice have been shared. From savory nibbles like bacon tacos and grilled bacon kabobs to sinful sweets like pretzel bacon dream (maple-candied pretzel & bacon crumble with coffee whipped cream) and candied bacon popcorn have been presented as I take this humble, basic ingredient to new places. You will never see bacon the same way again!

The DJs have been a fun addition to these events, playing everything from soul to cumbia as folks munched on meaty goodness. I can't wait to hear what General Meow has in store for us!

Both Portland and San Francisco's events were SOLD OUT! Seattle, reserve your passes to this private tasting by contacting: theethicalbutcher@gmail.com!!

Seattle, WA
July 21st at Faire Gallery Cafe
1351 East Olive Way
with DJ General Meow (Rapture, Soul-Fi)

$25/person or 2/$40 presale, $30/person at door

ALL Summer Beats & Bacon tastings begin at 8 pm, doors open at 730 pm.

*Price includes entry and food. Cash bar 21*

For those in the Bay who missed the event or would like to enjoy another round of local meaty delights, book a date with me and enjoy a few courses in your very own home! http://ethicalbutcher.blogspot.com/2011/07/bay-farm-table-project.html

On another note...check out this great little bit of press on TODAY!!

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/43549229/ns/today-food/t/some-vegetarians-beat-humane-retreat-back-meat/

The Bay Farm & Table Project

2011-07-03T09:25:00.000-07:00

This summer has already proven itself to be a BUSY one! The Summer Beats & Bacon tour is ⅔ of the way complete, both Portland and SF events sold out and were a blast!! I had such a good time at the SF event a few days ago, that I have already set new dates for another round of fun with Bay Area food lovers. You’ve had the famed bacon, now its time to unleash the culinary beast! I’ll be in and out of the Bay through July and August, so there are plenty of opportunities to nab a date and get the whole shebang!

The Bay Farm & Table Project runs from July 5th-8th AND July 27th-August 7th!!!

Highlighting the seasonal bounty of summer, the Bay Farm & Table Project will be gracing the kitchens and dining rooms of the SF Bay Area with a week of home feasts with local foods. I’ll be private chef’ing it up for a lucky few omnivores and documenting the ingredients, menus and magical meals to be shared over the course of the project! With no computer (mine died last month), I am behind on posting menus and photos from the many other Portland and NYC dinners that have happened. But, you can look at previous posts for mouthwatering proof of the meals Portlanders enjoyed during their run of dinners!

The Farm & Table Project has been a thrilling new experiment for The Ethical Butcher projects and a perfect way to bring the special atmosphere of my popular events to homes. These intimate and familial dinners hold great conversations and become an educational exchange for all involved. This not only serves as a great introduction for me to the Bay Area food world and all you locavores and carnephiles out there, but an opportunity for consumers to talk about the obstacles, challenges and rewards of buying foods they trust. It is the matured manifestation of all of the previous Ethical Butcher projects. Making good food more than something to be reveled in on special occasion, these intimate gatherings have been convincing diners that EVERYONE can eat well. Local foods aren’t just a fad, and they aren’t to be held out of reach by high costs and elitist attitudes. The Bay Farm & Table Project brings the bounty of the season to your table in a way that is inviting, fun, and just plain delicious!

The menus are inspired by local ingredients and the flavor preferences of each dinner’s host(s) and are all over the place with unique flavor combinations and creative twists on old faves. The first two rounds of the Farm & Table Project set the bar high with dishes like Pimm’s Pork Three Ways, Grilled Bacon Steaks, Chocolate Stout Carnitas, Candied Rose & Bacon Popcorn, Coffee-roasted Chicken, Chocolate Cake for Breakfast, Elderflower Coconut-poached Halibut, Toasted Fennel & Grapefruit Panna Cotta, Lamb Two Ways with Fig Sauce, Blackberry-Scallion Duck Sausage and a slew of seasonal veggies that almost rivaled their meaty counterparts. Every menu is completely unique and personal, so hosting a Bay Farm & Table Project dinner is the best way to have your every flavor whim satisfied. In your own home!

Think you can’t afford to eat local foods, or doubt the culinary superiority of fresh food from local farms? Want to learn a new butchery or cooking technique, hear stories from my travels, chat about the evils of large agribusiness or debate the relevance of Micheal Pollan? Perhaps it’s just time to skip the restaurant and have a luxurious meal with friends at home without any of the work?

Between July 5th-8th AND July 27th-August 7th you can open your home and kitchen to take part in The Bay Farm & Table Project!!

Dinner at Magruder Ranch, June 2010. Photo by Alison Picard.

Your dinner will begin well ahead of time with a private menu consultation. Using the menu created together, Berlin will then source all of the local ingredients for your meal from local farms and markets. The day of your dinner, simply have your dining table set, kitchen free and clean and ready to be taken over at the predetermined time. Then sit back, wait for guests to arrive and savor the aromas wafting in the air as a three-course dinner brimming with the early season’s best ingredients is lovingly prepared in your own home. Or, head out for the day and come home to a spread of decadence! Brunches are also a great option for weekends! Local meats and produce will, as always, will be the highlight of the meal. Expect to see breads, jams, ice creams and other local foods featured as well. Check out the details below and then contact theethicalbutcher@gmail.com to participate in The Bay Farm & Table Project.

The Bay Farm & Table Project feasts are 3 courses:

an appetizer or small plate, main course and dessert.

Feast for 2-$90

Feast for 4-$160

Feast for 8-$240

Feast for 12- $300

Early Bird Special

*10% discount for feasts booked/confirmed by Friday, July 8th!*

Not at all small print: Dates are open from July 5th-8th and July 27th-August 7th. Full payment is due at menu consultation to confirm date. All dinners are 3 courses (1st, main, dessert), brunches are served tapas-style with number of dishes (5-10) determined by total number of guests. No beverages are included in meal and should be provided by host. Soy, nut & gluten-free diets are easily accommodated and other dietary concerns will be discussed during consultation. While main courses will surely be a carnivore’s dream, most side dishes are vegetarian or vegan. Vegetarian entree can be added to the menu for small fee. Dinner price includes consultation, ingredient sourcing, meal preparation, kitchen clean up and table service for up to 12 people. Gratuity is not included and is customary but not mandatory. Table service for larger parties and the addition of courses can be arranged at an additional charge.

Contact at theethicalbutcher@gmail.com to schedule consultation and dinner or inquire about rates for larger parties.

SF is SOLD OUT!!!!!

2011-06-14T13:21:00.000-07:00

The June 30th tasting at Avedano's is now officially SOLD OUT!!

There are still a few pair of tickets for Portland's June 20th tasting, but only a few days to get them at their presale prices! Tickets will remain at presale tickets until this Sunday. There's still plenty of time before the Seattle tasting in July, but tickets are moving fast!

Contact: theethicalbutcher@gmail.com for info on reservations for these private tasting parties!

Portland, OR

June 20th at Saraveza (Backspace)

5433 N. Michigan Ave.

with DJ Beyonda (MRS., I’ve Got a Hole in My Soul, Buck ‘n’ Bounce)

$25/person or 2/$40 presale, $30/person at door*

San Francisco, CA

June 30th at Avedano’s Udder Room

237 Cortland Ave.

with DJ Nolita Selector (Fruitcake SF, Animal Style, BOSS!)

SOLD OUT!!

Seattle, WA
July 21st at Faire Gallery Cafe
1351 East Olive Way
with DJ General Meow (Rapture, Soul-Fi)

$25/person or 2/$40 presale, $30/person at door

ALL Summer Beats & Bacon tastings begin at 8 pm, doors open at 730 pm.

*Price includes entry and food. Cash bar will be available at tastings in Seattle and Portland. SF guests invited to provide beverages with no corking fee.

Summer, Summer, Summertime!

2011-06-01T13:16:00.000-07:00

I'm sweating over NYC Farm & Table Project dinners as summer hits the West, it is finally time to unleash a series of events long in the making! The Bacon Gospel has been putting out rounds of seasonal flavors of bacon since winter and now, Summer Beats & Bacon is ready to get your summer off to a great start!

Summer Beats & Bacon is an evening for bacon connoisseurs, fiends and fans alike.It’s been over a year since the BCN/PDX Fridays! launch party, the last bacon tasting held as part of the Bacon Gospel. This latest round introduces four all new flavors bursting with summer fruit and berries, floral blooms, the heat you’ve been craving through winter’s dreary days and one flavor chosen by BCN/PDX Fridays! members to be their favorite flavor over the last year of monthly bacon fairy visits.

FIVE flavors of this fabled local, handmade bacon will fill tables brimming with everything from bacon-candied popcorn to bacon-wrapped herb bundles. Each tasting menu will feature 12-15 bacon creations, but you can always expect a twist on the classic B.L.T.! The only letter that will stay in this mix is that big ol’ capital “B”, as the limits of this humble sandwich are pushed with grilled B.L.T. steaks, B.L.T. sticks, B.L.T. bars or a mountain of assorted mini B.L.T.s that will blow your mind! The bacon lovers of one lucky city will even see a bacon creme brulee station!! As if this all of this bacon bliss wasn’t enough, while you and your friends nosh on bacon goodness, DJs will be spinning the best cuts to keep you shuffling to the beat as you return for more meaty insanity. This isn’t a sit-down formal affair! Once the tasting is over, the party keeps going! Door prizes, raffles and bacon-themed games will add even more layers of fun to the night!

The best part of Summer Beats & Bacon? It is happening in THREE different cities!!

Summer Beats & Bacon is bringing the heat to the coolest cities on the best coast through June and July! However, flavors for each city will not be announced until AFTER the tastings, so the only way to know, is to go!

Portland, OR

June 20th

at Saraveza (Backspace)

5433 N. Michigan Ave.

with DJ Beyonda (MRS., I’ve Got a Hole in My Soul, Buck ‘n’ Bounce)

$25/person or 2/$40 presale, $30/person at door*

San Francisco, CA

June 30th

at Avedano’s Udder Room

237 Cortland Ave.

with DJ Nolita Selector (Fruitcake SF, Animal Style, BOSS!)

$30/person PRESALE ONLY. Space VERY limited!!

Seattle, WA

July 21st

at Faire Gallery Cafe

1351 East Olive Way

with DJ General Meow (Rapture, Soul-Fi)

$25/person or 2/$40 presale, $30/person at door

ALL Summer Beats & Bacon tastings begin at 8 pm.

Doors open at 730 pm.

*Price includes entry and food. Cash bar will be available at tastings in Seattle and Portland.

SF guests invited to provide beverages with no corking fee.

To reserve your tickets for these private tasting parties, please contact theethicalbutcher@gmail.com today!

A Tease and The NYC Farm & Table Project

2011-05-23T14:32:00.001-07:00

Last night, I finished the last of this first run of dinners for The Northwest Farm & Table Project. Every single one of the nine dinners I prepared went better than I could have even imagined! This past week was a blur of six dinners that culminated in a big feast of 12 friends late last night. Today, I woke early this morning to help Tressa and her crew at Salt, Fire & Time butcher a pig and lamb for a wedding. Now, as I pack for my flight to NYC in preparation for The NYC Farm & Table Project, I couldn't resist throwing out a few snippets of the delectable raucous I caused this weekend among the three dinners and one brunch I whipped up.

"BLT" Steak* and Grilled Garnet Yams with Cumin-Maple Glaze and Cocoa Whipped Cream

*3/4 inch grilled steak of The Dream bacon (cocoa nibs, lime, amaretto, cardamom, vanilla bean)

layered with:

Siberian kale with lime, black pepper-seared strawberries, avocado relish and mustard raba

Rose-Cardamom Goat's Milk Panna Cotta with Lemon Balsamic Reduction

A few hints at the madness not yet posted:

Smoky Stout Carnitas

Rosewater & Fig Pork Ribs

Amaretto and Horseradish-crusted Pork Belly with Fig Pate de Fruits

Coconut & Cocoa Nib-braised Red Streak Mustard Greens

Grilled Garlic Scapes

Spring Walla Walla, Nettle and Chinese Cilantro Fritatta

Turkish Affogato

Tequila Burnt Lime Creme Brulee

Chocolate Cake for Breakfast

I have to resist the urge to work on a post with all the menus right now (I have a flight to catch!), but these photos and menu items should keep you mouthwatering until I land in the Big Apple, ready to bring the magic to my favorite city. I will most assuredly unleash the rest of the insanity of the last week and more photos and menus to titillate folks to take part in the next run of the project. I am working on a large post about the project as a whole and in thanks to all of the farms, bakeries, picklers and others whose products I have used in this series of dinners.

As the previous post announces, The NYC Farm & Table Project is now on and booking dinners between Sunday, May 29th and Sunday, June 5th.

New Yorkers, if you think you want one, reserve today! Dates are filling up and all consultations are happening this week. Check previous post or contact theethicalbutcher@gmail.com for details!

Announcing: The NYC Farm & Table Project!!

2011-05-18T15:10:00.002-07:00

Fresh on the heels of the successful first run of The Northwest Farm & Table Project, the next installment, The NYC Farm & Table Project is ready to take advantage of the vast diversity of New York City Greenmarkets like nobody’s business! Spring is here and its no secret that the markets in NYC are some of my favorite anywhere in the country! Exciting and new local produce abounds here in Portland and I’m just itching to see what NY farmers are bringing to the city. Making amazing, local food accessible to more people is the goal of this newest project and cooking in the homes of folks just like you has been an incomparable opportunity for me to live this mission!

The NYC Farm & Table Project runs from May 29th to June 5th!

Highlighting the special early season produce that gets us excited for summer, The NYC Farm & Table Project will be gracing the kitchens and dining rooms of New York City with a week of home feasts with local foods. I’ll be private chef’ing it up for a lucky few NYC omnivores and documenting the ingredients, menus and magical meals to be shared over the course of the project! Just look at the previous posts for mouthwatering proof of the culinary adventures Portlanders have been enjoying over the course of the NW project!

This is a thrilling new experiment for The Ethical Butcher projects and was a perfect way to bring the special atmosphere of my events to homes all over Portland. These intimate and familial dinners will surely hold some great conversations and will be a great educational exchange for all involved. This is an opportunity for consumers to talk about the obstacles, challenges and rewards of buying foods they trust. It is the matured manifestation of all of the previous Ethical Butcher projects. Having these meals cooked in your own home makes good, local food more than something to be reveled in on special occasion. These intimate gatherings have been convincing diners that EVERYONE can eat well. Local foods aren’t just a fad, and they aren’t to be held out of reach by high costs and elitist attitudes.

The NYC Farm & Table Project brings the bounty of the season to your table in a way that is inviting, fun, and just plain delicious! The menus are inspired by ingredients and the flavor preferences of each dinner’s host(s) and are all over the place with unique flavor combinations and creative twists on old faves. The first run of the Farm & Table Project set the bar high with dishes like: Pimm’s Pork Three Ways, Grilled Bacon Steaks, Chocolate Stout Carnitas, Candied Rose & Bacon Popcorn, Coffee-roasted Chicken, Elderflower Coconut-poached Halibut, Toasted Fennel & Grapefruit Panna Cotta and a slew of seasonal veggies that almost rivaled their meaty counterparts. Hosting a NYC Farm & Table Project dinner is the best way to have your every flavor whim satisfied, in your own home!

I invite you to dream a little with me. Think you can’t afford to eat local foods, or doubt the culinary superiority of fresh food from local farms? Want to learn a new butchery or cooking technique, hear stories from my travels, chat about the evils of large agribusiness or debate the relevance of Micheal Pollan? Perhaps it’s just time to skip the restaurant and have a luxurious meal with friends at home without any of the work?

Between May 29th and June 5th, you can open your home and kitchen to take part in The NYC Farm & Table Project!!

Your dinner will begin well ahead of time with a private menu consultation. Using the menu created using notes from your consultation, I'll source all of the local ingredients for your meal from local farms and markets. The day of your dinner, simply have your dining table set, kitchen free and clean and ready to be taken over at the predetermined time! Then sit back, wait for guests to arrive and savor the aromas wafting in the air as a three-course dinner brimming with the early season’s best ingredients is lovingly prepared in your own home. Or, head out for the day and come home to a spread of decadence! Local meats and produce will, as always, will be the highlight of the meal. Expect to see breads, jams, ice creams and other local foods featured as well. Check out the prices and details below and then contact theethicalbutcher@gmail.com to participate in The NYC Farm & Table Project.

NYC Farm & Table Project feasts are 3 courses:

an appetizer or small plate, main course and dessert.

Feast for 2-$80

Feast for 4-$130

Feast for 8-$200

Feast for 12- $260

Not at all small print: Dates are open from May 29th to June 5th, 2011. Full payment is due at menu consultation. All dinners are 3 courses (1st, main, dessert). No beverages are included in meal and should be provided by host. Soy, nut & gluten-free diets are easily accommodated and other dietary concerns will be discussed during consultation. While main courses will surely be a carnivore’s dream, most side dishes are vegetarian or vegan. Vegetarian entree can be added to the menu for small fee. Dinner price includes consultation, ingredient sourcing, set-up, preparation, kitchen clean up and table service for up to 12 people. Table service for larger parties and the addition of courses can be arranged at an additional charge.

Contact at theethicalbutcher@gmail.com to schedule consultation and dinner or inquire about rates for larger parties.

Big Weekend #2

2011-05-18T15:10:00.001-07:00

I am preparing for dinners #6-9 today, coming off another packed weekend of dinners for The Northwest Farm & Table Project. I have to admit, I am having an obscene amount of fun with these menus and market trips! Sadly, the food porn quotient in this post isn't nearly as high as the last post. I run a solo show here and am lucky enough to be dating a skilled and professional photographer who often comes along on trips and events to document the action. Regrettably, when she can't make it to a dinner, it's almost impossible for me to get shots that do these plates justice. I've only this one below to get your tummy grumbling. There are still four more dinners and lots more photos to come. If that last post was food porn, think of this one as food erotica.

Candied Bacon Popcorn and Rose Petal Chips with Lemon Saffron Sorbet and Dark Chocolate

Photo: Alison Picard

The Northwest Farm & Table Project Dinner #4

Pimm's Cup for Four

1st course-

Miang Kham-

Toasted Cashews and Coconut

Serrano Chiles

Fried Shallots and Garlic

Lime and Lemon tossed in Basil, Mint and Chinese Cilantro

Fresh Galangal

Fresh Spring Red Onion

Black Pepper-seared Strawberries

wrapped in Escarole and topped with Miang Kham Sauce made of all listed ingredients

2nd course-

Pimm's Pork Three Ways-

*Pimm's-Citrus Baby Back Ribs with Green Garlic Nettles

*Horseradish-Apricot Pork Chops over Fava & Rapini

*Oven-candied Japanese Sweet Potatoes with Coffee-Port Bacon and Cumin Whipped Cream

3rd course-

Cheese Course-

Abbeye de Belloc, Appenzeller Extra, Valdeon, Toasted Fennel & Grapefruit Goat's Milk Panna Cotta over crushed Ines Rosales Tortas

with

Tequila-Blood Orange Puree, Balsamic Glazed Almonds and

Crostini of Dark Chocolate Rolls, Gibassier and Sweet Baguette

The Northwest Farm & Table Project Dinner #5

Thai-inspired Seafood

1st course-

Mussels with White Wine, Green Garlic and Oregon White Truffle

served with:

Crostini with Basil Fromage Blanc, Pea Shoots & Black Pepper-Blackberry Vinegar Reduction

and Mint, Mustard Raba & Black Radish Salad

2nd course-

Lemongrass & Elderflower Coconut Milk-poached Halibut

served with:

Galangal-roasted Golden Beets

and Wilted Dong Choi, Mizuna & Fava Leaves with Chiles

3rd course-

Bacon*-candied Popcorn and Rose Petal Chips with Lemon Saffron Sorbet

*(Flora LaFleur-Intelligentsia Matalapa Single-Origin Coffee, Hibiscus Flowers, Lime Zest, Port)

After the last dinner of The Northwest Farm & Table Project, I'll be posting an extensive post about my process behind this project, reflections on this first run of a brand new idea and an extensive list of the local farms, bakeries, distilleries, and even florists that have made this project more than I could have ever imagined. I'll be announcing the next installment of The Farm & Table Project shortly.

NYC, get those calendars out! It's Dinner Time!

Big Weekend #1

2011-05-09T19:13:00.000-07:00

Well, the first packed weekend of The Northwest Farm & Table Project went just perfectly!

I had such a great time both nights and have even received a few messages about pork belly dreams and newly discovered creme brulee obsessions! I've got several more dinners to write menus for and am really excited to roll out some more local love, EB-style.

Nearly all of the ingredients for both dinners were found at the Portland Farmer's Market. I am having so much fun with spring produce, my culinary mind has been on overdrive with creating so many dinners. I'll be back at the market early Saturday morning in preparation for another round of dinners. Enjoy the food porn!

Not burning my fingers with the blowtorch.

Searing strawberries.

The Northwest Farm & Table Project Dinner #2

Farmer's Market Dinner

1st course-

Trio of Crostini with Olives-

*French Breakfast Radishes, Mint and Pickled Garlic with Lemon Butter-on sourdough baguette

*Rhubarb & Port-glazed Petit Sele, Mizuna and Whole Grain Mustard-on fennel flatbread

*Balsamic Figs with Nettles, Green Garlic Fromage Blanc-on German sourdough rye

2nd course-

Pear, Lavender & Cocoa Nib-crusted Pork Chops with Bulleit Pear Sauce

served with

Fava Greens, Rapini and Caramelized Shallots, Cream-braised Sunchokes and Baby Leeks

3rd course-

Burnt Lime and Scotch Creme Brulee

(above)

The Northwest Farm & Table Project Dinner #3

Mediterranean Grill

1st course-

Mediterranean Miang Kham-

Fennel-toasted Filberts

Lemon with Basil and Mint

Red Cippolinis

Black Pepper-glazed Strawberries

Fried Shallots

Roasted Garlic

Horseradish

Cherry Bomb Peppers

wrapped in Escarole and topped with sauce made of all ingredients

Amuse Bouche-

Horseradish Green Garlic & White Fig Grilled Pork Loin and Grilled Fiddleheads

with Basil-Balsamic Popcorn

2nd course-

Anjilanaka Coffee & Port-braised and Grilled Pork Belly

served with

Grilled Yukons with Cumin Whipped Cream and Dueling Beets

(Roasted Gold Beets, Mizuna, Pickled Garlic and Chive &

Shredded Red Beets, Blood Orange, Radish and Pea Shoots )

3rd course-

Lime Sheep's Milk Panna Cotta with Hibiscus-Lime Sauce on Cocoa Shortbread Crumbs

The Northwest Farm & Table Project is now totally booked!

There are no more dates available, but there are 7 more dinners yet to come! Each menu and photos will be posted soon after each one, so keep posted.

New Yorkers, get ready, I'll be announcing dates for a NYC Farm & Table Project very soon!

All photos by Alison Picard

Teaser Pleaser

2011-05-04T16:09:00.000-07:00

As I have just a few more dates open, I thought I’d tease you with a few menus. The Northwest Farm & Table Project has been so successful, I will surely be doing it again here in Portland and elsewhere! I have a pretty extensive tour planned this year, so folks in cities like Atlanta, Santa Fe, Charlotte, Boston, Sitka and many other places can start dreaming up their menus! I am having a blast playing around with some new ideas, in love with popcorn and the classic Thai street food Miang Kham and enthralled by all of the fresh new seasonal produce at the markets, I have been scheming up something special for each dinner. I have a talented photographer tagging along on several of the dinners, so I am looking forward to some gorgeous shots of my food and lovely people enjoying it! I will be posting photos and menus as the dinners take place and have a great plan for all the really awesome documentation that is happening as this project moves forward. Keep checking back for the latest menu, and if you are still on the fence about scheduling a dinner, there are only a handful of nights left!

Menu for The Northwest Farm & Table Project Dinner #1-
Latin-inspired Gluten/Soy/Dairy-Free Food Fun!!!

1st course-

Latin Miang Kham
toasted coconut
merken-candied meduras (sweet plantain)
diced fresh red onion
fried garlic slivers
ginger matchsticks
serrano slices
chopped cumin-roasted almonds
diced lime + cara cara orange
Wrapped in Napa cabbage and topped with sauce made of all elements of the Miang Kham platter.

2nd course-

Spring Tostadas with Pinto Beans and Caraway Roasted Japanese Sweet Potatoes

Homemade Blue and White Corn Chili-dusted Tostadas layered with:
Intelligentsia Organic Anjilanaka Coffee-roasted Chicken,
Roasted Gold Beets, Spring Onion & Sunchokes,
Sesame-Lime wilted Red Russian Kale and Bok Choi,
Heirloom Tomato, Cara-Cara & Cherry Bomb and Chive Salsa and
a Relish of Heirloom Radishes, Mint, Pea and Sunflower Shoots tossed in Pickled Garlic and Habenero.

3rd course-
Lavender Maple-candied Popcorn with Dark Chocolate Coconut Ice Cream and Hibiscus-Cocktail Fruit Puree

A few other tricks I’ve got up my sleeve for this week’s dinners:

Lavender & Cocoa Dusted Lamb w Sunchoke & Spring Onion Gratin

Trio of Crostini-
*heirloom radish, mint & pickled garlic on lemon compound butter
*rhubarb-port bacon, arugula and mustard
*compound chevre w/fresh greens & balsamic figs

Horseradish Grilled Pork Chops with Basil-Balsamic Bacon Popcorn

Dueling Beet Slaws - two beet-based slaws. One gold, one red, compete for your attention.

Mediterranean Miang Kham-
fennel-toasted pignolas & filberts
fried shallots
fresh red onion
roasted garlic
candied cherry tomatoes
lemon tossed with fresh basil and mint
fresh horseradish
cherry bomb peppers

Scotch Creme Brulee with Dark Chocolate Dipped Candied Lime Peel

Sheep’s Milk Panna Cotta with Lime & Hibiscus Caramel

There are still dates open, including ONE last weekend date!
Open dates are: May 9-13th & 18th and SUNDAY, the 15th.*
*Brunch is available for this date as well as dinner.

Check out the previous posts and schedule your Northwest Farm & Table Project dinner today!

Running Out of Dates!

2011-04-25T14:22:00.000-07:00

Wow! It has been less than a week since announcing The Northwest Farm & Table Project and the schedule is starting to look pretty full! The project runs for the next four weeks and a few weekends are already booked solid!

No worries, midweek dinner parties are fun, too. Make a Tuesday less boring, get the weekend started on Thursday or enjoy a nice meal after a rough Monday. There are still plenty of weeknights and one weekend left open just a few days into this project. Check out the post below and then schedule your dinner for The Northwest Farm & Table Project before the calendar is full!

The Northwest Farm & Table Project

2011-04-19T15:43:00.000-07:00

As local produce begins to fill our farmer’s markets and grocery stores once again, I am announcing a brand new project! Both the Bacon Gospel and Heritage Breed Supper Club will continue to preach the local meats truth later this year, but The Northwest Farm & Table Project drives the message home in a whole new way!

Some of you may recall those raging community dinners I was doing last summer with Tressa Yellig of Salt, Fire & Time. One plate dinners overflowing with local meats and produce had people lining up all the way to the sidewalk! Others have attended my more formal dinners and bacon tastings or that big bash last fall for Primal Cuts. My style is about making this amazing, local food accessible to more people. So, as the farm season gets going, I have been planning this year’s list of events and could think of no better way to take the conversation to another level than to bring the message home! To your home, that is.

The Northwest Farm & Table Project runs from April 22nd (Earth Day) to May 20th!

We’re taking a full month to highlight the special early season produce that gets us excited for summer by bringing a fancy feeling to the kitchens and dining rooms of Portland through a month of home feasts with local foods. That’s right, for one month, I am private chef’ing it up for the lucky omnivores of Stumptown, and documenting the ingredients, menus and magical meals to be shared over the course of the project. Ramps, fiddleheads, garlic scapes, and even pastured chickens- the season is here! This is a thrilling new experiment for The Ethical Butcher projects and a perfect way to bring the special atmosphere of my dinners to homes all over Portland. These intimate and familial dinners will surely hold some great conversations and will be a great educational exchange for all involved. I am interested in hearing directly from consumers about the obstacles and challenges and rewards of buying foods they trust. As with The Bacon Gospel, I am also intrigued by working with many palates. Developing menus for family dinners, romantic evenings and friendly gatherings is a candid way of mapping the tastes and preferences of an entire range of people, an element that gets my chef mind jumping up and down!

Think you can’t afford to eat local foods, or doubt the culinary superiority of fresh food from local farms? Want to learn a new butchery or cooking technique, hear stories from my travels, chat about the evils of large agribusiness or debate the relevance of Micheal Pollan? Perhaps it’s just time to skip the restaurant and have a luxurious meal with friends at home without any of the work?

Just open your home and kitchen to take part in The Northwest Farm & Table Project!!

Your dinner will begin well ahead of time with a private menu consultation. Using the menu we create together, I will then source all of the local ingredients for your meal from local farms and markets. The day of your dinner, simply have your dining table cleared, kitchen free and clean and ready to be taken over at the predetermined time. Then sit back, wait for your guests to arrive and savor the aromas wafting in the air as a three-course dinner brimming with the early season’s best ingredients is lovingly prepared in your own home. Or head out for the day and come home to a spread of decadence! Local meats and produce will, as always, will be the highlight of the meal. Expect to see breads, jams, ice creams and other local foods featured as well.

The Northwest Farm & Table Project feasts are 3 courses:

an appetizer or small plate, main course and dessert.

Feast for 2-$60

Feast for 4-$100

Feast for 8-$160

Feast for 12- $210

Not small print: Dates are open from April 22nd through May 20th, 2011. Full payment is due at consultation. All dinners are 3 courses (1st, main, dessert). No beverages are included in meal and should be provided by host. Soy-, nut- & gluten-free diets are easily accommodated. While main courses will surely be a carnivore’s dream, most side dishes are vegetarian or vegan. Vegetarian entree can be added to the menu for small fee. Dinner price includes consultation, ingredient sourcing, set-up, preparation, kitchen clean up and table service for up to 12 people. Table service for larger parties and the addition of courses can be arranged at an additional charge.

Contact at theethicalbutcher@gmail.com to schedule consultation and dinner or inquire about rates for larger parties.

Notes on North Carolina.

2011-04-05T14:02:00.000-07:00

Please head over to Butcher's Guild Bulletin to read all about my trip to North Carolina for the Carolina Meat Conference!

http://thebutchersguild.blogspot.com/

One More Day!!!

2011-03-30T12:17:00.001-07:00

BCN/PDX Spring Slabs & Slices ends TOMORROW!!!

I am finally back in Portland and ready to hit you waterlovers with a nice bunch of springtime flavor! Check out these flavors and place you order today!!

Just $30/slab or all five for $125, orders for BCN/PDX Spring Slabs and Slices can be placed until March 31st. Slabs will be ready to cheer you up on that dreaded day, Friday, April 15th. Pay Ceasar and then make the best salad ever, or try one of the other recipes included in your order!

Gift certificates available! Email for detailed order info: theethicalbutcher@gmail.com

BCN/PDX Spring Slabs & Slices

Blooms & Boom!

St. Germain, Gin, Roses, Lavender, Juniper Berries, Chamomile, Jasmine

The floral flavors in this one will surprise you with their depth! Fragrant and full of beautiful edible flowers, this one stands out in the field!

Sweet Beets

Beets, Dill, Caraway Seeds, Caramelized Onions with Rye Crust

This gorgeously rose-colored savory slab is a dream on a bacon cheeseburger with a creamy blue. Its earthy flavor is ready for big weekend brunches and heavenly BLTs!

In Like a Lion

Cocoa Nibs, Lavender and Meyer Lemon Zest

Deep and dark, but far from dreary, this slab will blow you away! This subtle slab is great for a classic breakfast or for experimenting with the wonders of candied bacon!

Fits & Starts

Tequila, Intelligentsia Single-Origin Coffee, Candied Citrus and Serrano Chiles

This one is daaaangerous! Tequila and coffee combine with serrano chiles for a bacon that will perk you up any day, and just when you thought it might get out of hand, sweet candied Meyer lemons and blood oranges.

Persian Nights

Intelligentsia Single-Origin Espresso, Pomegranate Molasses, Cardamom,

Ground Cumin-roasted Almonds and Pistachios

Inspired by one of my favorite beverages, Turkish coffee, this slab has warm spices like cumin and cardamom backed up by tart pomegranate molasses and roasted nuts. If you are looking for the most decadent BLT you can make, this is the one for you!

Only $30/slab or try all 5 flavors for $125!!

Each slab of bacon begins as a 2.5 lb slab of fresh local pork belly and gets cured in any number of ingredients ranging from gin and roses to special single-origin coffees and blood oranges.

Orders for Spring Slabs & Slices can be placed by contacting: theethicalbutcher@gmail.com

Place your orders by March 31st to get your slabs on April 15th!

BCN/PDX Spring Slabs & Slices!! Catch the bacon train!

2011-03-23T12:18:00.000-07:00

Calling all Portland Bacon Fans! There's still some time to get in on the action by picking up a slab, or five. This is a great chance for those not lucky enough to be in the bacon club to try these slabs of meaty gold! 5 new spring flavors are ready to knock your socks off. At just $30/slab or all five for $125, orders for BCN/PDX Spring Slabs and Slices can be placed until March 31st. Slabs will be ready to cheer you up on that dreaded day, Friday, April 15th. Pay Ceasar and then make the best salad ever, or try one of the other recipes included in your order!

Gift certificates available! Email for order info: theethicalbutcher@gmail.com

BCN/PDX Spring Slabs & Slices

Blooms & Boom!

St. Germain, Gin, Roses, Lavender, Juniper Berries, Chamomile, Jasmine

The floral flavors in this one will surprise you with their depth! Fragrant and full of beautiful edible flowers, this one stands out in the field!

Sweet Beets

Beets, Dill, Caraway Seeds, Caramelized Onions with Rye Crust

This gorgeously rose-colored savory slab is a dream on a bacon cheeseburger with a creamy blue. Its earthy flavor is ready for big weekend brunches and heavenly BLTs!

In Like a Lion

Cocoa Nibs, Lavender and Meyer Lemon Zest

Deep and dark, but far from dreary, this slab will blow you away! This subtle slab is great for a classic breakfast or for experimenting with the wonders of candied bacon!

Fits & Starts

Tequila, Intelligentsia Single-Origin Coffee, Candied Citrus and Serrano Chiles

Persian Nights

Intelligentsia Single-Origin Espresso, Pomegranate Molasses, Cardamom,

Ground Cumin-roasted Almonds and Pistachios

Only $30/slab or try all 5 flavors for $125!!

Each slab of bacon begins as a 2.5 lb slab of fresh local pork belly and gets cured in any number of ingredients ranging from gin and roses to special single-origin coffees and blood oranges.

Orders for Spring Slabs & Slices can be placed by contacting: theethicalbutcher@gmail.com

Place your orders by March 31st to get your slabs on April 15th!

Dub and Grub

2011-03-14T08:24:00.000-07:00

Last night's Dub Taco dinner went swimmingly. We worked it out with some tender, slow roasted carnitas, homemade tortillas and chips, 4 spicy salsas, beans, rice, the whole nine yards! I've been having a blast here in NYC and as I start turning the helm west, a night like last night reminds me of how lucky I am to be doing this work.

As I prepare to head down to the Carolina Meat Conference next week, I've been introducing Butcher's Guild charter members over on the BG Bulletin. Head over and meet the faces that are changing the meat world!

Also, as announced last week, the bacon train is making its way back to Portland! Get in on the action by picking up a slab, or five. This is a great chance for those not lucky enough to be in the bacon club to try these slabs of meaty gold! I did a winter version back around the holidays and now I am coming back with 5 new spring flavors. At just $30/slab or all five for $125, orders for BCN/PDX Spring Slabs and Slices can be placed until March 31st. Slabs will be ready to cheer you up on that dreaded day, Friday, April 15th. Pay Ceasar and then make the best salad ever, or try one of the other recipes included in your order!

Gift certificates available! Email for order info: theethicalbutcher@gmail.com

Spring Slabs & Slices

Blooms & Boom!

St. Germain, Gin, Roses, Lavender, Juniper Berries, Chamomile, Jasmine

The floral flavors in this one will surprise you with their depth! Fragrant and full of beautiful edible flowers, this one stands out in the field!

Sweet Beets

Beets, Dill, Caraway Seeds, Caramelized Onions with Rye Crust

This gorgeously rose-colored savory slab is a dream on a bacon cheeseburger with a creamy blue. Its earthy flavor is ready for big weekend brunches and heavenly BLTs!

In Like a Lion

Cocoa Nibs, Lavender and Meyer Lemon Zest

Deep and dark, but far from dreary, this slab will blow you away! This subtle slab is great for a classic breakfast or for experimenting with the wonders of candied bacon!

Fits & Starts

Tequila, Intelligentsia Single-Origin Coffee, Candied Citrus and Serrano Chiles

Persian Nights

Intelligentsia Single-Origin Espresso, Pomegranate Molasses, Cardamom,

Ground Cumin-roasted Almonds and Pistachios

Only $30/slab or try all 5 flavors for $125!!

Each slab of bacon begins as a 2.5 lb slab of fresh local pork belly and gets cured in any number of ingredients ranging from gin and roses to special single-origin coffees and blood oranges.

Orders for Spring Slabs & Slices can be placed by contacting: theethicalbutcher@gmail.com

Place your orders by March 31st to get your slabs on April 15th!

Dub Taco Sunday!!!

2011-03-08T13:27:00.000-08:00

I have hopped on board to help some friends with a big community feast THIS SUNDAY at VPC in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. $20 will get you a plate of tacos carnitas with handmade tortillas, sides and a margarita to wash it all down with!! That's more than a steal by NYC standards! To keep your feet moving before and after your meal, there are also a bunch of DJs playing new and old dub all night. I can think of no better way to spend a Sunday night! NO RSVP needed, just show up with a hungry belly and dancing shoes! Food starts at 8pm and goes til it's gone!!

Dub Taco

Sunday March 13

^{serving from 8p-12a}

· CARNITAS TACOS (w/veggie option)

· HOMEMADE TORTILLAS

· FRESH SALSAS AND ENSALADA

· BEANS AND RICE

· FRESH MARGARITAS

DJs SPINNING TOP RANKING

JAMAICAN TUNES

$20 for dinner + 1 drink

Veronica People’s Club

105 Franklin st, Greenpoint BKLN

Spring Slabs & Slices

2011-03-06T16:01:00.000-08:00

Back by popular demand, I’ve got a new round of bacon flavors for BCN/PDX! Bacon for Brooklyn II was a huge success and Winter Slabs & Slices was such a hit back in December, it is time to bring that bacon train back to PDX bacon lovers! Just in time for your Easter and Derby parties, five new flavors that tell you: Spring is here!

BCN/PDX Spring Slabs & Slices is your reminder that brighter days are just around the bend! Stock up on your very own supply of specialty-cured local bacon. The flavors on offer range from sweet to savory, with a few floral favorites that will wake your wintry palate! Choose your slab from a list of five flavors, or get all five, then start dreaming of all the things you can do with your slices of heaven.

Each slab of bacon begins as a 2.5 lb slab of fresh local pork belly and gets cured in any number of ingredients ranging from gin and roses to special single-origin coffees and blood oranges. At just $30/slab, orders for BCN/PDX Spring Slabs and Slices can be placed until March 31st. Slabs will be ready to cheer you up on that dreaded day, Friday, April 15th. Pay Ceasar and then make the best salad ever, or try one of the other recipes included in your order!

Here are the flavor choices. Slabs that are perfect for everything from candied bacon for desserts and thick slices for Easter breakfast. Place your order by March 31st!

Gift certificates available! Email for order info: theethicalbutcher@gmail.com

Spring Slabs & Slices

Blooms & Boom!

St. Germain, Gin, Roses, Lavender, Juniper Berries, Chamomile, Jasmine

The floral flavors in this one will surprise you with their depth! Fragrant and full of beautiful edible flowers, this one stands out in the field!

Sweet Beets

Beets, Dill, Caraway Seeds, Caramelized Onions with Rye Crust

This gorgeously rose-colored savory slab is a dream on a bacon cheeseburger with a creamy blue. Its earthy flavor is ready for big weekend brunches and heavenly BLTs!

In Like a Lion

Cocoa Nibs, Lavender and Meyer Lemon Zest

Deep and dark, but far from dreary, this slab will blow you away! This subtle slab is great for a classic breakfast or for experimenting with the wonders of candied bacon!

Fits & Starts

Tequila, Intelligentsia Single-Origin Coffee, Candied Citrus and Serrano Chiles

Persian Nights

Intelligentsia Single-Origin Espresso, Pomegranate Molasses, Cardamom,

Ground Cumin-roasted Almonds and Pistachios

Only $30/slab or try all 5 flavors for $125!!

Orders for Spring Slabs & Slices can be placed by contacting: theethicalbutcher@gmail.com

Place your orders by March 31st to get your slabs on April 15th!

Picture Day

2011-02-25T10:03:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling like sharing a slew of photos today. I am still in NYC, but looking forward to a new season of events back in PDX and elsewhere. I am working with a very well-loved and talented Portland-based DJ on a weekly series of spring and summer BBQ's complete with tunes and dancing. A few bacon tastings are in the works for both PDX and SF and as the season starts up, a new list of Heritage Breed Supper Clubs will be rolled out! Look for the return of Icelandic lamb and my favorite Red Wattle pork as well as other local, pastured deliciousness! I am also working on a new bacon-of-the-month club that will not be based in Portland...more on that soon.

Enjoy the photos, and look for the first big BCN/PDX event of 2011 to be announced later this week!

This first set of photos is from November's Primal Cuts Fete, a book launch party for

Primal Cuts by Marissa Guggiana. All photos credit Valentine Freeman of Ace Hotel.

Guest of Honor, Marissa Guggiana sits in front of her Primal Cuts. If you haven't picked up a copy yet, do it today!

Just a few of the fantastic dishes created from the 16 whole animals from 3 local farms by chefs Tressa Yellig of Salt, Fire & Time and Random Order, who provided the outstanding bacon macaroons that kept people hovering around the table all night.

Filmmaker Moira Morel (second from right) watches the crowd as they enjoy her film installation. Portland's favorite pet photographer, Carli Davidson stands to her right.

Red Wattle farmer Jim Parker (center) stands near the wall of prints by Alison Picard as DJs Gutter Glamour and Mr. Charming spin tunes.

Yours truly, doing a little talking in front of the film of Annie Brown, who provided the Icelandic lamb for the event, at work on her farm.

Primal Cuts was exactly the kind of event I have been dreaming of since my first event in 2009. It was a collaboration between local chefs, local musicians and artists, open to the public at a very accessible price ($20-30/person) and the food was out of this world!! It was an incredibly unique mix of foodies, press, farmers and the kind of cool kids who don't usually find themselves at food events. Over 100 people had a blast eating, talking and even doing a little dancing that night and I am definitely planning to throw another event like this!

This next set shows the five flavors from last month's Bacon for Brooklyn II: Slabs & Slabs of Love. A few of these are some of my favorite flavors thus far and I can't wait to unroll more new flavor this year as I add to the 80 already in my little black book!

Whiskey Tears-

Bourbon, Vanilla Bean, Organic Hamlin, Mango Blood and Cara Cara Oranges, Organic Meyer Lemon, Crystallized Ginger and Kosher Salt

Champagne and Roses-

Champagne, Roses, Lavender, Jasmine and Chamomile, St.Germain, Juniper Berries and Kosher Salt

Box of Chocolates-

Cocoa-dusted Almonds, Oregon Hazelnuts, Organic Cocoa Nibs, Green & Black’s Organic Fair-Trade Dark Chocolate, Amaretto and Kosher Salt

Cinnamon Hearts-

Cinnamon, Cloves, Sage, Licorice Root, Nutmeg, Molasses and Kosher Salt

I’ll Love You ‘Til My Veins Explode-

Dried Habeneros, Smoked Pasillas & Guajillos, Fresh Serranos and Scotch Bonnets, Bonne Maman Cherry Preserves, Counter Culture Coffee and Kosher Salt

If these bacon photos have your mouthwatering, keep an ear out for the next round of bacon events!

Talking Points

2011-02-22T08:50:00.000-08:00

As I wrote in my last post, I am looking forward to a couple of great upcoming events that are fantastic opportunities to continue to build The Ethical Butcher platform, spread the Bacon Gospel and bring new people into the sustainable meat discussion.

The last weekend of March promises to be an explosion of ideas as the first Carolina Meat Conference takes place in Concord, NC. From March 25-27, I will be joining Butcher's Guild founders Tia Harrison and Marissa Guggiana for a weekend of training, butchery workshops, panel discussions and vital networking at this important first convergence of many of the voices and actors in the sustainable meat world. NC Choices, a program of the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS), is hosting the event and it has taken the work of many hands to pull all the strings together for this landmark event. Butcher's Guild is proud to be co-sponsoring the event and Tia, Marissa and I will be making quite a splash throughout the weekend! There are butchery classes for everyone from novice to pro chef, a big BG-hosted party and I'll be sitting in on a potentially heated panel discussion. Being invited to this first major exchange of ideas, viewpoints, opinions and experiences is beyond humbling. I invite all who can to head over to the link below and register for the conference!

A little more info about conference events and registering for the NC Choices Carolina Meat Conference, March 25-27 at Cabarrus Event Center in Concord, NC :

Fri, March 25th 2-5 pm & Sat, March 26th 9am-12pm
Butchery Craft in Your Home Kitchen
Whole lamb, pig and chicken carcass breakdown with every participant taking home $100 worth of local, pasture-raised meat,
a boning knife and Butcher's Guild tote bag.
with:

Tia Harrison, Co-Founder-The Butcher's Guild, Owner-Avedano's Meat Market
and Executive Chef-Sociale, San Francisco, CA
Marissa Guggiana, Co-Founder-The Butcher's Guild, President of Sonoma Direct Sustainable Meats and Author of Primal Cuts: Cooking with America's Best Butchers
Berlin Reed, The Ethical Butcher, Portland, OR
Craig Deihl, Executive Chef- Cypress, Charleston, SC
*advanced registration is required; see registration package.

Sat March 26th 3:30-5pm
Facing Ethical Issues in a Growing Market: The Importance of Transparency in Sourcing & Production
A panel discusses the importance of consistent and accurate messaging to consumers regarding product sourcing and production methods.
with:

Scott Marlow, Rural Advancement Foundation International
Berlin Reed, The Ethical Butcher
Ben Bergman, Fickle Creek Farm
V.Mac Baldwin, Baldwin Charolais Beef
Moderator: Casey McKissick, Coordinator, NC Choices

Sat March 26th 8-11pm
Butcher's Guild Mixer at the Speedway Club

Sun March 27th
Artisanal Butchery and Whole Animal Utilization for Professional Chefs
A meat cutting class geared toward those in the industry, chefs will glean new methods for utilizing whole animals.
with:

Tia Harrison, Co-Founder-The Butcher's Guild, Owner-Avedano's Meat Market and Executive Chef-Sociale, San Francisco, CA
Marissa Guggiana, Co-Founder-The Butcher's Guild, President of Sonoma Direct Sustainable Meats and Author of Primal Cuts: Cooking with America's Best Butchers
Craig Deihl, Executive Chef- Cypress, Charleston, SC

Conference Website:http://www.ncchoices.com/content/8714

In April, I am heading back to Ohio, this time to Bowling Green University for GreenThink Conference, a student-led sustainability conference. This conference is open to students from any university in Ohio or any surrounding states. I will be presenting as well as leading a breakout session in home butchery and can't wait to meet these enthusiastic next generation of environmentalists, activists, chefs, butchers, farmers and general planet-savers! Jane Goodall is among the list of presenters for this conference,and I must admit, I am most excited to see (and hopefully meet) this legendary woman and scientist.

If you've got a conference, college class or any other group to chat with, don't hesitate to
contact me!

Fear Not, Friends!

2011-02-04T10:00:00.000-08:00

Wow, a few readers got really worried there with that last post! I just want to do some clarification, and also fill you in on the fun that's happening while I am here in Brooklyn.

First off, I am not ending The Ethical Butcher! That would be crazy!! I am so very thrilled to be representing this entire movement, rather than just my solo work and was attempting to sort of point folks to my new blog. I am still doing the same work and will continue to grow The Ethical Butcher. As I've been saying, there are several irons in the fire right now, this new blog is only the first of many new ventures this year.

I've got new events planned and am narrowing down locations for this season of farm-to-table dinners. LA is a definite, returning to Cincinatti/Covington is also on my agenda. I'll be speaking at conferences in North Carolina and Ohio this spring and have a big trip to Alaska planned for August. I've been invited by a group of folks in the salmon fishery in there Sitka and I'll be touring the seafood co-op, dayfishing and learning about seafood sustainability in much the same way I approached learning about meat sustainability: by going to the source. As you can imagine, it's a little more difficult to head out to the ocean to check on living conditions than it is to drive out to a farm. This is the opportunity I've been waiting for! I would love to hit some new cities this year, so if you have a space to host a dinner or a farm that you'd like me to highlight by doing an event, contact me for info about bringing an installment of the Heritage Breed Supper Club to a dining room near you!

Orders for Bacon for Brooklyn II: Slabs & Slabs of Love came rushing in over the past week! This is by far the biggest cure I've done to date, 40 slabs of beautimous bacon in 5 delectable flavors will be filling the larders of kitchens all over NYC on Valentine's Day! I am heading out in a just a bit to start the fun part: shopping for ingredients! Sourcing in NYC is always an adventure and takes me all over the borough. I'll be heading down to Coney Island, one of my favorite winter spots in the city, and hitting several neighborhoods for special ingredients like scotch bonnets, roses and single-origin coffee. The range of cuisines and ethnic makeup of each neighborhood makes food shopping in NY one of the best ways to spend a day, in my opinion.

It's been a while since I've teased your tastebuds with pictures of my bacon, by many accounts, it's the best bacon around! So, feast your eyes, my friends.

The Feather Boa-Cured in coffee, ground almonds and powdered sugar, then bathed in Frangelico and Brandy while roasting. The crust on this one is INSANE. Talk about meat candy!

Sweet Beets-The wonderfully savory flavor is cured in beets, fresh dill, caraway and caramelized onions. On a burger? To. Die. For.

The Sweet Beets before roasting, I had hoped the color would hold through the curing/roasting process, but only the onions held the color. A pile of hot pink slabs was quite the sight to behold!

I'm really excited about the new flavors I've brought out for Bacon For Brooklyn II and will be posting photos of those slabs next week. Chiles, candied oranges, roses and more, these are going to be gorgeous!

New Moves!

2011-02-02T09:59:00.000-08:00

A new cyberworld address, a new job title and new projects!

I recently took on a position: Digital Meat & Media Head of The Butcher’s Guild. I have created the official blog of this new by butchers for butchers organization that is launching this month and the blog is up and running as of today! I have been wading through this meaty world now for nearly 3 post-vegetarian years and have learned enough to know the path to mastery is long and winding. For me, on my usually solo sojourns, that road can also be isolating. Linking up with Tia Harrison of Avedano's and Primal Cuts author, Marissa Guggiana on the development of The Butcher's Guild has been an incredibly inspiring journey. I have had nothing but admiration and respect for these two ladies since meeting them last year and have described both of them as my heroes more than once or twice. I can't think of two butchers I'd rather walk that path with and it is an honor to move with them to this next plateau in the progression of the sustainable meat movement.

My website is being updated to allow folks to easily find any my events, dinners and lectures listed there. I will be posting 3-4 days a week on the new blog about everything from the heavy food politics to meat tattoos and features that showcase farms, butchers and others doing amazing work in this movement. The Ethical Butcher blog will remain in full effect, but much of the post content will reflect what I am doing with the guild and updates on The Ethical Butcher projects. I thank all of the people who have kept up with me over these two years, let’s keep moving on together! Head over to The Butcher’s Guild Bulletin, read my first post and become a follower today! You can also find me every Thursday at OP, blogging about everything BUT food for the next few months...and keep an ear out for yet a few more big announcements. I'm a busy man.

Countdown

2011-02-01T12:06:00.000-08:00

I am back in the borough I love the best, Brooklyn!! Working on those big projects I've been teasing for the past few months and finally ready to release a couple of them, tomorrow.

Just a little more waiting, folks. Tomorrow is a special day for a few reasons...

It's hump day, and everybody loves that. Wednesdays are the hilltop from which we get our first glimpse of the weekend. What better day to launch a whole new project? Come on back tomorrow, February 2nd for some monumentally exciting announcements!

While launching one new project, I'll also be closing a current one. Bacon for Brooklyn II: Slabs & Slabs of Love has been running for the last few weeks and the deadline for orders has been extended until tomorrow. My beloved New Yorkers, you are certainly a crew of stragglers! I find that people in big cities like here and SF don't like to commit until the very last minute. My dinner here back in October sold out in the two days prior to the event, despite being advertised for months. It's a funny little quirk of city dwellers, I guess. Plenty of bacon lovers jumped on the train as soon as the project started, but just as I was ready to wrap up this leg of The Bacon Gospel, more orders started pouring in! I love sharing this bacon with people. Between the quality of the meat, my unique curing methods and the fact that I don't sell this handmade bacon retail or wholesale EVER, it truly is something that you'll never find anywhere else. So, Big Apple, you've until tomorrow to place your orders for the Big Bacon.

Check out the flavors below and then email for order info.

Bacon For Brooklyn II: Slabs and Slabs of Love

Box of Chocolates

Raw Cocoa Nibs, Dark Chocolate and Amaretto with a Coconut-Almond Crust

If life is anything like this, we’re already in heaven! A deep and densely flavored slab gets the addition of Amaretto to create a gorgeously caramelized crust of shredded coconut and ground almonds!

Cinnamon Hearts

Cinnamon, Licorice root, Clove, Nutmeg and Purple Sage and Brown Sugar

Full of wintry spices, this flavor is nice and easy on the palate for those not ready to take the leap into a committed love affair with the more complex flavors. Take heart friends, the purple sage brings a special herbaceous note while the brown sugar keeps it all together.

Champagne & Roses

Rose Hips, Roses, Lavender, Juniper Berries, St.Germain and Champagne

Roses, lavender, juniper and the elderberry flower liqueur, St. Germain combine with a bit of bubbly for a slab that defies expectations by landing as far away from the usual dark and smoky flavor of most bacon. Light in flavor, this one is all about the floral aromas! This year, why not buy a dozen roses in the form of meaty goodness?

Whiskey Tears

Bourbon Whiskey, Crystallized Ginger and Vanilla-candied Blood Oranges

A glaze of ginger and blood oranges is rounded out by sweet, sweet bourbon whiskey may bring you to tears, but there will be no cryin’ around here! Not when you’ve got this slab of big, warm flavors to keep you company!

I'll Love You Until My Veins Explode

Guajillo, Pasilla, Ancho, Habanero and Scotch Bonnet Chiles, Cherry Preserves and Espresso

In honor of one of my favorite love songs, this baby is going to love you just as hard as it can with 5, count them 5, different peppers ready to hit you where it hurts. Not to worry, Counter Culture espresso and cherry preserves will soften the blow and keep you coming back for more.

Order your slab today! $30/slab or try all five flavors for $100!!!

Contact theethicalbutcher@gmail.com for order info.