_
126
Get a group of ravenous, innovative chefs together around a giant fire pit, throw in some extraordinary fresh pork, and stand back. Exciting things are going to happen. Everyone swiftly pitched in to prepare the evening meal while Cincinnati’s own Chef/Master Sommelier Steve Geddes spoiled the group with exceptional wines. Everyone took the opportunity to experiment with the unique cuts of meat and, utilizing the experience of some of the other chefs, de Tassigny even tried his hand at a traditional blood sausage. Lest we leave hungry, resident Chef Jay Denham and Cincinnati’s Justin Dean had put a whole other hog on the smoker that morning and Chef Bob Perry had arrived from Louisville with a truck full of the season’s best produce and jars of his homemade Ubatuba peppers. We would be eating well that evening. While the meal was being prepared, I had the chance to talk to Ben del Corro, Sales Manager and a chef at Fossil Farms in New Jersey. Fossil Farms sources unique proteins from sustainable small family farms for restaurants and the public. Del Corro shared with me his perspective on making the choice between this type of food and meat from a commodity producer. “Being in food sales, I want to be able to tell my customers exactly where their food comes from and have complete transparency. In a city like New York, it’s easy to get lost and not know where things come from. You just have to taste a product like this and you know that it’s a different breed, a different caliber. This is why we deal with small farms. There’s no other way to get food this way. This breed of pig raised this way, under these conditions, by these people, in this environment. The French call it terroir. We call it regional food.” We finished the day as it had begun, around the campfire. We shared food, drink, and stories. Although the pork we were eating was far above par, Dr. Talbot reminded me that he considers the project an experiment and a constant work in progress. He laughs, “It’s a bit like Jurassic Park. I’m not sure of many people doing this, and I’m not sure who would do this.”