Tuesday, October 27, 2009

The Other White Meat

The boys and I drove back to Lewisburg, WV, to pick up our pork yesterday. The drive over the mountain was so beautiful. We had a great time talking about farm vision, winter plans, and learning how to drive.

We got home and were greeted by the scene of three little girls making pumpkin pie. Homemade whole wheat crust, pumpkin puree from the garden, eggs and cream.

I fried up pork chops for supper. Obvious choice! They were delicious. Baked potatoes on the side, milk and honey toast, goat's milk gravy over all of it. Pumpkin pie for dessert.

Maggie is ready to live on her own now, but I hope she stays here for a few more years. She can make omelets, cook veggies and meats, make amazing cookies and wonderful pie with homemade crusts. The first pumpkin pie of the season was consumed, I mean inhaled. So was most of the second one. We were quite satisfied with ourselves as I read the evening chapters of a biography we are studying for school.

This morning I cooked pork sausage for breakfast. We were so pleased to have that back on the menu. I am going to have to ration the sausage. We won't sell very much. It is moist, but not greasy. Well flavored but not overly salty. Let's hear it for pastured pork.

This afternoon I rendered the fat into lard. The ground up fat went into the kettle. I stirred and stirred as the fat melted and the little bits of cracklings popped. The lard was strained into clean mason jars and now sits to cool. I wish everyone had some snow white lard in their kitchen, ready for pies, stir-fries, fried eggs, whatever. Especially lard made from pastured pork. I read that lard from pork that ate lots of grass is a decent source of vitamin D. Hmmm. Isn't there a problem with people being deficient in vitamin D?

Anyway, that lard is white gold to me. Maybe Patrick will make some freshly milled spelt or whole wheat biscuits with that lard tomorrow to eat for breakfast.

Now, I better go check on the split pea soup that is cooking on the woodstove. The rain is chilly. Split pea soup and cornbread is on our menu for tonight. Cornbread with cracklins leftover from the lard. Come on over!

4 comments:

morebutter said...

hurray for lard! i used the last of the lard you gave me for apple pie and got rave reviews on how tender and flaky the crust was.

mmm, pork. i can smell those pork chops sizzling. i can see you leaning over the big stockpot full of rendering fat. i get a little teary-eyed at the thought of all that lard. i hope you might save a little jar of it for me!

Polly said...

It's 11 pm, I've just eaten some leftover (home-grown!) sweet potatoes, and yet reading this I am starving again! Yum!

gingerhillery@mac.com said...

You got it, Holly! I never have to wonder what to give you! Duck, pigs feet, lard. But we all know that you are the number one, hands down apple pie maker. Guess I need one of those apple pies!

Hi Polly! I think I am always hungry! Homegrown sweet potatoes are the best.

Jeff said...

Split pea soup and cornbread - two of my very favorite foods! Yum!!! I can make a mean split pea soup, but I've never had any success with cornbread. I can make very good yeast breads, but the mysteries of baking powder leave me, well, mystified.