We can’t stop thinking about these chicharonnes.
Danny and I attended Cochon555 over a month ago. And believe me, there was plenty of porky goodness to remember. Matt Dillon (of Sitka and Spruce and The Corson Building) offered handmade bologna — so different than the thin slices of Oscar Mayer behind plastic. Lark’s Jonathan Sundstrom (one of the Celebrated Chefs of America’s pork producers) handed us small slivers of pork terrine, composed of brined shank, head, and trotters. Rumors are that it contained black truffles, as well. The folks at Chow Foods made pork belly consommé with brain mousse (um, I passed on that one). And of course, there were the sous vide pork from Jason Wilson and pork sliders from Tamara Murphy.
No one went hungry.
My friend Hsiao-Ching could not stop talking about Jason Wilson’s smoked bacon macaron with bacon powder. (She might have slipped an extra one into her purse for her husband. Might.) Jay Friedman loved Matt Dillon’s “…stinging nettle soup, with pork broth poured over raw kidneys and hearts.” Everyone in the crowd had a favorite pork bite.
But me? And Danny? We loved these chicharonnes.
Ryan Farr, of 4505 Meats in the Bay Area, makes these melt-in-your-mouth, perfectly seasoned, haunt-you-for-weeks-afterward chicharonnes. He was at Chochon555, because his devilishly good snack had been chosen as the official snack of the entire Cochon tour. (And, he broke down an entire pig in front of the gathered crowd. But you probably don’t want to see photographs of that.)
I grabbed a handful as I talked with Ryan. He told us about the sea salt he uses, the chiles grown in the Bay Area, the rice bran oil he fries them in. “Oh, so that’s why they’re so light!” I said, as I popped another couple into my mouth. Ryan gesticulated, excited, talking about pig skin and frying and why he does this. I took it all in, but I don’t know a word he said.
The chicharonnes were that good.
I grabbed another handful as we walked out the door of the event, after sampling pork all evening.
We’re not the only ones who think these are fantastic. Check out these recommendations:
“Ryan, you are an evil genius! The Chicharrones are pig candy, pure and simple. Sweet and salty, melt-in-your-mouth candy. I’ve never had such a tasty, magical meat snack.”
“Crunchy crack-in-a-bag”
“Basically I want to set up a hammock with a giant bowl of Chicharrones and maybe some Mexican lager in a bucket of ice and not have to move for a few hours.”
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I grew up in southern MD, where these were known simply as fried pork rinds–horrible name, unappetizing appearance, yet completely addictive. These sound truely hazardous! Road trip!
I am so sorry I missed Cochon555–it will tour again, yes?–do you indeed have photos of the butchering? If you won’t show them here, then where? I have butchered venison, chevon, lamb and poultry but never pork. I, for one, would appreciate the lesson.
An aside: I’d heard a horrendous rumor that Crush had closed–so glad it was wrong– to think I might have lost one of my joyful food places–
Chef Danny: has Impromptu carried on your vision of safety for celiacs? I’ve assumed not–haven’t dined there since you left.
Carry on, friends. You do good work!
~Rae