Monsoon - ordering Mangalitsa

I spent a lot of time at Monsoon today.

Eric is ordering our Washington product, which, isn't cut as nicely as our Missouri product. That means he's got to figure out how to make the most of it.

Basically, from the boneless shoulder butt, he can get out a neck (the best meaty cut on the pig except for tenderloin), which is great pan-fried and a bunch of trim which becomes rillettes, which he can make into fried rice (with duck egg!).

Eric is very intrigued by Mangalitsa lardo. I can see he's trying to figure out how to employ Mangalitsa lardo in some of his own dishes. Of course, if he does make lardo (or have us make a batch for him), he'll do it with Vietnamese spices.

When I see chefs like Eric trying to figure out how to use lardo, I get very happy - because that's right up our alley.