TERRINE DE PORC

Rarely do I find myself enjoying both the cooking process and eating of a foodstuff. Terrines are different. Assemblage isn't complicated, but it takes time and a sharp knife. There's something ineffable about being surrounded by pig parts. Pork shoulder, belly, ham, bacon, lard. Putting this terrine together is something you'll want to do when the trees are dead yellows, burnt reds. When the air has finally fucking cooled and the house takes on a quiet only present in the coming of winter.

Putting this thing together calls for great ingredients. Look for a shoulder that's not too fatty. If you have a source for local pork, by all means... Belly is getting harder to find; ethnic grocers stock copious amounts. All you'll find in the market chains are salt pork, which is unusable. Boiled ham is needed and I always seem to have some in the freezer. A rough chop of all ingredients: shoulder, belly, ham. Then smaller dice of all three. Grease a small breadpan with lard. The oven at medium.

Now a word on bacon: 90 percent of commercially availible bacon is shit. If you can find "country bacon," hoard it. Burger's Smokehouse makes a good country bacon. If you live in Pennsylvania, Dietrich's Meats is your gate to pig heaven. You're looking for a fatty bacon. Ideally I would use caul fat, but I don't live in Devonshire. So break the bacon out. Line the tin with it, letting the excess hang over the sides.

Mix the chopped shoulder, belly, and ham together by hand. Working it like a dough is advised. Then seasoning: fresh nutmeg, mace, crushed juniper, savory, herbes de provence, black pepper, a clove of garlic. A few glugs of brandy or eau de vie. Keep in mind this will be served cold. You may need to test the seasoning. It will need to be fairly intense. Heat up a small bit in a pan for testing. Once you're satisfied begin stuffing the mixture in the tin. Cover with the bacon strips and seal with foil. Place into a larger pan and fill with water up to the half mark. In a medium oven for two hours.

Rest the terrine until cooled and keep in the fridge overnight with canned goods over the top to maintain its shape. You can bang the terrine out of the tin. But I've never done this. I just slice the thing straight from the pan. Service is simple. Don't dress this up. Toast. Pickles. Mustard. Beer.