Bacon Review + The Weekend + Slicer Pizza + Honey Baked Ham

It's cold in Oakland and I can't seem to get warm. My hands are cold all the time, even when I'm wearing gloves. Old man syndrome.

Last Sunday at the Jack London Square's weekly Farmer's market I picked up a pound of bacon from a company named Boucherie Meats.  I told the man who was selling it, Peter Jackson,  that I would try it, write a review, and send that review to him. So, here it is.

I opened the packaged bacon to find one solid piece of fatback bacon. At least I think it's fatback and not pork loin. I say that because pork loin is leaner, fatback, is of course fattier. I like the fact that it was one solid piece so I could cut to my own thickness but I think a lot of customers might not like it that way.

Many people are not comfortable using a ten inch French knife. Fatback is not that easy to cut through, think of a slightly softer shoe leather, and for 10 bucks a pound people might think, "Shit, I can get Hobbs apple wood smoked bacon for 8 dollars a pound, cut, and with more meat on it.

There's was a lot of fat on this peace of meat, but the flavor from the hard wood smoke, and the taste from the crackling, the pig skin, was excellent. I'll give them that much. If it was learner I'd buy it again.

Now, of course I'll use all that fat. I saved all of it that I could. Next time I make French fries or a potato gratin I'll use that fat, along with other pork fat I've saved, but when I buy bacon I want more meat. It's just that simple. This was not lean enough for me.

Would I buy it again? Not the bacon. Next time I see him I will try his sausages, and do a review on those. They make an andouille sausage that I'd like to try. They can be found at; www.boucheriemeats.com 510 495-6584

I will give them a one joint review. It's better than no joints.

This weekend is like the rest. More cycling, date at the movies with the bride , life.

I went back to Slicer on Piedmont Ave. and they now have oregano, and possibly the most fragrant oregano I've ever smelled. Collin showed it to me, and you could smell it coming out of the shaker. So, take that dink off my check list.

Greek oregano has always been the most pungent to me. Maybe I have to change my thinking, or my source for oregano. I'll get the name of the oregano source next time I'm there.  In the package he showed me the oregano was dried, but still on the stems. I was at Slicer because -

I was over at Honey Baked Ham getting my ham for X MAS and the place was slammed. I'll make the mac and cheese, dessert, salad and the dressing next Wednesday. I can bake a smoked ham that will have you coming back for more every time, but it's a lot of work. HBH got it down. Buy it or make it? This year I decided I'd buy it. I just hope I don't eat it all before Wed. Falling off the bone. I love the swine, and it loves me.

Back to Slicer...The slices still need to be bigger. That's the only thing that standing in the way of a coveted three joint restaurant review from the Old Hippie Chef, speaking in the 3rd person.

As usual, I bought two slices. Bottom line. Slicer pie ROCKS! Bravo. My new favorite place to get a slice of pie this side of Oakland. Two and a half joints.

Have a peaceful weekend.

That's it.

Life is what happen in between meals.

Peace,

Make Food/Not War