While lacking the pig head on a stick, Karma Food Projects’ September 6th Pig Island in Red Hook, Brooklyn served up hogs in nearly every other form.
In its fifth year, the all-things-pork celebration pulled in 25 local NYC chefs to create dishes emphasizing nose-to-tail cooking of 25 large pigs from the Battenkill River Valley’s Flying Pigs Farm. The concept behind the day is simple: purchase pigs from local farms to support New York-based farmers, hand them over to talented, professional New York chefs to cook up creative tasting portions, and offer guests all-inclusive VIP tickets. As the saying goes, “you are what you eat,” but if being a pig tastes this good, then oink oink.
Highlights amongst this year’s chefs and dishes included:
Michael Jenkins (Butter) with Chorizo Tacos with Watermelon and Serrano Chile Sauce
Katy Spark and Adam Shepherd (Tavern on the Green) with Glazed Pork Belly on Chilled Ramen
Ben Schneider (The Good Fork) and St. John Frizell (Fort Defiance) with Pit-Roasted Whole “Merpig” (aka a roast pig wrapped in seaweed)
Thomas Perone (The Pig Guy NYC) with Italian Spring Rolls with Roast Pork, Broccoli Rabe and Provolone-Horseradish Mayo and Pork Sliders with Lime Chimmichurri
Davide Navarro (Jimmy’s No. 43) with Cochinita Pibil, a traditional Mexican slow-roasted pork dish from the Yucatán Península
Jon Bratton (NYC Hot Sauce) and Justin Brunwasser (Friedman’s Lunch) with Pork Belly Lettuce Cups finished with Peach Chutney, “Hog’s Head” Cheese, Pork Skin Crackle and NYC Hot Sauce
Topped off with unlimited Craft Beer from Barrier Brewing, Singlecut Beersmiths, and Sixpoint Craft Ales, NYC State Wine, Hard Ciders from the Hudson Valley and live music and patrons were as happy as a pig in… you see where we’re going with this.
Missed the event?
Fortunately for you, Jimmy Carbone, the man behind the swine-genius, is an NYC-based restaurateur with twenty years of culinary experience under his belt, and a whole lot to offer outside of Pig Island. Creator of Food Karma Projects (creative producers of specialty food and craft beverage events throughout the New York area) and owner of Jimmy’s No. 43 (a Craft Beer Pub and Kitchen in Manhattan’s East Village) Jimmy is on a mission to bring sustainable, locally driven culinary masterpieces to the people of New York. Not only do Jimmy’s endeavors give to New Yorkers taste buds, they also grant chefs a chance to break through by showcasing their talents AND benefit non-profit community groups. In other words, all hail the man who has made charitable eats a thing.
Get in on the daily action and join Jimmy’s No. 43 for pop up kitchens, classes, prix fixe dinners and guided tastings by emailing here: foodkarma@gmail.com
Be sure to follow Jimmy during Cider Week NYC for cider-centric events including CiderfeAst, an indoor/outdoor expo featuring 20 different cider makes and grilled bites to pair.
Keep in mind Jimmy’s tips to getting the most out of culinary-tasting experiences:
Arrive early to any event with food. It will run out.
All you can drink is fun, but let the food drive the day. In other words, don’t fill up on beer.
Events are rain or shine, so bring a poncho… your hands will be too full with food to juggle an umbrella.
And if you can’t wait for Pig Island 2015, bring home the bacon with Carbone’s e-book, I Like Pig: The Pig Island Cookbook, with pork recipes to perfect in your kitchen, releasing later this month.
By Lily Rouff