Fancy Pants
Fancy? Absolutely. Fussy? Never. This installment features a meat and cheese combo that bring a little extra sparkle to your charcuterie board. Indulge in the delicious luxury of creamy, French-inspired brie and heritage breed cured pork loin. Zhuzh it up with some sparkling wine or snack in your PJs – no one will judge!
In this installment
Mini Brie from Ann Arbor
Texas Iberico Sliced Lomo
Mini Brie from Ann Arbor
Right from the start, this oozy, woozy, Brie-style cheese has been tasting impressively good—buttery, mushroomy, almost meaty in the finish.
Unlike the large wheels of Brie which caught on in Paris to feed lots of people by the wedge, each four-ounce round of this cheese fits in your palm. It is just big enough for eating at home or sharing with a few friends.
The main thing to know is that this little cheeses taste terrific! Great with a good crusty loaf of bread. Nice with fresh apples or pears, and a good match with walnuts, hazelnuts, or almonds. Made from pasteurized cow’s milk.
Texas Iberico Cured Lomo
In the hill country of Texas (outside Austin), there’s a ranch raising a very special pig in a very special way. Perhaps you’ve heard of “Iberico de Bellota” salume? It’s the famous Spanish cured meats that can cost as much as $250 a pound from very special speciality food stores and restaurants. The Spanish version is made from a specific breed, the “black footed” pig that lives in the dry plains and forages for acorns while it lives a happy life outside.
Turns out the hill country of Texas is a lot like the “dehesa” of Spain where the pigs come from. By bringing over the black footed Iberian pig to Texas and letting them do what they do (just in Texas), you can create charcuterie and meats that are just as delicious as the famous Spanish versions.
The pigs root and roam and live their lives outdoors for eighteen months—forever in the commercial pig world. They gobble up acorns, mesquite beans, and more, which marbles the fat and supercharges the flavor.
Lomo is the Spanish word for loin, and after curing for 60 days with prickly pear nectar, salt, and smoked paprika it’s a lean, delicate, slightly sweet tidbit with a savory/umami undertone. It works on every charcuterie tray you could create, and all the cheeseboards, too.