Nose to Tail Bowl Digest, Part 11: Meineke Car Care of Texas Bowl; Hyundai Sun Bowl; AutoZone Liberty Bowl; Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl; Chick-fil-A Bowl

Meineke Car Care of Texas Bowl	Dec. 31	Noon	Houston	ESPN
Northwestern vs. Texas A&M
Hyundai Sun Bowl	Dec. 31	2:00 p.m.	El Paso, TX	CBS
Georgia Tech vs. Utah
AutoZone Liberty Bowl	Dec. 31	3:30 p.m.	Memphis, TN	ABC
Cincinnati vs. Vanderbilt
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl	Dec. 31	3:30 p.m.	San Francisco	ESPN
Illinois vs. UCLA
Chick-fil-A Bowl	Dec. 31	7:30 p.m.	Atlanta	ESPN
Virginia vs. Auburn

To quote Jaques Derrida from his appearance at Chick-fil-A Bowl particpiant UVA, "I am not going to keep my promise." The first of these five bowls is already underway, and the Cod has to figure out a week's worth of outfits that can go from Miami booster bonhomie to Seattle academic dyspepsia, and I do not have a five course artisan pork menu up my sleeve. But, in the sprit of New Year's resolutions, and the heritage pork kick we've been on, my suggestion is you resolve to be your own artisan in 2012. Buy a few books, Ruhlman's Charcuterie, either or both Fergus Henderson books, maybe Grigson. (Come to think of it, Grigson did "pork for chicks" long before Libbie Summers took a crack, and with considerably more integrity.) Get a Butcher and Packer catalog. Consider a chest freezer. Get a pig. It's not hard to find someone who has pigs. If you're stumped, talk to your favorite local restaurant and ask where they get their pigs. If they say "off the Sysco truck," find a new favorite restaurant. Chances are, you can find a farmer who will slaughter your hog at the size you want, and even feed it what you want it fed. Make sure the farmer saves the innards head, and trotters for you. Check back in and let me know how it goes. As a rule, a man or woman who can make his or her own bacon is someone respected in the community. 

Comments

[Tommy]

WTF? Is Victoria Wise's "American Charcuterie" chopped-liver?

[The Gurgling Cod]

Don't know that one. Looked it up. Sounds good.