Is it a shoulder or a butt?

I have been making pulled pork for quite a while and the recipe calls for 5 lb pork shoulder-butt. Hmmmm....is it a shoulder or a butt, because those two areas of the pig are definitely not at all similar in location. We just had Kalua Pork this weekend which is like an Hawaiian version of pulled pork and that also called for a butt, but nobody had one. Every store had a pork shoulder-picnic roast. I did a little research to figure out if I could substitute one for the other and as it turns out they are not the same.

Here is the deal though so you aren't kept up at night contemplating this one. The pork shoulder is broken down into two sections-the picnic roast and the butt. In some places the butt is also called Boston Butt (just to keep you on your toes)....The butt is the upper portion of the shoulder while the picnic is the lower section of meat. You can use either one for most recipes as they generally are interchangeable. The biggest difference is-the butt has very little inedible (think skin/fat, and bones) and therefore you get more bang for your buck pound for pound.

Anyways, here is the amazing pulled pork recipe that was shared with me by a co-worker years ago. It is a hit every time.

Pulled Pork with Spicy Mustard Sauce (serves 6-8)

5-7 lb pork shoulder butt

1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder

1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

1 Tablespoon Brown Mustard

3 Teaspoon Paprika

3 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

Mix all spices together with sugar and salt to create a dry rub. Massage this rub all over the pork. Cover and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees, roast pork for 6 hours.

While pork is cooking make sauce:

1 1/2 Cups Cider Vinegar

1 Cup Mustard

1/2 Cup Ketchup

1/3 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Clove Smashed Garlic

1 Teaspoon Salt

2 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Combine all of these ingredients together in saucepan. Bring to a simmer, cooking 10 minutes.

When pork comes out of oven let it rest for 10 minutes, then using forks "pull" it apart. It should shred very easily. Try not to eat all of the crusty bits from the outside of the pork while you do this (it's nice to share!).

I always douse the pork with a little of the mustard sauce and serve the rest on the side.

For try Southern style serve this on a roll with some coleslaw.

Ohh La La....

I love crepes. When I go to a creperie I struggle with a single decision-do I partake in the sweet or the savory? Ok, maybe a second thought does cross my mind-can I justify a sweet AND a savory? I rarely give into the urge for both because it is just too rich so more often than not I end up with a yummy savory crepe..

In case you don't know what a crepe is-it is a very thin french "pancake" that is cooked on a circular frying pan in a pat of butter. The batter is very thin and easy spread out to the edges of the pan with a wooden spatula. The pan is hot and the batter so thin you have to work quickly and then flip it to give the other side a nice golden color and within a moment the pancake is cooked, and you fill it with any number of options.

I can't for the life of me remember my first crepe experience. But crepes are in my head today as we had lunch at Chez Daisies on Jay Street in Schenectady, so I thought this was a good time to discuss them.

My favorite savory crepes involve some sort of protein (usually chicken) with spinach and a creamy cheese like brie or goat. I am a sweet crepe purist...nothing tastes better to me than Nutella (chocolate-hazelnut spread) with strawberries in a warm crepe topped with some fresh whipped cream.

I thought you might like the down-low on a few crepes I have enjoyed across the country...Here they are in order of preference:

Crepes n' Crepes in Denver, CO- I had been in Denver for a good three days before I found this gem tucked off to the side of a little plaza. I went in and the atmosphere was consistent with most creperies, a touch of french whimsy and a smallish seating area. I love good food, but am really a cheapskate so I was even more excited to see that they had some sort of "crepe happy hour" special going on and the crepes were all half price...(Gee....does that mean for the price of 1 crepe I can enjoy a savory and a sweet crepe-sold)! I started with one of the aforementioned chicken, spinach, creamy goat cheese offerings, I do believe there were some yummy sauteed mushrooms involved. The best part though was that the crepe was incredibly warm and fresh. In my opinion crepes aren't really to-go food and the longer they sit the more rubbery the actual thin crepe pancake becomes. I watched this one made from about 3 feet away from me. The crepe itself was delicate and hot, the cheese, spinach and chicken were mixed together in the filling so I got each taste in every bite. For dessert I decided on a version of a crepe sundae-warm crepes folded into quarters with strawberries, bananas, chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream. The waiter told me it was big enough for two...don't judge me waiter-man! I am a sucker for warm/cold combos as well as bananas and ice cream so this worked on every level for me.

Ravenous-Saratoga Springs, NY- This little whole in the wall on Phila Street near the parking garage has only one criticism in my opinion-it is just too small! The whole joint probably seats 20 people. They offer all of the usual crepe suspects as well as special of the day crepes. On our last visit my husband, Michael had the special which was a Reuben crepe. Not my thing, but he seemed to really enjoy it. What sets Ravenous apart is the Pomme Frites that they offer along with crepes. Pomme Frites are fries in the french tradition that are double fried for extra crispness and then salted and served with a variety of flavored mayos (think pesto-mayo, garlic-mayo, chipotle-mayo etc). Let me tell you, these ain't no freedom fries! At Ravenous they are served in a cone holder and you can order some of those awesome mayo's for a small fee. They are the perfect accompaniment to round out the crepe meal.

Profi's Crepes-Reading Terminal Market Philadelphia, PA-In case you don't know Reading Terminal Market is a food lover's paradise offering everything from Philly Cheese steak, warm cookies out of the oven and yes, crepes. I had a delicious egg and cheese breakfast crepe. The eggs were fluffy and the cheese was a goat variety. (I can't help it...I'm a slave to goat cheese!) The crepe was tasty and for $5 a real steal. They have all your crepe fillings to get you through breakfast, lunch and a sweet tooth. A great option that is a little different in the RTM.

The Village Creperie Cafe-Huntington, NY-Michael and I stole away for a quick bite alone one day during a visit with his family. We left Zoe with Grandma and away we went...Another small spot with some french appeal in the accessories around the place. I was disappointed with the crepe selection, but on the upside they let me add the cheeses I wanted to one of their creations. But in actuality they had maybe 6 or 7 options for savory and like 4 for sweet. Just not very creative. All savory crepes came with a nice little green salad. The crepe was freshly made and served immediately. The cheese was of good quality and oozed throughout the entire crepe.

Chez Daisies-Jay Street Schenectady, NY - Today was my first visit and to give the Chez Daisies crew credit I need to try them a second time which may move them higher on the list. The prices were about what you would expect-$7.25/ea for crepes. They also had 3 salads that revolved around avocado in some way for around $5 each. The storefront is rather small but decorated in a decidedly french cafe tradition. You order at the counter and then walk through the doorway that leads to the quaint dining area and pick a seat. In order to keep costs in check they have installed a window into the dining area and you pick up your own food at here so they can eliminate table service. We were hoping to watch the precise process of a small ladle of batter being spread onto the crepe pan and cooked in the blink of an eye. I was disappointed to see precooked crepes reheated on the pan and then filled. I am sorry, they just don't taste the same. Crepes get a little rubbery and lose that delicate flavor and texture when not fresh. It was also a disappointment to Zoe, my daughter who was having her first crepe experience so this lost some some excitement for her. I had the trois fromages (3 cheeses) that was topped with a stewed apple compote and chopped walnuts. The crepe was fine, the cheeses had a good flavor. I didn't care for the apples, they lacked flavor and seemed bruised and maybe old (?) and the walnuts were just tossed on top. Perhaps a sauce that incorporated walnuts may have been better to bring the dish together. Zoe had the Petit Enfant which was supposed to be peanut butter, nutella and banana. They were out of peanut butter...the crepe was fine but I think the peanut butter would have cut the nutella yet added a complimentary richness to the plate. All in all not my beloved crepe experience. On the upside the staff was very friendly, the prices were reasonable and the restaurant was very clean.

If you haven't given crepes a try or it has been ages since you dined on the little pillow of cheese and veggies or nutella and fruit I urge you to seek one out!

The Triple Crown

There is a block in New York City that satisfies pretty much all of my food needs. The problem is that I don't get to NYC all that often and when I do it is difficult for me to make more than one trip to this area so I have some tough choices to make, but I've learned to improvise....

So, what could this bountiful food block have to offer and where exactly can it be found? It is Spring Street, between Mott & Mulberry in the (sadly) ever-shrinking Little Italy section of New York City.

We start my culinary adventure at Lombardi's on the corner of Spring & Mott. The claim to be the first coal fired pizza restaurant and therefore the oldest. I can't imagine that it isn't true, but I really don't care either way because if the pizza weren't so damn good it wouldn't matter how it was cooked. I am going to devote an entire blog entry to Lombardi's in the near future so I will leave the details for that post but let me just say that after eating Lombardi's pizza I can't even stomach another pie for at least a month. They all taste terrible to me-that is how good their pizza is.

After eating more than my fill of pizza I waddle down towards Mulberry and right next to each other in the middle of the block they stand like beacons of dessert goodness calling to me, literally fighting for my love. On the left is my beloved Pinkberry and to the right is the one and only Rice to Riches rice pudding shop.

What's a girl to do? I really am not piggish enough to eat a bowl of rice pudding and a serving of Pinkberry's swirly goodness, so I get the Pinkberry (medium original with strawberries please!), and after I have inhaled every last swirly bite I roll myself next door to Rice to Riches for a to go cup to have for breakfast the next morning. (As far as I am concerned nothing starts the day better than delicious homemade rice pudding that you have painstakingly kept chilled and protected in your travels throughout New York City...).

Now, I know I haven't really told you much at all about neither Pinkberry nor Rice to Riches and I promise that a post about each is on the way-they are both worthy of their own moment in the blogosphere sun.

You can't go to New York City without tripping over some of the best food on earth. There are literally thousands of other spots in NYC that are bound to be someones faves but to have 3 of my most beloved all right there is something special to me and I thought you might like to partake in one or all 3 next time you find your stomach grumbling someplace between Mott and Mulberry whilst standing on Spring Street.

Aisle after Aisle of Possibilities

I love the grocery store. Whether home or on the road it is a favorite spot for me. I travel an hour and a half to pick up staples like olive oil and soy sauce at Trader Joe's. If I see a Whole Foods I make a point to try to stop in and indulge in a luxurious little treat, like a super creamy goat cheese or a fig and hazelnut spread. I went all the way to Thailand and had 3 requirements for the trip and one of them was to visit a Thai grocery store in Bangkok (and, yes all 3 of my needs were met and then some!).

You know there is something quite enjoyable about just going to my local Price Chopper or Hannaford though too. I am generally an early riser and often will do my grocery shopping on a Sunday morning around 7:30 or 8:00am. The store is relatively quiet and produce is freshly stocked and I can hear my own thoughts.

What is it about the grocery store that is so appealing to me? There are a few reasons. I think the most important is the aisles of possibilities that await me. I can slowly stroll up and down the aisles reading labels for ingredients, recipe ideas and nutritional content. I can see what the freshest looking protein is and build meals around it using seasonal produce and pantry staples. I am not a creative type by trade-I can't paint or sing or dance but I can dream up a recipe or menu and the grocery store is MY palette. It is a tool that allows me to express my point of view.

I can take my time, going back and forth when a new thought pops into my head and grab that package of mushrooms or the perfect purple potatoes to turn into a delicious salad when the idea hits me. I am also a coupon shopper who loves a good bargain, so between my improv menu planning and my coupon sorting I am not a quick shopper (don't get me wrong, I can be in and out in 15 minutes or less if I need to be...but I don't enjoy it). I often am in the grocery store for 1 - 1 1/2 hours to do weekly/bi-weekly shopping for 3 people.

I know that I am not the only one who loves to grocery shop either. I may take it to the extreme but many working moms that I know have said it is a weekly solace to go out and do the shopping, regain some control and perspective on their lives in that brief hour walking from aisle to aisle checking items off their list. I know several people who travel for Trader Joe's, a friend who immediately went to a grocery store after a 6+hour flight to London and folks that go from store to store looking for the best value for their money or the perfect ripe beefsteak tomato.

Next time you are in the grocery store I hope you open your eyes to all the possibilities.