ACF Professional Chefs & Apprentices of NE Annual Fundraiser

On Sunday,October 23rd of the ACF Professional Chefs and Apprentices of Nebraska had our annual fundrasing dinner. This is something that I have been a part of since 1999 and have hosted it at the places I work a few times and have always cooked for. This years I was a bit bigger part of the planning and execution than I had been in years past.

Earlier in the year I offered to do a educational presentation on the difference and benefits between heritage breeds and conventionally raised pork and whole hog butchery and utilization. Building on that idea we decided to base our dinner and the menu around the heritage breed hog we would be purchasing for the presentation and showing how to use different parts of the animal throughout the meal.

We were able to get a beautiful big Red Wattle from Travis at TD Niche Pork and on the Tuesday before the dinner at the college and I gave the presentation and several members of the chapter and myself butchered the pig and compared it to the convetionally raised Yorkshire-Cross pig I purchased from our Southeast Community College Agriculture Program. The Red Wattle shined compared to the Yorskshire-Cross which is still a exceptional product.

Here's are some pictures from the butchery and the dinner.

This is the Amazing Red Wattle Hog that we got from TD Niche Pork. This picture was taken right before it went in for harvesting.

This is of me preaching the gospel of heritage breeds

Still talking

Removing the Ham

Talking about the kidney.

Demoing the seperation of the belly and loin

This was really cool for me. Teaching my former instructor about whole hog fabrication.

No Comment

Several Chefs working on finishing up the work

The Dinner Menu

The First Course. My Course. Slow Roasted Pork Belly with a Cocoa Rubbed Smoked Pork Ravioli, Candied Bacon and Bacon Emulision. This dish was over the top in pork fat goodness. Couple more tweeks and it could be a perfect dish.

Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup utilizing the Pork stock from our Red Wattle

Maple Leaf Farms Smoked Duck Breast Salad with Wisconsin Camembert Cheese Beignets & Caramelized Walnuts

Slow Roasted Dried Fruit Sausage Stuffed Red Wattle Loin with Robert Sauce, Butternut Squash Risotto and Fresh Greens Beans and Bacon

Trio of Desserts: Mocha-Pecan Torte, Pumpkin Cheesecake and Fresh Berry Tart utilizing the Lard from our Red Wattle in the crust

Beer Drank while writing this post: Mountain Standard by Odell Brewing Co out of Fort Collins, CO.

Blue Blood Brewing Co.

I'm not one to really think much about or set new years resolutions because typically I just find that they get thrown off to the side people really don't really see them through but this year I'm making some changes and one of them is to try and keep up on this blog more. I want to really use this as a journal of what is going on in world of food and beverage. I've done this on one of my other blogs and it has really helped me to go back and reccount what I've done. So this is the first of many to come of me trying to catch up on what has been happening.

On December 7th I was excited to go to the opening party for the newest brewery to open in Lincoln, Blue Blood Brewing Co. Its always exciting for me to have a new local brewery opening especially one that is only about a 3 minute drive from my house. I met up with a fellow beer enthusiast (or as I typically put it "brew geek") to check out the brewery. I first heard about this brewery a few months ago and had been swinging by on my bike occassionaly to see what was happening.

The brewery is featuring two beers to start and both were available for tasting at the party. They have 1327 Pod's ESB that I thought was a nice and refreshing brew that will be great in the summer and paired with lighter foods. They also have 834 Happy As Ale which I thought was a really good american pale ale. I can't wait to drink more of it.

Right now since the brewery is still growing they are only set up to offer beer in kegs and will be soon offering the two beers in cans which I can't wait for. I have been able to get to have the beers again while I've been out at a couple of local restaurants and bars. I've also heard rumors that they will be working on some new offerings including a porter which I'm really happy to hear since it is my favorite style.

Here's a couple of pics I took at they brewery:

They gave all of their tanks a name which I thought was clever.

Here are a couple of images of what their cans will look like:

I really like the design on both of the cans. Look forward to seeing them in my fridge and cooler soon.

Beer drank while writing this post: Single Wide IPA by Boulevard Brewing Co. out of Kansas City, MO.