Links first...

Apparently yesterday was National Pig Day...Nobody tells me these things anymore. In honor of the magnificently delicious pig, here are a few links.

Courtesy of Wikipedia, here is everything you ever wanted to know about eating pigs. I actually think the diagrams and the accompanying blurbs about which cut of pig gets used each dish we eat is very informative.

I know someone who died eating too many of these.

Here is a flickr set devoted to a woman who gave up vegetarianism in style—30 days of eating pork products.

The Serious Eats pig day honor roll, listing the best places to eat pig all over the country.

A video look into The Spotted Pig.

Not pig related—A British perspective on the foie gras debate. I’m not quite sure what the argument is here (possibly that we should kill ducklings more often because they taste better?), but the author finishes by deciding to go eat more duck.

Anthony Bourdain making fun of Martha Stewart and more.

A really cool NYmag feature on one of Jordan Kahn’s desserts. He works at Varietal in New York but had his beginnings at Alinea in Chicago

Should I go to culinary school?


That’s it for the links today.

As for the dinner party…We are now at 10-11 guests, giving us a shopping list that looks like this:

DiPalo’s Dairy
16 oz ricotta
6-8 oz samplings of one hard and one semi soft Italian Cheese
16 oz prosciutto
3-4 links of soppressata
Polenta

Raffetto’s
Squid Ink Lobster Ravioli 2 Boxes
Cavatelli for 4

Citarella
1.5-2 Pounds rock shrimp
Chives
1 jar Salmon caviar
12 small chicken legs
1 bag Frozen sweet corn (unless fresh is available)
1 bunch Parsley
1 box plumTomatoes
2 oranges for zesting
Heavy cream
Honey

Farmers Market
Fresh Breads
Leafy green for the chicken course
Anything else that looks good that I might be able to use

Samantha’s (tiny Italian shop)
Cannoli shells

I wish there was a way to make all of the pasta from scratch but my busy shecudle will never really permit me to do so. As a result, I find myself running around New York searching for the best of what it has to offer. I can't wait for the spring when shopping at the Union Square Farmers Market becomes fun again.

I actually think that once we get all of our ingredients, cooking dinner will be relatively easy. Either way, it’s going to be a busy next couple of days.