Tommy's Kitchen » Part of a Series

Garden Update 6/29

Tommy — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:23:15 +0000

The "Back 40" Jungle...

I have started to harvest some small onions and radishes – Yum! Sliced each thinly and ate with a touch of olive oil and good sea salt….

Catching Up with Tommy in the Garden

Tommy — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 22:58:17 +0000

My little corner of Heaven!

I know what you are saying:

“Asparagus, Peas, now Vegetable gardens – Tommy, what the hell is going on? There’s not a PIG to be found! At least cook up a COW, for goodness sakes! I’d even be happy with a CHICKEN!”

Pondering Peas and Asparagus Answers

Tommy — Sun, 31 May 2009 09:47:30 +0000

Laurel Grove Farms' booth at Sherwood Farmer's Market

Spring is here!

Yes, normally at this point in time I am writing about cooking meat outdoors – Just about what every man is thinking right about now.

Smithfield Ham for Dummies (Part 2)

Tommy — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 15:49:26 +0000

The Beginning of Deliciousness!

One of the great things about these hams is that since they are dry-cured, you can buy one and keep it for a while before cooking it. As for me, I just order mine on the internet. A couple of caveats when buying: Try not to be like me and buy the BIGGEST DARN HAM you can find. Remember, you are going to have to soak, cook, and deal with this thing – It’s MUCH easier when it is on the smaller side. When ordering via the Internet, you probably won’t have a choice – But you can always call them and request a smaller ham – They usually range from 10-14 Lbs. Secondly, if the high salt content turns you off, try a ‘Williamsburg’ ham – These are cured for shorter periods of time and thus have a milder salt taste.

Smithfield Ham for Dummies (Part 1)

Tommy — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 10:16:29 +0000

The Final Product

Country Ham, and the undisputed King of this delicacy, Smithfield Ham, has been around since the first settlers at Jamestown. It was the early 90′s (That’s 1990′s, I’m not THAT old!) when I first cooked one of these. Leslie and I had moved to Capital Hill in Washington, DC, and would spend most Saturday mornings at Eastern Market, a neighborhood Farmer’s Market with all sorts of vendors. We went for Breakfast at the “Market Lunch,” sometimes standing in line for over an hour in order to eat Eggs Benedict, egg sandwiches on homemade rolls, and for me, Scrapple.

Smithfield Ham – Peering Into The Past

Tommy — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 13:11:07 +0000

Early settlers needed some way to preserve their meat, and drawing from both the Italians (think Prosciutto) and the Native Americans (who processed salt from seawater), they started salt-curing then smoking their hams.

The Latin Rap

Tommy — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:05:20 +0000

In the land of strip malls and chain stores, when a big store like Staples folds and goes away, you have to wonder what that means.

Show Me The Belly!

Tommy — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 04:00:00 +0000

I'm wandering the aisles of my new favorite Asian market, Super H Mart, after a quick bowl of Kim-Chee soup, and what do I spy in the corner of my eye? Packages of cut-up Pork Belly, shrink-wrapped in the butcher case!