Pork & Sons

by Stéphane Reynaud

I just received his nifty book, with its mix of essays, recipes, and photographs, and drawings of amusing pigs. Naturally, I dove right in, starting with a recipe for a Spanish chorizo tortilla, as it would be prepared in Lyon.

Great idea, nice flavor, but I blew the execution. I believe, in retrospect, that when Stéphane Reynaud said to “beat the eggs,” he meant to whip them like mad, not to hit them with a stick. The result was more onions and sausage and potatoes, with a little egg thrown in, rather than a light eggy tortilla with lots of tasty ingredients baked right in.

But it did go well with margaritas, and there's still two chorizos left for the second attempt.

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I didn't cook pork for a long time, mostly because I don’t particularly like pork chops. It’s not religion or mos maiorum, really — good bacon is terrific — just the sense that supermarket porkchops are too dull and too dry to be work eating. But I’ve discovered the unloved bits, shoulder and belly, and sometimes they’re awfully good. Remedial lessons are in order, so this is a welcome title.