Top Row (from left): One World Coffee, raw milk, lardo, bacon. Bottom Row: beef cubes, Pub Cheddar, Cow Pie, Parmesan, Orange Cardamom Sausage
Today’s trip to Hendricks Farm yielded an impressive (and wallet-busting) array of treats), as well as an opportunity to chat at length with Bob del Grosso, who prepared both the sausage and the lardo.
I first read about lardo in Bill Buford’s Heat, and I remember salivating at his description of cured pig’s fat seasoned with rosemary and other spices. Bob’s version did not disappoint. Upon his suggestion, I tried it thinly sliced on some fresh bread, heated for a few minutes under the broiler. Fat lovers: hunt this stuff down!
The Parmesan and Pub Cheddar are old favorites, which I wrote about on an earlier visit to the farm. This was my first encounter with the cow pie, though. This bloomy rind cheese was surprisingly acidic. Had I known better, I would have thought it was chevre. Regardless, it was outstanding.
The beef cubes are for tomorrow’s stew. I was kicking myself on the drive home, when I realized that the one pound I picked up was far to little: forget about even the possibility of leftovers.
Finally, the coffee is from local roaster One Village Coffee. Evidently, they roast right down the road from the farm. This is a blend roasted especially for Hendrick’s Farm. I hope it lives up to the standards I have for the rest of their products.
