A seething mass of turgid drama.

Short version: I am going "blah blah blah," not that I was blah about the event.
( blah say )

I am tired today. Not sore, but weary from being social and a bit wrung out from the whole thing. I would have liked to take today off but after last week's vacation, I can't justify that. So I should get back to work.

I was telling myself that I had to come up with a class for next year's Culinary Symposium, and nothing was feeling particularly inspiring. I was thinking about adapting a basic fresh sausage recipe to make caul fat-wrapped meatballs, so I glanced through the Charcuterie Doc.

And then I hit a variation on the Herb Omelette Sausage. I did a couple classes on this in previous years so I didn't want to repeat it - but the variant sounded... interesting. And suddenly there went the muse plotting out the recipe and class. I even came up with a decent working class title right away.

Guess I'm doing that one, then.

("He who wants to make a sausage, take bread crumbs and grated cheese and eggs and spices, and put it in a gut, and get a needle and pierce it, and make it boil and cook in water, and then roast it in among the bread, if you like that.")

This week's Resolution Recipe: Bean and Bacon Soup...For Science!
"When it comes to bacon, why go halfway?"
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I got out everything to start grinding meat for a modern French fresh sausage... and realized that a crucial piece was missing: the locking ring. Without that, there is no way to operate the grinder attachment. I don't want to hand-chop because among other reasons, I've been having shoulder pains.

Last time I used it was a few months ago. We searched all the usual possible places, and a few unusual ones. No luck.

I gave up and ordered a new one (none available locally). The grinder blade is getting dull anyway. But this means I have to punt until next weekend. Harumph. At least I hadn't gotten any farther than cutting meat strips...

In retrospect, it was over-ambitious to plan to make bread, panna cotta, and 4ish lbs of kale-Italian sausage today. Panna cotta is done, at least, but I started the bread last night so I have to do it today; and while I might have been able to make the sausage tomorrow, I've already sliced and started freezing the meat so I have to at least grind it today.

This week's Resolution Recipe: Chicken, Pork, Liver, and Mushroom Terrine.
"The livers should be left whole for a large interior garnish; be sure to mix the chicken breast, seared livers, and cooked mushrooms thoroughly to create a compelling mosaic."
( Terrine derives from Old French 'terrin', an earthenware dish. )

This week's Bonus Resolution Recipe: Good sausage with pork or other meat.
The Saluminati had a meeting at Beltane for five years. Some of them were wildly successful both in attendance and inspiration. Unfortunately, it did not continue when I stopped making it happen. I didn't have the bandwidth to push it, and if it couldn't happen without my input then it clearly wasn't sustainable. Still a bit sad though.
With that in mind, here's a bonus Beltane Resolution Recipe.
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This week's Resolution Recipe: Sausage and Mushroom Toad-in-the-Hole.
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This week's Resolution Recipe: Ham Hock & Black Sausage Terrine.
I lightly adapted this for time, ease, and ingredients we already had.
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Bonus Resolution Recipe brought to you by holiday baking: Crostello.
This is apparently a fading traditional Easter bread made in Città di Castello. I suspect it's 18th century, but who knows. The author said the local Slow Fud historian had tried to link it to "the ancient Roman crostacea or crostulum" but with no success.

Anyway, this is a sourdough/lardo bread, so right in my wheelhouse. I (obviously) used house-made lardo.
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