MAD MEAT GENIUS

MAD MEAT GENIUS
Chilebrown at home

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

“FIFTH QUARTER CHARCUTERIE”, BACON REVUE





Welcome to today’s Bacon Revue show. The stage will be a moving venue of sorts. The curtain will rise and we will begin at the Kensington farmers market and meet Scott Brennan, proprietor of the “Fifth Quarter’. ‘The Fifth Quarter’ is a company that specializes in charcuterie. Scott prepares his meats in a commercial kitchen in Emeryville and sells his finished products at the Kensington Farmers Markets. His farmer’s market booth has a black board listing specials, cured and pickled meats that are available for purchase. He will gladly offer tastes and of course I had to try the pickled lambs tongue. No, it did not taste like chicken. Scott also cures and smokes his own bacon. This is the Bacon Revue and we needed a performer to fill our stage. Fifth Quarter bacon will fill the bill, so let’s proceed with the second act where the venue will be at the Chilebrown kitchen.



This beautiful eye candy of a slab has a fancy pedigree of the Berkshire hog. It has been cured in salt and organic cane syrup. After a curing period it was then hot smoked with hickory and apple wood. This bacon has a very smoky aroma. Once sliced, we noticed a good fat to meat ration. Our trusty black iron pan was put on the fire for cooking duties. The bacon crisped up very nicely. The first bite was crisp with a slight chew of the meat. While chewing, a special meaty pork flavor danced on the tip of our taste buds. I think it is the Berkshire breed that is providing this porky flavor moment. Smoke is oh so prevalent but not overpowering. The sugar and salt are in the background with a good balance. This bacon has what it takes with fantastic pork flavor.




The ‘Fifth Quarter’ bacon will score very high today. Great balance of sugar & salt, smoke and a wonderful pork flavor will score this bacon at 4.5 stars out of 5. We made a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich with some ‘Fougassi’ bread from Wild Flour Bakery. The tomatos were from the garden. This show will end on a high note with one of the best sandwiches of the year. The encore will be; ‘BLT’s for everyone!




Fifth Quarter Charcuterie

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
Cost: 9.00/pound
Where: Kensington Farmers Market.
scott@thefifthquarter.co
510 289-8013

6 comments:

Zoomie said...

So glad you could find him there this time! Sounds very special. I'm envious - we missed the market this week but maybe I'll see you there next week.

Greg said...

Now you are making me jealous.Love that bread. The bacon sounds fantastic even thought the price seems steep. It works to support and independent artist.

Chilebrown said...

Zoomie, Kensington market is very nice. I almost bought a Narsai tye until I remembered a certain somebody promised me one.

Greg, Wild Flour is fantastic. We had sticky buns for breakfast.

cookiecrumb said...

What happened to my comment where I went and found you a Narsai tie, royal blue, still in its box?

Chilebrown said...

cookiecrumb, I cannot wait. I have not worn a bow tie since I was a kid. I seem to remember mine clipped on. Is this a real one?

cookiecrumb said...

It's real, and it's spectacular. You will look like a waiter.