Day thirty-four: The culinary student versus the pork
Posted on | March 31, 2009
Today is the second to last day in pork week. Meaning it is my second to last chance to taste pork.
So far, I manged to avoid it during the pork demonstration, avoid it when we made pork medallions, and avoid it when we stuffed that pork chop until it was bulging most grotesquely.
And every day I said to myself, “This is the day I will try pork.”
And every day, I did not.
Today I went to school, bound and determined to, finally, try some pork.
I hate pork. But not all pork. Let me explain.
I do want to clear one thing up. Sure, I loathe pork. But, lest you think I am prejudiced, you should know I didn’t have a problem with bacon.
As far as I was concerned, bacon was a non-pork, pork.
Ah, rationalization, friend to all.
Bacon, you see, is the “B” in “BLT.” Without which, there is no “B.” And the BLT, followed closely by its enthusiastic cousin, the club sandwich, were my favorite meals as a child.
And, be gone, ye who would promote the virtues of turkey bacon and it’s appalling lack of nitrates. Be gone, ye, who would, even more foolishly, promote vegetarian bacon with it’s horrible lack of, well, meat.
So while I spent my entire life hating pork, I adored bacon.
And then things changed.
It’s not just pork I won’t touch. It is now bacon, too, and …
But, alas, that love of bacon was in my past. See, in the last few years, I cut bacon out of my diet. In fact, before I started culinary school, I was an almost vegetarian. Which meant, I cut all poultry, all red meat, and, with rare exceptions, all fish out of my diet.
But then I started culinary school. And I decided I would cook everything and eat everything.
I didn’t think pork would be so difficult. But my childhood loathing of the stuff coupled with my recent almost vegetarian diet made this a real battle of the wills: Me against me.
Guess who won?
So, did ya eat the pork already or not?
The suspense is killing you, isn’t it? Okay. Yes. Yes I did.
But here’s the fun question. What did I think of it?
Pork. The other meat.
Now I’m not a big fan of poultry. As far as I am concerned, chicken and it’s related friends, just don’t bring that much to the table, so to speak. It’s like white rice or white bread: Just an excuse for lemon or butter or sauce. So I can live without chicken.
Beef and fish I get. A steak can be a glorious thing. And a fish, what a wonderful delicacy.
But pork, well, now I’ve tried it and this is what I think.
- Stuffed pork chop. It was so huge it was almost obscene. Cooked medium, I found it fairly tasteless (thank heavens) and unpleasantly chew, chew, chewy.
- Stuffed pork. This, too, was a bit dry. And it also had the tasteless chewy thing going on. If only you could make it less chewy and more tasty.
- Pork tenderloin. My dreams were answered. At least, half of them. Because, while the meat, which had been cooked with a light hand, was tender and juicy, there still wasn’t much to the taste, alas.
- Pork in a red Thai curry. My group (myself and 98 Pound Girl) made this one. The pork was fine; not too dry, not too chewy. But it still added no flavor to the curry (roast chicken, at least, adds a layer of scrumptiousness to whatever is cooked with it). So it was useless. However, the red curry was insanely good, so I’d just make a vegetarian version of this and be happy as a clam.
And will I ever eat pork again?
Not if I can help it. Sure, I will taste whatever pork is made at school. And if my husband gets ribs, I might have a bite. And, yes, I am sure there is undoubtedly another BLT in my future. But I will never cook pork at home (the raw flesh, with its flabby pink color, is even nastier to me than the cooked flesh, if that is possible). And I certainly will never order it in a restaurant.
But I am proud that I was able to conquer my fears and taste all that pork.
Funny, isn’t it, how this was tougher for me than trying those frog’s legs, a few weeks ago.
And did I tell you about the time I tried ‘gator?
Comments
5 Responses to “Day thirty-four: The culinary student versus the pork”
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March 31st, 2009 @ 3:24 pm
I’m proud of you! Though I’m with you on eating pork– it’s icky.
Congratulations, though. You did it!
March 31st, 2009 @ 3:59 pm
When I was in culinary school I didn’t like having to deal with all the raw chicken first thing in the morning. After it was cooked that was fine, the raw state bothered me. I am just really sensitive to the smell.
That is awesome that you are trying the pork even though you dislike the stuff. Glad you got over your fear and ate it. Sounds like you are enjoying your time in culinary school.It is important to try everything, but I must admit I didn’t. My poor cholesterol.
Way to go!!!
March 31st, 2009 @ 4:57 pm
I hope you’ll give pork another try. Cooked with care, meaning low and slow, it is very good. On another note – I tried ‘gator twice, and *it tasted like chicken*
Ha ha ha!!!
April 1st, 2009 @ 7:27 pm
congrats on your pork plunge. slow cooked pulled pork is wonderful…. as are good ole fashioned southern fried chops with country gravy…. mmmm mmm. I don’t eat it much…. but they can be really good. Went to a central market cooking class last night… (date night in paris)…demo class although it was sposed to be hands on. My date is a good friend of several yrs. former chef who does some great things with pork. We were the only ones on a date … two sets of girls night out a single guy and a couple of single women. Even my cooking guy learned some tricks… we learned to make coq au vin… spinach salad with strawberry champagne vinaigrette… onion tomato rustic tarts… and crepe suzette. I can still taste the yummy salad. all was delish… I even found a merlot I liked. It was one of the best date night thing I’ve done in forever. They even have a volunteer program to earn towards free classes. so cool. keep up the good work and at least pork week is almost over.
April 2nd, 2009 @ 11:26 am
Very little of what most meat that people consume would have much of a taste just on its own. Which is why I really have no problems eating tofu…which also doesn’t have a taste of its own!
Sometimes I look at a robin and think, ew, people eat larger versions of that.