Gerard Craft devotees are well aware that the chef has an affinity for bacon. So, too, does Ari Weinzweig, co-founder of Ann Arbor, Mich., institution Zingerman’s Delicatessen and author of Zingerman’s Guide to Better Bacon. Pair the pork paramours, and you can understand why the bacon dinner held last night at Niche sold out within six hours of its announcement.
After having snagged seats at this four-course bacon bonanza, Sauce agrees with Craft and Weinzweig that bacon can, indeed, secure a spot in any meal – from start to finish. It began with a melt-in-your-mouth house-cured lardo drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with walnuts, then moved to the innovative Hangtown Fry (pictured above), made of an egg-ramps purée, fried oyster and bacon caviar (the preparation for this alone deserves an article unto itself) all stuffed into an eggshell. Next was our fave of the night, bacon hash, a composition of crispy jowl, locally grown micro greens, peas and a poached egg, placed atop toasted Companion bread. Bits and Grits Waffles involved a grits-based waffle topped with smoked pork belly, and a touch of maple jus served with clam chowder, an airy clam foam, baby carrots and pea shoots from Claverach Farm. Suffice it to say that dessert – bacon ice cream rolled inside chocolate cake, drizzled with bacon chocolate gravy and served with a wedge of pork fat brittle – was hardly a gammon.
An animated Weinzweig led the bacon enthusiasts through the annals of bacon and the storied beginnings of Zingerman’s. He’ll be doing the same today from noon until 2 p.m. at Straub’s at 8282 Forsyth in Clayton, where customers can pick up a signed copy of Zingerman’s Guide to Better Bacon and grab a bite of Weinzweig’s Cheese-Bacon Scone, a recipe featured in the book.
– Ligaya Figueras
Photograph by Ligaya Figueras
This article appears in May 1-31, 2010.