Spur-of-the-Moment Porchetta Dinner at Bouquet

My Friday dinner at Bouquet Restaurant and Wine Bar was a last-minute impulse spurred by spotting photos on its facebook page of porchetta being prepped for evening service. I'd been fortunate to taste Chef Stephen Williams' porchetta once before, thanks to my new farmer friend Tricia Houston of Napoleon Ridge Farm + Nature Center, who arranged for me to attend an unforgettable pig tasting dinner there featuring one of her animals. A quick call to Bouquet confirmed they could fit me in at 6:30. So I turned the car around and sped to Covington.

Bouquet's menu always embraces the season and spotlights the best local produce, proteins, and other products Chef Williams can lay his hands on. For my first course, I was intrigued by the inclusion of blackberries in this tomato salad with julienned snow peas and shaved sheep's milk cheese, dressed in a basil-flecked mignonette. I am SO going to put blackberries together with tomatoes at home after tasting this combination.

"That salad is all Tricia," the chef told me when he stopped by my table, referring to the produce bursting with summer flavor. The one component from another source was the cheese. As soon as I read the menu description of it as "Kentucky sheep's milk cheese," I had to ask my server if it was from Good Shepherd Cheese. Sure enough. I met the owners of Good Shepherd last fall, who laid claim to making the only sheep's milk cheese in Kentucky, so I figured it had to be from them. I knew they were trying to expand into the Northern Kentucky market, and am delighted to see their cheese featured at Bouquet. When a couple at a table next to me raised the same question, I was even happier to know word about Good Shepherd is spreading.

Although my dinner reservation was impromptu, there was nothing last-minute about the porchetta main course. The Napoleon Ridge pork belly was stuffed with dijon, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and lemon zest, tied into a tight roll, then cooked sous-vide for 12-14 hours.

Chef Williams served a slice of the fatty, herby porchetta roll on a bed of peaches and carrots (a little too al dente for me) with tarragon, drizzled the plate with blackberry preserves, and topped the dish with one of my favorites – stuffed squash blossoms. These blossoms were filled with mascarpone, roasted mushrooms, and more blackberry preserves.

A great combination, and I liked the medium-sized portion for a dish that remains as rich as porchetta. Still, I hesitated when it came to ordering dessert. I considered sticking with a simple scoop of one of Bouquet's house-made ice creams, which never disappoint. But the "Jar Pie," a peach cobbler of sorts, sounded tempting.

I finally chose the rum cake. And was glad I did.

I got a scoop of Bouquet's house-made ice cream (vanilla) after all, sitting on a miniature rum cake. But the star of the course was this mango froth over strawberries, with pistachios and a chiffonade of mint.

I asked Chef Williams how long he thought he'd have that porchetta, and he anticipated that what he's prepped will last through part of Saturday night's service. He has more Napoleon Ridge pork belly to work with and will likely start the two-day prep process with it next Tuesday. There's a possibility he'll offer this special in future as well, depending on, er, whether he can lay his hands on more pork belly.

You can find Tricia Houston, who also supplied the squash blossoms and peaches for Bouquet's porchetta, at the Covington Farmers Market Saturdays selling produce, eggs, sausages, and sometimes pork from her farm and others. She also operates a hidden gem called the Napoleon Ridge Grocery and Deli (just past where I-71 splits from I-75 toward Louisville). Keep an eye on the deli's daily specials via facebook and drool. Or better yet, stop by.

Meanwhile, even if you're not the porkavore I am, at Bouquet you'll find delicious and thoughtfully conceived dishes – including vegetarian options – that highlight spectacular seasonal ingredients, as well as great wines (and beers) and a knowledgeable and welcoming front-of-house staff. Seize a bit of summer on a plate and get yourself to Bouquet!

SAN FRANCISCO IN 30 HOURS, PART II

Last Saturday we awoke to a clear, crisp morning and hopped the trolley bus (which is different, and less expensive, than a trolley car) to the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. Our tight schedule didn't lend itself to a meal at any of San Francisco's legendary restaurants, but this magnificent market was definitely a culinary high point of the trip for me.

The variety and abundance were mesmerizing. There were so many things I simply had to buy, and try, because I'd never had the opportunity to come across them before, like these pawpaws.

 

My aunts joined in my glee, making some purchases of their own, and shoving greenbacks at me in anticipation of the meals I would prepare the rest of the week at Marilyn's house (or attempting to to equalize who paid for what). They really didn't need to do that. I'm not one to spend many vacation dollars on souvenirs, but I was definitely ready to spend here. When I found this heirloom tomato stand, I couldn't resist picking up one (or more) of each.

In addition to the arts and crafts area across the street, which we ran out of time to see, there were meats, and fish, and cheeses, and so much more I didn't photograph, getting swept up in the moment. Although I did snap these lovely flowers, which made me think of my visits to Pike Place market in Seattle when visiting my sister, who always bought fresh flowers.

We had gotten an early start that morning and planned on eating breakfast from some of the many vendors cooking at the market.

But after surveying a number of the options, my foodie heart could not resist . . . porchetta for breakfast. To be more specific, porchetta with onion marmalade, crispy pork skin, and herb-y greens on a San Francisco sourdough baguette!

When I saw a food truck tricked out in full rotisserie regalia and smelled the aromas wafting from it, I was smitten. I would love to have tried some of those potatoes bathing in the juices of the roasting pork, chicken, and sausage at the bottom of the contraption, but didn't want to fill up too early in the day.

 

There were long lines for some of the food trucks at Ferry Plaza. (Cincinnatians, just sharing a little perspective about our local food truck scene - if the food is good, it's worth waiting for. Just plan accordingly.) This line moved pretty quickly, and was convinced I'd the right personal choice as I got closer to my porchetta sandwich. (Hmm, where can I find an "I Heart Crispy Pork Skin" T-shirt like the one this staffer was wearing?)

We were lucky to get a seat, near a trio of street performers singing their youngster hearts out, then moved on to check out more of the market. We never did see it all. And by the time we went inside and discovered all the great vendors who operate on a more permanent basis there, including Cow Girl Creamery and an awesome-looking salumeria, the crowds had thickened and sadly we had to catch our trolley bus back to check out of the hotel and retrieve our car by noon.

But we had a terrific afternoon, taking in the Calder to Warhol exhibit at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. After we'd been through most of it, I was surprised to realize they don't seem to prohibit photographing most places inside the museum, so snapped this pic of the huge Calder mobile from the second floor looking down into the lobby, along with a few shots of SFMoMa's lovely rooftop sculpture garden.

After touring SFMoMA, we went across the street to Yerba Buena Gardens, a multi-faceted public facility that had that afternoon hosted a salsa-dancing event we heard from a balcony at SFMoMa. Too bad it was over by the time we emerged from the museum. I'd love to check out more of what Yerba Buena Gardens has to offer next time I'm in SF, and it was a great vantage point from which to see the facade of the SFMoMA (sorry I'm venturing into extracurricular territory for a food blog, but these are things you think about when you're an architect's kid).

Our Saturday that had dawned cool and crisp had warmed up significantly. Before we embarked on our three-hour drive to Marilyn's house, we were ready for some air-conditioning, a place to sit, and food! Setting the grazing trend that would continue through the week, we opted for the Thirsty Bear Brewing Company. No Chez Panisse, of course, but its Spanish tapas, home brews, and proximity half a block away were a much-appreciated respite before we headed up to the Sierra foothills. It took a little bit of explaining to convince my aunts to go with the three dishes we ordered (and the restaurant has now changed its online menu, so I may not be getting this quite right). But we started with a cheese plate accompanied by the house currant-rye bread, dots of concentrated green olives, and a fabulous preserved lemon rind.

Next up, a crisp flatbread with serrano ham, manchego, and figs.

And finally, prawns with garlic in pinot gris.

We SO lucked out on the weather in SF for our brief time there. An indelibly blue sky over the cityscape is etched in my memory after this visit. But as we crossed over the Bay Bridge leaving the city and looked across at the Golden Gate bridge, we could also see the fog SF is noted for. Only the very tips of the GGB were visible atop an amazing cloud of fog in the distance. My dear aunt Marilyn kept trying to find a place to pull off so I could take a photo, but in the traffic, we urged her on and talked her out of it. That's a sight that will remain in my memory for years to come, photographic evidence or not.

I'll be back with more food, photos, and maybe even some recipes from the rest of my California trip. Oh, yes, wine was also involved. Thanks to Marilyn and Jeanette and the rest of the family for a great vacation, and to my readers for your patience as I get these posts up.

eggy

AN AMUSE BOUCHE FROM MY CA TRIP, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

My vacation was everything a vacation should be. Perfect weather. All week long. New sights, tastes, and experiences. Easy-going traveling companions. And I got to to cook - for other people! While I continue to cull through my some 600 photos, and split things into more readable posts, here's a taste.

I even managed to finally try my hand at stuffed squash blossoms, thanks to those in my Aunt Marilyn's garden! As well as a few other dishes I've been longing to make before this summer is over.

Meanwhile, I discovered a few surprise opportunities when I managed to snag some internet time.My shrimp and street corn sandwich won me another gift certificate to the CSN stores over at Sandwich365!

I am also honored to have been invited to join the blogging team at All Top Chef. Some of you may know I have a history of dwelling in that dank, dark TC crack monkey googling basement. I hope to put my obsession with Top Chef and newsy bits about it to useful purposes as I join forces with these great folks.

As fate would have it, when I retired to my room to catch the Top Chef 7 finale, followed by the Top Chef Desserts premiere (which I tried really hard to take good notes on in order to get up to speed on my new ATC gig), I heard a knock at the bedroom door. Here's what Marilyn brought me. What a perfect entree to Top Chef: Just Desserts!

Speaking of desserts, results are up for the September Culinary Smackdown: Battle Chocolate at Karkilette's. Be sure to check out Rebecka's winning dish, Chocolate Tamales with Ancho Chile Fudge Sauce.

Jet lag and multi-tasking are catching up with me, so must sign off. Lots more good stuff to share soon.