A Superior Creature

For Christmas, my parents gave me Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn's book, Charcuterie The Craft of Salting, Smoking and Curing.

From Thomas Keller's introduction:

A final reason for Charcuterie is important: it recognizes the pig for the superior creature that it is. From a culinary standpoint, the pig is unmatched in the diversity of flavors and textures it offers the cook and the uses it can be put to-from head to tail, from ham to tenderloin, it's a marvel.

This is a very hopeful time for the pig in America . . .

The pig might disagree.