Pork and Sons

Pork is the world's most widely eaten meat, the heart and soul of every charcuterie, and many a culinarian's obsession. From head to hoof, and all the diverse and flavorful meat cuts in between, the pig is the most versatile and efficient animal raised for food. And no one knows more about the selection, preparation and cooking of pork than French chef and restaurateur Stephane Reynaud.

Coming from a long line of pig butchers and farmers in rural France, Reynaud certainly knows his stuff. This spring Reynaud shares his affection, recipes and deep knowledge of the pig in Pork & Sons. The winner of the 2005 French Gourmand Cookbook Award, Pork & Sons celebrates the swine in all its forms, from slaughter to supper. The U.S. release of this unique and remarkable cookbook introduces Americans to generations-worth of expertise and love of this delectable meat.

Interspersed with humorous hand-drawn sketches and over 200 evocative color photographs, Pork & Sons provides insight into the history of the pig, those who raise them, and of course how to flavor, cook and transform pork into an array of mouth-watering dishes. With 150 simple yet flavorful recipes that encompass the whole hog, Pork & Sons includes chapters on ham, pates and terrines, sausage, roasting, barbecuing, entertaining, and wild boar, with recipes for Warm Sausage and Puy Lentil Salad with Herb Marinade; Proscuitto, Arugula and Parmesan Crostini; Pork Chops with Saint-Marcellin Cheese; Parfait of Pig's Liver and Muscatel; Barbecued Suckling Pig and many other delectable creations. Also provided are complete lexicons of sausage and ham, top sources of pork in the U.S., and a helpful list of alternative ingredients to those readily available in Europe, so cooks can use Pork & Sons wherever they live.

While this quintessential "pig" cookbook celebrates the delicious qualities of pork in all its myriad forms, it also offers a rare, personal glimpse into a day-in-the-life of a small family business in rural France. Part cookbook and part scrapbook, Pork & Sons spills over with warmth and playful charm in its celebration of community, family and food. Reynaud introduces us to the people in his village, including Eric the Pig Farmer, Aime the Butcher, Bibi the Bistro Owner, among the cast of characters. He even takes us to a traditional pig killing ceremony in Saint-Agrave.

Pork & Sons, an affectionate tribute to all things porcine, is the perfect release in this "year of the pig."

"'This delightful, affectionate homage to the pig is a blend of cookbook and travel guide, celebrating the pig and the bounty it provides. Reynaud, the owner and chef of restaurant Ville 9 Trois, just outside of Paris, learned about pigs through his butcher grandfather, attending his first pig killing at the age of seven. Now, more than 30 years later, he shares his reverence for tradition and all that the pig offers in this exceptional book. Taking the reader on the journey from slaughter to table, he reveals a rich and rustic world largely unknown to most Americans. Readers meet Aim, who can butcher a 400-pound pig in just a few hours; Blachou and his faithful dog, Florette, who help out during the slaughter; and the pt team of Pompom, Kiki and Jacquy. Hearty, mouth-watering recipes — 150 in all — range from the more common (Pork Tenderloins with Porcini Stuffing and Super Maxi Royale Choucroute) to the unusual (Pig's Tongue with Sorrel and Stuffed Pig's Ears). Sections on blood sausage, ham, sausage making and wild boar will fascinate as well as tantalize. Reynaud offers alternatives for hard-to-find ingredients and provides a list of mail-order butchers in the U.S. and France. Originally published in France in 2005, this collection is a must-have for cooks and food lovers everywhere. 240 color photos and 100 line drawings.' Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)"

Reynaud has written an authentic and intensely personal cookbook, presenting the reader with a multitude of ideas on how to cook fine and succulent pork. The 150 recipes are wholesome and rustic, encapsulating the flavors and taste of rural France.

Stephane Reynaud is co-owner of the restaurant Villa 9 Trois in Montreuil, just outside of Paris, France. Pork & Sons is his first cookbook.

Jose Reis de Matos is an old friend of Stephane Reynaud and was responsible for the over 100 hand-drawn pig illustrations in Pork & Sons.