Pixel Whisk: A different kind of "Pigskin"

This past Sunday (yes, I gladly skipped the Giants and Patriots games for this pigskin) I was both honored and ecstatic to serve as a judge at Cochon 555 here in New York City. If you happen to live on the west side of Manhattan, your nose probably directed you straight to the event (I still smell like bacon). If you aren't familiar with Cochon 555, here's how it went down: Five chefs, five pigs and five winemakers took over the lighthouse at Chelsea piers and turned manhattan into a pork paradise. Each chef created a menu from a heritage breed pig and I was more than impressed with the talent in the room. This year's roster of chefs included Marc Forgione of Restaurant Marc Forgione, Bobby Hellen of Resto & The Cannibal, Ralf Kuettel of Trestle on Tenth, Shaunna Sargent of Betto, and Damon Wise of The Monkey Bar. All of these chefs could have been the champion in my opinion, but the amazing Marc Forgione brought home the bacon. He also had one of my favorite dishes, Pork Consomme With Rillette Tortellini. Because I'm generally a sweets kinda gal, I couldn't resist the salted caramels From Trestle On Tenth (I may have stashed a few in my purse for later). The best part is that chef Forgione now gets to compete against the nine other regional winners at the finale Grand Cochon event at the FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen, June 17, 2012. Hope to see you there! Here's to Cochon 555 for raising awareness about sustainable agriculture and for allowing me to be part of such a great event!