Flavor is key

Mark Schatzker: an inspiration. 

Around the time we were starting TC Farm, Mark published a book about steak. Somehow, he had convinced a publisher to send him on a junket around the world to taste test the best steaks in every region and write a book about what he found. 

I wish I had THAT job.  Well... we almost did:

Around the time we were reading his book, Betsy and I were traveling Minnesota and taste testing steaks as well. We ate so much searching for the very best that pregnant Betsy had to avoid beef the rest of her pregnancy! 

Chicken Connection

I was inspired by Mark's description of flavor in steaks and I wanted to see what he thought about the slow growth chickens we had been raising. 

So I mailed him a couple of chickens to sample. Here is what he said:

“They turned out beautifully. Visually you could tell this was a different bird... It was a gentle flavor, with a mild note that you don't generally find in chicken. I can't quite describe it, but if I had to compare it to something, I'd say "dairy." It seemed very French somehow. I could imagine that chicken with a hint of garlic and a squeeze of lemon, eating it with a cold glass of white wine under a patio umbrella... I wish I had a more in my freezer, to be honest..” Mark Schatzker

What really struck me

The chicken video is inspiring and I loved hearing a chef talk about cooking chickens like ours.  

However, there was a small line in The Dorito Effect video that struck me. Mark says: "lately [flavor] has been telling lies".   

It made me realize that the food lies we are being told are really a big deal and that I should spend a little more time discussing them -- so watch for another post from me about it -- including my view on the recent PETA propaganda 'documentary' that ravaged social media recently.