Pork Belly.  Do I even need to say more than that?  Savory, indulgent, buttery pork belly.  I was incredibly nervous to take my first crack at this beautiful cut of meat.  I have to admit that I have never attempted.  But, as part of this wonderful, exploratory food journey I have decided to embark on, I simply went for it.  And, as with many things, if you put behind you your fears and simply go for what you want, it is usually worth it.  A little dramatic for pork, I know, but applicable nonetheless and I absolutely do not regret making up this recipe.  While I plan to continue to improve upon it and see what other versions I can make, I am pretty proud of this dish and hope you enjoy it as well.  As many of you may have noticed, pork belly has become a staple on many a restaurant’s menu and every time I see it, I have to order it to see what variations others have chosen  –  it is always my favorite part of my meal.  I am from northern Wisconsin and the first time I tried pork belly I was at the Wild Rice Restaurant in little Bayfield, Wisconsin.  If you ever have the chance to go to Bayfield – do it.  And while you are there definitely eat at the Wild Rice.  You will not be disappointed.  I saw pork belly on the menu and knew I had to finally try it – I was not let down.  I know it isn’t always on their menu, but if it is – do not hesitate.  It was beautifully prepared, exquisitely plated and tasted of buttery richness.  I think my next favorite restaurant where I tried pork belly was at The Corner Table, here in Minneapolis.  It was served on a bed of chow chow (a Southern relish made, in part, of cabbage and tasted somewhat like sauerkraut), with pickled mustard seeds and some sort of delectable sauce that had just enough heat to compliment the richness of the pork, the sourness of the chow chow and the smoothness of the mustard seeds.  It was amazing, to say the least, but more on that in an upcoming post……

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